The superheroes in the Arrowverse come together annually for a major crossover event. As a DC fan, you might have streamed the crossover a number of times. Initiating with Arrow, The CW added The Flash to the list, expanding it with DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Supergirl played by Melissa Benoist, joined The CW in 2016, to enter the Arrowverse. With the most recent addition of Batwoman (Ruby Rose) and the winding-up of the initiating series, Arrow after season 8, Arrowverse has become a dynamic multiverse.
Arrowverse Crossover Ranked
The Arrowverse has no doubt grown exponentially, and features several crossovers, but which of these stands tall? The superheroes have gathered together multiple times to fight the aliens, the demons, or their arch-nemesis. The crossover from its inception became an annual event. The latest event spans dynamically across five Television episodes, and is the biggest crossover episode, also marking the end of the series Arrow.
As the greatest superpowers in the world of DC Comics team up, it is now the time to contest which one of these crossovers is the best. Here is a list of the Arrowverse crossover event ranked from best to worst.
1. Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths definitely makes it to the top of the list. It initiates five of the Arrowverse series in this crossover, from Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, finally culminating in Batwoman. Alongside this crossover, some major cameos elevated its appealing factor.
Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen appeared alongside Grant Gustin as the scarlet speedster. The crossover also gives Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen the most fitting exit from Arrow. This event has it all and is undoubtedly the best one on the list.
2. Crisis on Earth X
The DC Comics superheroes come together to adventure it up again in Central City. It is time for Barry and Iris’s wedding when the crisis from Earth-X strikes. These are the Nazi impostors, led by the Dark Arrow, Overgirl, and Reverse-Flash. The real heroes, including the Green Arrow, Supergirl, the Flash alongside others are trapped in Earth X. With Martin Stein putting himself to death for the sake of others, this event is filled with timeless adventures. It culminates with not only Barry and Iris getting married but even Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak tie knots.
3. World’s Finest
The Flash and Supergirl join together on Earth-38 which initiates Supergirl into The CW from CBS in season 2. The interplay between Grant Gustin as Barry and Melissa Benoist as Kara allows Supergirl to smoothly enter this shared universe. With this, the trinity of Supergirl, Green Arrow, and The Flash is established.
4. Duet
In the third episode of The Flash season 3, the crossover brings together the DC Comics superheroes. This involves Supergirl, Mon-El, J’onn J’onzz, Victor Garber, and John Barrowman. With Barry and Kara trapped in a dream reality by Music Meister in Earth-1, this is one of the best musical episodes.
5. Invasion!
This event unites Team Flash and Team Arrow with Supergirl from Earth-38 and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Together they fight against the alien race known as the Dominators who are threatening the existence of life on Earth.
6. Elseworlds
The crossover of the Arrowverse which happened in 2018 brings together Arrow, Supergirl, and The Flash. Oliver Queen and Barry switch their bodies in this crossover. It also brings back Superman and also introduces Lois Lane in this episode. It lands the heroes in Gotham City and also sets up the premise for the new Batwoman series.
7. Flash vs Arrow
It is famously known as the first crossover episode that takes place in Arrowverse. The Flash episode, “Flash Vs. Arrow” and the Arrow episode titled “The Brave and the Bold” is what constitutes the crossover.
It features different development in the plot. The Rainbow Raider attacks Central City. And in Starling City, Captain Boomerang behaves disruptively. Both of the teams of Arrow and Flash come together for the first time. It also establishes the team of Cisco and Felicity Smoak.
8. Heroes Join Forces
This crossover is divided into two parts and is titled, Legends of Today/Legends of Yesterday. The former episode takes place in The Flash season 2. The latter episode takes place in Arrow season 4. This sets up the premise for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. The event takes place in December 2015. Barry and Oliver come together to fight against Vandal Savage. Vandal Savage is looking for the reincarnations of Hawkgirl and Hawkman, i.e., Kendra Saunders and Carter Hall, respectively.
Chronological Order of all Crossovers
This might be a bit complex, but you can follow the guide cataloged below in order to chronologically follow the Arrowverse crossover. This will also help you to initiate your journey into the crossovers.
Wave 1: Arrow seasons 1 and 2
You need to begin with the events that kickstarted the entire Arrowverse. With Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) returning back to his city assuming the role of Arrow, he wages a battle against crime and corruption. He is the beacon of hope for the people of the town.
As Oliver aka The Arrow in season 1 makes use of his combat skills to lead the battle, season 2 introduces the forensic scientist Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) aka The Flash. As he is introduced in the eight episodes, a spin-off is planned down the line for him.
Wave 2: The Flash vs Arrow
As the scarlet speedster, The Flash appears in the second season of Arrow, in the second wave you will have to switch between two series, i.e., The Flash vs Arrow. The CW lined up both of the series simultaneously for release in October 2014.
Popularly known as the Flarrow crossover, of team Flash and team Arrow you will have to watch two episodes. This will start in the Flash 1×08 (Flash vs Arrow). It culminates with the episode The Brave and The Bold in Arrow 3×08.
Wave 3: The Entry of The Legends of Tomorrow
In 2015, The CW’s Supergirl by Melissa Benoist enters the Arrowverse. But, it is only with the second season, her presence becomes significant to the crossover. You will first have to juggle between The Flash season 2 and the fourth season of Arrow. This includes The Flash S2xE8 episode titled as “Legends of Today” and Arrow S4xE8 episode titled as “Legends of Yesterday”
As you rotate between them, you will add Supergirl at this point. Now the order is: Supergirl, The Flash, and then finally Arrow until the tenth episode of each series.
With the introduction of Legends of Tomorrow by DC to the Arrowverse in 2016, uniting the superheroes and villains by a time master to save the world, the order gets more complicated. After you stop with episode 10 of Arrow season 4, you introduce the Pilot episode of Legends of Tomorrow to the spin. The order is: Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow followed by Legends of Tomorrow.
Wave 4: Invasion
Adding to Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and DC s Legends of Tomorrow mix, you will introduce the Invasion! which is the third annual crossover event to the rotation. In the order of the release date of the episodes, start with Supergirl season 2, The Flash season 3, Arrow season 5 culminating in DC Legends of Tomorrow in season 2.
The Invasion happens in Supergirl 2×08, The Flash 3×08, Arrow 5×08, and finally, Legends of Tomorrow 2×07. It is also known as “Heroes v Aliens” or “Heroes United”. In this crossover episode, crossover, Barry Allen recruits Supergirl from Earth-38 to Earth-1 uniting with Oliver Queen and Legends of Tomorrow of DC to fight against the aliens known as Dominators.
Wave 5: Crisis on Earth-X
As you are now contending with the Arrowverse crossover episode of Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash, and DC Legends of Tomorrow, you could await the next big annual crossover event. It is titled “Crisis on Earth-X”. This will start Supergirl 3×08, and the events follow in Arrow 6×08, followed by The Flash 4×08, and culminates finally in Legends 3×08.
In the crossover event, “Crisis on Earth-X”, the interlopers from the universe of Earth-X invade to pose terror. As Barry Allen and other members come to Central City for Barry and Iris’s wedding but have a face-off with members of Earth-X, the Crisis on Earth X which takes place in November 2017 becomes one of the most interesting crossover events.
The CW also marks the debut of Black Lightning in the Arrowverse. But the events explicitly take place with a different backstory with no big crossovers, so you watch it separately without worrying about the sequence.
Wave 6: Elseworlds
One of the most interesting crossover events, it takes place in December 2018. Elseworlds brings into the Arrowverse the characters of Batwoman and Lois Lane, and also the famous fictional city of Gotham. For these crossover events, you have to watch: The Flash 5×09, followed by Arrow 7×09, concluding with Supergirl 4×09.
This crossovers episode draws Green Arrow, Flash, and Supergirl to the fictional city of Gotham City. Here they need to fight against Dr. John Deegan at Arkham Asylum.
Wave 7: Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is one is the most recent and the sixth annual Arrowverse crossovers event of the Arrowverse. As Stephen Amell decided to bring an end to his series, Arrow with a total of 8 seasons, this crossovers event gives him the most fitting exit. The DC comics have a total of six shows lined up on The CW.
Hence, The CW would want you to watch the episodes: Supergirl 5×09, Batwoman 1×09, Black Lightning 3×09, The Flash 6×09, Arrow 8×08 and finally followed by DC Legends of Tomorrow 5×08 to be in track with the crossover events titled “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” The effect of Crisis on Infinite Earths also follows in Batwoman season 1, episode 10.
All the Other Shows Included in the Arrowverse
The various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters are featured in the shared universe known as The Arrowverse. Starting with The Arrow in 2012, the Arrowverse has expanded dynamically and includes various spin-offs. The TV series in this universe mainly airs on The CW and also on CW Seed.
Named after Greg Berlanti who is also the executive producer behind each of the shows, it is also known as Berlantiverse. After Arrow was launched as the first series in Arrowverse, the spin-offs include, Flash debuting in 2014, Vixen from 2015, and Legends of Tomorrow from 2016. These are the core four series in the Arrowverse.
Constantine and Supergirl
Besides these core TV series, two of the series shares a loose bond with the Arrowverse, i.e., Constantine (2014 – 2015) and Supergirl from 2015. As Supergirl is ending with its sixth and final season in 2021, Arrowverse will continue to expand its Kryptonian side in Superman and Lois. This is scheduled to release in January 2021. It will bring together Tyler Hoechlin’s Man of Steel and his wife played by Elizabeth Tulloch.
Black Lightning and Batwoman
The CW Arrowverse introduced Black Lightning in 2018 as another spin-off. It joined as the sixth show that follows the DC Comics for the network. Batwoman is another of the most anticipated series in the Arrowverse. It was launched in 2019, and the titular character was played by Ruby Rose.
Another spin-off of Arrow, that is scheduled to feature in the Arrowverse is Green Arrow and The Canaries. It is presently in development and centers on Oliver’s daughter in the year 2040 in Star City. Mia (Katherine McNamara) is Oliver Queen’s daughter and with Black Canaries Dinah Drake and Laurel Lance, they will together defend the Star City. The premiere date is yet to be determined.
Swap Thing
The character of Mears from, Swamp Thing also makes a cameo in the major Arrowverse crossover event, “Crisis on Infinite Earths”. It builds on the event in which Swamp Thing takes place in Earth-19. Stargirl was originally in the DC Universe but is now picked up but The CW. While it made its debut in May 2020, the development for the coming season is still not announced. It will take place in Earth-Prime and will also have a crossover with The Flash and Supergirl. Stargirl made a brief appearance in the Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Vixen and Freedom Fighters
The Arrowverse also includes two web series. The first one is Vixen (2015–2016), an animated web series in the Arrowverse which introduces the character of Mari McCabe. Vixen’s superheroine also makes a live-action appearance in the series Arrow. The second web series is Freedom Fighters: The Ray (2017–2018). Officially a part of Arrowverse, this is an animated web series that streamed on CW Seed. It is set in Earth-X, a world in which the Nazi party is the winner of WWII.
All of these television shows and web series premiering of The CW and CW Seed together constitute the Arrowverse. The episode of the latest crossover in Arrowverse, i.e., the storyline of Crisis on Infinite Earths, paved the way for a number of new shows to enter this shared universe.
If you are interested to stream the shows, you can watch them exclusively on Netflix. With eight years in total since its inception, it has grown quite much in recent years. The exponential growth of CW’s DC Universe has wowed the critics and fans and has brought together a great fan following.
