'Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 3' Review: Heroes live and die as a sacrifice is key to winning the multiverse-shattering battle
This review contains major spoilers for 'Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 3'
It isn't easy to witness superhero deaths. And it definitely isn't easy to wait to see what happens next. 'Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 3' manages to rip your guts out and laugh at you as it decimates its heroes — one at a time. For what it's worth, the killing, and the grim storyline ensures the last two episodes are worth every bit the wait. True to its word, the 'Crisis' obliterates the multiverse and all the heroic men and women with it. Part 3 prepares the heroes for one final stand.
Part of preparing these heroes for the showdown is by fueling with them with the rage that they lost their loved ones. And that is why barring the seven Paragons, the rest of the team sacrifice themselves willingly. It's hard to describe the emptiness that follows as soon as this episode is done. Watching these characters die, after seeing them on screen for a good few years is unfair and unreal, but the Arrowverse manages to justify their deaths. In the Anti-Monitor (LaMonica Garrett), they have a foe who's greater than anything or anyone they have faced and that means giving the villain the respect he deserves by letting him do the killing.
Before all the heroes unite for a brief moment, they're all on their missions. Mia (Kate McNamara), John Diggle (David Ramsey) and John Constantine meet Lucifer (Surprise! Surprise!) in Earth-666 and obtain a card that helps them track down Oliver's (Stephen Amell) spirit at the Purgatory. While they encounter a rage-filled, beastly Oliver and attempt to restore his soul, they are confronted by Jim Corrigan aka Spectre. Corrigan convinces Oliver to take up the mantle of The Spectre.
Meanwhile, there is a new Paragon in the form of Ryan Choi (Osric Chau) who is recruited by the Monitor. Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), Iris (Candice Patton), and Ralph Dibny (Hartley Sawyer) go after Choi, who's too afraid to help them out. Iris eventually tracks him down and convinces him to join the team.
Cisco is back as Vibe. Barry (Grant Gustin and Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker) head with Cisco and Pariah (Tom Cavanagh) to the original place of the anti-matter wave and see Earth-90's Barry Allen powering the anti-matter cannon. Barry realizes that this was his time to go out fighting by destroying the cannon, but instead, it is the elder Scarlet Speedster who sacrifices himself. Credit to the Arrowverse as it shows the Flash's disintegration, the same way it's done in the comics.
There are emotions running high. Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) and Kara Danvers (Supergirl) are still battling the latter's theory of using the book of destiny to bring back Earth-38. And in a heartfelt moment, we see the two characters bond. Something similar to the friendship Barry and Oliver shared throughout the series and this relationship between Kate and Kara might just be the start.
The final minutes of the series are a blur. Lyla Michaels (Audrey Marie Anderson) is back and is fully in the Anti-Monitor's control. She thwarts every superhero and kills the Monitor. Pariah realizes his role in the 'Crisis' was to always save the Paragons and he does so by teleporting Kate, Kara, Sara, Barry, Clark (Kingdome Come Superman), J'onn J'onzz (David Harewood) and RyanChoi to the Vanishing Point. The rest of the heroes and the supporting characters die in the anti-matter wave.
Grim? Yes. Sad? Definitely? Will these deaths last? We don't think so.
That said, 'Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 3' has been an absolute delight to review. Not many would have imagined the Arrowverse pulling off something as heart-wrenching, yet an enjoyable crossover, but it does. And does so to near damn perfection. It has just one message: 'Sacrifice is a necessity'.