“Crisis on Earth-X” Parts 3 & 4 – The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow

This D.C. Universe crossover event with all four D.C. shows is huge. So much so that it takes two recaps covering four hours’ worth of television. Since there’s so much to cover, I’m going to jump right into covering the second half of the event (parts 3 and 4: The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow). You can read a recap of the first half of “Crisis on Earth X” (Parts 1 and 2: Supergirl and Arrow) here.

Escaping Earth X

Picking up where part 2 left off, Barry, Oliver, Alex, Sara, Jefferson and Stein come to inside a concentration camp on Earth-X. Their powers are dampened by the collars put around their necks. They learn that others have symbols on their clothes that symbolizes the crime they committed. One individual (soon revealed as “The Ray”) is there for “loving the wrong person.” The team attempts to escape by taking down Commander Quentin-X, but they’re soon brought down by those power dampening collars that also double as electric shock collars. Quentin gets them all (including Ray) to line up so they can be executed, but Earth X’s Captain Cold (Citizen Cold/Leo Snart) saves them with the help of his boyfriend The Ray.

Ray and Snart take Earth-1 team to their own Arrow lair where they meet their leader. Alex is shocked to see that it’s Winn, General Winn Schott. However, it’s not the Winn that she knows. This Winn’s only priority is to blow up the only way in or out (a breach device) of Earth-X. He’s adamant about not giving them any time to get back to their own Earth until Alex convinces him that on her Earth, Winn would do anything to save her sister Kara. He gives them an hour.Before heading out, Stein has a talk with Jefferson about the tension between them over Stein not wanting to be Firestorm anymore. In the first half of the crossover event, Jefferson made it clear that he didn’t want to split because Stein has become like a father to him. During this talk, Stein tells Jefferson that he is his family too, that before he had a daughter, he gained a son in Jefferson. Such a sweet moment.

To sneak into Fuhrer’s (Oliver’s doppelganger) complex, Oliver must pose as his evil doppelganger. It works, but Oliver has to play along with Quentin-X, signing off on the launch of a nuke that can destroy other worlds. Quentin-X isn’t dumb though. He figures out Oliver isn’t who he says he is by ordering him to kill Felicity-X for not following the rules. Oliver fakes Quentin out by turning the gun on him, but the gun isn’t loaded. As expected, a fight breaks out between the Nazis and team Earth-1 plus Snart.Elsewhere, The Flash and The Ray are trying to stop Red Tornado. General Winn Schott deployed him on schedule to destroy the breach even though he said he’d give them an hour. He didn’t keep his word. It takes a bit of a fight, but The Flash and Ray manage to throw a lightening bolt and a Ray blast to stop the Red Tornado.

Unfortunately, things at the complex aren’t going so well. Team Earth-1 just doesn’t seem to have enough power to take down all the fire power the Nazis have. Firestorm (Jefferson and Stein) separate so that Jefferson can hotwire something while Stein flips the switch that opens the portal. There’s too many gunshots, though, and the two are forced to take cover as much as possible. Jefferson manages to complete his task. Stein takes a bullet to the back, but still crawls to the switch, getting shot again just before he flips it. The only way to keep him hanging on and back to Earth-1, is for Jefferson to merge with him as Firestorm. Their connection is the only thing keeping him alive, but it’s also killing them both. ☹

Felicity and Iris to the Rescue

Back on Earth-1, Wells, Cisco, Caitlin, Dinah, Rene, Curtis and Mick are all trapped in STAR Labs’ meta prison. Elsewhere in the lab, Eobard and Fuhrer (evil Oliver) prep The General (evil Kara) and Supergirl for heart surgery. To do so, they make her weak by locking her under red sunlight. Felicity and Iris overhear this information as they’re crawling through the vents and realize they’re the only ones who can help anyone. So, they crawl through the vents to the meta prison to try to break out the others. Unable to open the prison doors, though, Felicity sends a quick SOS to the Legends for help.Just as Eobard is about to cut into Kara’s chest, Felicity and Iris manage to cut the power in STAR Labs. While Eobard and Oliver-X go in search of whomever cut the power, Felicity and Iris break Kara out of the operating room by taking out two guards. Unfortunately, Metallo cuts them off at the elevator.

Eobard threatens to kill Felicity if she doesn’t give him the code turn the power back on. A weak Kara comes in and tells him not to kill Felicity, but Felicity gives him the code anyways. With Kara strapped back down on the operating table and Felicity and Iris caught, Eobard is ready to cut Kara open. But he can’t press his scalpel down anymore. The (shrunken) Atom is stopping him. He takes out the Nazis and the others get away. The other Legends arrive to help break the rest of the team out of the meta prison. Oliver and the others that got stuck on Earth-X finally arrive back on Earth-1 in time to fight Metallo and for Oliver-X, Kara-X, and Eobard to get away.

The Loss of a Legend

On the Waverider, Stein and Jefferson aren’t doing so great. The only reason Stein is still alive is because Jefferson’s connection with him as Firestorm is basically like a human life support. But it’s taking a toll on both of them. If they stay connected, then they both die. That’s why when Stein comes to he asks Jefferson for Cisco’s Firestorm cure that will end their connection, therefore allowing Jefferson to live.Jefferson doesn’t want to do it. He cries and begs Stein not to do it. He can’t lose the only real father figure he’s ever known. Stein makes an emotional but understandable argument. “You once told me that I was like your father, and I said you were my son. How could a father do anything less?” Jefferson reluctantly gives Stein the serum and cries as he dies, and their connection is severed. As Jefferson leaves to emotionally break the news to Stein’s family, the rest of the legends and heroes mourn the loss of their friend, colleague and fellow hero.

The Final Showdown

Unfortunately, they don’t get much time to grieve as The General’s (Kara-X) dying and weakened body is about to turn into a supernova that could destroy the whole world. This leads everyone to suit up and prepare for a fight. Oliver-X shows up outside the Waverider asking for a truce. The catch? They hand over Supergirl and he and his wife will leave. Of course, that’s a no deal. Instead, it was time for the final fight – Team Earth-1 vs the Earth-X Nazis.The Nazis kill anyone in their path, but our heroes soon prevail. A few Legends, Cisco, Iris and Caitlin take down the Earth-X Waverider. Supergirl flies her evil doppelganger up into space just as Kara-X goes nuclear and sends Supergirl falling back down to Earth where she’s caught by Citizen Steel. The supernova explosion sends Oliver-X to his knees as he’s fighting Oliver. As Oliver-X’s back is turned, Oliver almost shoots him in the back. It’s not until Oliver-X turns around with another threat that Oliver shoots an arrow into his heart. Barry has the chance to kill Eobard, but being the good guy that he is, he let’s Eobard go (aka: We’ll see him again, no doubt.)

The war is won.

Time for Goodbye

Before everyone goes their separate ways, they all gather for Stein’s funeral. Jefferson gives an emotional speech. Then, as everyone tosses in a shovel full of dirt, they each give their personal thanks for how Professor Stein impacted their lives. It’s a somber scene where we really understand just how much each of these characters/heroes play into each other’s lives. They aren’t just acquaintances. Most of them are connected in more ways than just being heroes. They’re a family of heroes who have each other’s back until the end.It’s even more evident as they say their goodbyes to one another. Leo and Ray share a sweet goodbye as Ray heads back to Earth-X and Leo chooses to stay behind to help a while. Alex and Sara reflect on their one-night-stand and how they’ll go about their lives. Kara and Oliver share a somewhat awkward fist bump before she and Alex jump back to their Earth.

A Double Wedding

Barry and Iris’ wedding may have been cut short just before they said their vows, but that doesn’t stop them from officially saying “I Do.” Once everyone is gone, they stand in the park with Oliver and Felicity. It’s then that they decide to just elope… right then and there. They ask Oliver to do it since he’s a mayor, but Oliver says it would only be official if it’s done in Star City. However, he knows someone who is ordained – Diggle.

Barry speeds to get Diggle and bring him back. He makes a funny comment about not throwing up that time, but then proceeds to throw up. After asking what’s up, Barry asks him to marry him and Iris, which he’s happy to do as Oliver and Felicity stand up as best man and maid of honor. They each say their vows, which had me crying by the way. Iris reflects on a dance recital in which she froze, and Barry hopped on stage and danced the whole thing together. She states that The Flash may be the city’s hero, but Barry Allen is hers. Barry notes how Iris has always been there for him – as a friend, as a partner, and as the love of his life. She’s his home and that will never change. UGH! My Westallen loving heart!

But wait! It gets better! Just as they are about to say their “I Do’s”, Felicity interrupts and asks Oliver to marry her. Oliver is confused because she said she didn’t believe in marriage anymore, but she argues that she believes in him, and that no matter what life throws at them, their love can conquer it. She then confesses that her greatest fear is losing him, to which he then responds with a simple “yes” to her question. They ask Diggle if it’s cool with him, but of course it is because he’s been rooting for them for years. He asks if they have any vows, but they say they can’t beat Barry and Iris’. Then Felicity remembers their fake wedding, and Oliver recites how Felicity has made him a better human and she’s the very best part of him. UGH! My Olicity feels!

Diggle then pronounces both couples husband and wife, and all is right in the world. At least for now.