society if Two-Face was Batman's arch-nemesis instead of the Joker:

we are our family, even if we don’t want to be.

Titans 3.07

a bit over halfway through the season, and we still don’t have all of our main characters on the board! i love this show.

as always, typing this up as i watch. live reaction, baby! *shadowboxes*

SPOILERS AHEAD

1. i don’t think i’ve mentioned this before, but i kinda miss the old ‘dc universe’ intro. it was cool! the whole idea of it was wild and waaaaay over-ambitious, but also very very on-brand because of it.

2. this is... the third time we’ve seen dick sleeping this season? that’s a record! checking another thing off my s3 wishlist...

2.5. i guess i rag on titans all the time for its wafer-thin plotting and bad pacing, but i have to admit that this season has been a step-up from the last one in this regard. titans has very reactive rather than proactive protagonists, and a lot of the last season seemed to be: x happened, the team reacted badly, then y happened, they reacted badly, etc. this time around, it’s not a huge leap up by any means, but at least they’re doing something about it. 

i do appreciate the focus on character arcs over everything else. and when i say everything else, i mean it: arcs that started two seasons ago with no big cathartic moments, intermittent payoff and multiple relapses. big bads have ranged from interdimensional demons to superpowered assassins to whatever in the world scarecrow is, but trigon’s big weapon against the titans was to... use their worst fears against them. slade’s was to... use their fears to break them up. crane’s is to... use red hood to use their fears to break them up. even the threat of gotham’s citizens being in danger doesn’t feel real: gotham is mythologised into an entity of its own, infecting our heroes like a parasite. like. this is not to say that most other superhero media aren’t big character arcs intertwined with the main plot, but titans doesn’t even make pretend that it’s anything but.

anyway. that’s my entry #2345 to ‘give a grand unifying theory for titans’. thanks. i’ll be back with more.

3. “anger is just fear in a little black dress.” god I HATE HIM

(what’s he doing with barbara’s likeness? oh... oh god. a terrible thought just occurred to me. what if they introduce hush at the very last minute for plastic surgery shenanigans? would you put it past this show?)

3.5. jason, nooooooooo

3.75. i mean, they’re making it very clear here that scarecrow is the one in control--the one who’s always been in control--and is manipulating jason and literally poisoning him, but i hope it doesn’t end up erasing nuance or jason’s autonomy. if jason’s to reckon with the issues that brought him here, then the lines of responsibility will need to be set somewhere. 

(this applies to dick as well but more on that later, i guess.)

4. just--the phrase “40% loss of income” is so funny to me. like, gotham is full of these larger-than-life characters who are idiosyncratic beyond belief, colourful and dramatic and creating chaos just for the sake of chaos, and then there’s the regular criminals and their henchmen who just want to make a quick buck sitting down with pie charts and graphs, griping about the joker reducing their returns or debating high risk investments in, i don’t know, two-face’s next scheme.

“yyyyeeeeeaaah, my financial advisor is telling me that going all-in with a guy who literally makes decisions on the flip of a coin is probably not the greatest idea.”

4.5. god i hate smug!smarmy!scarecrow so much

4.85. as big plans to “control” gotham go, it’s pretty bog-standard. clearly scarecrow has some bigger plan in mind but it really feels like we’ve got no clear insight into him and he’s this generic creepy mystery-man who knows more than he lets on and springs a twist/cliffhanger every now and then. i liked the scenes with him and dick in 3.04 where it seemed like he was genuinely on the backfoot and things weren’t going as he predicted. for all of his faults, dick is at least familiar with scarecrow’s bullshit and knows not to give what he wants.

5. i mean... i see where dick is coming from with the “he’s not jason anymore; he’s red hood” because his immediate glaring concern is scarecrow’s drug and the damage it could potentially cause gotham? i do not doubt that it’s something batman drilled into him, too, but when you’re expected to take point on a situation where the lives of an entire city weigh down on your shoulders, it’s better to simplify things and prioritise. i’m not saying it’s great or healthy! gar is absolutely right to consider this facet of the situation. it’s just dick can’t.

6. hmmmmmmm. HMMMMMMMMMMM. 

i don’t know that i’m super fond of this iteration of oracle???? it looks like a cross between cerebro from x-men and jarvis from iron man. it’s giving me second-hand embarrassment. somebody help me.

(at least they remembered dick’s middle name is actually “john”. i like to think bruce printed D in that contract because for a while he genuinely thought richard “dick” grayson was his full name. duck duck goose, dick dick grayson, i don’t know alfred, the kid was in a circus, maybe they thought it was funny. or maybe it was a test in anger control, who knows.)

6.5 “maybe you two would like some time alone?” even AI can’t help hitting on dick grayson in this universe.

“oh mr grayson, if i only had another eye to see you better...”

6.8. on one hand, it’s a bit disconcerting that the title of ‘oracle’ has gone from barbara herself to this gigantic machine; from my impression of the comics-verse, barbara had an extensive computing and surveillance system, true, but she was very clearly the brains behind the operation. on the other hand, i’m kind of glad that the ethical boundaries that this kind of surveillance violates is a sticking point for barbara. (tho let’s be real, the nsa would kill to have this in their arsenal).

6.9. also it’s now obvious that scarecrow’s big plan is to take control of oracle itself. it’s why he had lady vic take that picture of her eyes, or why he’s meddling around with it on his computer.

6.95. if only i could ‘command sleep’ anybody overstepping their boundaries re: personal information...

7. “you can just sit back and watch as the titans destroy themselves.” i mean... he’s not wrong

8. “dick’s parents were killed by a criminal mob; he won’t work with them.” it’s wonderful that you have this insight into dick, kory, i just wish we could’ve watched some of these conversations actually happen on-screen.

8.5. i’m glad that kom’s being treated with such nuance and understanding, though it’s obvious that she definitely has a Plan of her own. (and did i entirely imagine her ability to mimic other people flawlessly at the end of s2? or is that going to come into play at some point?) i think her story has the potential to be genuinely poignant, and in a universe where being Different, either because of mental health or physical differences or whatever else, leads a straight line to Evil, it’s important to acknowledge and then emphasise that the mere fact of your existence as a Different Person doesn’t predispose you to evil. maybe your act of destroying a system that has destroyed you and not scrambling to “fit in” is only evil as defined by that system. 

8.8. “you’re trespassing, i should call the authorities, i feel unsafe.” now this is a villain lady who’s definitely aware of her privilege.

8.85. kom smirking knowingly at her sister is everything.

“oooh that’s the kory i remember”

9. conner and dick working together woo!

9.25. god i hate a villain who’s always just a step ahead, no matter what. so crane anticipated dick using oracle to track his personal communications and set him up? how did he know when exactly dick would get to do this? how long did he have that poor man tied up in that van?

(the “save me, grayson” is a nice touch, tho. send dick spiralling even further! because if there’s one thing dick will do, it’s take responsibility for every goddamn thing that goes wrong.)

9.5. ahem. i’m going to need a million gifs of conner yeeting dick across that yard, fandom, thankyouverymuch.

(i understand conner is invulnerable to explosions, but how do his clothes survive??)

9.8. oooh crane is already in oracle! i’m just sitting here laughing helplessly because they’re overpowering this goddamned guy so much. he can build a lab in arkham’s basement! he has access to lazarus puddles! he has minions working across gotham, including a fully functional chemical laboratory staffed by chemists who only answer to him! he has the crime families of gotham quailing in his very presence! he has assassins at his beck and call! he’s enough of a manipulative bastard to have red hood under his thumb! and now he has enough of a tech know-how to not only be aware of oracle, but know how to hack into it! i’m sick of exclamation marks! i’ll shut up now!

9.95. dick leaving behind that smouldering grave for a person he failed to save without taking a second to process how he feels about it and running towards his next plan to corner scarecrow: a microcosm of where his head’s at right now.

10. really hammering in the themes of this season, aren’t we. 

10.25. the interesting thing is the titans repeatedly call themselves a family this season (none more so than dick) and while that found family has helped encapsulate and put away their traumatic experiences with their ‘original’ families, it’s meant that they’ve not really dealt with those issues. and dick and gar and jason come from ‘found families’ of their own: they are twice removed, traumatised two times over. they still cling to this identity however, and because of it they’re losing each other. a family isn’t static. it’s an ever-evolving dynamic and you have to put in work constantly to keep it healthy.

10.5. anyway, that’s entry #2346. i’m here aaaalll night.

11. lookit gar the detective! half-transforming and using his powers to deduce things! what a hero! i’ve said this for a long time, but gar is the bedrock of this team, and an unsung one at that.

11.25. i’m confused about him calling this room jason’s though. it seems to me that this is dick’s room that jason later used, and one that dick’s using now. so the unmade bed isn’t really jason’s fault; dick was woken by barbara that morning, and in his hurry, he left without making his bed.

(it still confounds me that bruce didn’t find jason another bedroom in that gigantic mansion of his. you really didn’t give this kid a chance, did you?)

12. oh well. so much for the oracle.

13. ... sorry, wait. you didn’t think i wasn’t going to address the bit with dick right now, did you?

12.5. i honestly don’t think it’s very complicated: dick’s been reeling from one traumatic thing to the next, and just when it seemed like at the beginning of the season, he felt happy and secure with his team and his place in the world, bruce ups and leaves gotham to him, specifically naming him a successor and calling him a ‘better batman’. he’s lost garth and jericho and donna and jason and now hank and dawn. he’s not even sure where rachel is or what she’s doing. after being told that batman was a psychopath for moulding him into a weapon, he’s also been told that his failure to be a ‘better batman’ lead to further disaster. of course he’s going to get batman-goggles. of course he’s going to be a prick. 

12.8. i don’t know what to say. i feel his frustration acutely. i don’t think he should’ve said what he said to barbara (can people stop pushing her around this season????) but that pressure to step in where your parent fails? to clean up their messes and try to think like them? to fall into habits drilled into you when you developed them as coping mechanisms growing up? I FEEL THAT. 

every step he’s taking he’s putting 110% of himself in it and scarecrow’s still playing mindgames with all of them: i absolutely feel his desperation to take control of that game and turn it on scarecrow, no matter what it takes.

and he did apologise almost immediately, and finally--finally--actually works with barbara. 

12.9. again, not excusing him! but i get it. and i think that’s a sign of great character writing.

“did you know i just reminded emmram of all of her daddy issues? what the fuck????”

12.95. i love that dick&barbara, kory&kom, and gar are all approaching solving this mystery from different angles, each as valid as the other. also, conner is there as... emergency bomb defuser man?

13. it’s like all fancy rich people in fancy rich houses do is pour fancy rich alcohol into fancy rich glasses on pristine, untouched tabletops. i wonder what it’s like to live like that.

13.25. I KNEW IT! poor michael. it was nice knowing you.

13.5. man, kory is contending with a lot of issues that she’s successfully bottled up and compartmentalised until now. the cold reality that a child can seek out their parents as refuge and they can view the child as a piece to be moved in a greater game (never out of cruelty, though, never, and somehow that makes it worse), that truth of blackfire’s treatment on tamaran because she’s different, and her own culpability in what happened. she exchanged one family for another, after all, and left that family to die and her sister to suffer. like dick, like gar, kory’s being forced to reckon with what the titans are meant to be, the larger implications of creating their found family in their own space.

14. it’s probably because it’s one in the morning and i’ve had two glasses of wine but i did not follow that bit of exposition at all and victor freeze??? what? 

anyway. look at them solving things! together! go team!

“you made a deal with the mob?” oh the sense of betrayal on his face! fuck off, dick, your issues aren’t kory’s. 

15. conner is really sweet and a bit of an awestruck crush on kom is to be expected. especially after that power rangers-esque transformation (i say this as a former huge power rangers fangirl. i’ve seen every series until 2007 including the original japanese versions and written fanfic for all of them. so i love a cool costume transformation, is what i’m saying.)

also?

FUCK YEAH

16. i love the gotham crime families just chillin’ around eating ice cream. I LOVE THEM

16.5. that was a fun fight sequence, if marred slightly by that bit of awkward flirting between conner and kom. i wonder if she’s really planning to use him in a larger scheme to get kory back to tamaran, or maybe something else. 

16.75. so i’m assuming that scarecrow has jason either so paralysed by fear that he can barely move, or jason’s withdrawing from the drug that he’s been sucking in every few minutes. 

17. it’s nice to see them chill after a successful mission! and it can be awkward, but conner’s crush on kom and him striving to impress her is also, well, uh... cute.

17.5. i guess the dick/barbara scene was inevitable, especially given the... unresolved nature of their relationship in the flashbacks? and they’ve been through a rollercoaster together this episode, discovering and then destroying an incredible tool within a matter of hours, re-discovering just how well they work together as a team. dick’s swimming in the nostalgia. i don’t expect it to last as a long-term relationship, but i totally get why this is happening now. and hey, they’re cute!

i have a weeeirrrrd feeling that kory is going to leave to tamaran at the end of the season and that dick and kory will rekindle--or rather realise--their relationship just before that. it’s going to be devastating and beautiful and painful and i will be writing essays about it which would be me just wailing into the screen.

18. gar found molly!!!!!!! MOLLY’S BACK! \o/ gar is the BEST

19. that was a fun episode! i love this silly show, even if it does destroy me sometimes <3

https://ift.tt/2RJepmT This is, by far, the biggest crossover the Arrow-verse has ever pulled off. Five hours of TV, an unfathomable number of DC Comics superheroes making appearances, and an entire multiverse facing destruction. Warning: The following contains spoilers for the first three hours of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. If you haven’t watched and don’t want to be spoiled, look away now. The first three hours alone are littered with Easter eggs and references to not only newly-discovered corners of the Arrow-verse, but old DC TV shows and movies, as well as nods to the comics that are responsible for all of these properties. There are so many, it would be easy to miss a handful of them. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that. We’ve paid very close attention to all three hours of the crossover so far, documenting all of the Easter eggs for you. Take a look at them all below while you prepare for the final two episodes when they air January 14 on The CW. 1. What a headline The first thing we see in Crisis is a glimpse at Gotham City on Earth-89, otherwise known as the Gotham that Tim Burton’s Batman films exist in. Batman was released in 1989. Get it? It’s hard to see the date on this newspaper, but given that Joker (Jack Nicholson) died in the 1989 film, either this is the next day or that Gotham is being hassled by a successor to the original Joker. Either way, we want to know more. Interestingly, the Gotham City Gazette is not the newspaper featured in Batman (1989). In that film, it was the Gotham Globe. 2. Oh, hey Knox And who better to serve as an introduction to this version of Gotham than Alexander Knox, the journalist played by Robert Wuhl in that Batman film. 3. Meanwhile, on a streaming Earth After jumping to another Earth, we are greeted by Hawk (Alan Ritchson) from the DC Universe original series, Titans. His appearance wraps that show’s continuity into the larger Arrow-verse, even if we only see him briefly. 4. But that’s not all We also see a brief glimpse of Jason Todd (Curran Walters) in his Robin gear, as he and Hawk face down the destruction of their Earth. 5. And over on Earth-X We also catch a glimpse of The Ray (Russell Tovey), who was first introduced as a hero in the 2017 Arrow-verse crossover, Crisis on Earth-X. 6. Holy Robin, Batman We knew this cameo appearance was coming, given that it was teased at Comic-Con. Still, seeing Burt Ward–the original live-action Robin–appearing in the Arrow-verse is a special treat. He even has a typically outlandish Robin line, exclaiming, “Holy crimson skies of death!” 7. This technically counts as two Easter eggs Look, kids. It’s Wil Wheaton. The former Star Trek: The Next Generation star has done voice work in a number of DC animated shows and movies, but this is his first live-action appearance on a DC project. What’s more, the sign he’s carrying is a replica of one that appears in Superman II. 8. Superman does dirty diapers Our first glimpse as Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) as a Superdad is a funny one, in which he takes care of a super dirty diaper. Not only is this a nod to Superman being a dad in the comics, but it’s also a look at what the potential Superman and Lois Lane spin-off that’s being developed could be like. 9. Quantum towers are not pretty Yes, the quantum towers are pulled from the comics. They were constructed by the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) to slow down the progress of the quantum wave destroying the multiverse. 10. The next Green Arrow We know that Arrow is coming to an end and a female-centric spin-off is in the works. It looks like when all is said and done, Mia Smoak (Katherine McNamara) will be the next Green Arrow, based on the costume her dad had made for her. 11. Yet another Wells Tom Cavanagh rarely plays the same version of Harrison Wells for more than a season. This time, though, even that’s been cut down. His latest incarnation–Nash–has now become Pariah. In addition to the new name and fancy costume, this character–which also appeared in the Crisis comics–can travel between Earths to collect heroes. 12. The death of the Green Arrow Sure, Oliver’s only “kind of dead” when all is said and done, but the death of the Green Arrow is another story twist pulled from the pages of the Crisis comic book. In the miniseries, Earth-2’s Green Arrow–the Golden Age version of the hero–died during Crisis. 13. Luke Fox returns to his comic book roots On Batwoman, Luke Fox (Camrus Johnson) is essentially Kate Kane’s (Ruby Rose) nerdy Alfred. He’s portrayed a bit differently in the comics. On Earth-99, though, Luke resembles the version comics fans should recognize, as the nerdy persona is nowhere to be seen. 14. Batman’s gotten old While we see Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) in an exosuit that definitely conjures images of the character’s appearance in Kingdom Come, that’s not who this particular Batman is. Instead, this Bruce takes a cue from The Dark Knight Returns, where Batman has turned cold and killed off several of his enemies. 15. The Death of Superman This quick glimpse at a TV recreates imagery from the Death of Superman comic. Thankfully, the Arrow-verse’s primary Superman is fine. 16. Hey Constantine Yes, John Constantine is a regular character on Legends of Tomorrow. However, he’s also a character that ties yet another DC show–the defunct Constantine on NBC–into the Arrow-verse. 17. Somebody save us Talk about a blast from the past. Tom Welling reprising his role of Clark Kent from Smallville was a special moment. Even more interesting was learning he gave up his powers to live a normal life with his wife Lois (Erica Durance) and their kids. 18. Speaking of Lois The Smallville-set scene also provided an appearance by Durance as Lois Lane. 19. Yet another Clark Kent Hey, he looks familiar. Not only does Brandon Routh star on Legends of Tomorrow, but he also played the Man of Steel once upon a time in Superman Returns. Thanks to Crisis, he gets to suit up as Clark Kent once more, but this time a different take on the character. 20. Anyway, about those people Batman killed Naturally, Bruce Wayne keeps trophies of the enemies he’s killed. The first we see is a Joker card. At long last, the Clown Prince of Crime finally got what was coming to him. 21. Two-for-one We then see a shot of Riddler’s cane and what looks like Mr. Freeze’s snow globe, meaning Batman has definitely killed them both off. 22. But not this We also see Clark Kent’s glasses as it’s revealed that Batman actually killed Superman on this Earth. 23. Lots more dead people Back on the Earth of Routh’s Clark Kent–which resembles the Kingdom Come storyline from the comics–we see all those the Man of Steel has lost, including Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and his wife, Lois Lane. 24. Thanks to the Joker, of course Clark reveals that it was a psychopath from Gotham that played a “prank” on the Daily Planet because they weren’t writing about him enough. 25. And Kingdom Come Superman was born At that point, this Clark puts on his Superman costume, revealing the iconic Kingdom Come design that was previously teased. 26. Superman vs. Superman It’s not Batman v Superman. It’s actually better as Routh’s Superman, under Lex Luthor’s control, attempts to destroy Hoechlin’s Superman. 27. Another familiar face The Legends have plenty of experience with Jonah Hex, but not this version. Johnathon Schaech reprises his role in the Arrow-verse, playing another Earth’s Hex. 28. Another super baby We learn that Routh’s Superman either has or had a son named Jason. This is a nod to Superman Returns, where it’s hinted that the son of Lois Lane–Jason White–is actually Superman’s child. 29. Enter the Anti-Monitor At long last, we meet the Monitor’s arch-nemesis–the Anti-Monitor. It’s a terrible name and, yes, it’s pulled from the comics. 30. A true Bird of Prey It may have only lasted 13 episodes, but it’s exciting to see Ashley Scott reprise her Birds of Prey role as Huntress. Like most of the cameos, though, it ends quickly. 31. The All-Star Squadron Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) is justified in being blown away by seeing all of these superheroes assembled. The All-Star Squadron he mentions, though, is an actual team of superheroes. They were introduced in a 1981 issue of Justice League of America and have included a long list of different heroes over the years. 32. Who is Ryan Choi Believe it or not, Ryan Choi is a character in DC Comics mythology. In fact, as in Crisis, he’s a big fan of Ray Palmer in the comics. In addition to that, though, he also becomes the Atom in the comics. 33. The devil, you say Everyone’s crossing over this year. Even Lucifer (Tom Ellis), from Netflix’s Lucifer, made a quick appearance, pointing Constantine in the right direction to track down Oliver’s soul. 34. Welcome back, Barry John Wesley Shipp returned as the Flash from Earth-90–otherwise known as the Flash from the 1990 TV series. It’s always fun to see that old suit. 35. Black Lightning’s back For the first time, Black Lightning was officially acknowledged as part of the Arrow-verse. Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) arrived to help out the rest of the heroes and learned that his Earth was wiped out by the anti-matter wave. 36. Batwoman v Supergirl Thankfully, this didn’t turn into an actual fight. Still, seeing these two come face-to-face, ready to battle, was a special moment that hopefully gets explored in the future. 37. A nod to Gail Simone Ryan Choi was co-created by Gail Simone. With that in mind, it’s nice to hear the prolific writer get a small nod with Choi’s daughter being names Simone. 38. Flash vanishes in Crisis It’s been promised since The Flash first premiered on The CW. In the end, though, it wasn’t Earth-1’s Barry that was destroyed in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Instead, it was Earth-90’s. 39. Poor Tina Before his demise, though, Earth-90’s Barry flashed back to a moment with the woman he loved, Tina (Amanda Pays), from the original Flash series. 40. The Spectre While tracking down Oliver’s soul in purgatory, Constantine and company happen upon Jim Corrigan (Stephen Lobo), the Spectre. He wants Oliver to become a Spectre, rather than being resurrected. It’s interesting to note–which Constantine does–that this is not the Corrigan that John knows. On NBC’s Constantine, the role was played by Emmett J. Scanlan. 41. The Vanishing Point The place where our heroes are sent to is pulled right from the comics. The Vanishing Point exists in a dimension outside of the time/space continuum. 42. A Crisis reversal This shot of Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and Superman (Routh) puts an interesting spin on the cover of the Crisis on Infinite Earths comics. On the cover, Superman is holding a dead Supergirl. from GameSpot - All Content https://ift.tt/35oaAYl

This is, by far, the biggest crossover the Arrow-verse has ever pulled off. Five hours of TV, an unfathomable number of DC Comics superheroes making appearances, and an entire multiverse facing destruction. Warning: The following contains spoilers for the first three hours of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. If you haven't watched and don't want to be spoiled, look away now.

The first three hours alone are littered with Easter eggs and references to not only newly-discovered corners of the Arrow-verse, but old DC TV shows and movies, as well as nods to the comics that are responsible for all of these properties. There are so many, it would be easy to miss a handful of them. Luckily, you don't have to worry about that.

We've paid very close attention to all three hours of the crossover so far, documenting all of the Easter eggs for you. Take a look at them all below while you prepare for the final two episodes when they air January 14 on The CW.

1. What a headline

The first thing we see in Crisis is a glimpse at Gotham City on Earth-89, otherwise known as the Gotham that Tim Burton's Batman films exist in. Batman was released in 1989. Get it? It's hard to see the date on this newspaper, but given that Joker (Jack Nicholson) died in the 1989 film, either this is the next day or that Gotham is being hassled by a successor to the original Joker. Either way, we want to know more. Interestingly, the Gotham City Gazette is not the newspaper featured in Batman (1989). In that film, it was the Gotham Globe.

2. Oh, hey Knox

And who better to serve as an introduction to this version of Gotham than Alexander Knox, the journalist played by Robert Wuhl in that Batman film.

3. Meanwhile, on a streaming Earth

After jumping to another Earth, we are greeted by Hawk (Alan Ritchson) from the DC Universe original series, Titans. His appearance wraps that show's continuity into the larger Arrow-verse, even if we only see him briefly.

4. But that's not all

We also see a brief glimpse of Jason Todd (Curran Walters) in his Robin gear, as he and Hawk face down the destruction of their Earth.

5. And over on Earth-X

We also catch a glimpse of The Ray (Russell Tovey), who was first introduced as a hero in the 2017 Arrow-verse crossover, Crisis on Earth-X.

6. Holy Robin, Batman

We knew this cameo appearance was coming, given that it was teased at Comic-Con. Still, seeing Burt Ward--the original live-action Robin--appearing in the Arrow-verse is a special treat. He even has a typically outlandish Robin line, exclaiming, "Holy crimson skies of death!"

7. This technically counts as two Easter eggs

Look, kids. It's Wil Wheaton. The former Star Trek: The Next Generation star has done voice work in a number of DC animated shows and movies, but this is his first live-action appearance on a DC project. What's more, the sign he's carrying is a replica of one that appears in Superman II.

8. Superman does dirty diapers

Our first glimpse as Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) as a Superdad is a funny one, in which he takes care of a super dirty diaper. Not only is this a nod to Superman being a dad in the comics, but it's also a look at what the potential Superman and Lois Lane spin-off that's being developed could be like.

9. Quantum towers are not pretty

Yes, the quantum towers are pulled from the comics. They were constructed by the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) to slow down the progress of the quantum wave destroying the multiverse.

10. The next Green Arrow

We know that Arrow is coming to an end and a female-centric spin-off is in the works. It looks like when all is said and done, Mia Smoak (Katherine McNamara) will be the next Green Arrow, based on the costume her dad had made for her.

11. Yet another Wells

Tom Cavanagh rarely plays the same version of Harrison Wells for more than a season. This time, though, even that's been cut down. His latest incarnation--Nash--has now become Pariah. In addition to the new name and fancy costume, this character--which also appeared in the Crisis comics--can travel between Earths to collect heroes.

12. The death of the Green Arrow

Sure, Oliver's only "kind of dead" when all is said and done, but the death of the Green Arrow is another story twist pulled from the pages of the Crisis comic book. In the miniseries, Earth-2's Green Arrow--the Golden Age version of the hero--died during Crisis.

13. Luke Fox returns to his comic book roots

On Batwoman, Luke Fox (Camrus Johnson) is essentially Kate Kane's (Ruby Rose) nerdy Alfred. He's portrayed a bit differently in the comics. On Earth-99, though, Luke resembles the version comics fans should recognize, as the nerdy persona is nowhere to be seen.

14. Batman's gotten old

While we see Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) in an exosuit that definitely conjures images of the character's appearance in Kingdom Come, that's not who this particular Batman is. Instead, this Bruce takes a cue from The Dark Knight Returns, where Batman has turned cold and killed off several of his enemies.

15. The Death of Superman

This quick glimpse at a TV recreates imagery from the Death of Superman comic. Thankfully, the Arrow-verse's primary Superman is fine.

16. Hey Constantine

Yes, John Constantine is a regular character on Legends of Tomorrow. However, he's also a character that ties yet another DC show--the defunct Constantine on NBC--into the Arrow-verse.

17. Somebody save us

Talk about a blast from the past. Tom Welling reprising his role of Clark Kent from Smallville was a special moment. Even more interesting was learning he gave up his powers to live a normal life with his wife Lois (Erica Durance) and their kids.

18. Speaking of Lois

The Smallville-set scene also provided an appearance by Durance as Lois Lane.

19. Yet another Clark Kent

Hey, he looks familiar. Not only does Brandon Routh star on Legends of Tomorrow, but he also played the Man of Steel once upon a time in Superman Returns. Thanks to Crisis, he gets to suit up as Clark Kent once more, but this time a different take on the character.

20. Anyway, about those people Batman killed

Naturally, Bruce Wayne keeps trophies of the enemies he's killed. The first we see is a Joker card. At long last, the Clown Prince of Crime finally got what was coming to him.

21. Two-for-one

We then see a shot of Riddler's cane and what looks like Mr. Freeze's snow globe, meaning Batman has definitely killed them both off.

22. But not this

We also see Clark Kent's glasses as it's revealed that Batman actually killed Superman on this Earth.

23. Lots more dead people

Back on the Earth of Routh's Clark Kent--which resembles the Kingdom Come storyline from the comics--we see all those the Man of Steel has lost, including Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and his wife, Lois Lane.

24. Thanks to the Joker, of course

Clark reveals that it was a psychopath from Gotham that played a "prank" on the Daily Planet because they weren't writing about him enough.

25. And Kingdom Come Superman was born

At that point, this Clark puts on his Superman costume, revealing the iconic Kingdom Come design that was previously teased.

26. Superman vs. Superman

It's not Batman v Superman. It's actually better as Routh's Superman, under Lex Luthor's control, attempts to destroy Hoechlin's Superman.

27. Another familiar face

The Legends have plenty of experience with Jonah Hex, but not this version. Johnathon Schaech reprises his role in the Arrow-verse, playing another Earth's Hex.

28. Another super baby

We learn that Routh's Superman either has or had a son named Jason. This is a nod to Superman Returns, where it's hinted that the son of Lois Lane--Jason White--is actually Superman's child.

29. Enter the Anti-Monitor

At long last, we meet the Monitor's arch-nemesis--the Anti-Monitor. It's a terrible name and, yes, it's pulled from the comics.

30. A true Bird of Prey

It may have only lasted 13 episodes, but it's exciting to see Ashley Scott reprise her Birds of Prey role as Huntress. Like most of the cameos, though, it ends quickly.

31. The All-Star Squadron

Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) is justified in being blown away by seeing all of these superheroes assembled. The All-Star Squadron he mentions, though, is an actual team of superheroes. They were introduced in a 1981 issue of Justice League of America and have included a long list of different heroes over the years.

32. Who is Ryan Choi

Believe it or not, Ryan Choi is a character in DC Comics mythology. In fact, as in Crisis, he's a big fan of Ray Palmer in the comics. In addition to that, though, he also becomes the Atom in the comics.

33. The devil, you say

Everyone's crossing over this year. Even Lucifer (Tom Ellis), from Netflix's Lucifer, made a quick appearance, pointing Constantine in the right direction to track down Oliver's soul.

34. Welcome back, Barry

John Wesley Shipp returned as the Flash from Earth-90--otherwise known as the Flash from the 1990 TV series. It's always fun to see that old suit.

35. Black Lightning's back

For the first time, Black Lightning was officially acknowledged as part of the Arrow-verse. Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) arrived to help out the rest of the heroes and learned that his Earth was wiped out by the anti-matter wave.

36. Batwoman v Supergirl

Thankfully, this didn't turn into an actual fight. Still, seeing these two come face-to-face, ready to battle, was a special moment that hopefully gets explored in the future.

37. A nod to Gail Simone

Ryan Choi was co-created by Gail Simone. With that in mind, it's nice to hear the prolific writer get a small nod with Choi's daughter being names Simone.

38. Flash vanishes in Crisis

It's been promised since The Flash first premiered on The CW. In the end, though, it wasn't Earth-1's Barry that was destroyed in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Instead, it was Earth-90's.

39. Poor Tina

Before his demise, though, Earth-90's Barry flashed back to a moment with the woman he loved, Tina (Amanda Pays), from the original Flash series.

40. The Spectre

While tracking down Oliver's soul in purgatory, Constantine and company happen upon Jim Corrigan (Stephen Lobo), the Spectre. He wants Oliver to become a Spectre, rather than being resurrected. It's interesting to note--which Constantine does--that this is not the Corrigan that John knows. On NBC's Constantine, the role was played by Emmett J. Scanlan.

41. The Vanishing Point

The place where our heroes are sent to is pulled right from the comics. The Vanishing Point exists in a dimension outside of the time/space continuum.

42. A Crisis reversal

This shot of Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and Superman (Routh) puts an interesting spin on the cover of the Crisis on Infinite Earths comics. On the cover, Superman is holding a dead Supergirl.

from GameSpot - All Content https://ift.tt/35oaAYl