The very first episode of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” killed off Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen, with the Emerald Archer sacrificing his life in order to save a million extra people from the dying Earth-38. However, this being the DC universe, it’s likely not the end of the Green Arrow. Something that’s heavily teased in this new trailer for Part 4, which arrives on The CW in a few weeks.
The 30-second promo sets up the high-stakes new status quo: with just a handful of heroes still alive in the multiverse, they’re now giving the evil Anti-Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) all they’ve got. And, somehow, they’ll be joined by the late Oliver. In one clip, we see him throwing punch after punch at an unknown enemy – this doesn’t seem to be the Anti-Monitor, either – with the voiceover featuring the vigilante saying: “My entire life prepared me for this fight.”
So, how could Ollie be back? Well, Part 3 may have teased the explanation. When Mia, Diggle and Constantine travel to Purgatory to retrieve his soul, Oliver elects to remain behind in the afterlife when Stephen Lobo’s Jim Corrigan appears and tells him that he mustn’t go with them otherwise his death will be for nothing.
As Corrigan hints in this scene, he’s the alter ego of the avenging supernatural hero the Spectre. It’s been theorized that Oliver will become the new host of the Spectre, at least temporarily, to allow him to return for the final episodes of the crossover, as well as the last hours of Arrow season 8. The shot of his green eyes in this trailer may be another hint at this outcome, too.
“Crisis on Infinite Earths” returns for its final two episodes – Arrow is Part 4 and Legends of Tomorrow is Part 5 – on Tuesday, January 14th. Don’t miss it.