"Crisis on Infinite Earths" Part 4 trailer teases big time-travel plot
Does The Flash disappear into the Speed Force?
The two-part conclusion to DC TV’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” finds the superheroes still stuck at the Vanishing Point, a month after the Multiverse was completely wiped from existence. With Oliver Queen’s return as the Spectre and The Flash’s trip into the Speed Force, the final trailer for the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” suggests time travel will play a key role in undoing the Anti-Monitor’s plans.
At the end of “Crisis” Part 3, Earth-1 disappeared in the anti-matter wave. Just before it does, Pariah sent the seven Paragons — The Flash, Supergirl, Martian Manhunter, Batwoman, Ryan Choi, White Canary, and Superman — to the Vanishing Point to protect them from being wiped out, too.
Does The Flash employ time travel while in the Speed Force?
The final trailer for “Crisis on Infinite Earths” resurrects all the heroes lost at the end of Part 3 for the final fight against the Anti-Monitor, and the time wraith’s appearance in the final trailer hints that The Flash might travel back in time to bring them back.
The time wraiths were first introduced in Season 2 of The Flash. Though they’ve only been used sporadically, they are essentially the gatekeepers of the timestream and are connected to the Speed Force. Their appearance signifies unnatural disruptions to the timeline, and they usually pop in whenever speedsters like Barry Allen or the Reverse-Flash travel back in time.
In the “Crisis” trailer, the time wraiths appear several times: in S.T.A.R. Labs, at the Vanishing Point, and behind the Anti-Monitor. However, the biggest indicator that The Flash will time travel comes during a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment from the trailer. Barry stands on a dark street corner wearing his civilian clothing. Behind him is a time wraith, ready to attack. But, if the superheroes are at the Vanishing Point and the Multiverse is destroyed, how did Barry manage to get out?
It’s possible that when Oliver visits Barry in the Speed Force, they come up with a plan to bring back the destroyed earths. Perhaps the only way to do that is to time travel to specific and important points before the crisis occurred to prevent it from ever happening. It’s definitely reminiscent of Avengers: Endgame, which also employed time travel to bring back dead superheroes. However, DC TV has made use of time travel since The Flash Season 1, so it’s no surprise that they’d use it to undo the destruction of the Multiverse.
The idea that time travel could play a role in “Crisis on Infinite Earths” is also backed up by the official synopsis for Part 4, which mentions “The Flash’s disappearance.” We know the only way The Flash could possibly disappear is into the Speed Force, so it seems pretty clear what’s going on here.
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” concludes with Part 4 and Part 5 on January 14 at 8/7c on The CW.
