Forget Batman v. Superman. After this 2-Day crossover event it’s all about The Flash vs. Arrow. This crossover proves that DC/Warner Bros should’ve built their universe around these two. I was not disappointed at all with either episode. It had all the action you have come to expect with these two and the humor you’ve come to appreciate and look forward to. If we’ve learned anything with these characters is how flawed and imperfect they are. But it’s these imperfections that make them very easy to root for. Barry Allen and Oliver Queen under “normal” circumstances would probably never cross paths let alone fight along side each other. These are anything but normal circumstances however. Extraordinary situations dictated and shaped the heroes they would become. Warning spoilers ahead…
The Flash vs. Arrow Recap
Part one of the crossover is perfectly named The Flash vs. Arrow. Team Arrow (Diggle & Felicity along with Ollie of course) come to Central City looking for clues to a murderer who uses a boomerang as his calling card. The big bad of this episode was a metahuman named Bivolo aptly named Prism because of his eyes turning a raging red color. Anyone he makes eye contact with acts on that rage.
A good portion of this episode showcases the interaction between Team Flash and Team Arrow, with each side backing their own. This provided the episode with some of its best moments. Beyond the comic relief, there were some strong concerns expressed by Wells and Det. West regarding the Arrow and his reputation for seeking justice. They seem him as a vigilante and that’s not the future they want for Barry.
Originally Oliver turns down Barry’s offer to team up against Prism but when Barry gets infected and goes rogue, Oliver has to do what is necessary to save his friend. Barry’s infected state of mind was quite reminiscent of Clark Kent in Smallvilleand the red kryptonite. This becomes a turning point of sorts for Barry and those close to him.
We learn early on that Eddie Thawne has approached Captain Singh about heading an anti-Flash task force much to Iris’ objections. While she is a believer in The Flash’s good intentions, Eddie is not. Eddie’s feelings are justified when the infected Flash beats him to an inch of his life in front of a scared Iris. The only one capable of stopping him is the Arrow. Oliver arrives in the nick of time and orders Iris and Eddie to run.
The Flash-Arrow battle royal was epic and a treat to watch. The best of both worlds were on display with Arrow’s intense and well-choreographed action scenes mixed with the cinematic level special effects of The Flash. Their styles are so different and yet perfectly matched. As the two heroes fight, back at S.T.A.R. labs, Diggle, Cisco and Caitlin weigh in on who would win. The dialogue in here was brilliant.
Oliver finally gets the upper hand by putting an arrow through Flash’s leg and putting him in a chokehold. Wells and Det. West arrive and some lighting device, they were able reverse Barry’s condition. Afterwards, Barry and Oliver hunt down and capture Prism. As far as villains are concerned, Prism was pretty ho-hum.
Some important notes regarding this episode:
- After seeing what “rage” Flash did to Eddie, Iris has lost faith in him and doesn’t want him to ever contact her.
- Captain Singh has approved the anti-Flash task force headed by Eddie.
- Felicity asks Caitlin if she could help with some analysis in Black Canary’s murder.
- Oliver warns Barry that “guys like them”, don’t get the girl.
- Oliver expresses concerns of his own regarding Wells.
- The girl Oliver’s mother paid off because he got her pregnant bumps into him at Jitters as Ollie and Felicity are about to leave. The scene ends with the girl talking to her son on the phone letting him know she’ll be home soon.
- And finally, we see the first appearance of Ronnie Raymond as Firestorm.
The Brave and the Bold Recap
The hunt continues for the boomerang-wielding murderer as Oliver and company have tracked him down to an abandoned house or so they thought. The house was rigged with explosives. It was quickly taken care of by Oliver and Roy. Shortly thereafter ARGUS agents arrived. We later learn that the man they seek is Digger Harkness, a former agent with ARGUS and a member of the Suicide Squad whose implant malfunctioned. This fact puts Diggle’s girlfriend, Lyla in harms way.
At Palmer Tech, Felicity gets a visit from Caitlin and Cisco who want to help her with the boomerang case as well as getting the information regarding Black Canary’s death. With the scene shifting to ARGUS HQ, Diggle talks to Lyla about letting him and his team deal with Digger Harkness more so for her protection. Down in the lobby Digger arrives and wipes out everyone he comes across. Diggle calls for backup in the form of Oliver and Roy. A fight ensues between the two heroes and Digger. But just as it looks like Oliver was going to get struck down by a boomerang, The Flash arrives to save the day.
Back at Arrow HQ, it is decided that Lyla needs to lay low and stay there. Oliver pulls Barry aside and tells him if they’re going to work on this case, he’ll have to do what Ollie says. Barry complies. Their first lead brings them to man named Markos, a member of the Russian Mob. Oliver shoots an arrow into Markos’ shoulder and begins to twist it in order to get he information needed to find Harkness. Barry takes Markos to SCPD and Det. Lance. When Barry returns, he questions Oliver’s methods. He tells him that he defended him to Wells and Det. West. Oliver tells Barry that he has to do things his way and if he can’t accept that, he was free to go.
When Felicity tracks down Harkness to a warehouse, Oliver and Barry race to the location with Cisco, Diggle and Roy following close behind. When the warehouse turns out to be another rouse, they soon realize that Lyla, Felicity and Caitlin are in trouble. Harkness does indeed arrive at Arrow HQ and strikes down Lyla. She’s alive but barely. When the team arrives, her only hope for survival rests on Barry who races her to the nearest hospital.
With Lyla in surgery, Oliver laments to Barry on how all this was his fault. That somehow he lost his humanity. Barry challenges him by stating that it was Oliver’s humanity that allowed him to survive and be the man/hero he has become. Felicity chimes in to let the boys know that she’s located Harkness who is trying to board a train.
When Barry clears the station of all its passengers, he and Oliver have their showdown Harkness now officially known as Captain Boomerang. The Captain has his own plan that involves five bombs scattered across the city. The choice would be theirs, the bombs or him. The problem with the bombs was that in order to disarm them, it would need to be all done at the exact same time. No problem. Barry has a plan that involves placing each of his four friends at each bomb location. On the count of three, they disarm the bombs and save Starling City much to Captain Boomerang’s disappointment.
With Harkness now out of the way and apparently Slade Wilson’s roommate, Lyla awakens from her surgery to find Diggle by her side. He asks her to marry him and she agrees. At Arrow HQ Caitlin is given the arrows that killed Sara. She tells her that she’ll work on getting the information they need to find her killer. As everyone says their goodbyes, Barry is pleasantly surprised to see he has his own costume mannequin for “next time”. Cisco presents Oliver with a parting gift of a new outfit.
The crossover event ends with Oliver and Barry in an empty warehouse. They need to settle the score of who is better. It’s The Flash vs. Arrow round two. The episode fades to black as The Flash races towards Arrow who’s firing a barrage of arrows towards him. To be continued?
I look forward to more crossover events. For what DC/Warner lacks in the movie department, they do make up for it in the television department in spades.
Some important notes regarding this episode:
- We see as with all Arrow episodes a series of flashbacks. These dealt with Oliver and Amanda Waller in Hong Kong. We see Amanda giving Oliver the tools needed to interrogate anyone. Reminding him, “torture is an art.”
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
