Crisis on Earth-X, Part 3 [The Flash S04E08]: Justice Be Done

The Flash, Season 4, Episode 8: Crisis on Earth-X, Part 3

So part three of Crisis on Earth-X continues with a series two main plotlines. It's the 'darkest hour' portion of the crossover, and more than ever I'm glad we're not trying to fit the parts of the crossover to the 'tone' of their individual shows, which was what they tried during the Invasion crossover which... didn't work as well as they probably hoped it would. Thankfully, Crisis on Earth-X just goes and tells a proper chapter in the crossover event, and it's well done.

Viva la Resistance

A good chunk of this leg of the crossover was the concentration camp scene, where it's revealed that Fuhrer Oliver's highest-ranking minion in Earth-X is none other than the Nazi version of Quentin Lance, who's a ruthless, unfeeling machine. Paul Blackthorne is an amazing actor, and I'm somewhat sad that Quentin-X doesn't actually get to get a lot of interaction beyond going "I killed my daughter for being bi" and his brief match of wits with Oliver-disguised-as-Nazi-Oliver. Quentin-X speaking with a German accent also makes me wonder why Dark Arrow, Overgirl and Metallo speaks in perfect American English... but eh.

The concentration camp scene was slightly dragged out more than it probably should, with rather obvious and more-than-necessary 'gasp the horror' reaction shots of Nazi officers proclaiming how LGBT people are sentenced to death under Nazi rule. Don't... don't these guys know what Nazis are? Jeez.

Oh, and we get the sudden heroic rescue of our heroes by... Citizen Cold! That was completely unexpected, because I wasn't aware that Wentworth Miller was even in this crossover, and it elicits a big whooping moment from me, and even moreso than Colin Donnell's Tommy in part 2, Captain Cold (I'm going to call him that for the rest of these reviews out of habit) is here to stay and do far more than just a single conversation. We also get the revelation that the random gay prisoner that our heroes interacted with earlier in the episode is actually a superhero of his own, a light-manipulating metahuman called the Ray.

And while I knew a Ray cartoon series was coming out in CW Seed, I didn't know that the Ray was going to be in this episode, and I was definitely shocked and surprised. And boy, what a great debut scene that was.

Glow in the dark.

And honestly, I really felt that this simple scene of showing Captain Cold and the Ray just rescue our heroes and reveal that they're part of the Resistance against the Nazis in Earth-X (there is always a resistance) it's a big hell-yes moment. It's a well-worn trope for sure, but god damn if it isn't done well. And it's simply just glorious how we're quickly embracing comic-book tropes with sudden unexpected cameos and setting a good chunk of this episode in a dystopian alternate universe. It's just greatness, and what superhero adaptations shouldn't be afraid to embrace more. And the Ray? And Red Tornado later on this episode? They just look so fucking badass, properly translated from the comic books they originated from. When you see some other characters that try to make a (heh) 'more realistic' version of the costume like the Atom, it's really a shame when CW proves that they totally can make flashy comic-book costumes look good and still realistic.

As our heroes follow Leo Snart and Ray to the resistance base, we get to see the also-unexpected reveal that the Earth-X version of Winslow Schott isn't an underused background character, but rather the hard-ass general of the resistance. Jeremy Jordan is a very talented actor whose character is never elevated beyond 'fun geeky friend' throughout three seasons of Supergirl, and allowing him to flex his acting muscles, as well as the unexpected usage of a Supergirl character when most characters and doppelgangers have been from Earth-1, is definitely welcome. I didn't really think we needed so many scenes of Alex trying to persuade General Schott, for the simple reason that, well, alternate-universe doppelgangers and all, but while the emotional core kind of fell flat to me (and thank god Schott relents more because of Snart and Ray instead of Alex's speech) it's still a pretty neat moment that shows the desperation of our heroes.

One weak point in this whole episode is really the Ray's backstory, where we learn that, like our heroes, he comes from Earth-1... but then we don't even get a handwaved explanation as to how he ended in Earth-X. He's just... kinda there, and he doesn't quite feel as awesome or dominates the scene the way General Schott or Captain Cold do in their scenes. It's perhaps for the best, though, considering how crowded the crossowver already is.

HELL YEAH

(Oh, and Ray and Leo Snart are gay for each other. I feel like I have to mention that, although CW has been pretty inclusive with LGBT representation.)

Stein and Jax have a great, well-done moment in this episode where they finally made up for their previous fight, and Sara's scene this episode talking to Alex and basically telling her that be it Maggie or be it this mission, she has got to trust in herself, is great. Captain Cold is amazing in every scene he is in. Lots of great stuff in that rebel base as we get a brief moment of downtime.

The final leg of the episode is a lot more tension-based, with two major fights going on. We learn that the Nazis have their own Waverider, and Quentin-X is going to send it over to Earth-1. Oliver masquerades as Fuhrer Oliver and that prolonged scene with Quentin-X was definitely well done, even if I could do without the obvious 'kill this child Felicity-X if you're so evil' scene. It's a badass moment for Oliver Queen, and the ensuing fight... we do get a fair amount of Stein/Jax scenes this episode, and the episode ends with the horrifying cliffhanger of Martin Stein being gunned down by a random Nazi soldier, which was a big 'NOOOO' moment considering how much the show has waved the death flag over Martin's head. It's a horrifying cliffhanger to leave us hanging.

Meanwhile, the Flash and the Ray, two of the flashiest superheroes currently trapped on Earth-X, attempt to stop General Schott's "weapon" from detonating the base prematurely and trapping everyone on Earth-X... and for the third time this episode, I whooped at the surprise appearance of a character I wasn't expecting in Red motherfucking Tornado. I've gone on record that Supergirl's first season absolutely fucked over Red Tornado both appearance and characterization wise, and by god, this version of Red Tornado is truly what I imagine a live-action Red Tornado should look like. He just looks so cool, and the fight between Flash, Ray and Red Tornado is just such an insane mass of special effects. Spinning lower bodies! Thunderbolts being lobbed around! Blasts of light! It's a shame that Red Tornado seems to be little more than a cool-looking guided missile, but shit, I can't deny just how badass that whole sequence is.

It's like they saved a good chunk of budgets on all four shows just to give us a great-looking Metallo (who makes a brief appearance in this episode) and Red Tornado, and I am completely fine with that. Because by god, they both look pretty awesome.

I suppose we have to discuss the STAR Labs scene, although it's mostly just the horror show between Eobard and Supergirl. Both Dark Arrow and Overgirl are just... kinda there, and most of our heroes are stuck in cages (though that moment between Cisco and Wells with the bouncing ball is hilarious), with Cisco's nullification meaning that he can't help to portal the heroes trapped to Earth-X back. Felicity and Iris are this non-powered love interest squad that try to do their best to free their allies, but their plans are easily foiled by Reverse-Flash. Mostly just Reverse-Flash, really... for all his awesomeness last episode, Dark Arrow doesn't actually do much.

A good chunk of the STAR labs scenes involves Eobard and Evil Kara taunting Supergirl as she's depowered and strapped onto an operating table. The dialogue is pretty basic, and honestly the mission statement of ripping out Kara's heart is so hilariously comic book-y that I can't help but love it... I feel like Melissa Benoist put in an amazing amount of effort into the one-on-one conversation between Supergirl and Overgirl, but there were several moments where the dialogue was a bit too bleh for me to take seriously. Maybe it's the fact that the conversation randomly veers back to "you are crying over Mon-El, boo-hoo, Kara is not using her heart!" but the talk about how Kara should've used her powers to rule as a god is a pretty cool evil doppelganger thing to say, and I approve. I did feel like the STAR labs stuff ended up being somewhat unnecessary considering Felicity and Iris' team-up ended up in a complete bust with Reverse-Flash undoing everything they did and Kara surrendering to save Felicity's life, but eh, I don't mind secondary characters attempting and failing.

Reverse-Flash is also pretty fucking boss this episode. Between his general mannerisms being fucking awesome, his hyping up of how he actually beat Kara's cousin Superman at some point in the timeline, as well as his cruel breaking speech to Felicity, noting how heroes like Green Arrow, Flash and Black Canary are remembered, but no one in the future knows who Felicity is, is amazingly delivered.

Overall, a pretty strong entry, even if it does feel a bit more claustrophobic due to just flipping back and forth between three scenes (STAR Labs, concentration camp and rebel base), but definitely a strong entry. I feel that the Ray's introduction could perhaps be done somewhat better, but it's a small complaint because it's already pretty damn awesome, and I'll take what we got.

Honestly, I could go on and on and do a little play-by-play talk about how awesome this episode is, but I've rambled for pretty long already, and I still have part 4 to go through.

DC Easter Eggs Corner:

• The Ray, identified in this incarnation as Raymond "Ray" Terrill, is the name of four different superheroes in DC Comics. The first Ray, Happy Terrill, was the product of an American government project of trying to weaponize Light during World War II (hence the Nazi connection). Ray was the grandson of the first Ray, having inherited his father's light-manipulating powers, and would be eventually recruited into various superhero teams, such as the Justice League, Justice Society, Young Justice and Freedom Fighters, although he tends to remain as a reserve member.  
• Red Tornado: Red Tornado finally returns -- in a heroic form, and as a properly awesome CGI robot with a spinning underside -- after a very disastrous and ill-executed attempt to bring him to live-action in Supergirl's first season. He's even aligned with a heroic side this time around, as part of the Earth-X's resistance!
• "Leo" Snart is known as Citizen Cold, which was the persona that the alternate-universe version of Captain Cold calls himself in the comic book's Flashpoint timeline. 
• Cold now has proper comic-book accurate shades with slit-eyes!
• Perhaps a bit late, but the whole 'Crisis on Earth-X' concept seems to be based on the Silver Age Justice League of America issue where the JLA are summoned by Quality Comics heroes (Uncle Sam, Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, etc) to help them win the war against the Nazis. This was before the whole Crisis on Infinite Earths things retconned said heroes into the DC comics' history. And, well, the term 'Crisis' tends to feature multiverse-spanning huge events in DC comics. 
• Eobard Thawne reveals that he fought Superman and won in a battle against him... although whether he fought the Superman of Kara's Earth or a different Superman isn't made clear. 
• Eobard Thawne's tells Felicity that unlike Green Arrow, Flash and Black Canary, Felicity isn't remembered. It seems to be a reference to the fact that Felicity is a character that's completely original to the CW Arrow-verse and isn't based on a pre-existing DC comics character. 
• The Pipeline cells are built to contain and nullify even Cisco's 'breaching' powers, and we've seen them successfully contain Gypsy during the Gorilla City two-parter in Flash's third season.
• Barry quotes the "make a plan, expect the plan to go off the rails" advice that Earth-1's Captain Cold gave him in The Flash's third season.