Crisis on Infinite Earths: Supergirl

Crisis on Infinite Earths : “Part One”
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For a quick read, go to Review. For a complete summary, go to Recap.

KBear Recap [Read time: 5-7 min]

“Holy Crimson Skies of Death!” Dick Grayson

The episode begins with the telling of the beginning of the universe and the multiverse. The narration continues with the beginning of the Age of Heroes and they show clips of daring-do from the main superheroes of the Arrowverse. Earth-89 Gotham City, Alexander Knox (Robert Whul) the reporter in the Batman movie from 1989 looks at the red sky and the bat symbol and hopes Batman can help.

Earth-66 Gotham City, an elderly Dick Grayson (Burt Ward) looks at the imposing red sky and exclaims, “Holy Crimson Skies of Death!” Earth-9 San Francisco, the Titans look up at the red sky. Earth X, The Ray (Russell Tovey) also gazes at it. On Earth-38 National City, a Doomsday Protestor (Wil Wheaton) proclaims the world is ending. Kara Danvers/Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) land close to him fighting a giant monster, which turns out to be someone’s pet iguana.

Kara asks it what’s wrong. Her sister Alex Danvers (Chyler Leigh), head of the DEO tells her they’ve detected something headed their way. Inside DEO headquarters, Brainiac-5 (Jesse Rath) informs them that an antimatter wave is heading towards Earth. It will hit Argo City first where Kara’s mother Alura Zor-El (Erica Durance), her cousin Clark Kent/Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), their baby boy Jonathan and the rest of the surviving Kryptonians live. They send a message, which only gives Clark and Lois time to put their son in a rocket headed towards earth. The antimatter wave destroys Argo City.

“And as long as that spirit is alive, Krypton will never die.” Kara Danvers

On Earth-1, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) is on Lian Yu with his daughter Mia Smoak/Green Arrow (Katherine McNamara). Lyla Michaels/Harbinger (Audrey Marie Anderson) prepares to get Oliver and Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin). In Gotham City, Kate Kane/Batwoman (Ruby Rose) is fighting some of her sister Alice’s thugs. Harbinger brings them to Earth-38 National City, DEO headquarters.

She also retrieved Clark and Lois from Argo City before its destruction. Baby Jonathan didn’t land on Earth-38 but instead is on Earth 46 in 2046. The antimatter wave is heading towards Earth, so they need to evacuate as many people as possible. They will use the ships the aliens used to arrive on Earth-38. They will need Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath) to build a teleportation device to get the ships to Earth-1. Kara checks in on her cousin. Clark: “How are you so hopeful right now? You’ve lost as much as I have today — Argo, your mom.” Kara: “Before our parents sent us to Earth, nobody here knew about Krypton. Now there are stories, celebrations, museum exhibits.

Just like you shared our home with your family, we shared our home with this whole world. Krypton’s not just a place — it’s a spirit. It’s hope. It’s sacrifice. It’s what our parents did for us. What you did for Jonathan. We have made our parents proud by fighting for what’s right. So, we have to keep fighting. And as long as that spirit is alive, Krypton will never die.”

Oliver gives Mia her very own Green Arrow suit, she will be his successor. Oliver finds out from Barry that The Flash will die during the crisis. Oliver immediately calls for Mar Novu/The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett). Oliver reminds him he has helped him to keep Barry and Kara alive. The Monitor tells him that this is bigger than the incident last year, everything including reality could end.

Alex asks Lena for her help and apologizes for her part in the deception. [Not telling Lena that Kara is Supergirl.] Lena won’t accept her apology but she will build the device. She is insulted they thought she wouldn’t try to help save billions of people because of hurt feelings. At Palmer Towers, Ray Palmer/The Atom (Brandon Routh), Batwoman, Supergirl, Superman, Green Arrow, Mia arrive to fight the creatures the Anti-Monitor has sent to attack Earth-38. The creatures arrive and a big fight commences.

Lois, along with Sara Lance/White Canary (Caity Lotz) and Brainiac-5 (Jesse Rath) arrive at Earth-46 to retrieve baby Jonathan. They get into a fight with Earth-46 Green Arrow (Stephen Amell). Once he realizes he’s fighting Sara, he stops. He has baby Jonathan and he is safe. She and Oliver have a private conversation. He apologizes for bringing his Earth’s Sara on the boat and getting her killed. Sara tells him that when her Oliver brought her on the boat, it was their destiny, it helped them became the heroes they would become. She assures him, “You are a good man, on every Earth.”

“Everything we know…everything there is… and everything there ever was… is doomed.” Harrison ‘Nash’ Wells

Back on Earth-38, Lena has opened a portal to get the Earth-38 ships to Earth-1. The ships take off and the superheroes fight to give them time. The Monitor shows up to get the superheroes so they can fight elsewhere, but Oliver won’t leave and keeps fighting to help save every life he can. Oliver is badly injured.

The Monitor takes Oliver to his comrades. Barry: “Oliver?” Monitor: “He fought to his last breath. Knowing every moment was another life saved.” Kara: “Saved?” Monitor: “Your universe is no more. Of 7.53 billion, three billion survived due to his noble sacrifice.” With his last breath, Oliver speaks to Mia and his friends. Sara: “Oliver?” Oliver: “It’s okay Sara this is my destiny.” Barry: “Oliver.” Oliver: “Barry, you, my friend, are the very best of us. I gave it all up for you and Kara.” Barry: “What do you mean?” Oliver: “I need the two of you to be the ones to save us now. Mia.” Mia: “Dad.” Oliver: “Don’t forget to find your mother, find William.

Tell them how much I love them. I love you Mia. You keep me in your heart, okay?” Oliver Queen dies. Harrison ‘Nash’ Wells (Tom Cavanaugh) shows up. The Monitor is shocked that Oliver died so soon. Monitor: “It was not supposed to be like this. This is not his ending I foresaw.” Pariah: “Things are turning out differently than I expected. But one thing is certain. Everything we know…everything there is… and everything there ever was… is doomed.”

KBear Review [Read time: 1-3 minutes]

Across the multiverse we see the panic as the antimatter wave heads towards their Earths. The episode dips into the vast and rich history of DC by having Robert Wuhl from Batman (1989) and Burt Ward (Robin from Batman ’66) show up. We will see old favorites from throughout the DC universe during the crisis. Since Part I was on Supergirl, we get a heavy concentration of her cast.

They continue with the Kara/Lana friendship breakup storyline. Other heroes from the other shows show up on her Earth. Even with their help, Earth-38 is lost. To the fans of the Arrowverse, the biggest lost is the godfather of the Arrowverse, Green Arrow.

We knew that Oliver was probably going to die during the crisis, but not at the end of the first episode. That was a curveball, no one, even the Monitor saw coming. It lets us know that anything is possible now. It was a good episode and sets up the rest of the crossover.