A Crisis is coming for The CWās Arrowverse. Each show, excluding Batwoman and Black Lightning, has somewhat set up the impending crossover in some way, shape, or form. Crisis on Infinite Earths was a substantial shake-up for DC Comics when the event started in the 80s. In the comic, there was a lot of death and changes to the DC hierarchy.
Itās safe to say that the Arrowverse will likely follow the comic storyline in that regard. Since 2017’s Justice League movie failed in just about every way, this is the closest thing DC has gotten to their own version of Avengers: Endgame. So, we can definitely expect some impactful deaths and crazy moments throughout. Here are five characters who could die in Crisis on Infinite Earths:
1. Barry Allen/The Flash
Before you get the pitchforks out, we need to make one thing very clear. The Flash is not going forward without Grant Gustinās Barry Allen. The actor has been tremendous for the hit CW series, and the show has not developed anyone well enough to take up the mantle, even if the network was willing to move on from the Barry Allen character. Which they aren’t.
That all being said, this whole crossover technically started back in the pilot for The Flash with the future newspaper headline titled “Flash Missing Vanishes In Crisis.” As it stands right now, Barry Allen is slated to vanish and die in Crisis on Infinite Earths so he can save his friends. It’s possible that we see just that, but it doesn’t mean his death will stick post-Crisis.
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 5-hour event that has a mid-season break in-between. Now, picture this. The big mid-season finale for every Arrowverse show is the death of Barry Allen at the hands of the Anti-Monitor. Thatās how you keep everyone hooked in over the holiday break.
2. Oliver Queen/Green Arrow
Barry Allen and Oliver Queen are both set to die in Crisis on Infinite Earths. While Barry may be saved due to him having a long-running series and Crisis shenanigans, we shouldn’t expect Oliver to be so lucky.
Arrow is ending, actor Stephen Amell is writing out heartfelt goodbyes to everyone who appeared on the show, and thereās the small matter of Oliver already being dead in 2040.
Oliver Queen’s character arc is coming to a natural close. From a brutal killer to a bonafide hero, there’s not much left for Oliver to accomplish. Throughout Arrow’s final season, we’ve seen Oliver bid farewell to the likes of Thea, Anatoly, and even Quentin Lance. He’s also had the chance to spend some time with the 2040 versions of Mia and William. Unless we get a major twist during the crossover, he seems like the most likely candidate to bite the dust in Crisis.
3. Kingdom Come Superman
Full disclosure, I donāt know much (if anything) about this character’s place in the Arrowverse. Is Kingdom Come Superman a never before seen character to the universe? Or is Brandon Routh somehow reprising his role from Superman Returns? Recent tweets from producer Marc Guggenheim suggest the latter, but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens when the crossover starts.
Brandon IS Reevesā Superman. :)
— Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) November 16, 2019
Correct.
— Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) November 17, 2019
All of that aside, there are at least three versions of Superman in this crossover, and that’s just too many superpowered boy scouts for one universe. We know that Tyler Hoechlinās iteration of the character isnāt going anywhere due to the upcoming Superman and Lois series.
Unfortunately, it looks as if Tom Welling is only going to reprise his Smallville role for one scene in Crisis on Infinite Earths, so that leaves Brandon Routhās Kingdom Come Supes to be the odd Kryptonian out.
This kinda feels like a win-win-win for everyone involved, though, right? CW would get to use the Kingdom Come Superman character for Crisis. The fans would finally get to see this character in live-action. And Brandon Routh could redeem the atrocity that was Superman Returns before he leaves the Arrowverse.
4. Ray Palmer/The Atom
Yeah, this may not be a good crossover for Brandon Routh. The actor has spent a long time in the Arrowverse, and he believes it is time to move on. What better way to do that than to die in one of the biggest crossovers in television history?
The Legends of Tomorrow were not apart of last yearās crossover, but they were a huge factor in the Crisis on Earth-X event in 2017. That Crisis saw the demise of Martin Stein, one half of Firestorm, and it was a pretty impactful storyline for the Legends moving forward.
Ray Palmer, Mick Rory, and Sara Lance are the final three original members of The Waverider. Losing one of them in Crisis on Infinite Earths would be a massive blow to the series and the team as a whole.
And as for Ray himself, his character arc is pretty much done. He isnāt possessed any more. His best friend is alive, and he can be with Nora Darhk now that the time bureau isnāt after her. A lot of people are expecting the lovable tech genius to run off into the sunset with Nora, so naturally, it’s possible that we see CW subvert expectations and kill him off. Because sometimes these writers and networks just love to torture fans.
5. Lyla Michaels/Harbinger
In the Arrow flashforwards, you barely hear Lyla’s name ever mentioned. The Diggle kids are at each othersā throats all the time, and you have to think someone as harsh as Lyla would never have allowed that to happen if she were still around. You can say the same for their father, John Diggle, but maybe he’s out there in space with a special green ring.
Then thereās the whole working with The Monitor and betraying Team Arrow mystery thatās going on. Obviously, Lyla believes sheās doing the right thing and making the tough call for the greater good. That being said, it’s hard to think that her betrayal will end in anything other than death for either Diggle or herself.
Honorable Mention: Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash
Eobard Thawne hasnāt been seen since the season 5 finale of The Flash, where he told Barry he’d see him at the next Crisis. Now, Iām 99% sure that Eobard will be in the crossover, but there is a slim chance he doesnāt have a pivotal role. Hence why heās an honorable mention at the end of this article and not apart of the list.
So, why include him here? Well, it feels like we’ve been building to Crisis since The Flash season 1 and Eobard was an integral part of that. We’ve also been working towards one final confrontation between The Flash and the Reverse-Flash. And by āfinal,ā I mean one last fight for a few years until the series decides to bring him back.
To many, the main issue with killing off Eobard is the timeline ramifications that come along with it. But, hereās the thing. There already are some huge plot holes in that respect. Thatās been one of the few problems with the amazing Reverse-Flash character from the get-go. His whole timeline is confusing to decipher anyway. Plus, if the crossover includes the season 5 version of Eobard, there arenāt any timeline issues to worry about. That Eobard is old and has already lived through a version of all this.
Getting back to Crisis. Eobard Thawne despises Barry Allen. So much so that he killed Barryās mother and manipulated Nora West-Allen into being erased from existence. It wouldnāt be too far-fetched to see Eobard team up with the Anti-Monitor just for another opportunity to torment Barry.
So I can stop rambling, hereās my main takeaway from Eobardās possible appearance in the crossover. Crisis doesnāt feel like another chapter in the Flash/Reverse-Flash story. It feels like the end of the long-running rivalry.
No. Not that kind of rivalry. Let’s never talk about that guy again.
And thatās our list of 5 (really 6) characters who could die in the upcoming Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. This is going to be a monumental crossover for DC Comics that is sure to have its ups and downs, much like the Arrowverse as a whole.
The event starts with Supergirl on Sunday, December 8th, at 8 PM. Hereās the full list of the time slots for each episode:
- Supergirl – Sunday, December 8th at 8 PM EST
- Batwoman – Monday, December 9th at 8 PM EST
- The Flash – Tuesday, December 10th at 8 PM EST
- Arrow – Tuesday, January 14th at 8 PM
- Legends of Tomorrow – Tuesday, January 14th at 9 PM
Are you excited to see Crisis on Infinite Earths? Who do you think will die, if anyone? Let us know in the comments below!