There was something special about The CW’s Arrowverse. The shared universe of DC Comics-inspired television shows that ran on the network beginning in 2012 with Arrow and ending in 2023 with the final season of The Flash was, for a while, the best thing in DC live action. Over its run, the franchise gave audiences six individual series, loads of characters, and some of the best superhero crossovers that have ever been done. After all, this is the franchise that pulled of a live action take on Crisis on Infinite Earths, a massive event that pulled together just about every DC movie and television series you can imagine to bring its epic story to life. But for all of the excellent crossovers that the Arrowverse pulled off, there is one still stands as the best even beyond the franchise — and it turns 10 this year.
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Kicking off on November 29, 2016, on The Flash, “Invasion!” is the third of the Arrowverse crossovers, but it’s the one that many fans cite as being the best the Arrowverse ever did. Taking its inspiration from the 1989 comic book miniseries Invasion!, the crossover ran across three series — The Flash, Arrow, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow — but marked a major turning point for the franchise in that it brought in a character from another world (in this, case Kara Danvers/Supergirl who lived on Earth-38), officially incorporating them into the fold in a heroes vs. aliens adventure that just may never be beat.
“Invasion!” Was the Arrowverse’s First Real Team-Up (And Was Packed With Iconic Moments)
The foundation for “Invasion!” technically begins in the eighth episode of Supergirl’s second season — the series’ first on The CW — entitled “Medusa”. After an episode spent dealing with an alien-killing virus (the “Medusa” virus) Supergirl is approached by Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon, who arrive from Earth-1 to ask for her help in dealing with a major threat on their world. That threat? An alien race called the Dominators have arrived and are targeting Earth, which has seen a rise in meta-humans, people that the Dominators see as a threat so they plan to subjugate or eliminate them.
There are a lot of really great moments in “Invasion!”. Supergirl’s arrival marks the first time all four of the shows that were part of the Arrowverse at the time were pulled together in a substantial way and it also marked the first time that Supergirl was part of the “team”. While she and Barry had previous interacted, this was her first time working with the Legends and Green Arrow, giving audiences what felt very much like a small-screen version of the Justice League. That “small screen Justice League” feel became something a bit more solidified with the heroes gathering in an old S.T.A.R. Labs facility/aircraft hangar that would eventually become the Hall of Justice and a headquarters for the assembled heroes.
The crossover also gave audiences a lot to work with in terms of story and presentation. “Invasion!” did a fantastic job of being very much a part of the Arrowverse while also staying true to the comic book inspiration. The crossover, in general, felt much more like a comic book event than most of the crossovers (both large and small) that we’d seen in the Arrowverse up until that time. The incorporation of the classic, comic book alien threat of the Dominators also helped keep things well-rooted in DC lore. But the event never strayed from the Arrowverse, either. The consequences of Flashpoint were a direct element of “Invasion!” and the event also was a great opportunity to mark Arrow’s milestone 100th episode, incorporating characters who had departed for a story that was deeply emotional and satisfying (even if heartbreaking) for fans.
The best part of “Invasion!” however was easily the characters. The crossover helped develop the relationships and interactions across the heroes of the Arrowverse, particularly the core three of Green Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. While Supergirl was very much an outsider to the group at the start of the event, by the end she’d won over Green Arrow, earning his trust and his friendship. That dynamic would become a major hallmark of the Arrowverse and an anchor for future crossovers — crossovers that would include the legendary “Crisis on Infinite Earths” and another fan-favorite, “Crisis on Earth-X”.
“Invasion!” Set the Crossover Standard — And The Arrowverse Was Better For it
“Invasion!” very much set the standard for future Arrowverse Crossovers and, for the most part, the franchise lived up to the standard. 2017 gave audiences “Crisis on Earth-X,” which received a lot of praise and was considered to be an improvement by many over previous crossovers including “Invasion!” which was already good. Things only continued to get stronger with 2018’s “Elseworlds” which further expanded the heroic team with the introduction of Batwoman and the Arrowverse’s Gotham City and it included Earth-38’s Superman as well. That led directly to “Crisis on Infinite Earths” which continues to be something of a gold standard for major crossover events in the comic book space. While one can argue that crossovers were always going to be a thing as the Arrowverse grew, it’s almost impossible to imagine the heights they climbed to without “Invasion!”.
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