The ending of Crisis on Infinite Earths in DC Comics could provide clues as to how the TV version of the story will wrap up in the Arrowverse. The first three installments of the five-part event aired in December 2019, with the last two chapters (Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow) releasing in January.
Since the state of the DC Universe is very different from the Arrowverse, there are some obvious differences between the two crossovers; however, so far, Crisis has been a fairly accurate interpretation of the 1985 – 1986 miniseries. Several of the major players in the comic book story, such as the Monitor, the Anti-Monitor, the Harbinger, the Spectre, and Pariah, have roles in the crossover, and the basic premise is the same: the Infinite Earths are threatened by the coming of the Anti-Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) and his plan to destroy the multiverse with antimatter. At this point in the crossover, things are looking bleak for the Arrowverse, with only a handful of characters left to oppose him.
It’s not clear how things will shake out, but the comics could provide some clues. After a pivotal battle that results in the death of Supergirl and the apparent demise of the Anti-Monitor, the Spectre arrives on the scene and announces that the Anti-Monitor still lives. United by the Spectre, the heroes travel to the Dawn of Time, where they engage in a massive battle with the Anti-Monitor and his forces. This culminates in a dramatic one-on-one showdown between the Spectre and the Anti-Monitor.
Such a clash of power proves too catastrophic for the universe, as it causes the remaining Earths to merge into one reality. However, this wasn’t the end of the crisis, as the Anti-Monitor survived to launch another attack on the heroes. The conflict finally came to an end with the Anti-Monitor’s death, which came at the hands of Earth-2’s Superman.
With only one timeline remaining, the DC Universe was effectively rebooted. Many characters led totally different lives, completely oblivious to the changes made by the Crisis. Only a few heroes, the characters who had a hand in the final battle, maintained their memories of the way things used to be. Comments from Arrowverse producer Marc Guggenheim suggests that the Arrowverse is heading in a similar direction, since it’s been said that the crossover serves as an opportunity for shows to make significant changes to their continuities. Much like the DC Universe post-Crisis, the Arrowverse may only have one Earth after all is said and done.
