Rather jumping from thread to thread to talk about these crossover episodes, I thought it might be easier to discuss the crossover all in one place. The shows are:
11/28: Supergirl
11/29: Flash
11/30: Arrow
12/1: Legends of Tomorrow
The Dominators are coming! And so are spoilers, so plan to be up to date when you read this thread.
Replies
Now, having said that, the opening chapter is probably more pertinent to a Supergirl thread. It was pretty much a "red skies" episode, with a standard Supergirl plotline taking up 95 percent of the screen time, with only a cameo from Flash and Cisco (and an earlier extradimensional incursion that was probably a test run) disrupting the regular goings-on in National City. But having Supergirl be specifically recruited helps explain why Superman isn't also fighting the Dominators, etc.
Not a bad episode -- I liked the business with Lena Luthor at the end, and was pleasantly surprised by the recovery of Mon-El -- but I've got a couple of quibbles.
Why is the cyborg Hank Henshaw calling himself "Cyborg Superman"? The one in the comics did it because he posed as Superman for months. I know he can't call himself just Cyborg for brand-confusion reasons, but they should have at least justified the "Cyborg Superman" name somehow. And meanwhile, every time he says it, I pretend he said "Sunshine Superman" and it makes me laugh.
Why does a Kryptonian virus intended to kill aliens not affect humans (who'd be aliens to people on Krypton)? This is a problem that could've been solved by a line of dialogue, but they never even address it.
Yeah, that bothered me too. Unless it's meant to imply some kind of genetic connection with humans. But as you say, it wasn't even addressed.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:
Either a genetic connection between Kryptonians and humans (although you'd think Daxamites would be closer), or such a vast genetic gulf between humans and all alien races that the virus couldn't affect us any more than it could spiders or rhododendrons. So that the Kryptonian immunity is a matter of fine-tuning its effect to differentiate between alien races, while the human immunity is because we're in a whole other category.
“Why is the cyborg Hank Henshaw calling himself ‘Cyborg Superman’?”
I dunno. Metatextual writer’s fiat? Maybe he’s not saying “Cyborg Superman” but rather “cyborg super man.”
“Why does a Kryptonian virus intended to kill aliens not affect humans?
I wondered about that, too, until I realized the virus was genetically altered by Cadmus to exclude humans. I guess the producers thought that goes without saying. Should’ve said it anyway, AFAIAC.
A while ago my wife got me a subscription to Entertainmant Weekly (or "Spoilers Weekly" as I call it). They telegraphed the plot weeks in advance when, in a group photo of the combined cast, one of the actors was holding up a copy of Invasion. A 25 year old comic book? Hmm...
Good idea breaking this crossover into a thread of it's own!
Thanks, Jeff. And that Cadmus explanation is *of course* the answer! Wish they'd mentioned it. (And it's so simple that maybe they did and I missed it.)
You're right, in that this was largely a regular episode of Supergirl.
But one has to wonder -- as one rightly should in such circumstances -- why get Supergirl alone for this invasion, and not Superman, too? Or at least bring along the Martian Manhunter.
It's possible Barry didn't know about Superman (and maybe even J'onn?). Or maybe they think that their planet will also need defending will Supergirl is gone. But I think it's the way Barry phrased his request that's did it: Supergirl is his friend, and owed him a favor. That's not to say the others wouldn't have gone, had he asked, but she was the only one he felt comfortable asking.
And now onto Flash, where the crossover heats up! I was glad to see it get started quickly, as the teams gathered together (although I'm still not quite clear on how Felicity contacted the Legends). And as with most of these kinds of stories, my favorite bits were the character interactions. I loved seeing Ollie defer to Barry's leadership, and then coach him along. I loved seeing Stein and Snow together again, and how Sara thought Supergirl was hot. And I'm looking forward to Cisco's upgrades in Ray's suit. But I think the Heat Wave/Supergirl/Speedy conversation took the cake. (Although when the chips were down, he called her Supergirl, regardless.)
The action was a bast, too, with pretty much everyone getting a moment to shine. The Supergirl/Flash fight was especially cool, I thought. I was sorry Vixen and Steel weren't involved yet, but I'm sure they'll be in the Legends chapter.
Cisco's (justified) resentment is really wearing on me, and I hope they resolve it soon. And given HR's note-taking about what's going on in other timelines, I think he might eventually be the key to restoring things.
Your thoughts?
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:
Good point.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:
I'm not clear on how Felicity contacted the Legends, either, but I'm going to tell myself not to worry about it (like that trick ever works!). I am starting to think I should watch Arrow, which I don't, because Felicity is a fun character to watch!
I appreciated the moment where Martin Stein and Caitlin Snow went to his home and met the woman who's been appearing in his visions -- and was startled at the answer. It's always bothered me that Stein, the only one of the group who is married, is off gallivanting through space and time without his wife.
And yeah, the Heat Wave/Supergirl bit was precious; I also caught how he called her "Supergirl" when it mattered.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:
These things tend to be overstuffed, so I confess I didn't even notice Vixen and Steel were absent.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:
Agreed. Cisco is justified, but it is getting tiresome.
Another problem is Iris clamping down on Wally. She experienced Joe hectoring her to withdraw her application to the Central City Police Department, so Iris certainly should not be treating Wally the same way. And Cisco did have a point that they shouldn't be lying to Wally about his test results. Iris certainly should remember that everybody on Team Flash, and even Eddie, kept her in the dark about Barry's powers, and she should remember that she didn't like it, and why.
ClarkKent_DC said:
I agree 100%.This group has a real problem with lying to each other, and less of it is in everyone's interests. And Iris, especially, knows what it's like to be on the outside looking in.
A weird idea flashed at me regarding HR, as he was holding a pointer in his hand as he talked to Wally. I wonder if he's actually Abra Kadabra? I guess that might depend on if he's taking notes for himself, or if he's reporting to somebody. AK hasn't been set up at all, so right now I think it's unlikely: it'd be a fun reveal for comics fans, but the TV audience would be left scratching their heads.
Here's one writer's take on things, from Forbes: "The Arrowverse Being Mad at Barry Allen for Mangling the Timeline ...
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next