A guide to the new Arrowverse multiverse after "Crisis on Infinite Earths"
Worlds merged and new ones were born in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" finale.
It’s a brave new multiverse. Following the conclusion of the annual Arrowverse crossover “Crisis on Infinite Earths” on The CW, a new continuity was born from the ashes of the old one. Even more DC films and movies now bear connections to the Arrowverse, including ones you’d never expect.
Below is a “map” of the new Arrowverse multiverse, as laid out by the ending of “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Here’s where all your new favorite heroes exist, and how they could possibly reunite in the future.
Spoilers for the ending of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” ahead.
At the end of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” the Anti-Monitor is defeated thanks to Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) using an improved version of his technology to super-shrink the Anti-Monitor into the microverse, where he’s left powerless.
In the closing narration, Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen — once the Green Arrow, now the Spectre — reveals the renewal of the multiverse. While most of the Earths first merged together to create “Earth-Prime,” the universe’s infinite possibilities still gives birth to parallel universes.
So says the Spectre at the end of “Part 5”:
“In the end, there was only one. A single black infinitude. Then the infinitude found release. And finally, the darkness broke. Filling it with life… with, the multiverse. Every existence multiplied by possibility. And spread out before space and time in infinite measure. Civilizations rose, and fell, and rose again across reality’s grasping expanse. Life, a precious gift, persevering in the face of every obstacle. Until finally, the age of heroes was born.”
Throughout his narration, the Arrowverse shows in montage the new status quo of the DC multiverse. Behold: This is your new multiverse.
Earth-Prime
What used to be known as “Earth-1” has gotten a prime upgrade. Named after the main continuity of the DC Comics timeline, “Earth-Prime” is now the home of the main heroes of the The CW’s roster of DC shows.
Arrow (which is ending in only two episodes), The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Batwoman now inhabit the same Earth.
While most the Arrowverse took place on Earth-1 previously, shows like Supergirl and Black Lightning did not. Supergirl previously took place on Earth-38, while Black Lightning took place on Earth-73.
But the events of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” merged all of their Earths together, allowing the heroes to form an alliance, a league of justice, should they ever need to team up again. A “Justice League,” if you will.
'Stargirl,' coming soon to DC Universe and The CW.
Earth-2
What used to belong to a parallel, old dieselpunk vision of “Earth-1” now belongs to the newest kid on the block. Courtney Whitmore, who suits up as the heroic Stargirl, will debut in her upcoming series Stargirl airing on both DC Universe and The CW. Her series will take place on the new Earth-2, parallel to Earth-1. But will her path ever cross Earth-Prime?
It’s worth remembering that Earth-Prime once had its own Stargirl (played by Sarah Grey, now starring in Netflix’s The Order) in the Justice Society of America during World War II, as shown in the second season of Legends of Tomorrow.
Earth-9
The opening montage of “Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 1” that aired last month showed the DC Universe series Titans inhabiting Earth-9. Now, the closing montage of “Part 5” shows Titans and Earth-9 restored, with more recycled clips from the show’s second season. A third season is expected to air in 2020.
Is Earth-12 the home of 2011's 'Green Lantern,' or 'Green Lantern' coming to HBO Max?
Earth-12
Way before Arrowverse producer Greg Berlanti became a superstar producer on The CW, Berlanti wrote the script for what would become the infamous box office bomb of 2011, Green Lantern. Ryan Reynolds made a “cameo” via recycled footage of him in flight (you can’t really see him) heading to Oa. There’s even a glimpse of Oa, again recycled from the 2011 film.
Whether or not this is meant to reference the 2011 film or the upcoming HBO Max series, the acknowledgement is clear: There’s a Green Lantern on Earth-12.
Poor Swamp Thing. He lives, and dies, on Earth-19.
Earth-19
In what could only be the most downer part of the montage, Oliver Queen’s narration mentions “civilizations fell” when it gets to Earth-19, the world of the canceled Swamp Thing on DC Universe. In 2019, the show was infamously canceled just after its premiere on DC’s streaming platform despite rave reviews from critics and fans.
Online rumors suggested that it was due to budget issues with a grant from the state of North Carolina (where the show filmed), but reporting from Business Insider debunked the rumors. To this day it is still unclear why Swamp Thing was canceled so quickly.
And while totally unrelated, it’s a bleak sign when the vengeful angel of nature is prematurely canceled as climate continues to wreck the planet.
Just a reminder you should WATCH 'DOOM PATROL.'
Earth-21
While the Doom Patrol were introduced in an episode of Titans, “Crisis on Infinite Earths” confirms their series inhabits their own Earth, Earth-21.
This actually helps a bizarre aberration make sense.
The Doom Patrol’s mentor “The Chief,” played by ex-James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, was first played by Bruno Bichir in their episode on Titans. Bichir’s Chief was characterized as more evil and conniving than the more caring and paternalistic Chief played by Dalton.
Doom Patrol the show never, not once, explains why the Chief changed nor even acknowledged it or the Titans. Thanks to “Crisis on Infinite Earths” we now know why: They take place in completely universes.
By the way, you should really watch Doom Patrol. It’s totally worth the price of a DC Universe subscription.
The Paragon of Truth lives on.
Earth-96
You can’t keep a good Paragon of Truth down. The universe to begin all superhero universes — Earth-96, the home of Christopher Reeve’s/Brandon Routh’s Superman — is restored, and possibly even improved for the better at the end of “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
With the yellow coloring in his chest logo, it may seem that Superman never lost Lois Lane or his friends and colleagues to the Joker at The Daily Planet. As the Monitor first told the heroes back in “Part 2,” the Paragon of Truth was a Clark Kent who never lost hope despite losing everything.
After Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin), Lois Lane (Bitsie Tulloch), and Iris (Candice Patton) hopped on different Earths looking for Superman, they finally found the one they’re looking for on Earth-96, the continuity of the original Christopher Reeve Superman films and Brandon Routh’s 2006 film, Superman Returns. Gotta say, seeing Routh in the same iconic shot of Reeve flying over Earth is nothing short of tremendous.
Earth-???
There are still many, many Earths to be revealed. We know thanks to that amazing moment between Gustin’s Flash and Ezra Miller’s Flash from the 2017 film Justice League that the DCEU exists on its own Earth, though it was never revealed what Earth number it inhabits. It’s also unknown what other Earths we saw before — the worlds of Batman (1989) and Birds of Prey (the 2002 WB series), for example — survived, or disappeared permanently.
Maybe we’ll learn more during the next crossover.
The Arrowverse resumes its season with the next episode of Batwoman on Sunday, 8 p.m. Eastern on The CW.
