Everyone involved in the Arrowverse has kept stressing that we weren’t ready for “Crisis On Infinite Earths,” and they were right. It turned out that the destruction of Argo City was a low-key warm up to the scale of death and devastation it had waiting for us, and even though billions of lives were lost as Earth-38 was obliterated by the wave of antimatter, it’s one death in particular that has fans in uproar.
Although it was pretty much a given that Oliver was going to die at some point, to have him do so at the end of the crossover’s first hour truly hammered home the stakes at play. Viewers were predictably devastated, and took to social media to express the intensity of their reactions.
FUCK EVERYONE FUCK E V E R Y O N E #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/cWIkwdO5aq
— mili (@fsmoakbett) December 9, 2019
Me after watching Oliver Queen die on #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths:https://t.co/tnQH2a5U21
— Emma Berri (@RealEmmaB) December 9, 2019
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KILL OFF OLIVER QUEEN IN PART 1 OF #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/Nga6x1QmRs
— Ryan John (@RyanJohn___) December 9, 2019
The pure emotion of Oliver’s final scene got under many people’s skin, as he used his dying moments to say goodbye, tell his friends to carry on the fight without him, and be remembered by his family.
I was 1,000% not prepared for THIS #Supergirl #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths #Arrow pic.twitter.com/ToLphrUiNv
— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) December 9, 2019
“mia, don’t forget to find your mother, find william, tell them how much i love them. i love you mia….you keep me in your heart ok?” FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK IM SOBBING FUCK #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/B4LwNj9kzS
— jj❀ (@lustpositions) December 9, 2019
“Don’t forget time find your mother.”
STOP IT RIGHT NOW.@StephenAmell @Kat_McNamara
#CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/fz2baWieve— karentina (@jakesbrennelly) December 9, 2019
“Barry, you my friend, are the very best of us” ok satan i did not need to cry today #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/3ehYdkRQKg
— your local disaster bi (@tisameme) December 9, 2019
Aye man…. Barry’s face when he realized Oliver was actually gone….. my sorrow cannot be contained #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/WyTOIL83Jr
— NiggaVision (@BlackKidFlash) December 9, 2019
Some people chose to focus on Oliver’s dramatic last stand, alone, unarmed, and fearlessly facing down an army of demonic shadows with nothing but fists and a grim determination to do what has always been his mission: to do all he’s able to do to save as many people as he can.
This was easily one of the most heartbreaking Arrow moments ever #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths #Arrow pic.twitter.com/MUoIRdocPk
— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) December 9, 2019
don't you even dare to say that oliver queen isn't a hero because i won't believe you #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths https://t.co/O2R483oqjr
— sof (@avqryjameson) December 9, 2019
#CrisisOnInfiniteEarths Oliver was ready to fight an army of shadow demons alone with his bare hands defending Kara's earth. OLIVER QUEEN IS THE GREATEST HERO OF THEM ALL AND I'LL FIGHT ANYONE THAT SAYS OTHERWISE
— Killer Queen (@KillerQueen_82) December 9, 2019
THE WAY HE STAYED BEHIND AND RAN IN KNOWING HE WOULD DIE I CANT FUCKING BREATHE 😭😭😭 THE WORLD DOESNT DESERVE OLIVER QUEEN !!! #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/sVYUaItCh3
— .ᗢ (@wandamvximoffx) December 9, 2019
Oliver shot the Monitor so he could keep fighting. Last man standing. Out of arrows, no superpowers and runs full tilt at a mass of Harry Potter reject Dementors.
THAT'S THE FRACKING KING OF THE ARROWVERSE. BEND. THE. KNEE. #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths #IWillLoveOliverQueen #Forever
— Jen (@jbuffyangel) December 9, 2019
Also observed were the parallels between Oliver’s death and that of Tony Stark at the climax of Avengers: Endgame, specifically the hero who launched an ever-growing shared universe dying to save billions of lives, both of whom began as an entitled playboy and grew into a hero ready to make the ultimate sacrifice.
https://twitter.com/BlackVKM/status/1203858222525952000
We lost Ironman & Green Arrow in 2019 tough #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths pic.twitter.com/vfmuGlI3M9
— Mr. IC (@iahcamb) December 9, 2019
Some are skeptical that Oliver is truly gone, and although comic books are notorious for their afterlife’s apparent revolving door policy, the TV shows have, with only occasional exception, been consistent in that once a character is dead they stay that way. To resurrect Oliver now would cheapen his sacrifice and rob the episode of its poignancy, likely leaving many people angry at their emotions being toyed with and the disregard for character it would display.
In any case, it’s a certainty that this won’t be the only time the crossover will have a nasty surprise in store for us and as “Crisis on Infinite Earths” continues, we have to wonder just how safe anyone truly is.