REVIEW: ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ — Part Two

The second part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event aired last night and boy were emotions running high. In the previous episode, The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) sends Harbinger (Audrey Marie Anderson) to recruit the world’s greatest heroes in preparation for the impending Crisis. Harbinger brings The Flash (Grant Gustin), Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), Batwoman  (Ruby Rose), The Atom (Brandon Routh), and White Canary (Caity Lotz) to Supergirl’s (Melissa Benoist) earth to save it from being destroyed. As the heroes gear up to face their biggest challenge yet, J’onn (David Harewood) and Alex (Chyler Leigh) recruit Lena (Katie McGrath) to help them find a way to save the people of Earth-38.

Spoilers begin below for Part 2 Two.

The episode opens up with the heroes gathered around and having a small service for Oliver. Both Kara and Barry are having survivor’s guilt since Oliver died for them in Part One. Deciding to not give up, the team obtains the Waverider from an alternate world that’s no longer being used. There, The Monitor explains the concept of paragons, beings of purest will who will save the multiverse. He names Kara and Sarah as paragons and instructs the team to search for the rest. He knows of two others, another Kryptonian and the Bat of the future that can be found on Earth 99. Realizing that one of the paragons is her cousin Bruce, Kate decides to go after him and brings Kara with her. Iris (Candice Patton), Clark, and Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) are instructed to go after the designated alternate version of Superman. Meanwhile, Mia (Katherine McNamara) tries to bring back her father with the help of Barry, Sarah, and Constantine (Matt Ryan).

Fans all over social media were heartbroken that Oliver Queen was the first hero to die in this crossover. I still don’t know how to feel about it. There was definitely emotion behind his last words, but it felt like my emotions were trying to catch up to what was going on. However, his death and the ramifications it caused were handled well. It makes sense that Kara and Barry would have survivor’s guilt, especially since they didn’t know what Oliver was doing to protect them. Had they known, any true impact would have been taken away. I would’ve been upset at the two of them for allowing him to die when they could’ve used their powers to save him.

To my surprise, almost everyone was being extremely careless in this episode. In Sunday’s episode, even under incredible odds, they were all working as a team and had their minds on saving Earth 38. I can understand that they took an incredible loss, but this shouldn’t be the time to go at things alone. Mia’s decision to ignore Sarah’s warning about the Lazarus Pit fit her character, but under the circumstances they’re in, it’s reckless. The later years of the Arrowverse have put a bigger focus on family, which explains why this decision doesn’t just come out of nowhere. This recklessness will surely bring consequences throughout the rest of the crossover episodes.

The bond between Kara and Kate continues to grow in this episode. Their bond began in the Arrow episode of Elseworlds. I won’t pretend to be too familiar with Supergirl or Batwoman comics but seeing them become friends is fantastic. They’re polar opposites, which is what makes their friendship work. When Kara starts to lose hope, Kate is the one that brings her back from the darkness she falls in. I’m hoping that we get more crossovers with just their two shows. So many stories could be told and I would eagerly anticipate them.

As with Sunday night’s episode, more cameos were scheduled for this episode. Had someone asked me if I thought that Tom Welling or Kevin Conroy would cameo in a CW superhero show, I would’ve said no. Both of their respective shows have been off-air for several years, but they’re still beloved by many fans. I was highly impressed with their cameos, even though they were brief. They’re both versions of heroes that have been through so much and are now living tranquil lives. It also makes sense that their cameos were brief and that they happened in this episode. They not only brought a nostalgic feeling but their appearances fit within the overall tone of the episode.

Overall, I really enjoyed the second part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. Though the pace was much slower than Sunday’s episode, the flow was never interrupted. The three main cameos in this episode were fantastic and they brought a few easter eggs that elevated my level of excitement. With The Flash episode airing tonight, I’m eager to find out how the events of the last few minutes will impact that episode. But one thing’s for sure, this is my favorite crossover event and it’s not even halfway done.

Parts one and two of the crossover are available to watch on the CW app. Batwoman is on its midseason break but will be back in January 2020.