Unforgettable Moments: 10 Things That Made Us Long for The Flash and the Arrowverse Even More

Summary

The Arrowverse's crossovers fostered a heightened sense of interconnectedness compared to the DCEU, utilizing smaller crossovers to enhance worldbuilding.

Grant Gustin's impeccable Flash costumes exemplified the pinnacle of the Arrowverse's design, seamlessly blending functionality for action sequences and often staying faithful to the source material.

The Arrowverse paid homage to classic DC actors and showcased numerous cameos in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover event, adding to its rich legacy.

Concluding with the final episode of The Flash series on May 24, 2023, the Arrowverse has left behind an impressive imprint of DC adaptations on the small screen. Initially intended as a spinoff from the success of Smallville, Green Arrow evolved into the foundation of one of the most triumphant shared superhero universes ever created. From the very beginning, Arrow captivated audiences and proved that superheroes can thrive in a contemporary television format. Its triumph influenced both DC and Marvel shows for years to come, ultimately giving rise to a multitude of spinoffs that would come to be known as the Arrowverse.

While the Arrowverse had its flaws, such as recycling storylines and not giving sufficient attention to characters that should have been highly important, the franchise ultimately had more highs than lows. The Flash, being The CW’s flagship show for several years, delivered exceptional seasons that paid homage to the characters and source material. It is worth mentioning that with the conclusion of The Flash’s series finale, the Arrowverse has reached its end, since Superman & Lois is not based on Earth-Prime. So, let's now explore the 10 remarkable aspects of The Flash and the rest of the Arrowverse, even though the franchise has concluded.

10 The Arrowverse’s Crossover Episodes

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Arrowverse were its crossover episodes. Whether it was a character from Arrow making an appearance in The Flash or multiple shows uniting for an epic four-episode event, these crossovers gave The CW's superhero franchise the essence of a DC comic book. In fact, when compared to the DCEU, the Arrowverse's crossovers created a stronger sense of connectivity. This was not only due to the major crossover events like "Crisis on Infinite Earths" or "Armageddon," but also the smaller crossovers that contributed to the worldbuilding. Every time Diggle showed up in The Flash or Sara returned from the Waverider to Star City, the Arrowverse further solidified itself as a shared universe.

9 Grant Gustin’s Flash Costumes

The Flash movie’s CG suits naturally sparked comparisons between the Flash costumes worn by Ezra Miller and Grant Gustin. However, the fact that the movie's suit was mostly replaced by a CG costume worked against it. In contrast, the Flash show's suit was designed for action and proved to be successful. Although the Arrowverse received some criticism for the suits following a similar pattern, this approach worked well for The Flash. Grant Gustin's Flash costumes were regarded as some of the best in the Arrowverse, and many of them were highly accurate to the comics. This can also be said for the suits of other speedsters, particularly Kid Flash.

8 The Arrowverse’s Legacy DC Cameos

The Flash movie's inclusion of controversial DC cameos sparked attention, but it is equally notable how The Flash show and the Arrowverse as a whole embraced legacy DC cameos. The trend began with John Wesley Shipp, who portrayed Barry Allen in the 1990s Flash series and later played Henry Allen in CW's The Flash season 1. This set the stage for the Arrowverse to pay tribute to classic DC actors. For instance, Helen Slater, known for her role as Supergirl in the 1984 Supergirl movie, appeared as Eliza Danvers in Supergirl. Similarly, Erica Durance, who portrayed Lois Lane in Smallville, took on the role of Alura Zor-El in Supergirl. Notably, the crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths" featured numerous cameos by legacy DC actors from both film and television.

7 The Flash’s Villains

Despite boasting one of the most formidable collections of adversaries in superhero comics, The Flash movie disappointingly lacked a true villain for Flash himself. Over the course of nine seasons, the Arrowverse's iteration of The Flash successfully incorporated a majority of Barry Allen's adversaries, ranging from the notorious Rogues to the lightning-fast speedsters. While not every villain adhered strictly to their comic book counterparts or proved to be wholly satisfying antagonists, exceptional characters such as the Reverse Flash in Season 1 and Zoom in Season 2 emerged as remarkable interpretations of the Flash’s iconic adversaries, effectively standing as formidable foes throughout their respective seasons.

6 The Arrowverse’s Interconnectivity

The level of interconnectivity in the Arrowverse made it one of the most consistently shared superhero universes. In fact, it could be argued that the Arrowverse had even more interconnectivity than the DCEU itself. For instance, a small event in The Flash would often be directly referenced in Legends of Tomorrow. Additionally, major moments like The Flash's version of Flashpoint had a profound impact on all of the Arrowverse shows. It wasn't uncommon for villains from one series to make appearances in others. When it comes to interconnectivity within the DC Universe, the Arrowverse is truly comparable only to what the DC Animated Universe achieved. From Barry Allen's Flash accident in Arrow season 2 to Oliver's death in a crossover event, the Arrowverse placed great value on maintaining its interconnectedness.

5 The Flash’s Emotional Scenes

A nine-season superhero show cannot thrive solely on action sequences. The Flash stood out among the Arrowverse shows as one of the most emotionally driven series, especially in its earlier seasons. Prior to time travel and the introduction of the multiverse as common occurrences in Barry Allen's world, the concept of the Flash altering the past created some truly remarkable moments. An illustration of this is when Jay Garrick, a fellow Flash, cautioned Barry against engaging in time travel due to his own experiences, resulting in a compelling crossover. Additionally, the revelation of Barry's true identity as the Flash to his father, Henry Allen, earlier in the show was a deeply moving moment.

4 The Arrowverse’s Team Dynamics

Although the team dynamic in the Arrowverse was often cliché, the interactions among the members of each superhero team were consistently a highlight of their respective series. This began with the original Team Arrow, consisting of Oliver Queen, John Diggle, and Felicity Smoak. The Flash further developed this concept with Cisco Ramon and Caitlyn Snow, leading to the ever-evolving Team Flash. In a world populated with numerous superheroes and frequent crossovers, it was crucial to have a group of supporting characters who shared a strong bond with the main hero. The crossover events in the Arrowverse always brought immense enjoyment as these teams came together.

3 The Arrowverse’s Comic-Accurate Suits

2 The Arrowverse’s Adaptations Of Classic DC Comic Books

The Arrowverse distinguished itself from other superhero adaptations by fearlessly embracing comic-accurate suits for its heroes, unlike those that shy away from the risk of not translating well on-screen. Grant Gustin’s portrayal of The Flash undoubtedly stood out, showcasing impeccable costumes. However, the Arrowverse didn't stop at just one hero; they also bestowed other characters with truly remarkable outfits. A shining example of this would be Melissa Benoist's Supergirl suits, which flawlessly adapted the comics' original designs, drawing inspiration from both the classic and contemporary versions of the character. Even when the Arrowverse opted to alter the appearance of a DC character, the result still exuded a distinct comic book feel. The Arrowverse crossovers further accentuated the comic-bookish essence that permeated this exceptional universe.

Original storylines were created for characters in the Arrowverse, resulting in significant differences from the source material in shows like Arrow. However, all of the Arrowverse series at some point adapted classic DC comic books, either as a multi-episode event or a weekly adventure. For instance, Flashpoint was adapted in season 3 of The Flash, and Crisis on Infinite Earths involved six Arrowverse shows. Interestingly, the Arrowverse also incorporated contemporary DC characters and storylines. In 2016, Godspeed was introduced in DC Comics and eventually made an appearance in The Flash. Similarly, Red Death made its debut in 2017 and was later integrated into The Flash.

1 Barry Allen & Oliver Queen’s Friendship

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Despite the inclusion of various DC superheroes and cameos from the past in the Arrowverse for over ten years, the core of this universe arguably lay in the interactions between Oliver Queen and Barry Allen. The Arrowverse, as a franchise, originated from the connection between The Flash and Arrow, as the former was a spinoff that had its introduction in Arrow's second season. The friendship between Oliver and Barry, formed before the latter became the Flash, was what ultimately set the stage for the very first Arrowverse crossover. The episode titled "Flash vs. Arrow" paved the way for these two superhero shows to transform into a long-standing franchise centered around DC characters, spanning a decade of storytelling.