YMMV / Invasion! (2016)

• Base-Breaking Character:
  • Cisco, in continuation from the last episode. Some don't agree with his jerkass behavior and how he ends up making the team question Barry as a leader because of his insistence that he tell them about the secret message^note Especially considering other characters also knew and didn't tell, and it's not Barry's secret or team, and believe he should just forgive Barry already. Others feel it is realistic for him to still be angry at Barry over Dante. Then a third camp understands Cisco being angry, but feel that doesn't justify the way he is acting.
  • Iris and Joe's My Beloved Smother treatment of Wally and trying to keep him out of loop also didn't go over with some viewers. Some empathize with their concerns while others were quick to point out the Double Standard in their treatment of Wally.
• Broken Base:
  • Bringing the consequences of "Flashpoint" into the mix. Some fans are happy that Barry's dirty laundry has been aired to all his friends and allies (especially John learning he had a daughter); others are annoyed at how Barry's mistakes are being brought up all the time now, that the Legends are in no position to criticize him and feel like it's a distraction from moving forward.
  • Related to Flashpoint, there is some debate over Diggle's reaction over Baby Sara. Some feel he shouldn't have gotten that upset because of him still having a child just of a different gender and he never would have known of her existence if Barry didn't tell him. While most feel it was a realistic and understandable reaction for a father to find out he had a child that ceased to exist and technically died.
• Catharsis Factor:
  • Cisco telling Felicity that no matter how bad Barry feels for Dante's death, it's not going to change things, and that Barry shouldn't be held up on a pedestal since he can make mistakes like everyone else. Every character blowing up in Barry's face also counts.
  • On the other hand, Oliver telling Barry that not every little thing that happened because of Flashpoint is his fault by mentioning Season 2's events and how his own father died in a similar vein to his origin also helps those who feel Cisco is beating Barry up too much. Especially since he points out that everyone else changes the future all the time, and nobody even knows whether these particular changes were actually Barry's doing.
  • After running into so many villains that are as powerful as her if not more so, it's nice to see Supergirl kicking the rest of the team's ass and reminding the audience how absurdly powerful Kryptonians are.
  • Cisco finally forgiving Barry in the last part and calls him his friend again. What prompts him to do this? Doing the exact same thing he was mad at Barry for doing: altering time.
• Continuity Lockout: If you don't watch all three shows you likely will have no clue what's going on.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: Laura Washington aka Cyberwoman quickly became popular due to her being portrayed by Erica Lutrell from Steven Universe.
• Harsher in Hindsight: While Sara's chewing out Barry for saving his mother was already divisive enough at the time, during a later crossover when Oliver dies, she has absolutely no problem with dropping everything to find a Lazarus Pit (despite having never put in any effort to resurrect Laurel).
• Les Yay: Sara's comment on Supergirl effortlessly overpowering everyone else in a training session is "It's kinda hot."
• Narm:
  • Thea refusing to leave the Lotus-Eater Machine for about ten seconds before changing her mind. It appears to only exist because they needed some kind of dramatic act break.
  • Wild Dog blaming Supergirl's appearance for the Dominators' appearance, despite the fact that she was brought to their Earth to stop the Dominators after the heroes ended up finding out about their existence.
  • Related to both of the above, Wild Dog's grudge against superpowers lasts for pretty much no time and is resolved ridiculously easily. This is compounded by the fact that he didn't seem to have any problem working with Ragman.
  • The scene where all of Oliver's dead loved ones appear to encourage him to leave and be strong – while touching and emotional – seems rather out of place given that he was already leaving, and the world is supposed to be engineered to prevent him from leaving.
• Portmanteau Couple Name: Skirtwave, as Kara and Rory shippers were born after Heat Wave's "Hey Skirt, call me" line near the end of the episode.
• Special Effects Failure: Tommy and Roy's "ghosts" that appear before Oliver leaves through the portal are obviously C.G.I used from old footage as their actors were unavailable.
• Surprisingly Improved Sequel: Compared to Arrow's side of the Crossover from the previous year, this is more character driven and has been praised as "drama done right".
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: A couple of examples:
  • Iris' job is to report on things going on in Central City, and yet during the scene where all of the reporters are gathered in a press conference held by the new President, she is nowhere to be found. Fans are particularly irate because this is the third crossover in a row where Iris hasn't been involved outside of the Flash episode, and because yet another chance to address her journalism was neglected.
  • Moreover, lots of fans are confused as to why characters from the other shows seem to be more involved than the Legends are, with the episode ending on Barry and Oliver; the Legends are mostly used as supporting characters for them.
  • The members of Team Flash and Arrow who don't appear in this episode and helped out in the last two, not being at the victory party at the end. Specifically Iris and Joe not being there when Barry attempted to sacrifice himself to the Dominators.
  • Slade is the only returning Big Bad who has no lines whatsoever and whose face is kept hidden, for the obvious reason that his actor Manu Bennett didn't reprise the role.
  • Cyberwoman could've made more of a threat if she hadn't debuted in a crossover involving aliens and where she's curb stomped by Flash and Supergirl in a matter of minutes. Given that she's also an Expy of Cyborg's Evil Distaff Counterpart Cyborgirl, some feel he should've been introduced before including her in any capacity.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot:
  • Barry and Cisco only recruiting Kara to help them in the crossover event, as it would have been interesting to have J'onn go with them as well as his powers could benefit in the battle and just to see how characters like Diggle would react to not just Kara but him. It generally would also be cool for Alex, Winn, and James to meet Team Arrow and Team Flash.
    • Also Superman not being part of the crossover, as he is in Metropolis.
    • And Alex could have gotten to talk with Sara about her newly discovered sexuality.
    • Though overall their absence in the crossover event is justified by the fact that the DEO stills needs people to run it in Kara's temporary absence along with needing J'onn and his abilities. Then in regards to Alex she has just entered a relationship with Maggie at the end of this episode and generally Alex, J'onn, and the others have no obligation to risk their lives for another Earth while Kara is mostly going because of a favor she owns to Barry. Then given the urgency of the crossover invasion plot, there wouldn't be enough time for everyone to get to know each other.
  • Those who were hoping that Barry would meet J'onn or that Wally (who has a Big Damn Heroes moment) would join the team as Kid Flash are going to be disappointed.
  • Nate and Amaya not appearing in the first part of the crossover. While it makes sense for someone to look after the Waverider, it would have been awesome for them to team up with Oliver and Barry when the other heroes were under Mind Control. Especially since we didn't get the opportunity to see Amaya go against Kara as naturally because of Amaya's powers being magical she could have put up a decent fight against her since kryptonians are vulnerable to magic.
  • Kara contacting Clark and having Superman himself help the others would also have been awesome. Or that "Vigilante" her cousin teamed up with.
  • Jay Garrick / The Flash has been watching over Barry, so seeing him team up with Barry and all the other heroes to fight off this invasion would've been cool.
• Win Back the Crowd: The Arrow episode proved largely popular, due to the returning characters (especially Laurel), its connections to the other series as part of the 2016 crossover, and its retrospective nature.

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