The commencement of “Crisis On Infinite Earths” is now only a little over a week away and its expansive cast seems to have been finalized – for the most part. So, to keep things straight for you all, here’s a rundown of every character set to appear in the crossover.
First, from Arrow. Oliver, John, Dinah, Laurel, Rene and Lyla are all set to feature, the latter of whom has taken on her DC identity of Harbinger, a character who played an important role in the “Crisis” of the comics, They’ll also be joined by the time traveling presence of Mia and Connor.
The Flash, meanwhile, will bring in its regulars of Barry, Iris, Caitlyn/Killer Frost, Cisco and Ralph, and bring back Reverse Flash, doubtless for another barrage of patronizing villainy and refusal to take responsibility for his actions. New to this season is Nash Wells, the latest of the character’s many incarnations, an Indiana Jones-style explorer tracking the Monitor, and Pariah, who here is another Wells and in the comics was indirectly responsible for the instigation of the “Crisis” by accidentally awakening the Anti-Monitor.
Returning will be the Barry Allen of Earth-90, not seen or mentioned since his disappearance during the “Elseworlds” crossover last year, and it will also be in this episode that Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, will make an appearance and be introduced into the larger continuity, along with Ryan Choi, set to inherit the mantle of the Atom.
Supergirl’s regulars of Kara, Alex, J’onn, Brainy, Nia, Lena and Kelly are all present and correct as well, along with Lois Lane, one of three versions of Clark Kent, Kara’s biological mother Alura, and a mysteriously revived Lex Luthor.
Elsewhere, the rotating roster of Legends of Tomorrow maintains its longest serving members of Sara, Ray and Mick, along with Nate and Constantine, while their other current teammates are not confirmed.
From Batwoman, only Kate has been confirmed to be making an appearance, so it’s likely that she’ll be pulled into the fight away from Gotham by her super friends, leaving out the city’s residents who would have little to contribute to the battle anyway. It’ll also feature an older incarnation of Bruce Wayne who may well not be the cousin Kate monologues letters to, along with the Lois Lane and Clark Kent from Smallville.
Out with the familiar characters, and rounding out the trio of Men of Steel is the incarnation of Clark Kent from the Elseworlds miniseries Kingdom Come. Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl will make her debut in the crossover prior to the premiere of her own series next year as well, along with Helena Kyle/Huntress from the 2002 Birds of Prey series, Jonah Hex, the Old West gunslinger previously encountered by the Legends, Jim Corrigan, a police officer who becomes the avatar of cosmic being of vengeance the Spectre, but a different version from the one who appeared in Constantine, and Alexander Knox, a journalist from the 1989 Batman movie. Actor Burt Ward has been cast, too, and while it’s not been officially confirmed he’ll reprise his role as Robin from the ‘60s Batman TV series, it would seem an odd choice if he didn’t.
Of course, felt across the whole collection of episodes will be the Monitor, a cosmic being not seen to have been especially benevolent so far, but is actually one of the good guys in comparison to his counterpart the Anti-Monitor, the true villain of the story who in the comics begins systematically destroying the multiverse, with the goal of ruling over a single reality of nothing but antimatter.
As if this litany wasn’t enough, Arrowverse producer Marc Guggenheim has also stated that other cameo appearances can be expected as the crossover runs its course, although the first we’ll hear of them will be when they actually appear in the episodes.
And that’s everyone. For now, at least, because you can be sure that like Guggenheim says, the producers still have some surprises up their sleeves for “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”