I think a fresh very first infusion of matter into a zone of calm, neutral either begets the expanding etherial distortion that is now called space/time. The matter warps the space/time and this warping is called gravity.
Theoretically, since nothing is there before it
the original very first expansion of space/time originally caused by some matter distortion can expand out spherically at a rate many times greater than the speed of light. This fast space time distortion fast expansion rate is a one shot deal and that speed is only applicable on the very leading edge of the expansion effect. Once space/time is established and present in an area, the speed of light rules apply inside that area.
I think folks cannot grasp the effects of the huge distances between these "super galaxies" as they go way way out into virgin calm of the undistorted either. They used to call these space time effect zones "island universes" in some of the very early theories of an ongoing cosmic creation. It gives a better idea of the size of the things and the scope of the effects of one.
The effects of a new big bang are now being considered along the lines of a somewhat local event. This offers up the possibility that a new matter induced big bang generates a separate set of natural laws, laws that can vary somewhat between big bangs making areas where the physical laws may be slightly different.
It is really really complex. It is really really really big.
We still don't know what exists before space time, we have called it the either but have no definition for it other than "pre-exising nothingness".
Gravitational waves (ripples in space/time) have now been observed affecting matter near two rapidly mutually orbiting dark holes that are getting ready to merge.
Dark Energy apparently isn't theoretically limited by the speed of light, but we still haven't proven that puppy actually really exists.
Supermassive Black Holes suck in real matter by the sun load. Where does it all go?
Some super duper sized
rapidly rotating galaxy center black holes may spew out some xray and up radiant energy and stripped down sub-nuclear particles in the form of tiny tiny particles reformed from energy, along with xrays and lots of ultra violet light ---- but all the flying junk resting in the neighborhood of the black hole obscures much direct observation of these huge galaxy center black holes.
This black hole death beam that is generated is called a quasar and it can kill planets and stars if it hits them directly. What is bad is that the black hole wobbles some (progresses) like a top running down and that makes the death beam sweep along in a conical pattern wiping out a lot of stuff along the way.
We don't know the range of the quazar beam's total reach, but we can see sparkles as it sweeps across stars and planets, obliterating them.
See the quazar beam sparkle when it hits something ...... poof, vaporized suns and planets in the cosmic bug zapper.
Next, note the size of the quazar beam --- .0 1% of the size of the galaxy for the hot core of the beam with an estimated ratiated power level of 10,000 suns (the ongoing, steady beam is quite large and quite strong). It ain't no flashlight, that's for sure.Hmmmmm? Headache, yet?