The early days of the Arrowverse kept things simple: heroes fought villains on their shows and, from time to time, one of their buddies would come into town for a crossover. However, as more DC Comics-related shows found their way onto The CW, the franchise’s events got bigger and bolder. Alien invasions and multiverse-ending threats became the norm, forcing the heroes of the Arrowverse to pull out all the stops and constantly put their lives on the line. When it was all said and done, the Arrowverse had seven major crossovers, all of which had great moments that took the franchise to new heights.
One Arrowverse crossover stands out among the rest, though, “Crisis on Earth-X,” which sees the heroes of Earth-1 and Supergirl come together to fight villains from a reality where the Germans win World War II. It has action, emotion, and great character moments that make it more memorable than events like “Elseworlds” and “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
“Crisis on Earth-X” Is the Arrowverse At Its Best
When “Crisis on Earth-X” kicks off, the Arrowverse shows are in pretty good spots. Arrow is coming off its best season in years; Legends of Tomorrow is finally hitting its stride by embracing the ridiculous nature of its premise; Supergirl is preparing to unleash its best villain, Reign, and The Flash isn’t diving too far into the much-maligned Thinker storyline yet. There’s potential for days, and the creatives behind the franchise do a great job weaving it into the “Crisis on Earth-X” event by centering it around Barry Allen and Iris West’s wedding. The love fest brings out the best in all the characters, such as Sara Lance and Alex Danvers, who hook up the night before the ceremony.
The wedding doesn’t go off without a hitch, though, because the Nazis arrive and push the heroes into action. Oliver Queen and Co. realize during the battle that they’re dealing with alternate versions of themselves who want to kidnap Supergirl and take her heart for their Kara, who is dying. Despite having issues with her in the past, Oliver rallies all his allies to come to her defense, and they take the fight to Earth-X. The crossover kicks things up a notch from there, introducing The Ray and throwing Earth-X’s version of Captain Cold into the mix. However, it’s not all fun and games because “Crisis on Earth-X” features the most emotional death in the Arrowverse.
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“Crisis on Earth-X” Has Actual Consequences for the Arrowverse
While the heroes are on Earth-X, they try to stop the Nazis from unleashing the full force of their power on Earth-1 by closing the multiverse portal. Martin Stein runs out during a firefight to finish the job, but a bullet hits him. While his friends get him back to the Waverider, he succumbs to his wounds, leaving the Legends heartbroken. Oliver doesn’t let everyone lose focus and motivates them to send their enemies packing. The final battle of the crossover breaks out shortly after, and every Arrowverse character gets a moment to shine. It all culminates in Supergirl defeating her doppelganger and Green Arrow getting the better of the Nazi’s leader, Dark Arrow.
With Earth-1 safe and sound again, Barry and Iris finally tie the knot with Oliver and Felicity Smoak as witnesses. However, the visitors from Star City don’t let their friends have all the fun because they ask John Diggle, who’s officiating the small ceremony, to marry them as well. “Crisis on Earth-X” then concludes with the Arrowverse’s two most important couples finally getting their moment to shine after years and years of putting love to the side. But the crossover’s impact reaches far beyond its final episode because the Legends have to continue on without Stein, who is a mentor to so many on the Waverider.
Other crossovers have massive moments, such as Oliver restarting the multiverse and dying in Flash’s arms in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” but “Crisis on Earth-X” works on every level for its duration. There isn’t a single bad episode, and even when the opportunity for a cringeworthy moment arises, the event pivots to something far more interesting, ensuring that it never loses momentum.
Do you think “Crisis on Earth-X” is the best Arrowverse crossover? If not, which one would you put in the top spot? Let us know in the comments below!
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