After the major success ofAvengers: Endgame, the world of movies and television changed forever. We’ve seen superheroes take over every space in the entertainment industry. From podcasts, streaming services, and even network TV, nothing was bigger than The CW’sCrisis on Infinite Earths.
For those who don’t know, the television eventCrisis on Infinite Earthsis based on a comic book event of the same name. In the comics, the DC multiverse is in peril, and it’s up to the Justice League (mainly The Flash) to keep the different universes from collapsing. The CW’s take on the story shares many similarities with its comic book counterpart,as do their other crossover events, but they add their spin on the concept of multiple universes, and of course, their main cast of heroes serves as the Justice League.
In this world-shattering adventure, the heroes of the Arrowverse need to unite to save the entire DC Universe from the brink of destruction, withOliver Queenat the center of the story. The road through this five-part event can be a bit confusing, especially if you didn’t watch it live as it aired, so that’s where we come in. Here’s how to watch theCrisis on Infinite Earthsevent in chronological order.
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What Do You Need to Know?
The Arrowverse, named after the Green Arrow himself, is a series of shows based on DC Comics characters. These heroes have been on our television screens for nearly a decade, andCrisis on Infinite Earthsis the culmination of their stories. The ending ofArrowSeason 7 sets up the events of theCrisisstoryline, so this event can be hard to follow without a least some basic knowledge of the shows before watching. With that said, here is a shortcut, so you don’t have to watch multiple seasons of five different shows.
The main characters featured inCrisisare Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist), Kate Kane (Ruby Rose), and Sara Lance (Caty Lotz). Each star of one of the CW’s superhero showsArrow,The Flash,Supergirl,Batwoman, andDC’s Legends of Tomorrow,respectively.
The easiest way to catch up on eight years of lore is by watching the previous crossover event.Elseworldsis the third annual crossover and introduces the concept of alternate realities and the larger idea of a multiverse. Here, you can see Green Arrow, Supergirl, Flash, and the Legends work together prior to Crisis, giving you a sense of their team dynamic and their roles in these larger stories.
Another good place to start isArrowSeason 8. This is the shortest season of Arrow, with only seven episodes prior toCrisis on Infinite Earths, but it’s integral to the crossover’s plot. The entirety ofArrow’s final season is building up to this event, and while it’s not essential viewing, you’d do yourself a disservice by not watching itbeforeCrisis.
There’s also aBlack Lightningepisode that ties into Crisis. Season 3, Episode 9 of Black Lightning, is titledThe Book of Resistance: Chapter Four: Earth Crisisand shows what’s happening on Earth-73 during the Crisis event. This episode doesn’t have any significant connections to the crossover itself, so it’s not mandatory, but it’s a fun addition nonetheless.
Episode Viewing Order
The episode viewing order is spread across the five shows. This is where things can get weird because if you didn’t watch it live, there’s no way you’d know where to start. We have the episode order listed below.
Once you’ve finishedCrisis on Infinite Earths, the next step isto return toArrowand watch the series finale, Season 8 Episode 10,Fadeout. Here, you see the aftermath of the crossover, and it serves as a fitting end for the character of Oliver Queen and the legacy of the show Arrow. Crisis on Infinite Earths is an event that brings together multiple generations of DC heroes and stories in a way we’ve never seen before.
Arrowserved as the launching point for this universe, and the show’s connection toCrisisserves as the perfect ending to not only the crossover event but toArrowand Stephen Amell’s final performance as Oliver Queen.
