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The Flash Season 3, Episode 9 Recap: “Invasion!”

By Tim Adams

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The Flash kicks off the big CW four-night “Invasion!” crossover by recruiting Supergirl, Green Arrow, and the Legends of Tomorrow.

Supergirl may have loosely tied into the epic “Invasion!” crossover Monday night, but it was Tuesday night’s The Flash that got the ball rolling. The episode wasted no time throwing viewers into the action, as we see The Flash and Green Arrow under fire. It’s revealed people attacking our stars are their friends and fellow heroes.

We jump back 10 hours to Wally West training at S.T.A.R. Labs. He’s hitting Mach 2 to the surprise of his father, Joe West, and sister, Iris West. Iris doesn’t want anyone encouraging Wally to become a superhero. So now Wally goes from having his father being overprotective to his sister.

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A meteor crash landing in downtown Central City interrupts the proceedings. Barry Allen races off to investigate and finds a spaceship crawling with “Aliens!” It’s funny seeing someone like Barry, who’s fought all types of metahumans, be afraid of alien invaders.

Different military units converge to investigate the incident, including John Diggle’s wife Lyla on behalf of ARGUS. She meets with The Flash and they hold a meeting at S.T.A.R. Labs where she confirms that ARGUS has known about the Dominators since 1951.

Lyla asks Barry to step aside and let ARGUS handle the aliens, but that’s not in Barry’s DNA. He can’t tackle this alone and heads to Star City for backup. Just as Oliver Queen and Diggle are about to get the drop on the Vigilante, Barry whisks them away to Oliver’s apartment. Before Oliver can chastise Barry for interrupting their work, Diggle pukes over the balcony. He’ll never get used to dealing with metahumans.

Barry fills them and Felicity Smoak in on what they’re up against, and it’s recruitment time! Barry and Cisco Ramon put aside their differences to find Supergirl while Oliver works on the Legends of Tomorrow. Everyone reconvenes at the Hall of Justice, a.k.a. a S.T.A.R. Labs hangar that Barry conveniently owns. When did this happen?? Shame on The CW for casually tossing that Easter Egg in there like that.

H.R. Wells and Felicity are geeking out over the number of heroes in attendance. Felicity screams, “Best team-up ever!” as H.R. uses his index finger to form the “S” on Supergirl’s chest. Iris is surprised to find out Oliver Queen is the Green Arrow. Her reaction is “he just got hotter.” Speaking of attraction, it seems Sara Lance has a thing for Supergirl as well.

It’s time to pick a team leader. Everyone turns to Oliver but he suggests Barry lead since he brought everyone together. Barry doesn’t project the same vote of confidence as Oliver does. He’s working on it.

Image Courtesy of The CW

Professor Stein and Jax take this opportunity to pull Barry aside to tell him about a recording he makes 40 years in the future. Both members of Firestorm discovered the recording on this season of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and have kept it from their teammates. Barry and Oliver listen as future-Barry warns that the ramifications of “Flashpoint” run deep. Everyone’s impacted, including the Super Friends. Oliver warns not to distract the others with this information. “One crisis at a time.”

Wally wants to put his speed powers to work and join in, but Iris shoots that idea down. Feeling bummed out, he turns to H.R. and asks for training. H.R. thinks about it, before replying with “Nah.”

Being back in the present, Professor Stein takes this opportunity to go visit his wife. Caitlin Snow joins him, and when they arrive at his house, a young lady answers the door. Stein appears shocked to see the woman, who introduces herself as his daughter. This makes me wonder did Stein have a daughter before “Flashpoint?”

Back at the Hall of Justice, Cisco comes across future-Barry’s recording. He questions Barry about it, and now the secret is out in the open. Barry tells Diggle how he originally had a daughter, along with what he’s done to Caitlin and Cisco’s lives. Team morale has taken a serious hit, right when an alarm goes off signaling the Dominators have been found.

Barry offers to stay behind since he can’t be trusted, and Oliver volunteers to stay with him. They have some bro-time and Oliver reassures Barry that change is constant, and not to beat himself up over what he’s done. Oliver reveals how his parents died and how he’d love to change things. I will say this—Oliver gives one hell of a pep talk.

As the Super Friends head off to confront the Dominators, Supergirl and Mick Rory (Heatwave) start to get to know one another. The chemistry between the two is hilarious, as Heatwave suggests he’s not going to call Kara Danvers “Supergirl.” He’s got a better name for her—“Skirt.”

The team of heroes become mind-controlled by the Dominators and attack The Flash and Green Arrow. We get some tremendous visual effects of Flash racing across Central City while the Atom, Supergirl, and Firestorm attack. On the ground, Green Arrow takes on Spartan, White Canary, and Speedy. Wally even joins in and ends up hurt for his trouble. Maybe Iris was on to something.

Flash is able to trick Supergirl into destroying the Dominator’s mind-control device, setting everyone free. Before the episode ends, Green Arrow, along with other Super Friends are beamed away from up above.

Next: Catch up with a recap of 'Killer Frost'

Highlight

Too many to list. My main highlight would be the reveal of the Hall of Justice, just chilling in Central City. I hope it’s used as a base of operations again for future crossovers.

Closing Thought

What a way to kick off the “Invasion!” crossover. The CW tops itself year-after-year. It’s great to see all of the DC Comics heroes on the same screen together. The image of The CW’s “Trinity” of Green Arrow, Flash, and Supergirl will go down in the history books.

And don’t forget, The CW’s DC TV crossover event will continue with Arrow “Invasion!” and conclude in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow “Invasion!.” Make sure to come back to Bam Smack Pow for our full recaps and reviews.

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