It seems that the Speed Force is just too unwieldy for even the Flash to understand. After an epic battle in the timestream, Barry Allen contended that the enigmatic force might be too much for him to ever explain with science.

Fans know that Barry got his powers when he was working late in a lab one night and was struck by lightning after being doused in chemicals. That bolt connected Barry to the mysterious energy source known as the Speed Force and allowed him to travel faster than anyone could comprehend. Though Barry has periodically tried to master the Speed Force by studying it and analyzing it in the way he would any other scientific phenomenon, he could never truly grasp the rules it operated by. Unlike physics or chemistry, the Speed Force rarely seemed to have a consistent behavior that could help Flash understand its true nature. But, after trying to understand the complexities of the Speed Force for years, even the Scarlet Speedster had to acknowledge he was stumped after one time-spanning adventure.

Related: Flash’s Speed Force Helped ‘Design’ His Controversial New 52 Costume

In The Flash #24 by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato, the Flash has found himself thrown backwards through time thanks to Daniel West, the New 52’s Reverse-Flash. West has the power to steal Speed Force energy and travel back in time, and after taking what he needed from Flash, West is prepared to kill his and Iris' abusive father. However, after frightening the younger version of his sister, Flash is able to convince Reverse-Flash that going forward is the only proper way to heal. West allows Barry to take his energy back and send them back through the timestream. However, upon arriving back home, Barry admits via narration he has no clue how he did it.

The Flash Speed Force Curious DC Comics

Comic fans have long joked about how the Flash’s Speed Force doesn’t exactly have rules other than what the plot demands that it have. To see Barry essentially admit that in canon is both humorous and a bit refreshing. But something Barry should consider is that if the Speed Force is genuinely that complex, chaotic, and completely unable to be defined by science, he may very well be dealing with magic. While Flash prides himself on being a man of logic and reason, the truth is the DC Universe is a more magical place than it first appears. And while the various magic and arcane forces have their own rules, like the Speed Force, they are just as fast and loose with them. Flash may not have to perform rituals or read sacred texts to utilize the Speed Force, but the behavior of the energy source would make a lot more sense if it were classified as magic.

If Barry pursued the theory that the Speed Force is magic and consulted heroes like Dr. Fate or Zatanna, he may actually open himself to understanding how the energy actually works. The Speed Force may perplex the Flash for now, but someone as smart as him will crack it one day.