metalapses

A metalapse is a term used in speculative fiction, particularly in science fiction, to describe a temporal anomaly. It represents a brief, localized period where the normal flow of time is disrupted, causing events to repeat or loop within that specific area. Unlike a time loop, which typically affects individuals or a group, a metalapse is characterized by a spatial boundary, with time behaving normally outside of it.

The concept of a metalapse often explores the philosophical implications of causality and free will. If events within a metalapse are destined to repeat, do individuals trapped within it have any agency? The duration of a metalapse can vary, from mere seconds to potentially much longer periods. The mechanism behind a metalapse is usually left unexplained, attributed to advanced technology, cosmic events, or unknown physical laws.

When an object or person enters a metalapse, they might experience the same moments repeatedly until the anomaly resolves or they find a way to escape. The exit from a metalapse can be as abrupt as its onset, with time resuming its forward progression as if the anomaly never occurred, or it can lead to a permanently altered timeline. The term itself suggests a "lapse" in time that is "meta," implying a higher or more complex order of temporal distortion.