Arrowverse 2017 Crossover Poster Easter Eggs

This fall, the Arrowverse is getting a little visit from Earth-X, and the timing couldn't be worse for The Flash's Barry Allen and Iris West. As revealed earlier this afternoon, the villains of Earth-X will descend upon the happy couple just in time for their wedding. To mark the occasion, The CW unveiled of a custom comic book cover by artist Phil Jimenez that evokes those DC crossovers of yesteryear -- specifically 1982's Justice League #207 cover by George Pérez -- and raises more questions about the four-show crossover event than it answers.

Titled “Crisis on Earth-X," this year's Arrowverse crossover will find "all of the heroes in town to celebrate Barry and Iris’s wedding," when "villains from Earth-X crash the festivities with a deadly agenda.” As seen in Jimenez's cover, those Earth-X villains are the evil doppelgangers of the Arrowverse's beloved heroes, who in DC Comics history are from a parallel world in which Germany won World War II. Beyond that, though, the cover contains a plethora of other clues that reveal some surprising facts about the crossover and pose questions that are sure to be answered only when the event airs in November.

The Ray

First and foremost, let's look at the inclusion of the Ray, who appears in the top left-hand corner above Supergirl and as a floating head in the bottom right-hand corner. The Ray's appearance here is notable not only for the fact that this will be his live-action debut, but because this suggests he will make the leap from the CW Seed's animated series. The CW announced last year that he would star in his own animated series titled Freedom Fighters: The Ray, becoming the first gay superhero to headline his own show. At the time, the Ray was announced only for animation, in a series that takes place in a parallel world called Earth-X. If that seems pretty removed, that's because it is, and that makes his inclusion all the more shocking. However, since he will bring a few evil Earth-X doppelgangers with him, it makes sense that he would be involved. The Ray will be played by Russell Tovey, who also voices the character on the animated series.

The Earth-X Symbol for The Flash

Speaking of doppelgangers, we need to talk about Earth-X's version of the Flash. Notably, Earth-X's Flash wears a yellow-and-black costume, much like the Reverse Flash's iconic suit. However, it's the logo on his chest that provides a clue about the state of Earth-X. The symbol presents two red, back-to-back lightning bolts on a black field, which forms a kind of "SS" symbol. Seeing as how in comics, Earth-X is a world where Germany won WWII, this probably stands for exactly what you think it does: the “Schutzstaffel,” which is German for “Protective Echelon,” the name for Adolf Hitler's bodyguards. While the official description for “Crisis on Earth-X" doesn't specifically label Earth-X's villains as Nazis, this logo certainly suggests that's what they'll be.

The Mysterious Archer

The comic book cover shows four of Earth-X's villains, but one of those is not like the others. While Supergirl, Flash and Green Arrow all have distinct doppelgangers, the cover shows a fourth villain who doesn't seem to have a direct analogue. This fourth villain is dressed like a classic archer and looks more like Malcolm Merlyn's Dark Archer than an evil Green Arrow. Since this mysterious archer has a mask on, there's really no way to tell who is wearing the hood. Though John Barrowman -- who played Merlyn over five seasons of Arrow -- has said that he was done with the series after his character's death in the Season 5 finale, it's possible he has since changed his mind and will return for a small part. This could also be another version of Prometheus, the primary antagonist of Arrow Season 5, who wore a similar costume. Alternatively, this could be a new character altogether, though this seems unlikely; there will probably be a familiar face under that mask, regardless of whether or not it's one we expect.

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Killer Frost

After her departure in The Flash Season 3 finale, the future seemed ambiguous for Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost. The character ditched Killer Frost's icy blue glare in favor of Caitlin's soft brown eyes and, though she maintained her snow white hair, she explained to Barry that she was neither Killer Frost nor Caitlin Snow. Danielle Panabaker, who plays the character, has been similarly vague about the metahuman's status. However, in the cover, she is labeled "Killer Frost" and has those bright blue eyes back. This may suggest that the character is still swinging back and forth between her two personalities or that the team will need the Killer Frost persona in order to fight the Earth-X villains.

Captain Cold

Captain Cold is back, baby! At Comic-Con International in San Diego, Leonard Snart was confirmed to return in a recurring role for DC's Legends of Tomorrow Season 3, and he even gets his own spot on this “Crisis on Earth-X" cover, just behind Barry's head. Beyond the fact that he is coming back, details surrounding Captain Cold's return are being kept under wraps. The last time we saw him, he was plucked from an earlier moment in the timestream and became a member of the Legion of Doom, though he was ultimately brought back to the moment he left and had his mind wiped. What's more, Snart sacrificed his life to save the Legends in Season 1. As such, it's unclear how Cold will be brought back and whether or not he will rejoin the Legends in some capacity. That being the case, it's surprising to see him pop up on “Crisis on Earth-X" cover -- and wearing his comic book counterpart's classic eyewear, no less! Could this be Citizen Cold, an alternate-world version of the character who became a hero rather than a villain?

Barry and Iris' Engagement

On the other hand, Jimenez's cover definitively confirms the status of Barry and Iris' relationship. The two were engaged when Barry sacrificed himself to the Speed Force in The Flash Season 3 finale, and Iris actress Candice Patton has suggested that her character feels a little betrayed by his actions. Nevertheless, the show's executive producers confirmed the two will indeed walk -- or run -- down the aisle, and the poster offers us a first look at the couple's nuptials. The poster also reveals that the wedding will happen rather early on in the season, before the mid-season break.

The Comic Book Wedding Trope

The “Crisis on Earth-X" crossover will also play into a classic comic book trope: the interrupted wedding. The Flash, in particular, has a history with this trope. In fact, his wedding to Fiona Webb after Iris' death led directly into "The Trial of Flash" storyline; as Reverse Flash appeared to try and murder Fiona, Barry rushed forward to stop him and -- in his haste -- "killed" Reverse Flash, for which he was brought to trial. Both “Crisis on Earth-X's" poster and logline suggest that the crossover event will buy into trope, if not that particular storyline.

Classic DC Comics Crossover Covers

It's also worth pointing out that Jimenez's cover directly homages classic DC Comics covers. As seen in the examples below, the "Crisis on Earth-X" poster follows a similar format: an action piece surrounded by floating heads that label the main players in the story. In fact, the first example seen below hypes the "Crisis on Earth-A," from which "Crisis on Earth-X" seems to draw its title.

This year’s four-part crossover will air across two nights, beginning Monday, Nov. 27, with Supergirl and Arrow (on a special night for one week only), and concluding Tuesday, Nov. 28, with The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.