‘Flarrowverse’ Easter Eggs: Week 1

Emma Trujillo ‘20 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Comic Book Writer

The Flash and Arrow have officially kicked off the CW’s fall superhero line up thus starting a new season of the “Flarrowverse.” The Flash lead in with it’s much anticipated “Flashpoint” episode while Arrow started with Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) becoming mayor of Star City. Supergirl and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow begin next week queuing up four nights of super. For now, let’s take a look at all of the hidden references in this week’s lineup.

Spoilers for The Flash through 3×1 and Arrow through 5×1

The Flash 3×01 “Flashpoint”

“Flashpoint” is one of, if not, the Flash’s most iconic comic book story. It was written by Geoff Johns, who is currently co-writing The Batman, and published in 2011 as a way to fix DC continuity and usher in The New 52. In it Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) goes back and saves his mother, but when he returns to the present he finds the earth in a completely different state. The humans, Amazonians, and Altanians are battling over land and sea. Batman is actually Thomas Wayne with Martha as the Joker and Bruce having been the one killed in crime alley. Barry begins to lose his memory of the old world and his speed. He goes to Thomas to help him recreate the incident that gave him his power, very similar to the situation in The Flash 2×20 “Rupture.” Barry gets his speed back and goes to stop himself from preventing his mother’s murder. As a result of him messing with time he returns to a slightly altered version of his original world.

Channel 52 Breaking News cuts in at the beginning of the episode. The number “52” is found all throughout modern DC Comics history. It originates from a Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid written comic series called 52. This series acted as a follow up to the Infinite Crisis event. The number is most well-known from the post-Flashpoint re-branding of DC called The New 52. In this time DC published fifty-two books initially, but what the event is most known for is removing the long standing relationships between heroes and significant others. Iris West (Candice Patton) was not dating Barry at the start of the reboot, much like how she seems to be out of the picture at the end of the episode.

Kid Flash/Wally West is the acting hero in the Flashpoint timeline. The character first appeared in the comics in 1959, but The Flash’s Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale) takes after The New 52 version of the character who appeared in 2014. His costume mimics the original and The Flash: Rebirth designs of the character as opposed the silver suit worn in The New 52.

The Rival/Edward Clariss initially debuted as one of Jay Garrick, the first Flash’s, villains in 1949. Clariss made a version of Velocity 9, a speed drug, that gave him his powers. They have duked it out a handful of times in the past and most recently the character made an appearance in The Flash: Rebirth Issue 4.

Alchemy is the word that the episode ends on. The post-Flashpoint timeline Clariss (Todd Lasance) wakes up to someone carving the word alchemy into his mirror. This is the start of the villain, Dr. Alchemy, who will be voiced by Tobin Bell this season. In the comics a chemist named Albert Desmond gets a hold of the Philosopher’s Stone. This grants him the powers of transmutation. He uses the stone to create a separate evil persona called Dr. Alchemy. It has been revealed that Dr. Alchemy and Savitar will be the show’s big bads this season.

Julio Mendez is the police captain in the Flashpoint timeline, but the character and actor, Alex Désert, first appeared in the 90s Flash TV show. In that show the character was a police scientist who worked with Barry.

Arrow 5×01 “Legacy”

Wild Dog (Rick Gonzalez) made his first appearance in this episode. The character first debuted in a solo series in 1987 created by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty. His name is Jack Wheeler, and he is a war vet. Wheeler lived in Quad City with his girlfriend until she was killed by the mob. That’s when he stepped up and decided to fight crime. He adapted the name Wild Dog and the character was rarely seen outside of his six-issue run.

Anatoli Knyazev (David Nykl)made another appearance in this episode, though he still hasn’t gotten his comic book name. It looks like he will be a big part of the flashback story, so maybe they’ll give him the name KGBeast this season.

Evelyn Sharpe (Madison McLaughlin) got a name shout out on Felicity’s list of new team hopefuls. She appeared last season as a version of the Black Canary, before being told to stop by Oliver. This time it’s been confirmed she will be fighting under the name Artemis.

Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum) is recruited by the Arrow as part of his new team. He is one step closer to taking up his comic book persona, Mr. Terrific. The hero is a master gymnast and martial artist, who uses a weapon called T-spheres. These spheres, much like the orbs seen in “Superhero Fight Club 2.0,” can record video, fly, explode, create laser grids, and serve as projectiles. They were also seen in prototype in episode 4×03 “Restoration.”

Prometheus is this season’s main villain and made an appearance at the episode’s end. The show’s writers have confirmed that this is not Prometheus from the comics. So the Easter egg is only in name. The jury is still out on what this character will be like.

Week one of the Flarrowverse is over and has left its watchers with plenty of Easter eggs. The Flash tackled “Flashpoint” and shouted out many key characters. Arrow introduced a big bad with no comic book counterpart while teeing up a new team with classic characters. There’s a lot in store for both these shows in the upcoming seasons. With Supergirl and Legend’s starting next week, the future is looking super.