Monday, December 9, 2019

THE CW’ “CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS” Starts with a WORLD GONE and a HERO DEAD


It has been announced, promoted and previewed by The CW almost every step of the way this year. And with good reason, considering this is the most epic DC superhero crossover event yet to be premiered in the network’s small-screen DC franchise. “Crisis on Infinite Earths” will also be the last crossover involving the original CW-DC series “Arrow,” currently on its last season. But how did the multi-series crossover storyline pan out? Well, the first episode aired on The CW’s “Supergirl” this Sunday, and it delivered what was expected, even more. Worlds are destroyed, the stakes are revealed, and heroes die seemingly before their time.

That is no hyperbole either, as Variety tells us. Then again, it was already spoiled in some of the trailers that come out. Earth-38, home continuity of the “Supergirl” series starring Melissa Benoist as the Girl of Steel, sees its Argo City wiped out by the Antimatter Wave. At first it seems Supergirl/Kara has lost her sister Alex (Chyler Leigh), cousin Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), and his wife Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch). Fortunately they are pulled out of the destruction by Harbinger (Audrey Anderson), along with a who’s who of heroes from the “Arrow”-verse and connected realities.

Even so, it looks like the rest of Earth-38 will not last much longer than Argo City, so a massive inter-dimensional evacuation effort is initiated, with the DC heroes of The CW holding the line against Antimatter creatures from the wave. And here is where the first significant heroic casualty is suffered, from the first CW DC hero himself: Arrow (Stephen Amell). Not wanting to leave Earth-38 until as many of its inhabitants are evacuated, he fights until overwhelmed by the shadow creatures and pulled away by the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett). Gravely wounded, Arrow/Oliver Queen manages to give a heartfelt speech to Kara and Barry/Flash (Grant Gustin), noting his ready sacrifice so that the two can stop the impending Crisis.

Because of Arrow’s actions, a billion more Earth-38 residents managed to escape with the remaining heroes to Earth-1, home setting of “Arrow” and “Flash.” Oliver even managed to drum up a replacement for himself, technically naming his future daughter Mia (Katherine McNamara) the new Arrow. But the Monitor notes that Oliver’s death did not occur according to what he foresaw, meaning his foreknowledge of the occurring Crisis may no longer be accurate, possibly including Flash’s own sacrifice to end it.

Interspersed with the action scenes are some of the coolest DC media cameos yet, from Burt Ward (Adam West “Batman” series) playing an aged Dick Grayson in Earth-66 to Robert Wuhl reprising his role as Gotham reporter Alexander Knox in the 1989 “Batman” film by Tim Burton, living on Earth-89. Who knows what other cool appearances from DC history on film and TV will be shown, even as the heroes of The CW’s shows scramble to stop the “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” the second thrilling chapter of which will commence this December 9, Monday night on “Batwoman” with Ruby Rose.

Image courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

0 comments:

Post a Comment