Arrowverse Superman (apparently) dies in the extended trailer for the upcoming Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. The latest annual crossover for The CW’s DC superhero TV series is only a couple days away, and this one is a biggie. Last year’s crossover, Elseworlds, even concluded with confirmation that Marv Wolfman and George Pérez’s famous comic book storyline will serve as the basis for this year’s Arrowverse team-up. In fact, the looming Crisis has been the pressing issue on the ongoing final season of Arrow and The Flash season 6 so far.
The small screen version of Crisis on Infinite Earths will pit all the superheroes of the Arrowverse (Green Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, the Legends of Tomorrow) against the Anti-Monitor, a being with god-like power who’s intent on wiping out as many earths as he can. They won’t be alone in the fight either, as the crossover will officially bring Black Lightning into the Arrowverse, along with the Kingdom Come comic book-inspired versions of Superman and Batman. However, judging by the latest Crisis trailer, it appears the good guys will be down one Man of Steel for at least part of the fight.
An extended trailer for Crisis on Infinite Earths released online today and it features plenty of brand-new footage - including, most pointedly, a clip of a news report that shows Supergirl’s version of Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), after being killed in battle by Lex Luthor in what’s a clear-cut homage to The Death of Superman comic book’s famous artwork. You can check it out in the space below.
Considering The CW is willing to reveal Arrowverse Superman’s “death” in the trailers, it’s safe to assume this isn’t really a spoiler for Crisis on Infinite Earths. True, a lot of characters die in the original Crisis comic book storyline, but it’s anyone guess how things will play out in the small screen adaptation. Oliver Queen’s story, for example, will certainly be brought to some kind of conclusion (seeing as his show is ending), but even his demise is far from guaranteed. As for Hoechlin’s Superman: the pre-Crisis episode of Supergirl confirmed Lex is a key part of The Monitor’s plan to save the multiverse from his counterpart. So, presumably, either Lex killed this version of the Man of Steel for an important reason, or this is all just misdirection of another variety. After all, there’s currently an Arrowverse Superman spinoff in development, so fans know the character is gearing up to return one way or another, once Crisis is resolved.
And speaking of Men of Steel (in more sense than one): the Crisis extended trailer also provides another tantalizing look at Brandon Routh as the greying Kingdom Come Superman, in addition to iconic Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy as the Kingdom Come iteration of Bruce Wayne (who has a metal exoskeleton to support his physically-ravaged body). Presumably, the death - however temporary - of Hoechlin’s Superman will be a major plot point during the Supergirl episode of Crisis, and in turn help pave the way for Routh’s Superman and Conroy’s Batman to enter the picture. Whatever the case might be, the crossover’s marketing has done a nice of hyping their introduction, along with everything else set to transpire in the five-part event. Now bring on the end of the world already!
Crisis on Infinite Earths begins Sunday, December 8 on The CW.
Source: The CW
