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Oh, my God. Oh, my God! You just... You pressed "pause" on... life!
Niko about Mel's ability to freeze time in Source Material


Temporal Stasis, only referred to in-universe as freezing or stopping time, is the power to completely stop the flow of time. This power is a branch of Temporal Manipulation.[1]

Overview[]

The users of this power have the ability to stop the flow of time, causing objects and beings to instantly freeze in place and appear completely motionless. A being who remains unfrozen while time is suspended is able to move and manipulate affected objects, even while the impact of gravity remains impeded. However, once they move an object and then let it go, as long as time remains frozen, the object will be affected by the freeze once again and will stay in place. For example, when Mel was fighting with Hunter Caine, as she was using her power, she accidentally kicked a table making the objects on it to be thrown out of it, but since time was still frozen, the table and all the objects immediately froze in time again.[2]

It seems that this ability does not affect the air or wind in a frozen area, as Niko Hamada's hair continued to blow in the wind and the wind disturbed her and Harry Greenwood's clothing while they were frozen outside of Viralis's lair.[3]

Concentration is required in order to keep everything frozen, as even a small lapse can cause time to resume. Anger will also cause users to be unable to access their power at all, until they calm down and are able to think rationally.

Immunity or Resistance[]

Main article: Immunity and/or Resistance

Witches, Whitelighters and Darklighters are naturally immune to this power. Whenever Mel freezes an area with these beings around, those select individuals will find themselves unaffected while everything else is frozen. Aside from witches and Whitelighters, certain upper-level demons, supernatural beings, and mystical substances are immune or resistant to this power as well. Another method of immunity for this power, and others, is wearing a witch hunter's ring, which are specifically designed to block magic.

Similar Powers[]

Telekinetic Immobilization[]

Telekinetic Immobilization is the ability to project a field of telekinetic energy that is capable of immobilizing other beings by wrapping the energy around them.

Telepathic Immobilization[]

Telepathic Immobilization is the ability to cause people to become motionless by telepathically stopping their conscious functions, making them appear as if they were frozen in time.

Molecular Inhibition[]

Molecular Inhibition is the ability to completely stop the movement of molecules, causing them to lose their energy and solidify, resulting in ice. Unlike time freezing, this ability can be used to induce immobility by causing a being to be frozen in ice.

Known Users[]

Original Power
Through spell, artifact, power stealing, etc.

Trivia[]

  • In the original series, Piper's active power allowed her to simulate the stoppage of time by slowing down molecules.
    • While beings affected by Piper's freeze could be broken out of it with enough physical stimulus, in "Surrender", Fiona Callahan was shown gripping and slapping a frozen Harry Greenwood without disrupting Mel's freeze, as she is the only one who can undo it. Additionally, while she kept time suspended, she was able to kick a table which immediately froze[2] and Macy was able to move a drink without unfreezing it[4].
  • In "Kappa Spirit", Harry Greenwood, could not erase the memories of people who are affected by the Stasis, unless it is undone, indicating that their minds are also suspended. However, Maggie Vera has been able to read the hive mind of cicada demons while time was frozen[5].
    • This could be, because Maggie, didn't use her power to alter anything in the mind, but only read it. This would mean that she could sense remnant psychic energy unaffected by the suspension of time.
  • According to Harry, this power is common amongst "control freaks."
  • It appears that when this power is used on magical attacks, even though they freeze, they still seem to be moving in place. For example, in "Pilot", when Mel used her power to freeze Taydeus' icicles, little pieces of ice around the icicle, were slightly moving. In "Bug a Boo", when Jada threw a ball of electricity at Mel, when Mel froze time, the ball stayed in place but it was still vibrating like electricity.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

References[]

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