Crisis on Infinite Earths to Have Cliffhanger Mid-Season Break

A 'Crisis' is coming to The CW's Arrowverse in just a few short weeks when the network brings to [...]

By Nicole Drum

A "Crisis" is coming to The CW's Arrowverse in just a few short weeks when the network brings to life "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover, its long-teased take on the comic book event series of the same name that changed the face of the DC universe forever. The coming crossover will, as the annual event does, bring together the heroes of Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman but it will also do something that previous crossovers have not. The five-part event won't exactly air back to back. Instead, crossover will air three episodes and then go on winter hiatus meaning that there will be just over one month break between the third chapter and the fourth. According to executive producer Marc Guggenheim, that means fans are going to have to deal with a cliffhanger smack in the middle of the event.

Over the past few weeks, Guggenheim has been answering fan questions about "Crisis" on Twitter and on Tuesday, he was asked about the accuracy of the official "Crisis on Infinite Earths" schedule by a fan who realized that the mid-season break is right in the center meaning that "we're all gonna die" waiting for the story to continue. Guggenheim confirmed that that is the case, teased a cliffhanger, and, well "sorry not sorry."

The story for "Crisis on Infinite Earths was worked out with this break in mind," Guggenheim replied. "So Hour 3 ends on a cliffhanger. Sorry not sorry."

To be fair, the idea of "Crisis" having a big cliffhanger in the middle is an idea that most fans have had at least a passing understanding off for months. The schedule for the event -- at least in general terms indicating a break between the first three hours and the final two -- was reported back in May. While having a break between parts of a crossover is one that most fans would logically assume meant a cliffhanger, Guggenheim's tweet confirms it. The question then becomes what kind of cliffhanger could we be dealing with and that's where we might bet some clue thanks to the official synopsis for that hour, which just so happens to air during The Flash's hour. Check it out below.

BLACK LIGHTNING JOINS THE ARROWVERSE IN THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE CROSSOVER – Pariah (Tom Cavanagh) enlists Black Lightning (guest star Cress Williams) to help stop the Anti-Monitor (guest star LaMonica Garrett) after Flash-90 (guest star John Wesley Shipp) shares what he learned from his battle in 'Elseworlds.' With the help of Black Lightning, Barry (Grant Gustin), Cisco (Carlos Valdes) and Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker) come up with a plan that could save them all. Meanwhile, Iris (Candice Patton) has a heart-to-heart with Ryan Choi (guest star Osric Chau), while Oliver (guest star Stephen Amell) and Diggle (guest star David Ramsey) return to an old familiar stomping ground. David McWhirter directed the episode with story by Eric Wallace and teleplay by Lauren Certo & Sterling Gates.

Looking at that synopsis, that bit about coming up with a plan to save them all might be a clue. With two hours remaining in the event after The Flash, it's possible we'll see the heroes work their plan right up to the start of a fight only for audiences to have to see how that fight plays out a month later. Then again, this is "Crisis on Infinite Earths". Anything is possible.

"Crisis on Infinite Earths" kicks off on Sunday, December 8 on Supergirl, runs through a Monday episode of Batwoman and that Tuesday's episode of The Flash. That will be the midseason cliffhanger, as the shows go on hiatus for the holidays and return on January 14 to finish out the event with the midseason premiere of Arrow and a "special episode" of DC's Legends of Tomorrow, which launches as a midseason series this year and so will not have an episode on the air before the Crisis.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of