The origins of the Source remain one of history's greatest enigmas. Some believe it both created and was created by the universe, emerging around 19 billion years ago. Yet other theories propose an even older origin — that the Source emerged from the void, an infinite nothingness predat

The Source is the primordial Force of Creation, along with its other aspects, The Presence and The Light. It is the "source" of all that exists and acts as the limitless energy from which all life sprang forth in the Universe, revered by the New Gods.^[34][15][2] At some point, it bonded with the Mother Entity.

History

Origins

The origins of the Source remain one of history's greatest enigmas. Some believe it both created and was created by the universe, emerging around 19 billion years ago. Yet other theories propose an even older origin — that the Source emerged from the void, an infinite nothingness predating life, death, matter, magic, and even the concepts of time and space. One such theory, posited by the New God Himon, takes a more abstract approach. He speculates that the Source could be a product of a self-referential void.^[5] In this view, the Great Darkness — which can only refer to itself through the presence of another — might only be understood through the existence of light and life - essentially equating it to The Light of Creation. The Source is thus pure information - the very first knowledge. Untainted and incomprehensible ideas, one that both creates and defines life and existence itself. From the void, the Source was born, and as it emerged, the cosmos stirred. The forces of creation and destruction danced together like threads on destiny's loom, giving rise to the Lords of Chaos and the Lords of Order. Soon after, the Gods followed—both old and new.^[6]

The Source then created a race of super-celestial beings known as the Hands and sent them into the void. Their task was to create new Multiverses using the seven connective energies that the Source itself had birthed. After the creation of their Multiverses, each member of the Hands would eventually pass, their energies returning to the Source from which they came.^[7] However, one amongst their number, Perpetua, refused. She built a viscious, predatory multiverse, one locked in a never-ending cycle of crisis and rebirth. Her children, however, betrayed her, and she was imprisoned within the Source Wall, which protects the Source, and traps all those who attempt to pass beyond it as Promethean Giants. Her flawed, predatory multiverse was made to restart.^{[8][9][2][10]}

The Source is closely associated with the New Gods, as it was the supposed origin of the "Godwave", a cosmic energy wave that is believed to have been responsible for creating and empowering the "Gods" with their divine abilities. It also seems to be partially responsible for the ability of certain people to develop super-powers, especially those which defy the laws of physics.

Death of the New Gods

 Main article: Death of the New Gods

While investigating the death of the New Gods, Metron encountered the Source. The Source revealed it was behind the deaths to build a new "Fifth World" after the Third and Fourth Worlds of the respective Old and New Gods proved unsatisfactory. It revealed that the most powerful gods of three pantheons of the Third World--the "Old Gods"--attacked it and caused it to split into separate beings. The other being evolved into the Anti-Life entity. In retribution, the Source destroyed the Old Gods and created the New Gods. However, its diminished stature caused the New Gods to be flawed, leading the New Gods to diverge from the Source's wishes and only able to understand cryptic commands through messages written by a disembodied hand. The Source sought to reunite with its other half and start anew and destroy the New Gods in the process. It has apparently manipulated several beings such as Alexander Luthor and Rip Hunter, as it never resided behind the Source Wall, to create the 52 worlds of the Multiverse to ease the reunion of the two halves of the Source and commandeered the The Infinity Man to assassinate the New Gods and collect their souls inside a second wall within the Source Wall to be reincarnated as the raw materials for its Fifth World.^[11]

However, this encounter at this event was with a visual manifestation of The Source that the simplest minds can comprehend,^[12][13] since The Source contains life and anti-life, good and evil, up and down, in and out, black and white, all at once, it must be regarded as an ultimate concept which cannot be halved or divided or contained.^[14]

Post-Flashpoint

At some point, the Source became bonded to a being of unknown provenance known as the Mother Entity. Though their connection was not marriage in any traditional sense, the Mother Entity is considered to be the Source's bride. The Mother Entity is the energy tapped into by the Mother Boxes of the Fourth World.^[15]

Aspects

• Uni-Friend: A localized, intimate emanation of the Source that manifests as a Hand of Fire that communicates by writing in flames with its finger. It is an aspect tailored for direct communion with chosen beings, serving as the Source’s whisper - guiding, warning, and illuminating without imposing. Its messages are rare, cryptic, and often catalytic.^{[16][17][18][19]} When inside the Source, the Spectre sensed that the Uni-Friend may be an aspect of Michael, the Archangel.^[20]
• The Presence: Though often perceived as distinct cosmic absolutes, The Source and The Presence have been referred to interchangeably on multiple occasions, suggesting that they are aspects of one another.^[21][22] The Presence manifests as omnipotent deity within the Sphere of the Gods and is the creator of Heaven and the Angels.
• The Light of Creation: The divine radiance fashioned by The Presence, from which all creation springs. The Light of Creation and The Source have been referred to interchangeably on occasion and suggested to be the same primordial energy.^[23][5] Through interaction with the Darkness, the Light, once an immaculate and infinite whiteness without flaw, became part of the first narrative, and created within itself story. The whiteness, now obsessed with the flaw, became known as Monitor-Mind the Overvoid.^[24][25]

Powers

• Source of Creation: The Source is the origin of all existence, the cosmic wellspring from which everything emerged. From its power, the Godwave was born — an immense cosmic force of divine energy unleashed by the destruction of the Old Gods. This wave, generated by the Source, not only created the New Gods but also imbued them with their divine abilities. Moreover, the Godwave is the catalyst behind the rise of superpowers in mortals.^[26] The Source's influence extends far beyond the gods themselves. Through the Source, immense energies were formed and harnessed by its celestial agents, known as the Hands. These forces were pivotal in the creation of Multiverses within the confines of the Greater Omniverse. One such force is Connective Energy — a binding force that unites all history and all lives into one continuous, interwoven story. This energy flows through various manifestations, including the Speed Force, the Emotional Spectrum, and the Forces of Justice. In contrast, Crisis Energy is the energy of the self, anchored in the present moment, and driven by destruction and chaos. This energy manifests through the darker powers of creation such as the Anti-Life Equation, Chaos Magic, and the Forces of Doom.^[2][27] Ultimately, everything born from the Source is destined to return to it, sustaining an eternal cycle of birth, life, and dissolution.^[28]
• Omnipresence: The Source is described by Himon as the embodiment of untainted, incomprehensible ideas — the collective meanings of everything, existing simultaneously in all things.^[29] It flows through all creation, present in every corner of existence,^[30] yet paradoxically, it is both everywhere and nowhere at once.^[31] The Source is often referred to as the "All" and yet exists beyond the "All."^[32] However, even this vast, incomprehensible force is not without its limits, for there are forces that lie beyond its reach.
• Omniscience: The Source is known as the "All-Wise" by Highfather. Metron, in his observations, described the universe as a long and slow reverie — a dream conceived by the Source from the beginning of time, one that will undoubtedly persist long after time itself has come to an end.^[33]
• Immortality: It is commonly believed that the Source both created and was created by the emergence of the universe 19 billion years ago.^[14] However, this belief is questionable, as the Source is said to have existed before the beginning of time itself, originating from the Void of Primordial Darkness.^[6][32]

Notes

• The events of Death of the New Gods and Countdown to Final Crisis are often described as apocryphal, presenting an alternative or distorted version of the same story hinted at in Final Crisis. Central to this narrative is the "war in heaven," which led to the death of the New Gods. In Death of the New Gods, the Source, traditionally depicted as the cosmic force of life and creation, is portrayed in a much different light. Here, the Source is revealed as a dual entity, split into two opposing aspects, a result of the cataclysmic conflict between the Old Gods.^[35] However, Final Crisis ultimately offers a more cohesive understanding of the Source's true nature. In this story, the Source is reaffirmed as a singular, indivisible force of life, creation, and existence. It is a cosmic power that transcends the conflicts typically associated with it, incapable of being divided or contained.^[14] Given this, it's possible that what was perceived as the Source in Death of the New Gods—the dual entity involved in the destruction of the New Gods—wasn't the true Source at all. Rather, it may have been a corrupted or distorted manifestation, shaped by the forces manipulating the New Gods and their universe.
• The Source has often been tied to the Presence. In the Pre-Flashpoint continuity, the Source was said to reside behind the gates of Heaven, welcoming all,^[36] while the Godwave was described as the "power of the Presence".^[37] In the Post-Flashpoint era, Wally West referred to both the Source and the Presence interchangeably.^[38] Later, he did the same with the Light of Creation and the Source.^[23] Additionally, Himon hinted that the Source might be the Light of Creation, in contrast to the Great Darkness.^[5] This suggests that the Source, the Presence, and the Light of Creation could either be the same entity or that the first two are aspects of the Presence.

See Also

• Appearances of The Source
  
• Concept Gallery: The Source
  
• Catalogued images related to The Source