THE FLASH - Season 5.9

REVIEW:  THE FLASH – SEASON 5, EP. 9:  “Elseworlds Part 1”

It is time for the annual DC Arrowverse Crossover.  And this year, we enter an alternate reality--- where things are not the same, and worlds will live or die thanks to the machinations of a being called The Monitor.

We open up with Earth-90, as The Flash crawls his way towards a book that was eventually picked up by the Monitor.  We see The Flash take off running towards us.

Dr. John Deegan is giving a lecture on Earth 1 on learning about superhuman.  People aren’t buying it, and they leave.  As he leaves the lecture frustrated, he’s approached by the Monitor, who gives him the book and tells Deegan that he will have the power to shape the world as he sees fit.  The Monitor tells Deegan to “think big”

We are in the Allen household where we see Ollie wake up in bed, as Iris is calling out to him to have breakfast.  Ollie is confused, because Iris sees him as Barry.  She thinks it’s because he has had a lack of sleep.  She suggests that he take a day off.  Ollie is still confused, as they get a call from STAR Labs.  Iris comes back and tosses Ollie the Flash ring, and Ollie puts it on, looking at himself in the Flash suit…wondering what Barry has done this time.

Ollie heads to the scene of the crime, where he meets up with a hostage.  Ollie obviously has trouble using Barry’s powers to stop the criminal…but ends up racing in circles and tosses a lightning bolt.  Cisco feels it’s overkill, but the job gets done.  He heads back to STAR Labs.  After he leaves, we see a robot rise from a container.

Back at STAR, Ollie gets looked over, and Caitlin gives him the a-ok.   He apologizes for being weird to everyone, and they wish to talk with him about it, but he says he’s going to head to Star City to talk to Oliver Queen….someone who understands what he’s going through. 

In Star City, we see Barry and Diggle sparring with each other, with Barry not having a clue as to what’s going on.  Diggle tells him to get with it, and Barry proceeds to take down Diggle.  Barry then realizes that he’s Ollie.  And is confused as how he ended up this way.

Back at ARGUS, Barry is looking at all the scars he has (because he’s Ollie).  Diggle then gets a call about a break in regarding the Bertinelli Family and Diaz’s weapons cache.  Barry starts kicking butt, and Ollie then helps out.  They are back at the Arrow Lair, they’re trying to figure out just how this happened.  Back at STAR Labs, Barry and Ollie are trying to explain to Team Flash that they are not who they say they are.  Ollie and Barry are working out ways to straighten things out, and Barry convinces Ollie that he must convince Iris to be on board.  Iris talks about how Ollie betrayed Felicity, and that his life is ruled by anger, while Ollie is trying to convince her reality is out of whack.  She ends up drugging Ollie, saying that whomever he is, they need to figure it out.  Just as Barry is about to leave, Ralph comes in and punches him out, apologizing along the way.

Ollie and Barry wake up in the Pipeline.  Barry suggests that they find an extrapolator to get to Earth 38, and have Kara help her.  Cisco and Caitlin try to figure out why there’s this strange red anomaly in the atmosphere.  Cisco hears a voice much like Monitor, and wonders what it is.  Barry and Ollie use each other’s abilities to escape the cell.  They run into Iris, who’s there to stop them.  Barry recalls the story about when he first came to live with her and Joe.  She gives the extrapolator to Barry, and they take off for Earth 38.

On Earth 38, we visit the Kent farm, where Clark and Lois are working on a truck.  They playfully bicker about her visiting Argo City.  She tries to pull Kara into her argument, but Kara tries to avoid it.  Lois heads to the barn.  Clark and Kara talk about Argo City, her leaving the DEO, and Clark was about to reveal something to Kara when Barry and Oliver arrive, and surprise Lois.  Kara calms everyone down, and Ollie and Barry finally meet Clark.  Kara also recognizes Barry and Oliver as themselves, and explain that they’ve been switched around.  Kara sees the complication. 

On Earth 1, Killer Frost and Cisco are battling the robot who left the warehouse from earlier and attacks them, but then they are defeated because he uses their powers, as Frost points out.  It’s Amazo!

Back on Earth 38, Barry and Ollie practice, but their practice gets heated.  Back on Earth 1, Cisco and Caitlin discover that a man named Professor Ivo created Amazo for ARGUS to help identify metahumans.  That means they can’t get help from Barry or Ollie.  Sherloque reveals to the team that Iris let Barry and Ollie go, because she felt something when she talked to Barry (as Ollie).  Cisco then reveals that the red skies, the presence of the Monitor, Barry and Ollie mind swapped, and Amazo are all connected.  They get a call that Amazo is on the loose in the city. 

Back on Earth 38, Barry and Ollie have a pow- wow, and realize that they have to act like each other, play the part, in order to get through this ordeal.  Kara, who overheard, agreed.  Just as they’re talking about it, Cisco breaches onto Kara’s Earth, letting Barry and Ollie know that he believes them.  He let’s them know Amazo is on the loose, and they need help back home.  Kara, Clark, and Lois agree to tag along.

Back on Earth 1, Amazo is creating havoc, and then the crew shows up to keep Amazo off balance and not be able to copy their abilities.  They manage to stop him temporarily.  But soon, he copies all their powers.  Back at STAR, they’re trying to figure out how to stop him, and Sherloque simply states that since he’s a computer, just turn him off.  Meanwhile, Barry has an idea to stop him, and has Ollie race to bring him back towards him.  Iris realizes that if Amazo has all their powers, he has their weaknesses as well.  They manufacture a chip that will stop Amazo’s operating system.  Superman, Supergirl, and Ollie manage to hold onto him, as Barry fires the chip into Amazo, and hits the mark, thus destroying him.

Back at STAR Labs, they know they need to figure out how to get Ollie and Barry back to normal.  Clark decides to head back Earth 38, but not before Sherloque asks Clark to deliver an alimony check to his 3^rd ex-wife, who just happens to live on Earth 38.  In a private moment, Iris and Barry talk, and she heard Barry sound like Ollie.  And she hopes that when they figure everything out, he’ll come back to her, and not become Ollie.

Back in the lab---Cisco explains the Monitor to them.  He vibes, and he meets the Monitor, who tells them that nothing they can do can stop things from transpiring.  Cisco’s vibe gets drawn by Ollie, who reveals the Monitor to everyone, and then knows where they have to go to find him….Gotham City!

We then see Gotham City…and at the top of one of the buildings, we see Batwoman. 

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Oh boy!  What a FUN episode that was!  I felt like I was reading a Justice League comic!  It's a fun premise that doesn't throw too much at you, but definitely wets your appetite BIG TIME as far as the expansion of the Arrowverse.  We got a little of EVERYTHING in this episode:  LOTS of humor, some drama, and a good dose of ass-kicking hero action!

Admittedly, they did have to draw on plot points from each show, to keep things fairly consistent and hold continuity, but it works out well.  I did notice the lack of appearance from Nora in this episode (must be hanging out with Papa Joe and Mama Cecile...or, if we wanna go deeper, she's still having her little "chat" with Eobard in 2049).  Either way, her presence isn't missed TOO much in this episode, not with a full Justice League type roster to handle the bad guy of the episode.  

For those new to the DC Universe....Amazo is a robot created by a man named Professor Ivo, but the robot got it's own ideas about being sentient, so it has the abilities to copy the powers of whatever hero it comes into contact with.  A worthy villain, and I enjoyed how it took the teamwork of everyone involved to destroy him.  Also...I think that's another  thing Diggle is going to have to explain to both Team Flash AND Team Arrow at some point....ARGUS and their shady dealings are NOT going to sit well down the road.  Lyla has much to answer for.  

We get our first look at The Monitor---who was always a shady character himself in the comics.  He had dealings a lot with the supervillains, often supplying them with tech and whatnot.  But he also did business on the side with heroes as well.  Not sure what his motivations are here, other than to create problems for the universe at large, and using Professor Deegan as his guinea pig is just the thing he needed.  A Psycho Pirate, if you will (those of you who get the reference...congratulations!).  I'm curious about HIS story as this crossover goes on.

Who here didn't geek out about having Barry and Oliver FINALLY meet Clark?  And to have Superman team up with them to stop Amazo?  Yep...like I said---comic book feels, nostalgia, and Justice League goodness all around.  And I LOVE how, when visiting Earth 38 to recruit Kara...we get the Smallville theme as we visit the Kent Farm.  Elizabeth Tulloch is a TERRIFIC Lois Lane---she nails the part perfectly.  I've been a fan of her work.  Hopefully, we get MORE Lois in this crossover.  

The other fun aspect, even though there's some heavy drama with it, is watching Barry and Oliver having to adjust to being EACH OTHER.  It's difficult for Barry to be dark and brooding, and Ollie isn't used to being so cheery and optimistic.  I think that, in the long run, this will actually help these two understand each other better, and might even allow Ollie to lighten up.  Barry knows he's only playing a role...but as much as Iris worries, I seriously doubt Barry will ever go that route.  It's just not HIM.  But as serious as Ollie's been..I think him being like Barry will actually have him grow more into the Green Arrow we know and love from the comics....the lovable jerk.  

The Monitor is spot on...and the actor portraying him is excellent.  He comes off as menacing, but in a very Darkseid kind of way...collected, rational (at least for him), and in control at all times.  Our heroes have their hands full.

And what of Barry Allen of Earth 90?  How did his world get so destroyed?  Why does the Monitor blame him?  Hopefully, answers will come when he makes his appearance.  

Anyone else besides me A LITTLE bummed that there was no Felicity sighting?  I kinda wanted to see how SHE reacted to Barry as Oliver.  Holding out hope on that one...if only for the humorous aspect of it.  

Either way, it was a VERY fan-geek feel of an episode that his hitting me in all my childhood feels.  And just to help all of you follow and get the significance of our Earths:  

We know Earth 1 & 2...and even Earth 3---where Jay Garrick resides.

Earth 38 is named after the year Superman first appeared, which was  in Action Comics #1 in June of 1938.

Earth 90 is named for the original series of The Flash which aired in 1990.  

Okay...rambling like a true comic geek here.  That does it for The Flash until mid January, so I won't be blogging on this show until then,.  But I DO hope you subscribe to the blog anyway, and share with your friends.  I'd appreciate it!  I thank all of you for checking it out, and PLEASE leave comments!  I'd love to hear from ya!

Alrighty kids---until Part 2 tomorrow...and until mid-January, when we will reconvene with our Scarlet Speedster, that does it for me for now.

Until mid January---keep on running!