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Happy summer, everyone! Amanda R. here, and this is the final Superhero Sundays column for the 2015-2016 TV season, so let's get to recapping those finales!
Small Screen Supes
Speedy Synopses
Gotham 2x22: Transference
The police arrive at Arkham, and are about to break down the front gate when Fake Jim walks out. He assures them that everything's OK, and returns with them to GCPD, but it's not until Barbara shows up—and punches him in his unusually malleable face—that everyone realizes it's not the real Jim.
At Indian Hill, Strange sets up a bomb and tells Peabody to get the subjects ready for transport to an "upstate facility." While others are prepping for evacuation, Strange gives Jim an honesty serum, and Jim reveals a lot of guilt, but no real knowledge about the Secret Council who apparently run all of Gotham, including Wayne Enterprises. Elsewhere in the facility, Nygma questions Bruce and Lucius about the same topics, but when they can't say who really runs things, Nygma lets loose the gas. Turns out it wasn't actually poison, thankfully, and the two wake up on the floor next to the real Jim.
As they're evacuating, Fish tries to use her new powers on Peabody, but it takes a few attempts. Fish eventually sicks Peabody on Strange, but Strange gets to the bomb anyway, and sets it for 30 minutes. Never one to stick around if it means putting her life in danger, Fish escapes Arkham in a transport bus.
Selina finds Bruce, Jim and Lucius and tells them about the bomb and Strange's plan to move everyone upstate. Bruce tells Selina to escape if she can, but, instead, she starts a fight between Mr. Freeze and Firefly that ends with Strange getting caught in the crossfire. (Unfortunately, he's not killed.) Jim and Lucius get Nygma to show them the way to the bomb, and diffuse it right before it's about to go off. The GCPD return to Arkham and take Strange into custody, and also try to catch up with Fish's bus, but she takes them out (because Fish). Penguin, Butch and their men attack the bus thinking it's Strange, but find Fish instead. They're all shocked to see she's still alive, natch.
Of course, because it's the season finale, and no one can have nice things, Jim decides to leave Gotham to find Lee. Also, a kind woman finds the bus and out of the goodness of her heart lets all of the Indian Hill subjects loose ... including one that looks exactly like Bruce with long hair? (Mandy C.)
The Flash 2x23: The Race of His Life
Zoom wants to race Barry, to prove to himself that he's the fastest speedster in the multiverse. He's also planning on destroying the multiverse with the help of stolen Mercury Labs tech, only leaving Earth-1 intact. Super villains are so predictable, y'all.
Barry is still reeling from the murder of his father at the hands of Zoom, and Team Flash is understandably worried. Barry's after revenge, not justice, so they lock him up in a STAR Labs cell for his own good. So much for being one with the wisdom and peace of the Speed Force!
The Dementors come after Zoom, so Barry is let off the hook with having to kill the man who murdered his father, but he still makes the worst decision of his life when he decides to go back in time...and stop Reverse Flash from killing his mother. What's going on here, Barry? I thought we got you past this! You know how time travel repercussions work, what in the hell are you thinking??
Jessie and Harry decide to return to Earth-2, Iris tells Barry she'll wait for him, and we finally find out the identity of the Man in the Iron Mask: Jay Garrick from Earth-3, who is the doppelganger of Henry Allen. All in all some of this finale felt satisfying, but to undo so much character growth in the space of that final scene was really, really disappointing. Bring on season three! (Amanda R.)
Arrow 4x23: Schism
At Felicity’s apartment, Darhk attacks Donna and Curtis! Oliver shows up and the arrows and bullets start flying, but Darhk, powered by his nuclear sacrifice is set to win. At least until Thea shows up with his daughter in tow threatening to kill her. He leaves without further violence, but taking Felicity’s anti-Rubicon laptop. Before they locate the laptop, Darhk and Seldon launch 15,434 nukes, including one headed straight for Star City in less than two hours. It’s the end of the world! Felicity sends Donna off with Captain Lance. Diggle and Lyla say a sad telephone goodbye to their daughter.
There’s an armed attack at Arrow HQ! Malcolm intercedes on Team Arrow’s behalf! After a brief crisis of confidence, Oliver takes to the streets and manages to calm a riot with an impassioned monologue on sticking together. It goes out on the airwaves just as the nuke comes into range! Felicity and Curtis team up, disarming the missile mid-air.
Diggle has a heart to heart with Lyla, admitting he shot Andy in cold blood. She surprisingly doesn’t think worse of him for killing the man who threatened her infant daughter. Oliver heads off to confront Darhk, leaving the rest of the team to guard the hackers. Felicity finds Seldon and talks him into letting her stop Rubicon.
When Darhk gets the upper hand on Oliver, the denizens of Star City begin to throw stuff at him screaming at him to get out. Their selflessness powers Oliver up with light magic that counteracts Darhk’s. It comes down to an old-fashioned fistfight, and then an old-fashioned firefight as the Ghosts and Diggle/Lyla/Captain Lance show! In the end, Oliver stabs Darhk with an arrow. Sigh. I mean, I know he had to, but Neal McDonough has been consistently the best thing about this season, so it’s okay to be sad. With the villain thwarted, Team Arrow disintegrates, everyone (except Felicity) so emotionally wounded they need some alone time. Also, Oliver becomes Star City’s mayor, so there’s that. (Amanda K.)
Daredevil 2x12: The Dark at the End of the Tunnel
Karen is still reeling from her high-body count evening at the diner with Frank, and on top of dealing with the ensuing trauma she's realizing that she no longer has a story about Frank Castle. Ellison tells her that she's got a job at the paper if she wants one, and that the city could use a character piece on Frank. Karen Page, Intrepid Girl Reporter is back on the scene! She decides that Col. Schoonover would be a great resource for her new piece on Frank, and a trip to his home reveals what the Colonel has long successfully kept hidden: he is the Blacksmith!
We flashback to Elektra's childhood of being raised/trained by Stick, and subsequently adopted by a diplomatic couple in order to keep her safe. Once Stick realizes how deadly Elektra is - once he realizes that SHE is the Black Sky (!) - he has to hide her in plain sight, and young Ellie is devastated.
Present day Elektra is hunting down Stick for sending a man to try and kill her (emphasis on the word TRY), but Matt does his best to stay her hand. They are both searching for him through the tunnels under the city, knowing he's been taken by The Hand. Matt and Elektra fight their way through to Stick, and The Hand attempts to worship her as the Black Sky, but she chooses her "family" over sycophants, and they all manage to escape.
Foggy has called it quits with both Matt AND Nelson & Murdock. Matt's half-assed attempt at apologizing for not visiting Foggy in the hospital made me want to throw my ice cream sandwich at the screen. DO BETTER, MATT.
Karen realizes that Frank has followed her to the Colonel's house. He lets her know he's nearby by queuing up a specific song on her car stereo. When Schoonover forces her to drive away at gunpoint they are plowed in the side by The Punisher, saving Karen's life and allowing Frank to finally kill the man who murdered his entire family. Will it bring him peace? Doubtful. I guess we'll find out since he's getting his own spinoff! (Amanda R.)
Daredevil 2x13: A Cold Day in Hell's Kitchen
Matt brings Stick back to his apartment, where Stick tries to warn him of the danger of both Elektra and Black Sky. He finds Elektra outside on the roof. She’s still reeling from the revelation that she is Black Sky.
Meanwhile, Jenny Hogarth (who you might remember from Jessica Jones) is recruiting Foggy Nelson for her firm.
Daredevil pays a visit to his cop friend at the 15th precinct, who was roughed up by thugs asking for everything he has on the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen—including a list of everyone he ever saved. Matt realizes they are all targets, but it’s too late, and they’ve all been taken by the Hand. Everyone, including Karen Page.
Matt takes the bait and it’s time for some NINJA FIGHT ACTION. Before the next wave hits, Elektra and Matt have a moment together. He offers her a chance to go on the run together when it's all done, and they face the Hand head-on. Nobu fatally wounds Elektra. In a rage, Matt kills Nobu, with the unexpected help of The Punisher, who takes out the remaining ninjas.
Karen begins writing about her experiences with Frank Castle, Daredevil, and what it means to be a hero. She agrees to meet with Matt, where he reveals that he is the masked vigilante. (Kelly)
Hero of the Week: Elektra, Daredevil
She didn't murder Stick. Even *I* want to murder Stick and I don't have the anger management problems that Elektra does. He tried to keep her safe...by sending an assassin after her, and she somehow decides to let him live even though she finds out that she's the all-powerful Black Sky. Pretty damn heroic.
Honorable mentions: Felicity & Curtis/Arrow, Frank Castle/Daredevil, Jim Gordon & Lucius Fox/Gotham
Villain of the Week: Colonel Schoonover/The Blacksmith, Daredevil
The best villains are the ones you don't see coming. Thank God for men like Frank Castle, or Karen Page would've found herself dead at the hands of The Blacksmith.
Honorable mentions: Damian Darhk/Arrow, Zoom/The Flash, The Court of the Owls/Gotham
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Top Titles
DC Universe Rebirth #1 by Geoff Johns, with art by Gary Frank, Phil Jimenez, Ethan Van Sciver, and Ivan Reis
If you haven't kept up with the latest DC news, most of the current comics have been canceled in order to reset - rebirth - the DC Universe. To catch everyone up, DC Universe Rebirth, an 80 page mish-mash of legacy, has released, written by DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns. Those of us who started reading comics in the New52 should be ready to have our world completely turned upside down. As much as DC says they're integrating legacy and New52, it definitely feels heavily legacy in Rebirth. Characters who were left behind in Flashpoint (the event that created the New52) have been restored and the new back stories and teams of the New52 are being rocked. Rebirth isn't all bad...There are some tear-jerking moments when old friends reunite and historic couples have stars in their eyes for each other. If you're planning to read the DC Universe going forward, Rebirth is a must-read. (Christy)
Ms. Marvel #7 by G. Willow Wilson, with art by Adrian Alphona
After a disastrous few weeks spent trying to be the best Avenger, student, and daughter she can be, Kamala Khan has finally found some balance in her life. She teams up with her best friend Bruno for a giant science fair competition at Madison Square Garden. Kamala and Bruno are desperate to win to get the attention of scholarship donors, but they’re up against some stiff competition: Miles Morales and his Brooklyn high school team.
It’s Ms. Marvel vs. Spider-Man! Who will win? And why do heroes ever need to fight each other anyway? This prescient question, paired with some Civil War II foreshadowing, brings you probably the best prelude to the next big Marvel event. (Kelly)
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #8 by Ryan North with art by Erica Henderson
As Squirrel Girl, Doreen Green has faced Kraven the Hunter, Galactus, and Doctor Doom, but when it comes to telling Chipmunk Hunk that she has a crush on him… NOPE. When Chipmunk Hunk mentions that he’s going out for a date, Doreen’s friends encourage her to test the dating waters herself. But none of them can agree on how to write her best dating site profile. Will Squirrel Girl finally be beat… by DATING?
I was already cracking up by the bottom of the first page, so you know by now what to expect from every issue of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Just go get it. (Kelly)
Pick of the Week: Batgirl #52 by Brenden Fletcher, with art by Eleonora Carlini and Minkyu Jung
It's time for Barbara Gordon (and the rest of us) to say goodbye to Burnside. With DC's Rebirth there will be a new team at the helm for our iconic redhead so this issue is bittersweet. Babs and her girl gang - Black Canary, Operator, Vixen, Spoiler, and Bluebird - save the students of Gotham Academy (CROSSOVER! Maps!) from Gladius's minions, and Babs has to crash/delay her own surprise going-away party in order to keep her friends safe from The Commander. Overconfident villains are Batgirl's specialty, so the day is saved and she's able to say goodbye to all of her pals in Burnside before she heads off for her next big thing! I'm going to miss this crew, and I hope it's not the last we see of them! (Amanda R.)
AS SEEN IN THE DAILY PLANET
News
Comixology is offering a new subscription service!
Looks like Shazam is coming to the big screen afterall. Sweet!
Tom Cavanagh will be returning for S3 of The Flash (yay!)...but as whom?
First look at Erik LaRay Harvey (Boardwalk Empire) as Diamondback in Luke Cage.
S3 of Gotham will bring us the villainous antics of Solomon Grundy and The Mad Hatter.
Miles Morales will most likely be the star of the next animated Spider-Man film.
Here's a preview of the new Faith ongoing series starting in July. (SO exciting!)
What shows are you most excited about for the fall? (Besides Luke Cage OBVIOUSLY.) Is anyone watching Preacher? Should we start taking bets now on if Arrow will ever again get to S2-level of awesome? And what shows are you going to occupy yourself with this summer? Let's dish in the comments!