The Arrowverse lives like it’s the younger sibling that only gets to play with the toys that its older brother or sister doesn’t want. Rather than having Batman headline the franchise, Green Arrow takes his place, and The Flash and Supergirl, who are far from DC’s biggest names, join him for all the major moments. The Arrowverse still works despite fighting with its hands tied behind its back, and a lot of credit goes to the writers, who take little-known characters with a lot of potential in interesting directions. Even original characters get a chance to shine before going on to find success in comic books.
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The need to fill roles with new faces is a tough pill to swallow, but that doesn’t stop the Arrowverse from shooting for the stars. From time to time, it teases characters well in advance, telling the audience that they’ll be important down the line. This practice happens on numerous occasions, including in the third episode of The Flash. Unfortunately, the show loses track of time and allows another franchise to steal its thunder.
The Flash Teases an Important DC Hero Very Early On
When Barry Allen wakes up from a coma in The Flash‘s pilot, everything is different. He has superpowers that allow him to run faster than the speed of sound, which provides him with an explanation for his mother’s murder. All those years ago, a man wearing a yellow suit broke into his house and stabbed his mother, and he could never figure out how he was able to get in and out so quickly. Being closer to the truth and freeing his father makes Barry want to scream from the rooftops and explain that the impossible is possible, but he can’t do that. There are dangerous metahumans on the loose, and he needs to operate as the Streak to put them away. The only thing that hurts Barry more than sitting by while his father is still in jail is not being able to tell Iris West the truth.
Barry’s been in love with Iris for years, and by the time he feels confident enough to tell her, she’s in a relationship with her father’s partner, Eddie Thawne. Barry and Iris are still friends, though, so they hang out plenty in Season 1. In Episode 3, “Things You Can’t Outrun,” they even go to a movie together. However, their bonding session isn’t nearly as important as the poster that’s sitting outside the theaters, which acts as an advertisement for a film called “The Rita Farr Story.” Rita Farr shouldn’t be a name that’s familiar to The Flash fans, but she’s a significant part of another show.
Doom Patrol Does What the Arrowverse Couldn’t With Rita Farr
There are plenty of Easter eggs in The Flash‘s first season that come back around later, such as the newspaper from the future that mentions the titular hero vanishing in a “Crisis.” The Rita Farr reference doesn’t get the same treatment, as her only Arrowverse appearance comes on that poster. It’s a shame that the franchise can’t find a place for her on any of the shows because she has a fascinating story, being an actress who’s exposed to a dangerous gas while filming a movie that changes her body. After recovering, she’s able to grow to a massive size and chooses the superhero name Elasti-Woman.
Since the Arrowverse drops the ball, the Doom Patrol TV series picks it up, making Rita a major part of its proceedings. Like in the comics, she joins the titular team, which also includes Robotman, Negative Man, Crazy Jane, and the Chief. The group goes on some wild adventures that wouldn’t fly in the Arrowverse, but they don’t get talked about all that much because they’re part of a strange corner of the DC TV Universe. Maybe things would be different for Rita and her friends if the Arrowverse took the time to bring them into the fold. At least with James Gunn’s DC Universe in full swing, there’s at least a slight chance that Rita gets another shot at the big time.
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