It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Entertainment Weekly's Ultimate Guide to the Arrowverse
A crisis is coming to the Arrowverse — and Entertainment Weekly is here to walk you through all of it.…
Official Discussion: CW Arrowverse (All Things!) CW sold to Nexstar UPDATE: Arrow 10 yr ANNIVERSARY
- Thread starter playahaitian
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Somebody needs to punch Lynn in her fucking head
Looks dope. Ol Bruce ain't gettin around so good these days lol.
'Crisis on Infinite Earths' boss talks Oliver's fate, Kara-Kate's 'deeper' dynamic
EP Marc Guggenheim on the 'pressure' of adapting 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' for TV and how the comic helped solve a crossover problem.
'Crisis on Infinite Earths' boss talks Oliver's fate, Kara-Kate's 'deeper' dynamic, and more
EP Marc Guggenheim on the 'pressure' of adapting Crisis on Infinite Earths for TV.
By Chancellor Agard
December 05, 2019 at 11:44 AM EST
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KATIE YU/THE CW; INSET: PHILLIP FARAONE/GETTY IMAGES
The Powers That Be of the Arrowverse are not taking their adaptation of DC Comics’ Crisis on Infinite Earths lightly at all.
“I felt so much pressure. We all felt enormous pressure,” crossover executive producer Marc Guggenheim tells EW of tackling Marv Wolfman and George Pérez’s iconic maxiseries of the same name, which forever changed the face of the DC Universe and comics in general when it was released in the ’80s, for this year’s annual Arrowverse crossover. “There’s only one Crisis on Infinite Earths and you only get to do it once, and we’re terrified about screwing it up.”
That being said, Guggenheim is confident that they’ve crafted something that homages both the comic and the expansive DC Universe as a whole with this year’s Arrowverse crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” which begins this Sunday. Unfolding across the CW’s Supergirl, Batwoman, The Flash, Arrow, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the five-episode television event follows the many heroes of The CW (and beyond!) as they band together to stop the Anti-Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) from destroying the multiverse. In keeping with the spirit of the comic, the outcome of the crossover will have dramatic ramifications on the entire Arrowverse going forward.
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“One of the things the comic always promised was that ‘Worlds will live. Worlds will die. And things will never be the same.’ There were characters who died. New characters were introduced. The whole status quo of the universe changed,” says Guggenheim. “I hope that everyone feels that we’ve lived up to that.”
To craft the crossover’s story, Guggenheim combed through the 12-issue limited series like it was the Book of Destiny and plucked out story beats that could serve as tentpoles for the five hours they had to play with. “In fact, when we pitched it out to the studio [Warner Bros. TV] and network, we had corresponding covers for the 12 issues of the comic that matched five episodes,” he says, adding he also pitched the structure to the many showrunners, too.
While Guggenheim won’t reveal which elements of the comic they homage, he did share that the comic helped them solve one major problem they faced. “We basically spoiled our own story by telling the audience Oliver [Stephen Amell] is going to die at the end of season 7,” says Guggenheim. “Working out, quite frankly, just plot twists and surprises and reversals, that was an interesting challenge. I think the original Crisis comic provided a lot of points of inspiration. Even if it didn’t give us the answer to the test, it inspired the answers.”
DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
Crisis was originally conceived as a way for DC Comics to clean up its then-convoluted continuity, which was rife with too many parallel worlds, alternate timelines, and doppelgängers that intimidated potential new readers. Luckily, the Arrowverse doesn’t have a massive continuity problem, which means the writers were able to zero even further in on their characters — especially the number ones of each of the shows.
“While we honor the Barry and Oliver relationship, what’s been really, really nice is developing the relationship between Kara and Kate [Ruby Rose],” says Guggenheim. “We really just teased it at the end of the ‘Elseworlds’ last year with the World’s Finest reference, but we really get a chance to dig deeper into that and have those two characters supporting each other much in the same way that Barry and Oliver have been supporting each other in previous crossovers.”
With regards to Legends, which is an ensemble show, “the crossover focuses primarily on Sara, Caity Lotz’s character for a variety of different reasons — certainly related to what happens with Oliver in the crossover,” he says. “You’ll also see that the events of the crossover sort of kick off Sara’s emotional journey for season 5 of Legends. We really come out of the crossover with Sara having a different perspective on things.”
The Arrow hour of the crossover is particularly special because Guggenheim co-wrote it with Wolfman. “I could not have asked for a better experience. It just worked out extremely, extremely well,” says Guggenheim, admitting he was initially nervous about collaborating with one of his idols because, by his own admission, he writes with a “heavy hand.” Thankfully, that turned out not to be a problem. “Marv’s pages came in and they were brilliant. Like unbelievably brilliant. Such great writing, so vivid. I literally didn’t end up changing that much,” he says. “Marv’s interpretation of Lex Luthor, in particular, is genius. What phenomenal, phenomenal material for Jon Cryer!”
KATIE YU/THE CW
In addition to honoring the comic, Guggenheim also wanted to make sure this year’s crossover paid tribute to DC’s history on television and at the movies. That explains why fans are getting a Smallville reunion, Black Lightning’s Arrowverse debut, and Legends‘ Brandon Routh suiting up as Kingdom Come Superman, which was one of many highlights of production.
“It’s fun because [Routh] gets to not only play Superman but also Clark Kent, and watching him inhabit those two roles. I say two roles because he plays them obviously very differently from one another,” he says. “We also had the opportunity to see Brandon act opposite himself, because Ray Palmer is in the crossover as well. We certainly wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity for Superman played by Brandon Routh to interact with Ray Palmer played by Brandon Routh.” He adds, “We really felt an obligation to visit all of the different corners of the DC Universe that we could get our hands on. It’s exciting to see all of the different ways that has come together.”
Because “Crisis” is the Arrowverse’s biggest crossover ever, it’s easy to understand why one might be tempted to compare it to Avengers: Endgame. For his part, Guggenheim doesn’t want to prescribe any Endgame comparisons, preferring to leave that to the fans; however when pressed, he does offer up one tease: “I’d say certainly for Barry and Oliver, there is an emotional denouement that is reminiscent of Endgame,” he says. “Endgame is an exclamation point. ‘Crisis’ is a semi-colon.”
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” kicks off with Supergirl on Sunday, Dec. 8, followed by Batwoman on Monday, Dec. 9, and The Flash on Tuesday, Dec. 10. After the winter hiatus, the crossover will resume Tuesday, Jan. 14, with Arrow at 8 p.m., and conclude with Legends of Tomorrow at 9 p.m.
For expert analysis, interviews, and scene breakdowns, watch EW’s official “Crisis” after-show, Crisis: Aftermath, hosted by Kevin Smith and airing 9 p.m., immediately after Supergirl (Dec. 8) and The Flash (Dec. 10) on The CW.
Bump
2 minutes in and they drop a cameo from Batman 1989 and Titans... Jesus I’m ready
I definitely wasn't expecting that
Jesus Christ they have everyone
Will Weaton!
Will Weaton!
Im not watching the episodes til it's over but I did see a clip of the Titans cameo on YouTube....
They need to do something about Lena this shit is killing me
This send off for Ollie is one of the best that I’ve seen
Wasn't expecting him to go so soon
Already there
Probably will in tomorrow night's BL episode..the antimatter wave comes in at the end then we'll see him appear on The Flash the next night
my oldest is sick and we as a family have agreed
NO Mandalorian OR Arrowverse till she feels better
This is the way.
I let het watch the first 15 minutes this morning before school...
Good lawd
Robert wahl!!!????
She aint get one reference
But was like why kryptonians can't make bigger ships?
DC aint freaking playing
Not one bit
Respect.
If the first 15 minutes any indication?
Oh we in for one hell of a ride.
Oh we in for one hell of a ride.
Haven't watched any of these in a while but came to say that supergirl and felicity could get the D.
"i have spoken"
"i have spoken"
Oh snap... there is a Black Lightning on Earth 1
Crisis on Infinite Earths' bosses, star shed light on the Smallville surprise
By Chancellor Agard
December 09, 2019 at 09:00 PM EST
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DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
Warning: This article contains spoilers from Monday’s Batwoman, the second part of the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover.
The Arrowverse’s return to Smallville came with a major surprise.
In the second hour of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” Clark (Tyler Hoechlin), Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), and Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) went looking for a Superman from another Earth who could help save the multiverse. Their search led them to Earth-167, which brought them face-to-face with Smallville‘s Clark Kent (Tom Welling) who was breaking a sweat as he chopped wood.
As soon as they approached him, though, a murderous Lex Luthor (Jon Cryer) breached in with the Book of Destiny and sent them away. Then, the sociopathic genius turned his attention to Clark-Welling and tried to kill him with kryptonite — which had no effect on him because this version of Clark used Gold Kryptonite to permanently remove his powers so he could raise two kids with Lois (Erica Durance). Even though he’s powerless, he’s still faster and stronger than Lex and knocks him back on his butt.
PAID CONTENT
New Rule in Brooklyn, NY
Drivers With No Tickets In 3 Years Are In For A Big Surprise
From Comparisons.org
Smallville fans were probably shocked by the future the Arrowverse’s writers gave Clark since the original series ended with him fully embracing his identity as Superman; however, for Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries, a former Smallville writer, the decision made complete sense.
“We had conversations about how to best see Tom again,” Dries told reporters at screening of Parts 1 and 2 last week. “We knew that we really wanted Brandon Routh as Clark Kent in the Daily Planet. I think the Tom Welling Clark Kent that we all kind of picture when we think of him is Clark on the farm. So, it made sense. The farm is still there.” She continued, “It all felt very 10 years ago in a great way. To us, it just felt natural that that’s kind of his natural environment where we’d see him.”
According to crossover executive producer Marc Guggenheim, Welling loved what they had written for him.
“He was like, ‘I love this,'” said Guggenheim. “He basically said to me, ‘You guys have basically written the one scene that I can’t say no to,’ which was really really nice.”
Cryer was both surprised and thrilled to be part of the crossover’s Smallville moment. “It was unbelievably cool to work with Tom Welling,” Cryer told EW. “Nobody told me. I actually had to read it on Twitter that Tom was coming back, because I had not read the scripts yet for ‘Crisis.’ I was so hoping that my character got to interact with him. Then to find out that not only do I get a chance to interact but that’s the whole crux of the scene, I considered it a huge honor because Smallville was an absolutely amazing piece of work in terms of reimagining a character. I still think Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex is certainly the best Lex that has been on television, probably the best portrayal of Lex that I’ve seen. Just to be part of that legacy was very cool for me.”
KATIE YU/THE CW
Part 2 of the crossover featured a third Superman from Earth-96 played by DC’s Legends of Tomorrow‘s Brandon Routh. Unfortunately, Routh didn’t share any scenes with Welling because “they were working at cross purposes,” said Guggenheim at the screening. “We wanted Brandon at the Daily Planet but we wanted Tom on the farm.”
That being said, Routh did work with Hoechlin-Superman. In fact, these Men of Steel fought because Lex used the Book of Destiny to pit them against each other, which gave Cryer an opportunity to bond with Routh over their experiences in the Superman film franchise.
“Working with Brandon was great. He and I really commiserated over the fact that we had both been a part of the Superman legacy but in ways that never felt really emotionally whole,” said Cryer. “I was in Superman IV, which unfortunately was released before frankly it was finished. Even though Superman Returns holds up in many fantastic ways and Brandon is a terrific Superman, because it did not continue on, some people considered not a big part of the Superman canon, which is a shame because it’s a terrific movie.”
He continued: “So we bonded over the fact that when you’re a kid and you fall in love with the idea of Superman and you want to be a part of that legacy, when it doesn’t work out as you’d hoped, it hurts you in a way that sort of brings you back to the way you felt when you were a 13-year-old boy.”
Looking ahead at The Flash hour, Cryer sheds some light on that image of Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) showing Lex who’s boss: “Lex is not the easiest person to get along with. In fact, there’s a runner with every character realizing to what extent that he’s such a d-bag. Of course, Kate Kane has kind of a zero-tolerance policy for d-bags, and that picture is that playing out in real time. In many respects, the idea that Lex has to be there, that the Monitor pronounces somehow he’s going to play a part in saving the universe, is the only reason the heroes put up with him at all.”
DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” continues Tuesday with The Flash at 8 p.m. After the winter hiatus, the crossover will resume Tuesday, Jan. 14, with Arrow at 8 p.m., and conclude with Legends of Tomorrow at 9 p.m.
For expert analysis, interviews, and scene breakdowns, watch EW’s official “Crisis” after-show, Crisis: Aftermath, hosted by Kevin Smith and airing 9 p.m., immediately after The Flash (Dec. 10) on The CW.
By Chancellor Agard
December 09, 2019 at 09:00 PM EST
FBTwitterMore
DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
Warning: This article contains spoilers from Monday’s Batwoman, the second part of the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover.
The Arrowverse’s return to Smallville came with a major surprise.
In the second hour of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” Clark (Tyler Hoechlin), Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), and Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) went looking for a Superman from another Earth who could help save the multiverse. Their search led them to Earth-167, which brought them face-to-face with Smallville‘s Clark Kent (Tom Welling) who was breaking a sweat as he chopped wood.
As soon as they approached him, though, a murderous Lex Luthor (Jon Cryer) breached in with the Book of Destiny and sent them away. Then, the sociopathic genius turned his attention to Clark-Welling and tried to kill him with kryptonite — which had no effect on him because this version of Clark used Gold Kryptonite to permanently remove his powers so he could raise two kids with Lois (Erica Durance). Even though he’s powerless, he’s still faster and stronger than Lex and knocks him back on his butt.
PAID CONTENT
New Rule in Brooklyn, NY
Drivers With No Tickets In 3 Years Are In For A Big Surprise
From Comparisons.org
Smallville fans were probably shocked by the future the Arrowverse’s writers gave Clark since the original series ended with him fully embracing his identity as Superman; however, for Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries, a former Smallville writer, the decision made complete sense.
“We had conversations about how to best see Tom again,” Dries told reporters at screening of Parts 1 and 2 last week. “We knew that we really wanted Brandon Routh as Clark Kent in the Daily Planet. I think the Tom Welling Clark Kent that we all kind of picture when we think of him is Clark on the farm. So, it made sense. The farm is still there.” She continued, “It all felt very 10 years ago in a great way. To us, it just felt natural that that’s kind of his natural environment where we’d see him.”
According to crossover executive producer Marc Guggenheim, Welling loved what they had written for him.
“He was like, ‘I love this,'” said Guggenheim. “He basically said to me, ‘You guys have basically written the one scene that I can’t say no to,’ which was really really nice.”
Cryer was both surprised and thrilled to be part of the crossover’s Smallville moment. “It was unbelievably cool to work with Tom Welling,” Cryer told EW. “Nobody told me. I actually had to read it on Twitter that Tom was coming back, because I had not read the scripts yet for ‘Crisis.’ I was so hoping that my character got to interact with him. Then to find out that not only do I get a chance to interact but that’s the whole crux of the scene, I considered it a huge honor because Smallville was an absolutely amazing piece of work in terms of reimagining a character. I still think Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex is certainly the best Lex that has been on television, probably the best portrayal of Lex that I’ve seen. Just to be part of that legacy was very cool for me.”
KATIE YU/THE CW
Part 2 of the crossover featured a third Superman from Earth-96 played by DC’s Legends of Tomorrow‘s Brandon Routh. Unfortunately, Routh didn’t share any scenes with Welling because “they were working at cross purposes,” said Guggenheim at the screening. “We wanted Brandon at the Daily Planet but we wanted Tom on the farm.”
That being said, Routh did work with Hoechlin-Superman. In fact, these Men of Steel fought because Lex used the Book of Destiny to pit them against each other, which gave Cryer an opportunity to bond with Routh over their experiences in the Superman film franchise.
“Working with Brandon was great. He and I really commiserated over the fact that we had both been a part of the Superman legacy but in ways that never felt really emotionally whole,” said Cryer. “I was in Superman IV, which unfortunately was released before frankly it was finished. Even though Superman Returns holds up in many fantastic ways and Brandon is a terrific Superman, because it did not continue on, some people considered not a big part of the Superman canon, which is a shame because it’s a terrific movie.”
He continued: “So we bonded over the fact that when you’re a kid and you fall in love with the idea of Superman and you want to be a part of that legacy, when it doesn’t work out as you’d hoped, it hurts you in a way that sort of brings you back to the way you felt when you were a 13-year-old boy.”
Looking ahead at The Flash hour, Cryer sheds some light on that image of Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) showing Lex who’s boss: “Lex is not the easiest person to get along with. In fact, there’s a runner with every character realizing to what extent that he’s such a d-bag. Of course, Kate Kane has kind of a zero-tolerance policy for d-bags, and that picture is that playing out in real time. In many respects, the idea that Lex has to be there, that the Monitor pronounces somehow he’s going to play a part in saving the universe, is the only reason the heroes put up with him at all.”
DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” continues Tuesday with The Flash at 8 p.m. After the winter hiatus, the crossover will resume Tuesday, Jan. 14, with Arrow at 8 p.m., and conclude with Legends of Tomorrow at 9 p.m.
For expert analysis, interviews, and scene breakdowns, watch EW’s official “Crisis” after-show, Crisis: Aftermath, hosted by Kevin Smith and airing 9 p.m., immediately after The Flash (Dec. 10) on The CW.
Katherine McNamara unpacks 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' first hour's 'historic moment'
By Chancellor Agard
December 08, 2019 at 09:16 PM EST
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Warning: This article contains spoilers about Sunday’s Supergirl, part one of the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover.
The baton has officially been passed.
In hour 1 of the CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, which aired on Supergirl Sunday night, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) and his daughter Mia (Katherine McNamara) joined the rest of the Arrowverse’s heroes on Earth-38 to fight the Anti-Monitor’s shadow army. Before wading into battle, though, Oliver gifted Mia her very own Green Arrow super-suit.
Katherine McNamara opened up about how much this exchange meant to be both Mia and her personally when she dropped by EW’s after-show Crisis Aftermath, which was hosted by Kevin Smith and aired on the CW following Supergirl.
“That was one of my favorite moments to shoot definitely just because Stephen and I have spent most of the season together and getting to watch him work and being a part of this story and this being my first crossover,” said McNamara. “That was such a big moment for both characters and I think we both felt that.”
Shortly after this, though, Oliver is mortally injured battling the shadow army, and the Monitor returns him to the Team Arrow bunker, where he dies surrounded by Mia, the Flash (Grant Gustin), Sara (Caity Lotz), and the other heroes. McNamara felt a very weird mix of emotions when they shot that scene.
“That was a historic moment in many ways for me personally. It was my first day on set with everyone in the suits. It was my first day wearing my suit on set, so I was so excited,” she said. “Then I get to set and I realize, ‘Oh I have to cry over my dying father. Let me reframe my entire headspace.'” She continued, “It was so wonderful, and Stephen killed it. Everybody really came together because Stephen, in a sense, was the beginning of this entire universe.”
With Oliver’s death, the Green Arrow mantle is now firmly in Mia’s hands. But, as Smith wonders, does Mia actually want this responsibility?
KATIE YU/THE CW
“That’s been the toughest kind of struggle for Mia throughout her entire process of being involved in this,” said McNamara, who will be the new Green Arrow if The CW orders the in-development spin-off Green Arrow and the Canaries, which will have a backdoor pilot in Arrow‘s final season. “She was raised in a world in which vigilantes were villainized and she’s come full circle with that having met her father and kind of gotten a look into the difficult choices he’s had to make. Now, she’s been through and worked through all of these issues and has a wonderful relationship with her father. She doesn’t want the responsibility because she doesn’t want to lose him. She knows she can take it on. She knows she’s ready for it. But she’s finally filled the one missing piece of her life and doesn’t want to lose that. That’s kind of the tragedy. Yes, there always needs to be one Green Arrow, but there’s only one Green Arrow. So she knows that’s coming to an end and it’s difficult.”
Crossover executive producer Marc Guggenheim added that legacy is a big theme in “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” “It’s not just the passing of the torch from Oliver to Mia,” he said. “There’s a lot of passing the torch and keeping the flame alive.”
Guggenheim also revealed a very intriguing detail about the Arrow hour of the crossover, which doesn’t air until January. “We open with the mother of all flashbacks and we basically do the secret origin of the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor,” said Guggenheim. “Actually that whole sequence, the first draft, was written by [Crisis on Infinite Earths comic writer] Marv Wolfman.” He added, “We give you an explanation for the [Monitor’s] outfit.”
For more insight in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” make sure you tune into Crisis Aftermath, hosted by Smith and airing at 9 p.m. immediately after Supergirl (Dec. 8) and The Flash (Dec. 10) on The CW.
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” continues on Monday, Dec. 9 with Batwoman at 8 p.m., followed by The Flash at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10. After the winter hiatus, the crossover will resume Tuesday, Jan. 14, with Arrow at 8 p.m., and conclude with Legends of Tomorrow at 9 p.m.
By Chancellor Agard
December 08, 2019 at 09:16 PM EST
FBTwitterMore
×
Warning: This article contains spoilers about Sunday’s Supergirl, part one of the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover.
The baton has officially been passed.
In hour 1 of the CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, which aired on Supergirl Sunday night, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) and his daughter Mia (Katherine McNamara) joined the rest of the Arrowverse’s heroes on Earth-38 to fight the Anti-Monitor’s shadow army. Before wading into battle, though, Oliver gifted Mia her very own Green Arrow super-suit.
Katherine McNamara opened up about how much this exchange meant to be both Mia and her personally when she dropped by EW’s after-show Crisis Aftermath, which was hosted by Kevin Smith and aired on the CW following Supergirl.
“That was one of my favorite moments to shoot definitely just because Stephen and I have spent most of the season together and getting to watch him work and being a part of this story and this being my first crossover,” said McNamara. “That was such a big moment for both characters and I think we both felt that.”
Shortly after this, though, Oliver is mortally injured battling the shadow army, and the Monitor returns him to the Team Arrow bunker, where he dies surrounded by Mia, the Flash (Grant Gustin), Sara (Caity Lotz), and the other heroes. McNamara felt a very weird mix of emotions when they shot that scene.
“That was a historic moment in many ways for me personally. It was my first day on set with everyone in the suits. It was my first day wearing my suit on set, so I was so excited,” she said. “Then I get to set and I realize, ‘Oh I have to cry over my dying father. Let me reframe my entire headspace.'” She continued, “It was so wonderful, and Stephen killed it. Everybody really came together because Stephen, in a sense, was the beginning of this entire universe.”
With Oliver’s death, the Green Arrow mantle is now firmly in Mia’s hands. But, as Smith wonders, does Mia actually want this responsibility?
KATIE YU/THE CW
“That’s been the toughest kind of struggle for Mia throughout her entire process of being involved in this,” said McNamara, who will be the new Green Arrow if The CW orders the in-development spin-off Green Arrow and the Canaries, which will have a backdoor pilot in Arrow‘s final season. “She was raised in a world in which vigilantes were villainized and she’s come full circle with that having met her father and kind of gotten a look into the difficult choices he’s had to make. Now, she’s been through and worked through all of these issues and has a wonderful relationship with her father. She doesn’t want the responsibility because she doesn’t want to lose him. She knows she can take it on. She knows she’s ready for it. But she’s finally filled the one missing piece of her life and doesn’t want to lose that. That’s kind of the tragedy. Yes, there always needs to be one Green Arrow, but there’s only one Green Arrow. So she knows that’s coming to an end and it’s difficult.”
Crossover executive producer Marc Guggenheim added that legacy is a big theme in “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” “It’s not just the passing of the torch from Oliver to Mia,” he said. “There’s a lot of passing the torch and keeping the flame alive.”
Guggenheim also revealed a very intriguing detail about the Arrow hour of the crossover, which doesn’t air until January. “We open with the mother of all flashbacks and we basically do the secret origin of the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor,” said Guggenheim. “Actually that whole sequence, the first draft, was written by [Crisis on Infinite Earths comic writer] Marv Wolfman.” He added, “We give you an explanation for the [Monitor’s] outfit.”
For more insight in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” make sure you tune into Crisis Aftermath, hosted by Smith and airing at 9 p.m. immediately after Supergirl (Dec. 8) and The Flash (Dec. 10) on The CW.
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” continues on Monday, Dec. 9 with Batwoman at 8 p.m., followed by The Flash at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10. After the winter hiatus, the crossover will resume Tuesday, Jan. 14, with Arrow at 8 p.m., and conclude with Legends of Tomorrow at 9 p.m.
'Crisis on Infinite Earths' bosses break down THAT hour 1 shocker
By Chancellor Agard
December 08, 2019 at 09:00 PM EST
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Warning: This article contains spoilers about Sunday’s Supergirl, part one of the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover.
Fans have known this was coming a year now, but they probably didn’t expect it to happen this early on in the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, is dead. The hero who started it all sacrificed his life in order to save billions of people in the first hour of the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover Sunday night.
As the Arrowverse’s heroes banded together to make their first stand against the Anti-Monitor on Supergirl‘s Earth-38, the rest of the Super-Friends worked on evacuating the planet before it was wiped out by an anti-matter wave. When it became clear Earth-38 was doomed, the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) ordered all of the heroes to retreat to Earth-1. Oliver (Stephen Amell) being Oliver ignored his wishes and kept fighting the shadow army until his dying breath in order to buy the evacuation effort as much time as possible. Stubborn to the bitter end.
KATIE YU/THE CW
Even though the Monitor knew Oliver was going to die in the Crisis, he was shocked because it wasn’t supposed to happen this way. The Arrowverse’s executive producers hoped killing Oliver off this early on in the crossover would have a similar effect on viewers because Oliver’s death in the crossover was confirmed in Arrow‘s season 7 finale.
“The dilemma that we presented to our own selves was that we spoiled our own story,” crossover executive producer Marc Guggenheim told reporters at a recent screening of the parts one and two of the crossover. “So if Oliver dying isn’t the surprise, what is the surprise? And the timing of him dying, because I think we kinda figured the audience is expecting that Oliver would die in the climax in the fifth hour. So if we went in the opposite direction and killed him off at the end of Hour, we accomplish two things: Hopefully we do surprise the audience. That’s absolutely the intention. But we also really establish the stakes that going into the next four hours, ‘Wow, if Oliver Queen can die, then no one is safe.'”
DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
In addition to intensifying the potential consequences, Oliver’s premature death will hopefully send the surviving heroes down interesting and potentially conflicting paths — especially the ones who were closest to him like Barry (Grant Gustin), Sara (Caity Lotz), and, of course, his daughter Mia (Katherine McNamara) — in the Batwoman hour, which is part two of the crossover.
“The leads all have a different take on how to grieve or handle Oliver’s death,” said Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries. “Some of them believe it’s over. Some of them believe we can fix this. Some of them are not wanting to even think about it. Everyone has a different approach to it and that helps generate the story for the episode.”
DC’s Legend of Tomorrow showrunner Keto Shimizu added: “It sets up really interesting stories and conflicts between all these characters, all these leads of these different shows who have different ways of reacting to this tragedy, and you get to see them grieve together in a really compelling way.”
Oliver’s passing isn’t the only reason people are grieving, though. Let’s not forget that Earth-38 was destroyed, too, which has a tremendous impact on Kara (Melissa Benoist).
“She comes into it wanting to fix what has happened and that is kind of her journey with Kate not only in the Batwoman hour but in the rest of the crossover,” said Supergirl showrunner Robert Rovner.
For more insight into hour 1 of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” tune into EW’s special after-show Crisis Aftermath, hosted by Kevin Smith and airing right after the crossover on The CW at 9 p.m.
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” continues Monday, Dec. 9 with Batwoman at 8 p.m., followed by The Flash on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m.
By Chancellor Agard
December 08, 2019 at 09:00 PM EST
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Warning: This article contains spoilers about Sunday’s Supergirl, part one of the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover.
Fans have known this was coming a year now, but they probably didn’t expect it to happen this early on in the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, is dead. The hero who started it all sacrificed his life in order to save billions of people in the first hour of the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover Sunday night.
As the Arrowverse’s heroes banded together to make their first stand against the Anti-Monitor on Supergirl‘s Earth-38, the rest of the Super-Friends worked on evacuating the planet before it was wiped out by an anti-matter wave. When it became clear Earth-38 was doomed, the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) ordered all of the heroes to retreat to Earth-1. Oliver (Stephen Amell) being Oliver ignored his wishes and kept fighting the shadow army until his dying breath in order to buy the evacuation effort as much time as possible. Stubborn to the bitter end.
KATIE YU/THE CW
Even though the Monitor knew Oliver was going to die in the Crisis, he was shocked because it wasn’t supposed to happen this way. The Arrowverse’s executive producers hoped killing Oliver off this early on in the crossover would have a similar effect on viewers because Oliver’s death in the crossover was confirmed in Arrow‘s season 7 finale.
“The dilemma that we presented to our own selves was that we spoiled our own story,” crossover executive producer Marc Guggenheim told reporters at a recent screening of the parts one and two of the crossover. “So if Oliver dying isn’t the surprise, what is the surprise? And the timing of him dying, because I think we kinda figured the audience is expecting that Oliver would die in the climax in the fifth hour. So if we went in the opposite direction and killed him off at the end of Hour, we accomplish two things: Hopefully we do surprise the audience. That’s absolutely the intention. But we also really establish the stakes that going into the next four hours, ‘Wow, if Oliver Queen can die, then no one is safe.'”
DEAN BUSCHER/THE CW
In addition to intensifying the potential consequences, Oliver’s premature death will hopefully send the surviving heroes down interesting and potentially conflicting paths — especially the ones who were closest to him like Barry (Grant Gustin), Sara (Caity Lotz), and, of course, his daughter Mia (Katherine McNamara) — in the Batwoman hour, which is part two of the crossover.
“The leads all have a different take on how to grieve or handle Oliver’s death,” said Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries. “Some of them believe it’s over. Some of them believe we can fix this. Some of them are not wanting to even think about it. Everyone has a different approach to it and that helps generate the story for the episode.”
DC’s Legend of Tomorrow showrunner Keto Shimizu added: “It sets up really interesting stories and conflicts between all these characters, all these leads of these different shows who have different ways of reacting to this tragedy, and you get to see them grieve together in a really compelling way.”
Oliver’s passing isn’t the only reason people are grieving, though. Let’s not forget that Earth-38 was destroyed, too, which has a tremendous impact on Kara (Melissa Benoist).
“She comes into it wanting to fix what has happened and that is kind of her journey with Kate not only in the Batwoman hour but in the rest of the crossover,” said Supergirl showrunner Robert Rovner.
For more insight into hour 1 of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” tune into EW’s special after-show Crisis Aftermath, hosted by Kevin Smith and airing right after the crossover on The CW at 9 p.m.
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” continues Monday, Dec. 9 with Batwoman at 8 p.m., followed by The Flash on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m.
Batwoman crossover recap: DC's past and present collide in 'Crisis on Infinite Earths'
By Chancellor Agard
December 09, 2019 at 09:00 PM EST
FBTwitterMore
KATIE YU/THE CW
Batwoman
S1 E9
B+
TYPE
GENRE
The first hour of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” which aired on Supergirl last night, was an exciting, emotional, and over-stuffed affair that didn’t feel like it had enough room to let some moments breath. Thankfully, Batwoman’s Part 2 of the crossover succeeds where Part 1 stumbled a bit. Yes, tonight’s episode was just as busy (and cameo-filled), but it flowed smoothly and all of the important beats landed.
The reason Part 2 worked so well is that it was structured around a pretty simple premise: The heroes must find the Paragons, i.e. seven special people who can save the multiverse. Having that task as the spine then allowed the episode to jump around the multiverse and accomplish its primary goal, which was paying tribute to several different corners of the DC Universe with some delightful cameos without feeling like the episode was all over the place. Compare that to the Supergirl installment, which had the unfortunate task of setting up the entire crossover, delivering some exciting action, and killing off Oliver Queen.
Part 2 begins on an appropriately somber note with Kara, Kate, and Sara pouring one out for Oliver in the S.T.A.R. Labs lounge, but Kara can’t bring herself to down her shot because she’s mourning both Oliver Queen’s death and the destruction of Earth-38, which is a big deal. Alas, the Crisis won’t wait for anyone, and once Harbinger acquires Earth-74’s Waverider (because Sara promised our Legends they wouldn’t have to do another crossover), the heroes get down to the business of finding the rest of the Paragons. It turns out Supergirl and Sara are the Paragons of Hope and Destiny, respectively.
The first Paragon search team, which consists of Kara and Kate, head to Earth-99 to find the Paragon of Courage, who is supposed to be the “Bat of the Future.” On that Earth, they meet Kevin Conroy’s (Batman: The Animated Series) old Bruce Wayne, who devoted his life to crime and moves with the aid of an exoskeleton (one of a couple nods to Kingdom Come in the episode).
Conroy has voiced Batman for the past 27 years in a variety of animated TV shows, movies, and videos games, but this is the first time he’s ever appeared on screen in the part and it’s truly something, especially since he’s regarded by many, including me, as the best Batman actor. He brings a sense of gravitas to every scene he shares with Kate and conveys the toll crime-fighting has taken on him in both his voice (that iconic voice!) and his physical performance. His acting is the reason the twist that he’s a cold-blooded murderer who killed his rogues and Superman lands so well; it’s surprising and yet we’re prepared for it because of everything Conroy was throwing at us. Unfortunately, this is the last time we’ll see this particular version because Kate accidentally kills him via electrocution when she steps in to defend Kara.
This trip to Earth-99 has several ramifications for Batwoman and the crossover. First and more pressingly, their fraught interaction with Old Bruce Wayne ends up revealing that Kate is the Paragon of Courage, a.k.a. the Bat of the Future. Second, the encounter presents Kate with an interesting internal conflict she’ll hopefully have to grapple with when Batwoman returns. She’s just glimpsed a potentially dark future for herself. What does that mean for her? How does this affect her approach to superheroism? Furthermore, I love that this episode acknowledges the dark side of the business. At some point, it inevitably leads to the hero snapping and killing everyone because of the darkness.
Meanwhile, Clark, Lois, and Iris go off looking for the Paragon of Truth, which is some bummed version of Superman. Of course, this leads them to Earth-167, where they encounter Smallville’s Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Bringing back Tom Welling and Erica Durance is some major fan service in the best way; it’s so pure and it’s not just that. The writers give Welling a great scene with Jon Cryer’s Lex Luthor, who is using the Book of Destiny to kill Supermen throughout the multiverse. Cryer’s incredulity at discovering that this Superman gave up his powers to have a wife and kids is hilarious, as is Welling-Clark’s somewhat bored reaction to this petty version of his arch-nemesis.
I’ll admit that I initially felt the same way about the future the Arrowverse writers wrote for Smallville’s Clark Kent. At first, Clark giving up his powers was a bit of a letdown. However, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. At the end of the day, Smallville was always about Clark Kent, his desire to live a normal life despite his powers, and avoided having him fly and suit up in the cape for as long as possible (no flights, no tights). It makes sense that at some point he would give up those abilities to be with Lois and have children. I mean, he did it at the beginning of season 5 to be with Lana Lang.
Not having Welling-Clark suit up as Superman then allows the episode to go full Superman when Clark, Lois, and Iris travel to Earth-96 and meet Brandon Routh as the Kingdom Come version of Superman. Like Conroy, Routh carries the weight of everything this Man of Steel has experienced — the Joker murdering everyone he loves at the Daily Planet — in his body, and seeing him suit up again really does feel like a homecoming. But it’s not all about nostalgia because Lex Luthor forces Routh-Superman and Hoechlin-Superman to fight. Thankfully, Lois and Iris knock Lex out and use the Book of Destiny to help Routh-Superman overcome the mind control.
While all of this was going on, Sara, Barry, Mia, and Constantine traveled to Earth-18 to find a Lazarus Pit, since Thea destroyed all of Earth-1’s, and resurrect Oliver. Is this a stupid plan? Most definitely, and Sara is very much on the fence about it even after Constantine promises to try to bring Oliver’s soul back. But we’ll have to see how this thread shakes out in The Flash hour. I will say, I did enjoy Sara and Mia butting heads, and Mia coldly bringing up Nyssa al Ghul.
As the episode ends, Ray meets Routh-Superman and finishes his Paragon, and Kara worries Kate when she reveals that she wants to use the Book of Destiny to bring back Earth-38. Luckily, Kate pocketed some Kryptonite from Earth-99 and is prepared in case Kara’s hope leads her down a dark path. Speaking of dark paths, Harbinger comes face to face with the Anti-Monitor in the hour’s final moments.
Wall of Weird:
By Chancellor Agard
December 09, 2019 at 09:00 PM EST
FBTwitterMore
KATIE YU/THE CW
Batwoman
S1 E9
B+
TYPE
- TV Show
GENRE
The first hour of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” which aired on Supergirl last night, was an exciting, emotional, and over-stuffed affair that didn’t feel like it had enough room to let some moments breath. Thankfully, Batwoman’s Part 2 of the crossover succeeds where Part 1 stumbled a bit. Yes, tonight’s episode was just as busy (and cameo-filled), but it flowed smoothly and all of the important beats landed.
The reason Part 2 worked so well is that it was structured around a pretty simple premise: The heroes must find the Paragons, i.e. seven special people who can save the multiverse. Having that task as the spine then allowed the episode to jump around the multiverse and accomplish its primary goal, which was paying tribute to several different corners of the DC Universe with some delightful cameos without feeling like the episode was all over the place. Compare that to the Supergirl installment, which had the unfortunate task of setting up the entire crossover, delivering some exciting action, and killing off Oliver Queen.
Part 2 begins on an appropriately somber note with Kara, Kate, and Sara pouring one out for Oliver in the S.T.A.R. Labs lounge, but Kara can’t bring herself to down her shot because she’s mourning both Oliver Queen’s death and the destruction of Earth-38, which is a big deal. Alas, the Crisis won’t wait for anyone, and once Harbinger acquires Earth-74’s Waverider (because Sara promised our Legends they wouldn’t have to do another crossover), the heroes get down to the business of finding the rest of the Paragons. It turns out Supergirl and Sara are the Paragons of Hope and Destiny, respectively.
The first Paragon search team, which consists of Kara and Kate, head to Earth-99 to find the Paragon of Courage, who is supposed to be the “Bat of the Future.” On that Earth, they meet Kevin Conroy’s (Batman: The Animated Series) old Bruce Wayne, who devoted his life to crime and moves with the aid of an exoskeleton (one of a couple nods to Kingdom Come in the episode).
Conroy has voiced Batman for the past 27 years in a variety of animated TV shows, movies, and videos games, but this is the first time he’s ever appeared on screen in the part and it’s truly something, especially since he’s regarded by many, including me, as the best Batman actor. He brings a sense of gravitas to every scene he shares with Kate and conveys the toll crime-fighting has taken on him in both his voice (that iconic voice!) and his physical performance. His acting is the reason the twist that he’s a cold-blooded murderer who killed his rogues and Superman lands so well; it’s surprising and yet we’re prepared for it because of everything Conroy was throwing at us. Unfortunately, this is the last time we’ll see this particular version because Kate accidentally kills him via electrocution when she steps in to defend Kara.
This trip to Earth-99 has several ramifications for Batwoman and the crossover. First and more pressingly, their fraught interaction with Old Bruce Wayne ends up revealing that Kate is the Paragon of Courage, a.k.a. the Bat of the Future. Second, the encounter presents Kate with an interesting internal conflict she’ll hopefully have to grapple with when Batwoman returns. She’s just glimpsed a potentially dark future for herself. What does that mean for her? How does this affect her approach to superheroism? Furthermore, I love that this episode acknowledges the dark side of the business. At some point, it inevitably leads to the hero snapping and killing everyone because of the darkness.
Meanwhile, Clark, Lois, and Iris go off looking for the Paragon of Truth, which is some bummed version of Superman. Of course, this leads them to Earth-167, where they encounter Smallville’s Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Bringing back Tom Welling and Erica Durance is some major fan service in the best way; it’s so pure and it’s not just that. The writers give Welling a great scene with Jon Cryer’s Lex Luthor, who is using the Book of Destiny to kill Supermen throughout the multiverse. Cryer’s incredulity at discovering that this Superman gave up his powers to have a wife and kids is hilarious, as is Welling-Clark’s somewhat bored reaction to this petty version of his arch-nemesis.
I’ll admit that I initially felt the same way about the future the Arrowverse writers wrote for Smallville’s Clark Kent. At first, Clark giving up his powers was a bit of a letdown. However, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. At the end of the day, Smallville was always about Clark Kent, his desire to live a normal life despite his powers, and avoided having him fly and suit up in the cape for as long as possible (no flights, no tights). It makes sense that at some point he would give up those abilities to be with Lois and have children. I mean, he did it at the beginning of season 5 to be with Lana Lang.
Not having Welling-Clark suit up as Superman then allows the episode to go full Superman when Clark, Lois, and Iris travel to Earth-96 and meet Brandon Routh as the Kingdom Come version of Superman. Like Conroy, Routh carries the weight of everything this Man of Steel has experienced — the Joker murdering everyone he loves at the Daily Planet — in his body, and seeing him suit up again really does feel like a homecoming. But it’s not all about nostalgia because Lex Luthor forces Routh-Superman and Hoechlin-Superman to fight. Thankfully, Lois and Iris knock Lex out and use the Book of Destiny to help Routh-Superman overcome the mind control.
While all of this was going on, Sara, Barry, Mia, and Constantine traveled to Earth-18 to find a Lazarus Pit, since Thea destroyed all of Earth-1’s, and resurrect Oliver. Is this a stupid plan? Most definitely, and Sara is very much on the fence about it even after Constantine promises to try to bring Oliver’s soul back. But we’ll have to see how this thread shakes out in The Flash hour. I will say, I did enjoy Sara and Mia butting heads, and Mia coldly bringing up Nyssa al Ghul.
As the episode ends, Ray meets Routh-Superman and finishes his Paragon, and Kara worries Kate when she reveals that she wants to use the Book of Destiny to bring back Earth-38. Luckily, Kate pocketed some Kryptonite from Earth-99 and is prepared in case Kara’s hope leads her down a dark path. Speaking of dark paths, Harbinger comes face to face with the Anti-Monitor in the hour’s final moments.
Wall of Weird:
- This was an episode of Batwoman, but it wasn’t an episode of Batwoman, if that makes sense. This is another show-agnostic crossover.
- I love how this episode decided to make Kara horny. She can’t help but check out Earth-99’s buff Luke and, quite uncomfortably, Routh-Superman, whom she assumes is a swole Ray before Clark reveals that’s her cousin from another universe.
- While searching Routh-Superman, Clark and Lois travel to Earth-75. This Earth’s number references the issue in which Superman died in the early ‘90s, which makes sense because Lex kills this Earth’s Superman and the episode homages the iconic image of Lois cradling a dead Superman’s body.
- Routh-Superman makes a joke about fighting himself, which is a reference to Superman III, and his son Jason, which a reference to Superman Returns.
- Kate refuses to hold baby Jonathan. Earth-74 Mick Rory is good with baby Jonathan.
- Wentworth Miller returned as the voice of Earth-74’s Waverider.
MAN now I realized why I stopped watching Black lightning.
The acting has gotten worse... I’m only watching to see the crisis connection.
The acting has gotten worse... I’m only watching to see the crisis connection.
Yeah I gave up on those shows years ago but I may watch if they have a link with them all commercials removed
I don't watch Black Lightning but that girl's acting wasn't the best. The Batwoman episode was ok it was good to see the Smallville Clark and that scene was good but I would have like for Smallville's Clark to interact with the other characters besides that one scene. Kevin Conroy as old man Batman was nice, I would have like for him to also interact with more characters. So far Crisis is ok in my opinion.
