Arrow: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 4 review
While Crisis wraps up tonight, I’m watching/recapping these one at a time so I haven’t seen the final episode yet. Part Four pulled out the most unexpected appearance at all just because it could impact a mind-blowing twist, but this was an anticlimactic battle against The Anti-Monitor.
Combining a major plot point from the comic that couldn’t be done in this adaptation, we learn The Monitor created the Anti-Monitor instead of Pariah and Krona by appearing at the dawn of time. That’s a very major simplification of the story, but it works.
Six heroes and Lex Luthor remain at the Vanishing Point. Lex and Ryan work on a time device to kill time as The Flash returns after months away in the Speed Force.
Oliver awakens as The Spectre. I’m not a big fan of this weak costume, which is basically a hooded cloak over his outfit. Spectre Arrow tells Flash the Speed Force is key to saving everyone.
Supergirl, Ryan and Luthor go to Malthus to try and stop The Monitor from creating The Anti-Monitor while Barry travels through the Speed Force. Barry’s first stop is easily the craziest moment of the entire crossover as he meets the DC Extended Universe Flash (Ezra Miller). I kinda hate Miller’s portrayal of The Flash, but this was still very cool and it was impressive that he carved out some time to shoot a cameo even if he and Grant Gustin weren’t actually on set together.
Edit: They actually were:
J’onn, Kate and Barry go through some of Oliver’s biggest moments like Invasion, Elseworlds and Sara’s death. This makes for clunky scenes with Kate and J’onn, but allows for a nice moment with Oliver and Barry.
Lex managed to add in some superpowers while he was changing the Book of Destiny, but I wish he’d just gone with a souped-up version of his power suit. I did like Ryan Choi and want to see more of him in the Arrowverse when this is all done, but what makes for the best show to make him a regular? Maybe Superman and Lois?
Barry takes the seven to the Dawn of Time. While they prevented one Monitor from creating the anti-matter universe, another did. That seems like a cop out. I know setting up an asteroid in space set would be challenging, but having The Anti-Monitor’s base be in the middle of a rock pit in a forest isn’t quite the same.
Spectre Arrow asks for the others to give him some time while he fights The Anti-Monitor. If they’re successful, it will trigger a rebirth (ding!) and a new universe. The Seven basically do some heroic slo-mo battle shadow demons although I’m perplexed how Ryan was effective at all against them. This fight wasn’t as cool as most of the crossover big finales. Spectre Arrow did get to tell The Anti-Monitor that he failed this universe, which was kinda cheesy and also kinda cool I suppose.
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It was somewhat confusing how the seven actually helped create this new universe and what Spectre Arrow did to defeat The Anti-Monitor, but he did. Oliver dies again with seemingly no trace of the green guy (The Spectre). As Barry and Sara sit with him as he fades out, Oliver has some parting words for both of them and Barry in particular.
This new world needs both of them. It’s interesting that Sara is here instead of Kara as the Arrowverse has tried to force that dynamic for three crossovers now. I appreciated Sara being in this spot.
And with that a new Earth has been created — one where presumably Supergirl, Martian Manhunter (and company) and Black Lightning and crew are on the same planet as Flash, the rest of Team Arrow, etc.
Besides the completely unexpected Flash cameo, this was a somewhat underwhelming penultimate chapter of Crisis. Hopefully the final episode can provide a more satisfactory conclusion.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Photo Credit: The CW