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The Arrowverse, the name given to the shared DC Comics’ universe on The CW, has given fans some unforgettable moments over the years. While the universe started with an archer, it grew to encompass time travel, aliens, magic, and so much more. While the universe does have its low moments (and they are low) the shows that make up this universe sometimes deliver some of the best superhero thrills on TV.
With the end of The Flash in Season 9, the universe ends as well. While we know some characters and storylines might pop back up in the final season, it’s interesting to think back on all the big superhero moments this universe has given us over the years. While there have been a lot of big, iconic moments the universe has given fans, it’s still worth wondering which of these moments are the most rewatchable? Which moments are so satisfying that fans might still be enjoying them for years to come?
10 Arrow-Sacrifice
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Image via The CW
Sacrifice was the finale for the first season of Arrow, and it delivered a satisfying and at times jaw-dropping conclusion that acted as the blueprint for all Arrowverse finales after. The Undertaking, a plan to destroy The Glades, a low-income neighborhood in Starling City, was enacted and led to some emotional moments and some electrifying fight scenes.
Seeing Oliver finally confront The Dark Archer, Meryln’s alter-ego, and watching him deal with the consequences of The Undertaking in the present, while also watching him have his final confrontation with Fryars in the past, provided a satisfying conclusion to a well-constructed season of television, and laid the entire foundation for The Arrowverse to be built upon.
9 Legends of Tomorrow-Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 5
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Crisis on Infinite Earths was arguably the high point of the entire Arrowverse. Its scope expanded into other properties, from Smallville to Doom Patrol (and even the DCEU). Part 5 was the finale of this event that saw so many sacrifices and so many heroes banding together to fight a great evil, The Anti-Monitor, whose goal was the destruction of the entire multiverse.
In addition to the gigantic stakes and bombastic battles, Part 5 was an episode of Legends of Tomorrow, meaning there were multiple laugh-out-loud moments (including the appearance of Beebo) that help make it so rewatchable. While it may not have been the best moment in the Arrowverse, it was undoubtedly the biggest.
8 Legends of Tomorrow-Here I Go Again
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Most of the entries on this list are big, bombastic episodes that deliver the sort of superhero action you’d expect out of a franchise like the Arrowverse. ‘Here I Go Again’ is unique because it’s a character study into Zari Tarazi, a character who, up until this episode, had limited screen time.
By trapping her in a Groundhog Day-style time loop, the writers were able to explore the character and her personality in a show filled with unique and oddball personalities, and fans ate it up. She went on to be a fan-favorite character, and the depth and personality established in this episode would go on to be explored and developed further as the show progressed. Beyond this though, the episode was a fun spin on a trope we’ve seen numerous times on film, and is definitely worth a rewatch.
7 Arrow-The Climb
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While Season 3 of Arrow was uneven as a whole, its high point was literally its highest point. With the life of someone he loved at stake, Oliver had to climb a mountain to fight for her life. You could feel the inevitably in every scene as he said bye to all those he loved, confident, but knowing the odds.
Because his fight was with Ras Al Ghul, a man who’d lived for hundreds of years, leader of the League of Assassins and considered to be the most dangerous man on earth. The episode and the final fight make for one of the most iconic episodes of the entire Arrowverse.
6 Legends of Tomorrow-Star City 2040
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Originally, the premise of Legends of Tomorrow excited fans because of its possibilities. There are a plethora of characters in different eras throughout DC’s history, so the chance to see those characters was exciting. While we definitely got to see some of these heroes (like Jonah Hex and the Justice Society), what fans didn’t expect were looks into alternate futures for the Arrowverse. In Star City 2040, we see an alternate future where the city has been ravaged by Grant Wilson, Deathstroke’s son. We also see an Oliver Queen that’s been defeated, living in a destroyed Arrow Cave and missing an arm.
But we also got a look at the new Green Arrow, John Diggle Jr, a worthy successor to Oliver (by his own admission). Seeing this alternate future that tied directly into storylines in Arrow was an entertaining watch and one of the highlights of the Arrowverse.
5 The Flash-Enter Zoom
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The premise of Enter Zoom was a bit complex. Zoom, a speedster from another world whose powers surpassed Barry’s, was plaguing Central City by sending criminals from his world to kill The Flash and trapping them in that world until they did. So Barry hatched a plan; he’d have Linda Park, a reporter and friend on his Earth, dress up as her villainous alter-ego from Zoom’s Earth, Dr. Light, and pretend to take him down, so Zoom would arrive. What follows is arguably the best villain introduction in the Arrowverse.
We’d seen Zoom before but not the extent of his power. We see, for the first time, Barry is completely and totally outmatched, beaten, and humiliated. It established Zoom as a worthy successor to Reverse-Flash from the first season, and raised the stakes significantly, making it one of the most rewatchable episodes in the Arrowverse.
4 Supergirl-Crisis on Earth X-Part 1
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Crossovers came to define the Arrowverse. With multiple shows sharing episodes to build what was essentially a movie, the crossovers became a defining characteristic of the universe. While it wasn’t the first crossover, it was the first to reach multiversal proportions.
With Nazis from another world crashing Barry and Iris’s wedding, we got to see some thrilling situations, like Sara from Legends and Alex from Supergirl teaming up to fight an alternate universe Prometheus, or Supergirl fighting her doppelganger through the skies of Central City. Even though the crossovers got even bigger, this is still an episode worth revisiting.
3 Legends Of Tommorow-The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly
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Image via The CW
Legends of Tomorrow got off to a relatively rocky start. The show’s premise, a bunch of C-list characters time-traveling through the DC Universe, was a little silly from the beginning, but the first season of the show took it completely seriously. As the show progressed though, the writers leaned into the sillier parts of the concept, with that culminating in the season 3 finale.
Most viewers didn’t know they needed to see a giant, Furby-like creature body slam a demon, but when it happened, there were cheers, groans, and laughter. The show had finally found the tone it was looking for, which was somewhere between heartfelt and irreverent, and this episode established the Legend’s corner of the Arrowverse to be a lot more fun than the rest of it, and this episode is infinitely rewatchable as a result.
2 The Flash-Fast Enough
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Image via The CW
The death of Barry’s mother was the defining moment of his life. It led to his father being jailed after being falsely accused, to him becoming a CSI to figure out what happened, and to him moving in with the West family. Every part of his life stemmed from that night. So when he was given a chance to go back in time and change it, fans were locked in to see the results.
What happened next involved Barry making a tough decision that would reverberate through the show. Things like a “final” confrontation between Barry and Thawne, Eddie making the ultimate sacrifice, Ronnie getting caught in an accelerator explosion, time/space itself literally breaking, and so much more make this a highlight of the Arrowverse a decade later.
1 Arrow-Unthinkable
Stephen Amell in costume as Arrow/Oliver Queen in CW crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Image via The CW
Watching a Mirakuru-fueled army led by Deathstroke fight the League of Assassins as the city burned around them was one of the first times the scale of the Arrowverse matched the scale of the comics. From Ravager and Nyssa Al Ghul facing off to Roy Harper finally donning a mask, the amount of thrilling comic book moments are too many to count.
But what really sets this episode apart is that it marked Oliver’s transition from killer to hero, a storyline that had been explored since he arrived back in Starling City, and it makes it a benchmark moment in the Arrowverse.
