Arrow's Stephen Amell Confirms "Crisis on Infinite Earths" Begins Before the Crossover

For DC fans, The CW's upcoming "Crisis on Infinite Earths" event may be one of the most exciting and eagerly-anticipated television programs yet. An Arrowverse-style adaptation of the iconic comic book event of the same name, Crisis is something fans have been asking for and hoping for since it was first teased in the pilot episode of The Flash. Now, five years later, fans know it's coming for sure this fall in a five hour event that will span each of the network's interconnected DC-inspired series. However, fans may get more than just five hours of Crisis. According to Arrow series star Stephen Amell, Crisis will begin before the official crossover event.

During an appearance at MCM London last weekend, Amell was asked what he could tell fans about "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and while he couldn't give away plot details, he did reveal that the event would encompass more than just the crossover proper -- and that it had already begun, in a sense.

"It's five episodes, probably. I don't know, it may be 11, I don't know," Amell teased before getting a bit more serious. "I will tell you, yes, I can tell you stuff. Crisis on Infinite Earths begins before the crossover It begins before the crossover. That makes sense, right? Think about it for a second Crisis on Infinite Earths basically began at the end of season seven of Arrow and it's not going to stop until it's over."

Amell is correct that "Crisis" began in earnest when The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) showed up during the Arrow Season 7 finale, coming to cash in on a bargain Amell's Oliver Queen had previously made. However, he's not completely correct in that being the moment when "Crisis" began. In a very real way, "Crisis" actually began during this season's "Elseworlds" crossover event.

In "Elseworlds", The Monitor gives the Book of Destiny to Arkham Asylum psychiatrist John Deegan, allowing him to rewrite reality to suit his desires. This creates some real issues, prompting Oliver and Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin) to leave Earth and get Kara Danvers/Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) from Earth-38 -- which is unaffected by Deegan -- to help them set things right. As it turns out, The Monitor is testing worlds for an upcoming crisis of sorts, which is why he's been going from world to world with the book. One such world, Earth-90, did not fare so well. It and its heroes are seen destroyed in the stinger scene that leads into "Elseworlds". One could argue that "Elseworlds" is technically when "Crisis" begins in the Arrowverse, refining it even more to note that it's Oliver's bargaining with The Monitor for Barry and Kara's lives that truly sets things in motion.

Wherever fans want to draw the specific "starting line" for "Crisis", one thing is absolutely certain: the huge, multiverse-changing event is coming for the Arrowverse and, once it's over, nothing will be the same.

Arrow returns for its eighth and final season this fall on The CW. "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is expected this December, also on The CW.