How Gotham, Arrow, and The Flash Season Finales Proved You Can Have Different Comic Book Shows With Different Tones
When it comes to season finales, they’re meant to convey something special. Whether it’s a cliffhanger that’ll make you wish the next season was already here, or a wrap-up of everything the season had built up, it’s meant to make you feel something. For DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. and the stations that house them, they had three shows (that had been renewed for another season) that all had to end in the same season. Those three shows are Gotham, Arrow and Flash, two of which were in their first seasons. I watched all of these shows from start to finish, and as I look back upon the three season finales, I realize that each were not only different in tone and message, but didn’t step on the others toes. Thus, to me, proving that these shows can exist all at once without serious issues about the other.
All me to break down each one and explain what I saw, and how it differed from the other.
Gotham – Foreboding
It’s not hard to say that out of all three shows that will be mentioned in this piece that Gotham was the one with the most pressure on it. While Arrow had to try and match a great second season, and Flash had to try and match the momentum Arrow had built up for it, Gotham had the “honor” of building up a world without the hero that would eventually save it. The show had to do exist without Batman.
While inconsistent at times I’ll fully admit, Gotham honestly (in my opinion) did a good job of showing just what Gotham was like before The Dark Knight arrived. One might get the wrong impression that crime happened and then Batman showed up to stop it, but that’s not the case at all. Gotham has always had a reputation for darkness and corruption long before anyone donned the cape and cowl. For the show, it had to both show that, and build up the character of Jim Gordon. Gordon would be one of the few fighting for the people of Gotham while numerous shady and evil characters tried to bring the city further down.
In the season finale, numerous storylines came to a head and to an end. Carmine Falcone and Sal Maroni were at war, Penguin was playing both sides against each other, Fish Mooney had returned and was waiting to make a play, and Gordon was stuck in the middle of it. To the surprise of many (including myself), things didn’t go as one might have expected. Fish killed Maroni, a character who was part of the origin of Two-Face in the comics. The gang war then caused Falcone to admit defeat and leave Gotham in order to “retire.” Penguin killed Fish and thus took his place as the “King of Gotham”.
And those were just the main characters! There was also Nygma, who began his descent into the darkness that will soon make him a notorious criminal. Selina Kyle joined up with Fish, starting her own career path. Bruce found a secret compartment used by his father that will no doubt end up being the Batcave in his future. Oh, and Barbara was revealed to be bug nuts and almost killed Leslie. Didn’t see that coming.
So, where does the “foreboding” come in? Easy. As we ended the finale, and Falcone gave his finale advice to Jim, there was a sense of uncertainty in the future of both Gotham and its characters. If Penguin is now truly the “King of Gotham”, what will that mean for the city itself? Will he be ruthless like Maroni? Or have a more subtle approach like Falcone? We saw he was able to play both roles in order to get what he wants, and now that he has the power (at least in his own mind), he’ll no doubt want to keep it. This also raises a question of who could be his competition? There’s always a challenger to the crown. Season 1 had two in Maroni and Fish. Who will be there to challenge Penguin, and what will happen to Gotham when they clash?
Then there’s Jim, who’s fought with everything he had to keep Gotham safe and try to make a difference. Unfortunately in the end, he’s lost his “best worst guy,” his former love in Barbara almost killed his new love Leslie, Loeb isn’t hiding how much he wants Jim out of the GCPD, and there’s almost no chance that things are going to get easier for him. Jim’s struggles are the core of the show in many ways, we’ve seen him go to the dark side at times to get what he needs. Will he try and do that again to save Gotham? You know he’s feeling the pressure, and you could almost see the hopeless in his eyes as Falcone gave him the knife and wished him the best of luck. He’s going to need it.
Say what you will about the season and the numerous references to Batman and his Rogues Gallery, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Gotham did its job in making the city a place of darkness and despair. If the finale is any indication, it’s only going to get darker.
Arrow – Progression and Acceptance
As I said earlier, Arrow had to try and follow up a much beloved season of the show, one that featured a great portrayal of fan-favorite character Deathstroke. Though many would say it didn’t do that, it’s hard to deny that the finale delivered a nice capper on what had transpired in not only the third season, but the two that had come before it.
It’s important to note that though fans have expectations of what we’d like to see, the writers and showrunners have plans of their own. For example, Season 3 had the ending of the Roy Harper character. He didn’t die; he moved on. That is something that many fans wouldn’t have thought would happen, as Roy is a staple in the comics in numerous ways. However, the writers revealed they always had a two-season arc more or less for Roy, and it came to a close in Season 3. This can also be applied to the finale in regards to what happened with Oliver Queen.
After doing everything he could to stop Ra’s al Ghul, and eventually defeating him and his plot to destroy Starling City, Ollie pulled a very unexpected move. He retired from being The Arrow. It was not because he didn’t want to continue to save the city, or he was done being hurt and beat down, but because he knew that the city was still in safe hands with Laurel (Black Canary), Thea (Speedy/Red Arrow…no, just Speedy) and Diggle (who will apparently suit up next season!). He didn’t need to be something else to save his city because he inspired others to do that for him. So he chose a different path, one that simply had him being Oliver Queen and being with the one he loved, Felicity Smoak.
Now obviously, we know he’ll suit up again. If for no other reason than we saw him in the Legends of Tomorrow trailer in hero gear. And, the show is called “Arrow”…so…But what this means is that Ollie may be on the path to truly becoming a hero instead of just a vigilante. True, he tried to become that in Season 2, and in the end proved it by not killing Slade. Then in Season 3, he did his hero best to save the city, but to many he was still The Arrow: a man known for killing. If he truly becomes the hero he’s meant to be (that was teased in the Flash future paper), aka Green Arrow, we’ll see it as a natural progression of his character, instead of just fan wish fulfillment.
And of course that’s barely even touching the other characters and their journeys. Thea becoming a hero, Laurel being seen as one herself, Ray about to become the hero he’s destined to be (think small), and on and on. One of the main ones being Felicity, who had an emotional roller coaster of a season, some of which fans didn’t enjoy, that saw her with both Ollie and Ray. Ultimately, she realized which one of them she truly loved. This will clearly be a key point in Season 4, as she’s technically the head of Palmer Industries now, though she doesn’t know it. If (*cough* when, *cough*) Ollie suits up again, will she still try and be with him? Or will she refuse to be with a costumed hero once again? We’ll have to wait find out.
The Arrow finale may not have been the action packed ending we wanted, but it did deliver in showing the characters are going to be different the next time we see them.
The Flash- Cliffhangers and Questions
If Gotham had the most pressure in regards to proving it could an entertaining show, and Arrow had pressure in continuing the momentum from Season 2, The Flash had the most pressure in regards to delivering a fantastic finale after giving us a powerful first season.
Gotham and The Flash were risks to put on air for different reasons. For The Flash, it was about not only telling the story of one of the classic DC characters, but it was doing it in a world (or city at least) full of super-powered beings. A few bumps aside, it did just that. Season 1 was a rush from nearly start to finish, and the season finale had the perfect setup. Harrison Wells/Eobard Thawne was captured, Barry was moments away from getting the answers he so desperately needed, and a trip to the past was in store. Could it all end perfectly in a way that would be both satisfying and fun?
Well…no, but it did do a great job regardless. From the opening scene between Barry and Wells, to the heartfelt goodbye to Nora Allen and the shocking death of Eddie Thawne in an attempt to stop Eobard, it was all very compelling. Then…a wormhole opened up in the middle of the sky! This of course meant Barry had to go charging into it and us not being able to see if he could stop it in time. End of season.
Yes, a classic cliffhanger that many have said they didn’t see coming. Yet this cliffhanger also comes with many questions. Was the wormhole caused by Eddie killing himself? Or was it just a side effect of the collider? Some think it was one, while others think it was another, and we haven’t heard definitive proof from the writers as to which is true.
Also with Eddie’s death, given the rules of time travel and life in general, shouldn’t everyone have vanished from the spot the moment Eddie fully died? After all, if Eobard wasn’t born, and couldn’t have killed Nora Allen, should any of them still exist the way they do now? It’s this question that made me not give the Flash a perfect score for the finale. True, it can easily be resolved at the start of Season 2, but we have to wait until then to find out.
There you go, three different DC comic book-themed shows, all with three different tones, and all giving a unique spin to their season finales. Easily, everyone one of them could’ve had a simple cliffhanger ended, and in a small way they all did. In truth, they each set up their next seasons in a way that’s different than the others. That’s rare when it comes to similar genre shows. For me personally, I can’t wait for these shows to return, cause I liked them all, and I want to see them again very soon.