Secret Comics Unveil the True Future of the Arrowverse: Unseen Justice League

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In December, the Arrowverse, The CW’s long-running DC Comics-inspired television franchise, officially concluded with the series finale of Superman & Lois. Although Superman & Lois wasn’t directly linked to shows like Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl, it signaled the end of a shared universe that had dominated TV for 12 years across seven different series. The finale wrapped up its own storyline, but left many questions about potential future developments unanswered. For instance, Arrow had a planned spinoff that never came to fruition, The Flash introduced new speedsters at the last minute, Supergirl revealed her identity, Legends of Tomorrow ended on a cliffhanger… you get the picture.

Although the different TV shows didn’t completely tie up loose ends, the fate of the Arrowverse was actually foreshadowed before the live-action finale took place. As far back as 2022, DC published a six-issue comic book series that was directly connected to the Arrowverse. Although some fans may have forgotten about these comics in the years since, they played a crucial role in revealing the future of the Arrowverse, allowing it to persist in print and in the minds of enthusiasts.

DC Gave The Arrowverse its Own Crossover Comic: Earth-Prime

Launched in 2022, DC’s Earth-Prime series was a six-part limited series, where each of the first five issues spotlighted a different DC television series. The final, sixth issue served as a crossover event. The narrative began with Batwoman, featuring Ryan Wilder grappling with new villains emerging in Gotham City following technology that produced many of Batman’s adversaries. Although the story primarily centered around Batwoman, a looming menace was hinted at in the background, subtly intertwining throughout the series. This larger threat became more apparent in the fourth issue, Earth-Prime: Stargirl, where it was disclosed that Magog was the main antagonist. By the time we reached issue five, Earth-Prime: The Flash, we were following not Barry Allen’s tale but that of his children, Nora and Bart, functioning as heroes in 2049. It was during this issue that Magog resurfaced, vowing to eliminate the heroes, starting with Wally West.

How Did Earth-Prime Reveal the Future of the Arrowverse?

In each installment of Earth-Prime comic series, the stories stood independently. However, the concluding issue, titled “Earth-Prime: Hero’s Twilight”, featured Bart and Nora confronting Magog. They received assistance from an assortment of heroes across the Arrowverse, including Supergirl, Mia Queen’s Green Arrow, The Atom, Batwoman, Superman, among others. As Magog was vanquished, these heroes gathered in the Hall of Justice for a celebratory reunion. In this gathering, Oliver Queen, formerly Green Arrow and now Spectre, appeared to warn them about future challenges they must prepare for.

From the Earth-Prime comics, we gather that the Arrowverse’s future maintains many familiar aspects. We see Barry Allen’s speedster offspring carrying on the heroic tradition, much like Mia Queen in Star City. It appears that the Legends continue to serve as heroes due to their time travel exploits, and though he’s no longer officially involved, Oliver Queen can still join forces with his old companions when a threat is significant enough. The most intriguing aspect, however, is the hint at a unified team of Arrowverse heroes: the Justice League. This is significant because, in the live-action series, the formation of this team was only loosely suggested during a crossover event, but never fully realized.

Earth-Prime Set Up the End of the Arrowverse… and Left Big Questions

The story presented in “Earth-Prime” gave a glimpse into the Arrowverse’s future while also wrapping up the stories of some characters and adding to the confusion for others. For instance, the storyline of “Earth-Prime: Batwoman” happened during the middle of its TV series’ final season, providing a more fulfilling conclusion when the actual series ended on March 2, 2022. As for “The Flash”, the ending of “Earth-Prime: Hero’s Twilight” set up the plot for the final season, hinting at the return of Bloodwork, who later appeared in an episode titled “It’s My Party and I’ll Die If I Want To”. Additionally, the appearance of Oliver Queen was teased, setting up events for the series’ last four episodes.

Although the series provided some answers, it also left several significant questions unresolved. For instance, Mia Queen, who has been depicted as Green Arrow in the comics and on television, was shown with a metal arm. This raises questions about how she acquired this arm, especially since the proposed spin-off series, “Green Arrow and the Canaries,” didn’t materialize. The storyline in the main series takes place nearly a decade after this failed pilot, leaving the origin of Mia’s metal arm a mystery.

Moreover, the story arc for “Legends of Tomorrow” ended on a cliffhanger at the end of Season 7, and the spin-off, “Earth-Prime: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” hinted at what could have been for Season 8. This has left fans speculating about the potential storyline that never came to fruition.

Lastly, the storyline for “Stargirl” was integrated into the “Earth-Prime” universe, but the live-action series wasn’t officially part of the Arrowverse. Given Stargirl’s significant role in the main story’s “big bad,” it leads one to wonder if the live-action series was intended to have a closer connection with the Arrowverse had the “Stargirl” series continued.

Through Earth-Prime, the Arrowverse wraps up many unresolved storylines for fans of this enduring series. By disclosing that the heroes still collaborate as the Justice League and that a distinct group of upcoming heroes will carry on their legacy, viewers are left with a touch of optimism. This also opens up opportunities for fans to envision fresh adventures. Moreover, the quick peek into tomorrow depicted in the comics provides ample scope for DC to revisit the Arrowverse in the future, eliminating the need for any Waverider travel.

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2025-02-02 02:11