Episode no. Season 1
Episode 18 Story by Greg Berlanti | Directed by Nick Gomez Production code 4X7618 | |
Teleplay by Andrew Kreisberg & Michael Grassi Original air date March 28, 2016 (2016-03-28) | ||
"Worlds Finest" is the eighteenth episode in the first season of the CBS television series Supergirl, which aired on March 28, 2016. The episode's teleplay was written by Andrew Kreisberg & Michael Grassi, and directed by Nick Gomez.
Contents
The episode features a crossover appearance by the title character of the CW series The Flash (also developed and produced by Greg Berlanti and Kreisberg), marking the first episode of the series to feature a character from the DC Universe that appears on another show, and the first character from a CW series to cross over to a CBS series before the show itself moved to the CW network.
The episode reunites Melissa Benoist with her former Glee recurring co-star Grant Gustin, who portrays the Flash. The episode title was inspired by the World's Finest Comics series, in which Superman would team up with various other DC superheroes, including the Flash.
Plot
At the DEO, Siobhan Smythe is treated for her fall, which was cushioned by a powerful sound wave. The doctor cannot explain her new powers despite DNA analysis confirms that she is human. Siobhan overhears Leslie Willis (Livewire) being interrogated and starts seeing images of a banshee. The visions continue as she returns to CatCo where Siobhan lets out a sonic scream that sends Kara flying out the window. A dimensional breach opens, someone rushes out at a high velocity and catches Kara before she hits the ground, letting her down in a field.
The speedster introduces himself as Barry Allen, (the Flash), a superhero from another universe, after Kara reveals herself as Supergirl (see Arrowverse). At CatCo, Barry meets Winn and James and explains the multiverse and how he reached their universe when testing a tachyon device fastened to his suit. In addition, Barry explains how he got his powers and thus revealing the case of metahumans, which designating Siobhan and Leslie's superhuman status despite not related to Barry's circumstance. Kara offers to help him return home. Cat calls the four into her office and demands they research the new superhero, rejecting the idea to call him the Flash. Siobhan's aunt Sinead tells her of a banshee's curse on the women in their family. If wronged by others, Smythe women are possessed by the banshee's spirit and develop a hypersonic scream—to combat the curse, one must kill the one who wronged them. Siobhan concludes she needs Supergirl gone to get at Kara, unaware they are the same person. She breaks Leslie out of the DEO with her scream. Cat refuses to hide after hearing of Leslie's escape. Kara and Barry pinpoint Livewire's location.
Flash charges Livewire's powers with lightning, instead of overwhelming her. Supergirl attempts shorting out Livewire, but she is disoriented by Siobhan's scream, now calling herself Silver Banshee. The heroes retreat after being ambushed and Kara apologizes for going in without a plan. Barry relates to Kara his own similar experience with one of his rogues Roy Bivolo and advises her that she needs to be patience. Barry develops ear buds to dampen Silver Banshee's scream. Livewire and Silver Banshee kidnap Cat before demanding the two heroes come to National City Park.
Livewire wreaks havoc before Supergirl and the Flash arrive. Supergirl frees Cat before engaging Silver Banshee, while Flash tackles Livewire, but she manages to knock him out. Livewire fires lightning at a passing helicopter, but Supergirl takes the blow to protect people below. Firefighters blast Livewire with water, causing her to lose control and shock Silver Banshee, defeating them both. A news report hails Supergirl as hero again. With the Flash's help, the National City Police Department develop a means of incarcerating metahuman criminals, so Livewire and Silver Banshee are imprisoned.
Cat reveals to Kara that she knew Barry was the Flash all along. At the field, Barry determines that their combined running speed, while the tachyon device is active, should create a breach back to his universe. The two bid farewell before Barry enters the portal. At Kara's apartment, she confesses her feelings to James, kissing him. However, James unemotionally walks out. Kara looks out to see everyone acting similarly, marching in synchronicity. Non is revealed to be behind these events; Myriad begins taking effect.
Reception
Cliff Wheatley of IGN gave the episode an 8.6/10, stating "After the grim 'n' gritty Batman v Superman, Supergirl's "Worlds Finest" offered a fun, upbeat palette cleanser and one of the series' strongest episodes to date. Instead of the usual "beatdown" introduction, Supergirl and the Flash went straight to being superfriends, which was refreshing. Not only did Barry Allen fit perfectly in Kara's world, but actors Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist had fantastic chemistry together onscreen. While the city's turnaround on Supergirl's Red K incident was a little sudden, overall, "Worlds Finest" was delightful."
Stacy Glanzman of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 5.0 out of 5 stars.
Caroline Siede of The A.V. Club gave the episode an A-, stating "My biggest fear going into “World’s Finest” was that the episode would be a fun one-off designed to convert Flash fans into Supergirl fans (and vice versa, I suppose) while ignoring the compelling narrative Supergirl has been exploring since Kara went bad in “Falling.” Instead “World’s Finest” relies heavily on Supergirl’s long-term storytelling, pulling together threads from the entire season into one jam-packed episode. And it does so while introducing the most enjoyable superhero team-up this side of The Avengers. For better or for worse, “World’s Finest” represents Supergirl in a nutshell: Fun, clunky, cheesy, and more intelligent than it seems at first glance."
Continuity
The events of this episode take place between two moments in The Flash episode "Versus Zoom" (Season 2, Episode 18) in which Barry enters and exits a breach while wearing the tachyon device seen in this episode, in which later the first of the three-part Arrowverse crossover, "Invasion!", confirms. Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), Black Canary (Katie Cassidy), Atom (Brandon Routh), Firestorm (Victor Garber, Robbie Amell, and Franz Drameh), Zoom (Teddy Sears), Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh), Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker), and Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) of the Arrowverse were mentioned in this episode.