Jump to Pull List | As Seen in the Daily Planet
Arrow celebrates its 100th episode, Ghost Rider takes a new form, and oh, did we mention the BIG CROSSOVER? Let's get to it!
Small Screen Supes
Speedy Synopses
Supergirl 2x08: Medusa
After last year’s disastrous Thanksgiving, Kara and her friends and family are ready to settle in for a more relaxed event. James and Winn decide now is a good time to tell Kara the truth about Guardian, but Alex tells them not to steal her thunder—she is planning on coming out to her mom.
Dinner is interrupted by a sudden (and familiar) wormhole flickering over the table. Who could that be? (Squee.)
Meanwhile, Cadmus is putting their final plan into motion. They unleash a virus that is lethal to all aliens except Kryptonians and humans (conveniently), killing the alien patrons at the bar and exposing Mon-El to the effects.
As Eliza Danvers works to find a cure, Cadmus sends Henshaw to L Corp to steal the final component necessary to spread the virus: a rare isotope that can only be found at Lena Luthor’s facility. Cyborg Superman is stopped by Supergirl, but Maggie Sawyer is injured during the fight.
Alex patches up Maggie, and Kara and J’onn have a heart to heart. Kara is heavily disappointed to learn that her father created the Medusa virus, and J’onn reveals the White Martian DNA is taking over his own. The two support each other.
Supergirl visits Lena to tell her the truth about Lillian Luthor, and Lena dismisses her, not wanting to hear it. Lillian herself shows up to L Corp, and Lena agrees to help her. When the two Luthors put the virus dispersal plan into motion, Kara and J’onn arrive to stop it, but they’re not in time. The virus explodes over National City… to no effect.
Lena rendered the virus inert while she was “helping” her mother, and even called the police to take her into custody. Eliza Danvers, meanwhile, was able to create a cure for the virus and even fix J’onn’s cells back to their original state. Talk about a super girl.
Another dimensional portal appears, and out pop Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon. Crossover: START!
Gotham 3x09: Mad City: Beware the Green-Eyed Monster
Mario attacks and kills the hematologist working on the test for Alice Tetch’s blood while hallucinating that it’s Jim. Harvey and Jim pick up the case, and track the dead body back to Gotham Bio Labs. Jim arrives while Mario’s there, but Mario has a longer game planned and leads Jim to Arkham, where he visits with Tetch. Tetch slips up and Jim figures out that Mario’s the infected. When Jim goes to confront Mario, Mario sicks Zsasz on him, but Jim gets away, and heads to the church to talk Lee out of marrying Mario. Lee only sees Jim as a crazy ex, however, and marries Mario anyway (while a bunch of goons beat Jim up in the hallway). Lucius Fox, who tested Mario’s blood earlier, realizes that Mario tricked the test, and Jim goes to Falcone to learn where Mario and Lee are. He promises Falcone to bring Mario in alive, but when he arrives at the beach house, he has to shoot Mario to keep him from killing Lee.
A guy from The Whisper Gand tells Bruce about Volk’s death, but Bruce isn't deterred from going after the Court of Owls. He and Alfred make a plan to break into a Court of Owls building and steal whatever it is they’re hiding. While Alfred is a total badass and takes out the front guards, Bruce and Selina break in from the roof. They stage a heist that’s super reminiscent of things to come, but the mysterious masked assassin catches them in the act. As they fight, a woman shows up in the nick of time, and—dun dun DUN—it’s Selina’s mom.
Barbara goes to visit Ed and tries to get him to see that Penguin’s behind Isabella’s death. Ed tricks Penguin into revealing his love, and Ed knows that Barbara was telling the truth. Ed makes a deal with Barbara, Butch and Tabitha—in exchange for their help taking Penguin down, Ed will help make Barbara head of Gotham’s criminal scene. (Mandy C.)
The Flash 3x08: Invasion!
Earth is under attack by aliens called The Dominators and they're super terrifying with needle-like teeth. So far they're being ignored by the government, but Lila isn't playing their reindeer games. She gets Team Flash on board, and Barry knows he needs to call in Team Arrow (Speedy is back!), Team Legends AND Supergirl...!
Jax and Stein share the conversation with Future Barry found on the Waverider with Current Barry and Oliver. Future Barry tells them not to trust Current Barry. Poor Barry. He just pulled together the most epic team-up EVER, and he can't get any respect. At least Oliver has his back when Barry confesses that he created Flashpoint. Big Brother Oliver is my favorite Oliver.
After getting Kara from her Earth, Barry and Cisco return to find that some of the Legends have answered their call, and the team proceeds to train by attempting to take down Kara. It's pretty amusing to watch. Meanwhile The Dominators have taken the President in order to lure in some of our Super Friends, who only realize it's a trap when it's too late - their minds are now being controlled by the aliens, and it's Flash and Arrow vs. EVERYONE ELSE.
Caitlyn escorts Dr. Stein to his home so that he can see his wife, only to be greeted by a brand new grown daughter, the very same woman he's been dreaming about. Stein manages to freak out only slightly but still hightails it out of there.
Wally has gotten super fast and is anxious to be part of the team, but Iris is being a total drag. He ends up getting knocked out trying to save Barry and Oliver from Kara, leading HR to finally agree to train him. The Glowing Orb that was allowing the aliens to control our friends is dismantled thanks to Barry's quick thinking, and the gang's all together again only to THEN be beamed up into the sky. On to the next episode! (Amanda R.)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4x07: Deal With Our Devils
S.H.I.E.L.D. enters the facility where Eli’s experimenting with his newfound power. They can’t find Coulson, Fitz or Robbie, who are trapped between dimensions. Fitz overhears Mace talking to Senator Nadeer, and realizes that Mace doesn’t actually know where Simmons is. Before they can investigate, however, Robbie gets super cold. When Fitz tries to move him somewhere warmer, the Ghost Rider entity moves into Mack. Ghost Rider!Mack heads to take out members of the Chinatown Guys, and Robbie hitches a ride in his car with Daisy who’s in hot pursuit. Robbie talks Ghost Rider into leaving Mack, but Mack’s not quite OK after the whole ordeal.
Simmons arrives at the mysterious project that Mace needed her to work on only to find that she’ll be working on investigating a person who’s been stuck in Terragenesis for seven months. The person inside is still alive, and Simmons makes a connection with him as his coating begins to crack. But as she pulls off a piece on his face, she’s hooded and taken away again. She arrives back at S.H.I.E.L.D. safe and sound, but Fitz isn't going to let Mace off easy.
When Mace brings Radcliffe and AIDA in to investigate where Coulson, Fitz and Robbie went, May gives Radcliffe access to the Darkhold. Radcliffe’s human mind can’t deal with what’s inside, but AIDA’s synthetic brain can. With the knowledge from the book, AIDA builds a dimensional portal. They pull Coulson and Fitz through in the nick of time, and Robbie follows a little later (with Ghost Rider back where he should be).
Of course, AIDA’s time with the Darkhold has changed her, and she secretly creates a very lifelike brain when she and Radcliffe are back at their place. What she's going to use it for remains to be seen. (Mandy C.)
Arrow 5x8: Invasion!
After being beamed away by the alien Dominators on The Flash, Oliver and company are in some kind of pod stasis, and Oliver is dreaming that he still lives in the Queen mansion, and is engaged to an alive Laurel Lance. Both Queen parents are alive, and proud of Oliver and Thea, and it’s all very warm and functional. Papa Queen is about to become mayor, and wants Oliver to become CEO, so that Ray Palmer doesn’t buy the company. Oliver and his father choose to have this discussion in a dark alley, where they’re almost mugged, but are saved by a mysterious hooded stranger. Oliver can’t control his curiosity about the Hood, and goes to Captain Lance seeking answers. He’s then too busy following his buried instinct, finding his way to the Hood’s lair, to make it to his rehearsal dinner. He discovers the Hood is none other than John Diggle, with Felicity working for him. The next day, he’s supposed to be getting ready for his wedding, but Oliver can’t shake the feeling that someone thing isn’t right. Amidst the wedding mingling, we learn that Ray is engaged to Felicity! And Tommy is a doctor! Everyone is sharing the same dream, while in their pods, and slowly they all start seeing flashes of their real histories, and how they differ from this life, and that they somehow know martial arts. Once they all realize they’re in a dream, they’re ready to bust out, except for Thea, who wants to stay.
Felicity brings Cisco to the lair to vibe on stuff to try to figure out where the gang is. Curtis is psyched at the chance to hack some alien tech. Rene is less than stoked to meet The Flash and Supergirl, because he thinks their powers make them dangerous. The geeks manage to find the location of their friends - on a spaceship! Felicity and the B team determine the alien language is somehow based on Torah numerology (and you thought Rory was useless!) and that helps them… somehow.
Leaving the Queen mansion, Oliver, Diggle, Ray, Sarah, and Thea (who changed her mind about staying) find they have to defeat a half dozen of Oliver’s old enemies, including Deathstroke, Damien Darhk, and Malcolm Merlyn. Then Sarah and Oliver say a tearful farewell to dream Laurel in her wedding dress, and they all wake in their pods on the Dominator ship. They then hijack a space shuttle from the aliens, and a ludicrous space pursuit ensues. They’re then rescued by the Legends of Tomorrow ship in space. (Kandis)
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 2x07: Invasion!
The Legends are headed to 1951’s Redmond, Oregon, the place where mankind and the Dominators first met. Their plan? Kidnap one of the original invaders and interrogate it about their 2016 plans. Yeah, our well intentioned Legends have the worst laid plans. As they capture their prisoner of war, a secret government agency takes the Legends (and their bounty) into custody, rendering them even less effective than before.
Trapped in a room with the Dominator, Vixen, Nate, and Mick question its intentions. “We are here to determine if your kind are a threat,” is the ominous answer. They’re saved by the geek squad before they find out what this warning means. In the present, the rest of the team is also facing the same government agent, who is now older and wiser to their intentions. The present day Metas learn they are the perceived threat and cause of the Dominator invasion. It’s not just any Meta, either, but Barry and his Flashpoint, which effectively broke a 50 year truce between earthlings and aliens. The new plan? Barry turns himself in and the Dominators do not release the Meta-bomb they're housing.
OF COURSE the team is not going to let that happen, but it’s Cisco’s forgiveness that will make you tear up a bit. While the Legends and Arrow fight locally, Flash and Supergirl travel around the world to fight the various factions of Dominators. Ultimately, it’s a nano device that takes down the Dominators and Firestorm that dismantles the Meta-bomb. After receiving official government thanks, the teams drink to success and Oliver apologizes for being a complete jerk to Kara. Cisco bestows a inter-dimensional communicator and travel device on Kara, insuring we get more crossover goodness. Here’s to things not being normal. Cheers! (Christy)
Luke Cage 1x12: Soliloquy of Chaos
Luke allows himself to be taken in by the police, although Misty hints strongly that he should escape while en route to the station. Luke takes her advice, and when one of the cops finds him, the cop trusts his instincts that Luke isn’t a bad guy. He lets him go free.
While on the run in Harlem, Luke overhears and stops a convenience store robbery. Inside he also finds Method Man, because why not, and the two exchange mutual admiration—and their hoodies. The rest of Harlem, fully embracing Luke as their hero, also don hoodies in solidarity.
Meanwhile, Diamondback bails Shades out of jail, but just so that he can kill him. Shades escapes and kills his attacker. He and Mariah reunite to put a new plan into motion, using Luke Cage to get rid of Diamondback. They approach him at the barber shop to offer an alliance.
Just then, a grenade explodes in the barber shop, and Diamondback walks in fully decked out in a power suit to take on Luke Cage mano a mano. It’s time for the FINAL BOSS FIGHT. (Kelly)
Hero of the Week: Oliver Queen, The Flash
Oliver may be crotchedy in his... young age, but it's his devotion to his friends that betray the heart of gold underneath. This week Oliver was the Master of the Pep Talk in the big team-up, helping Barry overcome just a little bit of his guilt over his reckless decision to change the timeline. And while he may have been unwilling to trust Kara at first, his approval means a lot to the Girl of Steel.
Honorable mentions: Method Man, Luke Cage, Lena Luthor, Supergirl
Villain of the Week: Lillian Luthor, Supergirl
The Lex apple didn't fall far from the Luthor tree. His mother is just as capable of scheming about mass destruction, even if she believes her motives are just. (Lex always thought the same thing.) Lillian was willing to wipe out all alien life on Earth to make sure the humans would never fall prey to them. Only Lena's belief in doing the right thing, even at the cost of her relationship with her adopted mother, saved the day.
Honorable mentions: The Dominators, The Flash, Malcolm Merlyn/Damien Dahrk/Deathstroke, Arrow
Comic Relief
Biff! Bam! Pow!
PULL LIST
Pick of the Week
Black Widow #8 by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee
I swear, I'm never going to get tired of the shared storytelling experience that Waid and Samnee have. It's so unique, where as much (and possible more!) storytelling takes place in the art as it does in the words on the page. Issue #8 is a perfect example of this; the layouts, facial expressions, and the colors lend to the serious tone of Natasha helping disable a young threat. Headmistress is still training youth in the same manner she trained Natasha and Natasha is having no part of the Dark Room graduates. This issue ends with an opener to what will surely be an interesting story arc going forward! (Christy)
AS SEEN IN THE DAILY PLANET
News
- All of the trailers for Legion are in one handy video.
- Sebastian Stan uploads a pic of himself holding A SHIELD on Instagram, we all lose our collective mind.
- The Inhumans IMAX premiere is slated for September 1.
- A new character for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was revealed, and his name is Brahl.
- Speaking of the Guardians, they're getting their own video game from Telltale Games in 2017.
- Leaked concept art for Thor: Ragnarok hit the internet this week, but take it with a grain of salt.
- There was once talk of a Smallville and Supernatural crossover (sort of). Somebody saaaave meeee.
Trailers
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