After a season of hoping and waiting, we finally got to see a Crossover between The Flash and Supergirl. Considering both Grant Gustin (The Flash) and Melissa Benoist (Supergirl) both used to be on Glee together and are the bubbliest of the Berlanti-Kriesberg superhero shows, this crossover made perfect sense. With The Flash’s ability to cross dimensions into Earth-2, we knew it was only a matter of time before he came here to … Earth-3?

Call it what you want, because this crossover continued the legacy set by Flash and Arrow crossovers by being both an excellent Supergirl episode and upping the ante in terms of action, humor and heart. From Day 1, we knew this show would go the way of The Flash – cheesy beginnings to incredible heart and power – so let’s take a Closer Look at one of the “Worlds Finest” Crossovers.

Crossover Placement, Continuity & Purpose – Why Flash & Why Now?:

As with all Crossovers, we have to see WHERE this comes continuity-wise for both shows. When dealing with The Flash and Arrow, that’s one thing; but The Flash and Supergirl are on two different worlds and networks. Yes they are both worked on by Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, but considering the difficulty of coordinating time tables between two Networks – as well as the fact that the core Arrow-verse DOES NOT have a Superman, etc – this wasn’t exactly easy to pull off. Thankfully though, everything worked out not only thematically perfect but also aired in almost perfect sync as well. How so? Let me explain.

From a story/episode placement standpoint, these two shows were 99% perfectly timed. Lately Supergirl has been questioning herself and wondering how she could stand for a city that has lost faith in her. Flash fans will know full well that Barry’s had some problems with public perception before. In fact, NOT ONLY did last week’s episode of The Flash deal with Trajectory – a female speedster who was framing the Flash – but last year during The Flash’s first crossover with Arrow we saw Barry’s mind altered by a rage-inducing Metahuman. Although the similarities between this episode and The Flash’s first crossover – Flash vs Arrow – don’t end there!

Additionally this episode, Barry teaches Supergirl to canvass and area and have a plan before rushing into a battle with Metahumans. These are both lessons the Arrow taught the Flash on their first crossover, and now the Flash is teaching these to Supergirl. Look at our little Barry, all grown up and leading Spin-Off Crossovers of his own!

Now the reason I gave this Crossover Continuity 99% Perfection is because Supergirl airs on Monday and The Flash airs on Tuesdays. So whereas this episode of Supergirl does take place after last week’s episode, it also is supposed to take place AFTER tonight’s episode of The Flash. Tonight’s episode of The Flash will explain how Barry’s been trying to get faster and why he has that device on his chest. Then again, I’ll only deduct 1% from it since Flash fans will know that Barry has been trying to up his speed since last week. So it doesn’t take much of a stretch to say this was a random training gone awry. But be sure to watch tonight’s episode of The Flash for a full explanation of why the Flash is suddenly so much “faster than [he] thought”.

The “Worlds Finest” Crossover – Building Upon Tradition:

If you’re wondering why the title “Worlds Finest”, it actually a play upon the title “World’s Finest”. “World’s Finest” – with the apostrophe – was an old comic line that featured Superman, Batman and Robin though the more familiar one is the old DC Animated film World’s Finest, which featured the inaugural crossover between the Batman and Superman Animated Series. It’s also important to note that in a later episode of Superman the animated series, he did have a Flash episode where – like this episode’s end and much of the promotional material – they raced. Of course these are all World’s Finest. This episode is titled “Worlds Finest” without an apostrophe and that is because unlike all those other instances, this crossover is taking place over multiple WORLDS.

Pictured left to right: Jeremy Jordan, Grant Gustin, Mehcad Brooks and Melissa Benoist Photo: Robert Voets/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. © 2016 WBEI. All rights reserved.

Up, Up & Away – Easter Eggs, Quotes & Other Notables:

• The DEO Doctor who looked at Siobhan was named Hamilton, no doubt a nod to Doctor Emil Hamilton from the comics and Superman: The Animated Series. Though in both series, Hamilton eventually sides against Superman and considering Cadmus is slowly being introduced in this universe, one wonders if Dr Hamilton will soon start working for Cadmus like in the Animated Series. Then again, perhaps this Doctor Hamilton is Emil’s daughter.
• Nice introduction you two, but remember Siobhan is currently back at the office screaming her head off. Unless she was just there after Kara and not her and Cat.
• “That’s a new one, I thought I was the impossible” – In the opening of The Flash, Barry recounts how an accident made him ‘the impossible’.
• Really astute fans would have known from the initial mention of ‘electric signals in peoples brains’ that this was actually going to be revealed as Myriad. It’s mention and the ‘previously’ recap was too well timed.
• Even though we’ve already met Livewire – a human with powers due to alien exposure – this episode introduced the idea of pure a Metahumans whose powers could arise from some other means
• There may have been a Central City and STAR Labs, but there was no Flash Team, Arrow, etc in Supergirl’s world. It seems as though her world is one of alien knowledge and Barrys is one of Metahumans. As for how this would work for Barry’s world (Earth-1), there would be no powerless Kara doppleganger since either way she’d be an alien. Perhaps in Barry’s universe, Krypton never exploded at all.
• When Winn asks about an Earth where everyone is evil, that is referring to Earth-2, the first parallel world Barry visited earlier this season where a good number of his closest friends were all supervillains.
• Can we take a moment to acknowledge how overly excited Kara was for ice cream. #Adorable
• Cat Grant, you’ve given some amazing speeches and pep talks before, but you were on fire this episode! From the Lighthouse technique to snapping in Kara’s face that she can spot ‘heroes pretending to be normal’, I think Cat still knows Kara is Supergirl.
• So Earth-3 has Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé (all as singers) and Bernie Sanders! Nice!!! Note: The reason I note them as still singers is because on Earth-2, Beyoncé is Senator Knowles.
• Alex calling Barry “Speedy” is actually apt but also slightly wrong since there already is a character named Speedy in Barry’s universe, Green Arrow’s sidekick/sister Thea.
• “The attractive yet none threatening cast of a CW Show” is a double reference to Grant and Melissa not only being on Glee – a FOX show – but also how The Flash is a CW show. I’d expect a comment that Meta from The Flash!
• Having the Flash throw lightning at Livewire might have been a bad move plan-wise, but considering it’s a new power he just learned this season, there’s still a learning curve. He never had that ability during his fight with Blackout.
• I love that Winn and Barry are “the dynamic duo” – usually a reference for Batman and Robin, which again brings us to the “World’s Finest” section above.
• Pied Piper was indeed a villain in The Flash Season 1, but he will appear in the next episode of The Flash due to time travel. And again, since this episode of Supergirl is supposed to take place AFTER tonight’s Flash, you can see why the villain and method to beat him was so fresh in his mind.
• It was a nice touch having the firemen Kara saved two episodes ago – which kicked off the Red Kryptonite problem – were the ones to defeat Livewire and Silver Banshee.
• Damn it Non! We wait all season for that kiss and you just HAD to activate Myriad at that moment >.<
• Favorite Quotes:
  • “Didn’t know your face muscles could make that look… Jealousy, thy name is Olson” – Winn
  • “The flash sounds like someone whose only superpower is jumping out of an alley in a trench coat… no.” – Cat Grant
  • “Cool, we have a Rogue like that. We call him blackout… doesn’t feel relevant all of a sudden” – Barry comparing Livewire’s abilities to someone’s he’s already faced
  • “Team up like an evil Taylor Swift Squad” – Livewire
  • “Hey sparky… screechy… hi!” – Barry to Livewire and Silver Banshee
  • “Lets settle this like women… what? There’s more of you here than me.” – Barry with Supergirl, Livewire and Silver Banshee

As we hypothesized weeks ago when Myriad was first mentioned, Myriad is INDEED a plan to mind control people. Now that Non has activated it – and there’s only 2 episodes left this season – Supergirl will have to race to stop Non from enslaving the rest of the world and freeing National City – and James.