The CW’s Arrowverse shows have begun their 2019-2020 season and are already planting seeds for the upcoming crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths. On the October 15 episode of The Flash, Barry learned of a dangerous increase in anti-matter throughout the multiverse and that his death is foretold during the conflict. Then on Arrow, the situation escalated when Oliver and his team witness the destruction of Earth-2 after it was hit by an anti-matter wave.
Entertainment Weekly was given the exclusive first look at the Anti-Monitor, destroyer of the multiverse. Like his comic counterpart, the Anti-Monitor has a pale, craggy visage with cold eyes, and an intimidating, armored suit. LaMonica Garrett, who has already been introduced as the Monitor, will also play the Anti-Monitor.
The Crisis on Infinite Earths comic series by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez revealed that since the creation of the multiverse, the Monitor and Anti-Monitor have represented the positive matter and anti-matter universes. Millions of years ago they fought a terrible war, which ended in both knocked unconscious for ages until they are woken by Pariah (Tom Cavanagh in the crossover). The Anti-Monitor starts taking positive matter universes to build his power, so the Monitor recruits superheroes and villains from Earth to stop him from destroying the entire multiverse.
It is not known how closely the crossover will follow the original comic event, though Arrowverse executive producer Greg Berlanti has acknowledged the importance of telling the story.
“Whenever we do an iconic storyline or we do something that reminds us really vividly of one of those books that meant a lot to us, we have a sense of pressure and obligation of ‘Oh wow, we really don’t want to mess this up’ even more so than we usually do. So that fear overrides any kind of other emotion,” Berlanti said.
Crisis on Infinite Earths begins on Sunday, December 8 on Supergirl, then follows on December 9-10 on Batwoman and The Flash, respectively. After the winter break, it will resume on Tuesday, January 14 on Arrow and conclude on Legends of Tomorrow.
