Research laboratories unconnected to the government, unconnected to any business interests or any of that kind of stuff. And then we build right downtown in the heart of the city, in the epicenter, and we become the heart of the city. We become the heart of the nation. We change the way you think about the sciences, and then...
Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories (S.T.A.R. Labs) is a scientific research organization founded by Eobard Thawne, who impersonated the late Harrison Wells.
On December 11, 2013, "Wells" purposely sabotaged the particle accelerator and gave out a high amount of Dark Matter, turning countless viewers and citizens into Metahumans. Among those are Barry Allen, who fell into a coma for nine months before discovering his newly gained connection to the Speed Force. Allen then worked with "Wells", bioengineer Caitlin Snow and mechanical engineer Cisco Ramon as a team into becoming the superpowered vigilante, The Flash. The four soon based their operations in the damaged S.T.A.R. Labs for seven years and fought against rogue Metahumans in Central City.[10][11]
Eventually, as Allen became more familiar with his abilities, the team discovered that Wells was, in fact, the future time criminal and the murderer of Allen's mother, Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash. The team exposed him and revealed to the world that Harrison Wells was a murderer. As a result, Allen was given the ownership of S.T.A.R. Labs and the organization continued to operate, though at a much smaller scale.[12][13]
Under Barry Allen's ownership
After Eobard's true identity was revealed to the team, Eobard filmed a confession of the murder of Nora Allen and transferred the ownership to Barry Allen. Barry later owned the labs until the destruction in 2017 caused by Savitar and his leave to the Speed Force.
In an erased timeline where Thawne altered the timeline to make Barry seemingly lose his sanity, the S.T.A.R. Labs Central City Facility was over flood with CCDBS officers who attempted to condemn the facility due to the radiation leakage. Team Flash then relocated to Chester P. Runk'sgarage before the timeline was fully reset through Barry's reversal of the Reverse Flashpoint.[12][13][14]
Erased Timeline
In the original, erased timeline, it was founded by Harrison Wells and Tess Morgan in the year of 2020 as well as the particle accelerator.