Arrow - "Elseworlds, Part 2"
Barry/Flash: Batman's an urban legend created by the GCPD to scare criminals? No matter how stealthy Batman was/is, someone must have witnessed him, or captured him on camera to prove his existence.
Oliver/Arrow: I could not stop laughing at how the Flash costume fit his like a bad cosplayer....
Kara/SG: "it seems strange that Bruce Wayne and Batman disappeared at the same time..." It
had to be said. Now, when will someone finally say, "hey--that Kara looks just like Supergirl!"
"Unless she has some Kryptonite stored somewhere, I'm not worried" Tease! For anyone not familiar with the reference, in several comics and animated stories, Batman always kept a supply of Kryptonite to use against Superman in the event he ever became a problem.
Kane / Batwoman: Appropriately grim and dismissive with the visitors (the "Get out" about the Batmobile ride question), but the
"World's Finest" bit was pushing it too soon. It would be interesting to see her backstory--going as far as TV DC can without showing Batman's direct involvement.
Clark/SM: In the teaser, he seemed to a bit whiny...like "this is MYY world!" I hope that wss just one scene.
The Monitor &
John Deegan: Lamonica Garret's still channeling Thanos.
90's Flash: Of course, having another Flash racing through dimensions, warning others of impending doom was taken from the legendary
Crisis on Infinite Earths maxi-series. Having the older Flash be that messenger was fairly exciting. It makes one wonder if any other former superhero actors will show up to reprise their roles in any of the series.
NOTES: Notice how nighttime Gotham is not lit or designed in the monochrome motifs of other adaptations. The colorful lighting throughout the city was a nice contrast denoting this was a very different Gotham than the one expected in a Batman adaptation. In fact, the most gritty, traditional Gotham look was inside the lobby of Wayne's building.
Nods and/or Easter Eggs:
- 1966 Batman TV series' bust of Shakespeare. Cool enough, but it would have been wild if Kara fumbled it, opening the head's hidden switch.
- Cobblepot...Nigma, and other familiar names on asylum doors.
- Bane's mask and Mr. Freeze's gun.
John Barrowman still cannot act his way out of a paper bag.
GRADE: B+
Interesting hour, pretty much made by Batwoman; I wanted to see more of her doing just about anything. That's the mark of a good adaptation. Further, the chemistry between Kara, Barry and Oliver was flowing as well as most superhero team-ups (finally hitting their stride after so many years), and to be honest, despite not having much meat to the story so far (which makes the idea of the third and final part being overloaded a bit concerning),
Elseworlds towers over the last CW/DC crossover.