WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for "Crisis on Infinite Earths," the latest Arrowverse crossover.
The involvement of Brandon Routh's Superman in The CW's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" had appeared to be over when the crossover went on hiatus last month. However, in the event's epilog Tuesday on DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Routh makes one final appearance as the Man of Steel. And in doing so, Routh's version has finally been it given the legitimacy it has long deserved.
At the end of the crossover's third chapter, the seven Paragons had all been whisked away by Pariah to the Vanishing Point -- a location outside of normal space and time -- just before the anti-matter wave had destroyed the last world in the multiverse. These Paragons had all been gathered by The Monitor, who were prophesized in the Book of Destiny as key to defeating the Anti-Monitor. Routh's Superman -- the Superman of Earth-96 -- was believed to be one of these Paragons: the Paragon of Truth.
Except, the ever-devious and narcissistic Lex Luthor of Earth-38 had gone back in time and rewritten the Book of Destiny, replacing Superman's name with his own. Lex was therefore the Paragon of Truth transported to Vanishing Point, and Earth-96's Superman instead was simply wiped from existence. And that was seemingly the end of Routh's Superman.
Again.
Routh, of course, had portrayed the Man of Steel before, in 2006's ill-fated and poorly received Superman Returns film. Any hopes of Routh continuing to play the role were similarly wiped from existence after the movie's disappointing reception. They were all but buried when the character returned to the big screen in 2013's Man of Steel, with Henry Cavill cast in the role.
It was a bit of redemption for Routh, therefore, when he was cast as an older and emotionally darker Superman in "Crisis," getting what no actor who ever played the Man of Steel had gotten before: a second chance. "Crisis" was arguably a better opportunity for Routh, who this time got to play a Superman with the most heroic mission possible: helping to save the entire multiverse. While not in a central role, Routh's "Crisis" Superman was a far better showcase of the character than his role in Superman Returns.
Despite Lex's manipulations, though, this wasn't the end of Earth-96's Superman. As shown in the fourth chapter of "Crisis" on Arrow Tuesday, the Paragons played their part against the Anti-Monitor's forces. But it was Oliver Queen, as The Spectre, who defeated the Anti-Monitor, sacrificing himself so that the multiverse could be reborn -- albeit not exactly as it was.
Save for Oliver, the heroes of Earth-1, 38, etc. all survived the Crisis. But as the event's epilog reveals, the primary worlds of the Arrowverse are no longer separate. Supergirl, The Flash, Black Lightning and other members of the newly formed Justice League all now reside together on what's called Earth-Prime in the post-Crisis reality.
Not all worlds have been consolidated, though. There is a new multiverse, but within it remains the familiar world of Earth-96 -- the world of the so-called Kingdom Come Superman. Brandon Routh's Superman.
Yes, the adopted world of Superman in that reality has survived the Crisis, giving Routh's character an official, and permanent, home in the Arrowverse. And it just might be a happier place, thanks to the Crisis.
Earth-Prime has its own Man of Steel, of course, played by Tyler Hoechlin. But across the multiverse, Earth-96 is the only other world seen to have a Superman. Not even Earth-167 -- the world of Tom Welling's Clark Kent from Smallville -- was shown to have survived the Crisis. But then, no one ever saw Superman on that world anyway.
"Crisis" has given Brandon Routh what he's deserved all along: the role of Superman, and his very own world to play it.
Until "Crisis," viewers believed they had seen Routh play Superman for the final time. And whether he ever will again remains to be seen. At least now, though, there is hope he can play Superman again someday.
After all, it would be nice to see him pop up in the Arrowverse again sometime.
"Crisis on Infinite Earths," the latest five-show crossover between all the Arrowverse series, will soon be available on The CW's streaming service in its entirety.