SUPERGIRL - Season 4.9

REVIEW: SUPERGIRL – SEASON 4, EPISODE 9: “Elseworlds Part 3”

This year’s crossover event, Elseworlds, has seen our favorite heroes, Barry and Ollie, and switched them up with each other, had the appearance of a planetary intrepid reporter, the current guardian of Gotham City, and the destruction of a world that was once the home of A Fastest Man Alive.  And now, The Monitor’s plan to test the mettle of our group have Barry and Ollie on the run with a more menacing looking Man of Steel looking to clampdown on them…

We have a John Deegan intro to the last chapter of the crossover, where we discover that Deegan has  turned himself into Superman.  We open up to see Deegan capturing Barry and Oliver.  They find out Deegan has turned himself into Superman.  He says he’s changed the world, and their family and friends.  He says that the world is his.  At that point, Ollie shoots a crane that’s loose, and ends up telling Deegan that if he wants to be a hero, he either saves the people or stops them.  Deegan saves the people, and Ollie and Barry escape.  Back at STAR Labs, Deegan is upset that they got away.  Team Flash and Arrow are now a part of Deegan’s team.  They tell him that he will recapture them.  He ends up visiting Kara, whose powers have been dampened in the pipeline.  He says the Book of Destiny mentions nothing of Clark or Kara at all, as if they don’t exist.  She goads him a little, but he uses a sonic scream on her to remind her she’s helpless.  He says he scrambled everyone’s brains here, including Alex’s, and that he is what the world needs.  And he’ll end up killing all of them when he’s done.  Kara calls him a murderer, he’s quick to correct her, and says he’s Superman.

Barry and Oliver are on the lam, but get transported to a realm, and come face to face with the Monitor.  He tells them it’s time to discuss their destinies.

Face to face with The Monitor, he is impressed with how they managed to outwit Deegan as Superman.  Ollie asks that if they’re being tested, let them get back to it.  The Monitor asks Ollie if he’s willing to die.  He informs them that they will need to tap into everything they have to stop the world as it is from being destroyed.  Barry and Ollie are transported back to Earth, where they try to find their allies.  They head to a biker bar, where they meet up with Gary, who’s a fan of theirs.  Gary leads them to Cisco, where he’s the big boss of the gang there.  They looking for his help, but he tells them they have no pull here, and calls upon Jimmy Olsen to teach them a lesson.

Back in the pipeline, Kara tries to reason with Alex, but to no avail. 

Cisco reminds them that he likes to see his men beat on people.  Ollie and Barry get beat up.  Just as Cisco wants Jimmy to toss them outside.  Barry reminds Cisco that he knew his brother Dante.  Cisco halts their departure.  He wants to hear more, so Barry asks him if he can still breach.  Cisco reminds him that’s how he robbed all those banks.  Barry tells him he’ll teach him how to breach to another world, which intrigues Cisco.  He ends up breaching them to Earth 38, where they meet Superman and Lois at the Fortress of Solitude.  They inform him that Kara is in trouble, as well as the rest of the Earth.

Back on Earth 1, Alex is in the pipeline doing some work, when Caitlin comes in and tells her to go home.  They have a little personal chat about Alex’s life, and Alex brushes it off, and continues to work.  Kara tries to use her super breath to get out of the cell, but Alex turns on the sonic weapon.  Kara starts speaking in Kryptonian, which gets Alex’s attention.  Kara starts appealing to Alex, letting her know about the Alex on her Earth.  About everything Alex has accomplished.  Kara says that if Alex let’s her out, she’ll be able to stop Superman.  While back at the Fortress, Ollie, Barry, and Superman discuss how to get the Book of Destiny back to fix reality.  They know Deegan would keep it someplace secure.  Clark reminds them that using the Book comes at a sacrifice.  Cisco says that they probably keep that book at STAR Labs.  They breach out to Earth 1.  As Alex and Kara make their escape, they’re caught by Deegan and Killer Frost.  Just as they’re about ready to be killed, Superman, Barry, Ollie, and Cisco appear, ready to do battle.

Superman and Deegan take off into battle, Ollie goes after Diggle, and tells Barry to get the book.  Barry, Alex, and Kara take off towards the Fortress of Solitude to retrieve the Book.  Superman and Deegan battle all over Central City.  Deegan gets the upperhand, and someone shouts out at Clark that he’s “Bizarro”.  Deegan asks Superman how he likes to be the villain for once.  Back in the secret room at STAR Labs, Barry, Kara, and Alex find the book, but Kara is too weak to use it.  She gets it to Clark, and Clark starts using it to set reality right.  Ollie is back to being Ollie, and Barry is back to being Barry.  They are transported to where Clark is, and Deegan gets the jump on Barry.  He threatens to kill Barry if Superman doesn’t drop the book.  Ollie points an arrow at Deegan, threatening to kill him, but Barry tells him not to.  Maybe that is the Monitor’s test---to have Ollie NOT kill.  Ollie relents, and Deegan pushes Barry away, swats his hands together to create a sonic boom, and distracts everyone enough to retrieve the book and take off.

Alex and Kara have one last chat, before reality starts getting rewritten.  Barry suggests he and Kara run at Mach 7 to counteract the Earth’s rotation.  Superman says that if they do that, as he forsaw in the book…they’ll die.  As they take off, Ollie says he’s got an idea, he tells Superman to get the book.  Ollie takes off and calls out the Monitor.  Back in the Monitor’s realm, Ollie says he’s not impressed.  The Monitor says that Ollie has a lot of hubris to call out a God.  Ollie says that Kara and Barry are the best of them all.   That his true self is dark, but that for a God who is looking for people to battle a great evil, he’s not done a very good job.  The Monitor says that one sacrifice deserves another.

Superman finds Deegan, and prepares to battle him.  Deegan brings in a giant robot to battle Superman, and just then, J’Onn, Lois, and Briany appear.  Lois uses a weapon from the Fortress to distract Deegan, while J’Onn and Brainy tackle the robot.  Clark reaches for the Book, but Deegan reaches it first, and uses it on Clark.  Lois gets zapped along the way, and Clark goes to save her.

Barry and Kara continue to race, and as they begin to start burning up and fading out, time slows down.  Ollie reappears, and shoots Deegan.  He drops the book and reality restores itself.  Barry and Kara doesn’t disappear.  Deegan morphs into some alien looking being.  The day is saved.

Everyone says their goodbyes at STAR Labs, and Clark, Kara, Lois, J’Onn, and Brainy return home.  On the Smallville farm, Kara is told by Clark that she doesn’t need to be with the DEO in order to be a hero.  He lets her know that he’s going to be gone for awhile.  Lois informs Kara that she’s pregnant.  Kara is happy for them both.  Clark informs her that they’re going to be on Argo for awhile, but he knows the world will be in good hands with Supergirl around.

At the Fortress, Clark finally proposes to Lois.  Back on Earth 1, Barry and Ollie share a drink, and commiserate over being each other.  They come to a mutual understanding.  Ollie then gets a call from Batwoman, who says that Deegan has made a friend in Arkham---Psycho Pirate!  And he lays the tagline for next season’s crossover:  “Worlds will live.  World’s will die.  The universe will never be the same!”.  It’s going to be here:  CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS!

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Another crossover in the books, and they just seem to get more epic with each story.  This story had a MUCH better flow than last year, and with only THREE of the shows participating, it made for an easier transition from one show to another.  Loved the Barry Green Arrow intro from the previous night's Arrow installment, to Deegan's faux Superman intro on tonight's edition of The Girl of Steel.  The story moved along fast, didn't bog down, and we got A LOT of easter eggs in the process.  I did have some things that I wasn't happy about, but that was just me uber-geeking about wanting MORE.  But, for what it was worth----I couldn't have been more pleased heading into the winter break with what we got.  

This crossover gave us the focal points of our two main heroes---Barry and Ollie---and put them in situations unfamiliar:  each others' lives.  It really gave both of them a chance to see how the other operates, WHY the operate and act the way they do, and how they effect the relationships around them.  It was also the best teamwork that both of them have EVER had, having to rely not only on teaching each other HOW to use their respective abilities, but in the fact BOTH showed quality leadership, and thinking on the fly, working off one another to survive.  At the end, Barry and Ollie now have an even deeper understanding of one another, and a much more mutual respect.  Their friendship has grown leaps and bounds from this.  I think it will serve them well down the road as the shows pick up for the 2nd half.  

To see Lois and Clark FINALLY was just perfect.  Both Tyler Hochelin and Bitsie Tulloch have NAILED this relationship down.  There was instant chemistry, and Bitsie herself has got Lois nailed down brilliantly.  She gives off that Margot Kidder esque feel, with and Erica Durance attitude---two women whom I feel really defined Lois not only for back in the day...but in the modern times as well.  If we could have another Superman show with THESE two...sign me the hell up!  And with Jon Cryer coming aboard as Lex Luthor before it's all said and done this season...I expect a return of Lois and Clark before too long....with Junior Kent in tow (if they follow the comics, Lois and Clark have a boy).  Either way, it's been an amazing take on the World's Finest Couple in the DC Universe (and I second Barry and Iris after that).  It was also sweet to have those Clark and Kara moments, with Clark giving full confidence in Kara's ability to hold down the fort while he's on Argo with Lois.  He FINALLY gave the audience the very thing I had been questioning all season, if not before:  there has been NO REASON for Kara to be under the thumb of ANY government!  Supergirl is there for the WORLD, and shouldn't have to take orders from ANYONE.  So grateful Clark finally pointed that out to her.  And she'll be needed---A LOT.  With Superman gone, Supergirl is gonna have to pick up the slack in Metropolis (which I wouldn't mind seeing some of on this show).  Give us a reason for us to see Perry White, and anyone else related to the Superman mythos (maybe an appearance by Intergang or something).

Was also good to know that, no matter the universe or reality, Kara and Alex are joined at the hip, and the sisterhood will always be there.  It was the one thing that helped turned the tide for the good guys in this series.  As much as Kara feels like she let Alex down, she also believes in Alex enough to do what's right.  

Wasn't it cool to see variations on our intrepid heroes?  Nice to see Killer Frost rockin' a new look, being her sassy self, but also Cisco as some badass crime boss?  Diggle is a soldier, as always, and we got a tough walking, trash talking James Olsen.  What bummed me OUT was John Wesley Shipp's BRIEF appearance as The Flash from Earth 90.  I was SO hoping he'd play more of a part in helping save the day from Deegan, but they disposed of him quick.  I was expecting more.  Also...was anyone else BESIDES me a little bummed we didn't get to see Lois Lane interact with Iris West?  Or the rest of Team's Flash and Arrow?  That would've been cool.  Hopefully, we'll get a chance next year.  Batwoman's final appearance won't hopefully be her last, and we'll see more of her soon.  

This crossover, overall, set us up QUITE nicely for what I feel the Arrowverse and DC have been cruising towards all along:  Crisis on Infinite Earths.  We knew it was coming at some point, but now all the pieces are on the board with the exception of the "Big Bad"...The Anti-Monitor....and there's no doubt he'll kick it off.  Now...how they managed to cram everything that happened in a 12 issue mini series in the comics into 3 episodes (4 if you count Legends), because with this being THE premier event---EVERYONE is going to be involved.  And we have a good year to speculate who will live or die, and---if they follow the comic---will they streamline the Arrowverse onto ONE world?  Let the speculating begin.  I just hope that when it comes down to next year----Marv Wolfman & George Perez (who wrote and pencilled the series, respectively), get some credit for it---this was their baby back in 1985---I'd like to see them get some love.  And here's another monkey wrench to throw in:  Will it expand to include the worlds of Titans and Black Lightning?   I know we ALL have sooooo many questions!

Alrighty, I've blogged your eyes off long enough.  We're on a quick hiatus from our Maid of Might until Mid January, so enjoy the break, catch your breath, and we will all head back here when the show picks up again with the ongoing storyline of the Agent of Liberty, as well as the Red Daughter story that's still floating out there.  As always, I can't thank you all enough for viewing the blog.  Do feel free to subscribe, tell everyone within earshot about it, and please feel free to leave comments.  I'd love to hear YOUR guys' thoughts on everything.

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and hoping for a fun 2019!

Until Mid January, gang----Up, Up, and Away!