It needed to balance non-Arrowcharacters within its narrative.
And it needed to honor the milestone of the shows 100th episode.
So how did it do?
Credit: Bettina Strauss/The CW
It hit a bullseye.
Right in the heart.
Previously, on theLegends of Flarrowgirlcrossover, the Dominators arrived to Earth.
Team Flash assembled the superheroes, including Thea, whofinallysuited up!
But Supergirl broke them all free and everybody (save Barry) was beamed up, Scotty.
The hour opens with a callback to theArrowpilot as Oliver sprints through greenery.
Inside the mansion, he canoodles with his beaming fiancee, a whole and healthy Laurel Lance.
Olivers chest is heartbreakingly free of scars, burns, and trauma.
But, of course, this isnt real.
(Wait, the Dominators redressed them?
In the Arrow Cave, the Arrowlettes and Cisco work frantically to locate their missing teammates.
(Props to the showrunners for waiting five whole years to bust that one out.)
He shows them on a ship a littleAlien, a littleStar Trek, J.J. Abrams-style.
Ofcoursetheyre on an alien ship; they were taken up in beams of light!
Its unlikely they were whisked to an IHOP.
Were gonna hack alien tech.
This is seriously the best day of my entire life!
Back in the dream, Thea gives Oliver a pre-rehearsal-dinner gift of a hozen, an arrowhead symbolizing reconnecting.
And yes, its the reverse of the pilot scene in which Oliver gave Thea the hozen to symbolizetheirreconnection.
Oh, you thought that was bittersweet?
Youre practically a completely different person.
You both are, Moira says.
If you cry now, youll be dehydrated by the end of the hour.
Laurels canary necklace makes Sara jump as if electrocuted.
Oliver hugs Laurel and is confused by a flash of her as she appeared in her hospital deathbed.
Oliver brushes it off, though, and he and Robert have a heart-to-heart about Olivers future.
As they debate, a thug demands their watches, wallets, and phones at gunpoint.
Then a hood-wearing, arrow-wielding vigilante drops out of the sky to save them.
No tears yet, you guys.
At the rehearsal dinner, the Lance women enter, looking fabulous.
Saras introduced to Ray Palmer; we see flashes of theirLegendsadventures, but they both ignore it.
Also, it would seem Sara and Oliver didnt hook up in this reality, for those keeping track.
Felicitys there, alarmed at the unauthorized entry, and the Hood himself jumps on Oliver.
With a voice changer!
My name is Oliver Queen, Oliver starts to say, but the hostile Hood duo cut him off.
John wrestles him into a headlock and grounds out, No one can know my secret.
Yes, keep referencing the pilot, you clever show!
But Oliver insists he knows them both.
We see flashes of John and Olivers past, of John getting married and then killing Andy.
I think weve met before, John admits, lowering his hood.
The same flashes happen with Felicity, and we see Olicity meeting, kissing, fake marrying.
But Johns not ready to believe, particularly when Oliver tells him John killed his brother.
And I dont want to give it up.
Im afraid that Im going to give it up, he pleads.
At this point, youre allowed to feel the first stirrings of tears.
And sure enough, Deathstroke (a.k.a.
Slade Wilson) shows up to attack them.
Its a great fight made even better when Sara shows up and runs through Deathstroke with a sword.
How did I do that?
she marvels, and I assume shes referencing how she didnt get blood on her bridesmaid dress.
Supergirl joins Flash, Mr.
Listen, if Rene isnt willing to let Supergirl, a.k.a.
the nicest womanon the planet, into his heart, hes dead to me.
Naturally, Rene has the fastest turnaround ever in his feelings about metas and aliens.
Its rushed and sloppily done, but the rest of this episode is so perfect I dont care.
Then he turns to collect Thea, but she doesnt want to leave.
Shes happy, and she says this life is real enough for her.
Nothing but pain and suffering waits for them in the real world.
I didnt make those sacrifices for a reward, Oliver says.
I did what I did because I thought it was right.
He begs Thea to come with him because he cant do what needs to be done alone.
I cant lose them again, Thea says.
I cant lose my family.
A crushed Oliver says its okay; he wants her to be well and happy.
And then he leaves her there.
it’s possible for you to cry now, if you want.
Hold a little back, though.
As they face down this cadre of villains, Thea joins the lineup.
I had a change of heart, okay?
Like I said, I cant lose my family again.
And then were treated to an epic, visceral hand-to-hand fight.
Even though they all know its all a dream, they stop to say goodbye.
NEXT: Okay, who expected the space battle?
Look, I was never a Laurel fan, but this was wrenching.
In short, I hope you reserved some tears.
In the Smoak building, the fivesome find a big shiny portal and step through it.
But before Oliver walks through it, specters from his past appear to whisper to him.
His mother calls Oliver her beautiful boy and says shes proud of what hes become.
Felicity tells Oliver hes not done fighting.
Tommy reminds Oliver hes a hero.
Roy says Oliver saved his life and gave him purpose.
Laurel says Oliver never gives up.
And his father says this is all Olivers responsibility now.
Ill just give you a second to reach for the tissues.
This allows them to crack the latitude and longitude, which show up as negatives.
This is exactly twice as many spaceships as I ever thought Id be on, says an awestruck Thea.
I will brook no argument on this point.
Lots ofArrowaction here, and not as much forTheFlash/Supergirlfolks to do.
Still, it all worked beautifully.
It was a tall order, but the episode pulled it off.
Now go hydrate yourself; it’s crucial that you replenish your moisture.
Thoughts for your quiver
