When it comes to the vast world of superheroes in this DC television world it’s too good to pass along an opportunity for a crossover of epic proportions. We saw that when Arrow and The Flash joined forces first last season and once again this season – and it’ll be an annual thing so long as both shows remain on the air. But for the first time we got a cross-network crossover that brought The CW’s Flash to CBS’s Supergirl in what was one super-fun hour of television.
While the circumstances were perfect for The Flash to cross over with Supergirl – being as Barry Allen’s Flash can jump multi-universes – this crossover hopefully served as a set-up of sorts for future crossovers between other DC shows, like the show that started this DCTV wave, Arrow. Hopefully this crossover means that a crossover with Supergirl and Arrow is in the works. Because at this point, how could it not be?
The Supergirl/Flash crossover was everything I was hoping for and more. It reminded us why these two superhero team-ups can be so fun. While Arrow and The Flash had similar vibes in its first crossover in 2014, things took a more serious turn in this year’s crossover. So this Supergirl/Flash crossover served as a reminder that this can be serious and yet super fun at the same time.
While Batman and Superman are currently duking it out in theaters, DC television has brought together Supergirl and The Flash, whose first instinct isn’t to fight but rather to team up and do some good. Because that’s really what superheroes should be doing. They shouldn’t be fighting each other – they should be fighting the enemy. But when Kara and Barry did disagree – about who was fastest – this is what that translated to:
Basically, Kara and Barry were literal puppies. They are so similar in demeanor and their experience, and it was great to see them bond. Kara and Barry worked so well together because they instantly hit it off. There was a sincere camaraderie and chemistry that was there from the start and set the tone for this entire episode. It was almost as if this was their show. Well, it is Kara’s, but you know what I mean. I would watch a show about these two heroes that work together to fight crime and protect their city.
From a superhero team-up to a super-villain team-up to a new ship that I will continue to ship even as they exist on different Earths, “World’s Finest” was an epic hour of television that showed that superheroes are at their best when they’re working together instead of pitted against one another.
A Super Team-Up of Epic Proportions
There was a ton of hype heading into this crossover that brought together two of DC’s lightest heroes for an epic hour of action and emotion. Obviously the draw of this crossover was Supergirl and The Flash meeting and working together, and that hype certainly was worthy of this final product.
The way that they introduced Barry Allen into Kara’s world was something that really worked. It linked with The Flash’s current storyline of Barry training to get faster and something tells me that it’s something that could be briefly mentioned on tomorrow’s Flash to drive home that multi-universe concept and there being a Supergirl out there – even though it’s another universe.
But the thing that impressed me was how the show never stopped being the show just because The Flash showed up. For a moment it was almost as if The Flash was a part of the Supergirl world. But then we’d be sad because we need Barry Allen on The Flash. But it was great to see Supergirl not change its DNA to adapt to The Flash’s arrival. It was organic much like the relationship between Kara and Barry from the get-go.
Getting to see these two emblems side-by-side and getting to see these superheroes work together with their powers was really fun and inspiring as a viewer. The hour literally flew by and I felt it when Barry went back to his universe – something was missing; something that made this episode everything I had hoped for and more. Now that CBS has test-driven this cross-network superhero crossover, here’s hoping we see much more of it in the future. You know, once CBS renews Supergirl for season two (cause it’s obviously happening).
All Aboard the SuperFlash Ship
Why must I ship things that cannot be? Or that cannot be on the same Earth? If you’ve guessed it I’ve fallen head over heels for Kara and Barry – which has been dubbed SuperFlash – and it’s as adorable as one might expect. There was an instantaneous connection between the two heroes that really made this impossible not to ship.
When it comes to superheroes there is always that dynamic where the hero finds his or her one true love that helps guide them on their hero’s journey. It’s an essential part of superhero television, movies or comics because it humanizes these heroes. It’s a piece of ourselves that we find in these superior beings, and it’s what keeps us coming back for more. If we didn’t give a damn we wouldn’t be here week-after-week.
With that said, it’s been clear from Supergirl’s pilot that it’s been setting up a romance between Kara and James. While I was completely behind that ship in the beginning episodes of the series something went wrong and that magic has just been lacking. But in the recent episodes we’ve seen a renewed focus on reviving the romance-in-training just in time for the season finale. But I’m just not feeling it.
But Kara and Barry, well, that’s a ship that I can get behind. I knew it from the start when the two adorable idiots were casually flirting. Kara had more chemistry with Barry in one episode than she has had combined with James and Winn in 18 episodes.
Kara and Barry are very similar in demeanor and their initial instinct was to help each other instead of question each other. There was an instant rapport between the pair when they first met each other and when they worked together and when Barry gave Kara some advice about being a hero. While Barry is traditionally on the receiving end of the superhero advice – when Oliver Queen is dishing it out – it was nice to see Barry take what he’s learned and do the same for her.
There was also a deep-rooted trust founded between the two that allowed both to be incredibly open with one another – especially having just met each other and knowing that they’re from different worlds. Kara didn’t hesitate to talk to Barry about her struggle to win back the trust of National City, and Barry’s reaction was to open up to her about having once been in her shoes. And he was there to provide some sound advice – advice that Kara needed to hear – in order to help her along her hero’s journey.
But in the Arrowverse we’ve seen how opposites attract and how those characters that are alike don’t typically last. In fact, the two main romances of Arrow and Flash — Oliver & Felicity and Barry & Iris – are opposites that have, in Olicity’s case, come together, and, in WestAllen’s case, will come together. Which brings me back to the whole tragic ending of it all. Why must I ship things that cannot be? (And I actually LOVE WestAllen but right now I’m feeling all the SuperFlash feels). Don’t mind me, I’ll just be over here counting the days until the next crossover where these two flirtatious superheroes get their flirt on – and Oliver will be beside them teasing them for it. Okay, some fic it!
Supergirl Earns Back the Trust of National City
Following Kara’s run-in with red Kryptonite two weeks prior, we saw her become the worst version of herself as she turned against the city. And we watched as the city turned its back on Supergirl.
While “World’s Finest” existed as a means for this epic team-up between Supergirl and The Flash, it was also significant in Kara’s struggle to earn back the trust of National City. We saw last week how the city now cowers in fear of her rather than embraces her with love, and it’s something that has been eating Kara up inside. Because she lives to be Supergirl; to protect these people; to have these people rely on her for protection; to be the hero they deserve.
Trust has been an important theme in all of Greg Berlanti’s superhero shows this season – with Oliver’s lies on Arrow to Barry’s lies on The Flash to Rip’s lies on Legends of Tomorrow. Something that is important in all of those instances, and in Kara’s, is that words won’t fix this. Anyone can say pretty and inspiring words, but only a few of them actually mean it.
Kara has vowed to earn the trust of the city back, but what the city needed was for her to show them. And we saw that tonight. When Supergirl was going up against the villainous duo of Livewire and Silver Banshee, she showed the people of National City what she stands for – what she’s willing to do. When Livewire aimed to take out a helicopter, Kara took that bolt of electricity instead and saved those people in the helicopter. And with all the people of the city watching.
One of the most beautiful moments on this show came right after that moment when the people of National City built a wall in front of Kara to shield her from the villainous ladies. Livewire asked them, “You’re willing to die for her?” And one of the citizen’s answer was: “She was willing to die for us.” And when it came to defeating Livewire and Silver Banshee, Kara got some help from the fire department. “It was our turn to help you,” one of the firemen told her.
And that right there is why these superheroes mean so much. They are willing to sacrifice their own lives for us. They don’t owe us anything, and yet they don’t even hesitate to, say, take a bolt of electricity to the chest to save people. Heroes sacrifice. Heroes protect. Heroes inspire. And that is how they earn our respect and admiration.
A Villainous Team-Up
While “World’s Finest” was obviously hyped for the team-up of Supergirl and The Flash, the episode also introduced us to the villainous duo of Livewire and Silver Banshee, which gave new meaning to the term “a woman scorned.” And it was actually a ton of fun.
When it comes to the villains that Supergirl has battled this season one of the more memorable ones was Livewire, who had a witty, snarky attitude coupled with her electric power. So bless my heart when she made her return and teamed up with Silver Banshee to exact her revenge on Cat Grant and Supergirl. And I’m all for this badass, female, villain partnership.
While we ultimately knew how this story would end – with the bad guys, sorry girls – being stopped by our two heroes, these two badass ladies sure make villainy look fun. With Livewire’s electric and deadly power and Silver Banshee’s ear-shattering, Mariah Carey-powerful scream, for a minute there it looked like our two heroes might have some trouble taking down these ladies.
But ultimately the heroes prevailed and Livewire and Silver Banshee are in some kind of metahuman prison like the one on The Flash. But while their team-up lasted only an episode this was a reminder that we need more of these villain team-ups, mainly ones consisting of female baddies that can go toe-to-toe with men and even defeat them.
Empowered women is what Supergirl has done right from the very beginning. Whether you’re a superhero like Kara or a media mogul like Cat Grant or a leader like Alex or a general like Lucy or a villain like Livewire and Silver Banshee, women on Supergirl do it all. And it’s refreshing to see in a superhero world that can be overpopulated by men. This is why we need more superheroes and super villains that are women. There is so much that we are missing out on without them.
Myriad is a Go…And They’re Making Zombies?
Sometimes you forget that there’s a bigger plan at play than just a couple of metahumans that are making your day a living hell. And I’m not gonna lie, I kind of forgot about the whole Non of it all. Until James Olsen up and zombie-walked right out of Kara’s apartment following the pair’s first kiss. A blank stare is not the kind of reaction you’d want or expect following a passionate kiss. Poor Kara. But things are going to get worse before they get better.
With two episodes remaining this season, we’re gearing up for the showdown with Non that some of us forgot about (me). We’ve known that Myriad is a program that is set to destroy humankind so that the Kryptonians can take Earth for themselves so obviously Non has decided to use this moment to begin the roll-out of Myriad.
Only it appears as if Myriad is a system that controls humans like zombies, as saw with James and the streets of National City walking blindly somewhere…somewhere not good. Well, it’s a good thing Barry left when he did or it’d be a longer wait to return home.
EPISODE GRADE: A
The crossover had a lot of hype to live up to, but with Kara and Barry’s organic chemistry and epic partnership, “World’s Finest” proved to be an exciting crossover that opened the door to future crossovers in the DC TV universe and was the most fun I’ve had watching television all season.
Supergirl airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.
