Arrowverse Watch Order [Where To Watch]

 

At the mention of DC comics, the first names that used to come to one’s mind were Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League, and so on. In recent times, however, Green Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and co. have crept into the spotlight.

 

And a big part of the credit is owed to the Arrowverse. What started in 2012 as a regular TV series about a superhero, Arrow has turned into a behemoth that spawned seven more TV series with a cumulative episode count of over 600 episodes.

 

There are also many crossover episodes where the characters of the eight shows got together or worked alongside each other. For the uninitiated, let me give you a broad view of the Arrowverse.

 

It started with Arrow in 2012, followed by a new series called The Flash in 2014. In 2015, Supergirl and Vixen joined the Arrowverse. They were followed by DC’s Legends of Tomorrow in 2016, Freedom Fighters: The Ray in 2017, Black Lighting in 2018, and finally, Batwoman in 2019.

 

While each of these shows had its own storyline and characters, they shared a common timeline and a common universe. This resulted in many crossover episodes where different superheroes or villains worked together or made guest appearances.

 

At this point, we might have to speak about a few other DC characters like Superman, Constantine, Lucifer, etc., who were not strictly a part of the Arrowverse but made prominent guest appearances.

 

This might all sound chaotic from the outside, so for the newcomers who want to join the party, Entoin gives you a brief introduction, a timeline to follow, and a broad bird’s-eye-view of the Arrowverse.

 

So, buckle up and prepare for a ride of the year.

 

 

 

Arrowverse Chronological Watch Order

 

Although each of the eight different series in the Arrowverse has a distinctive storyline and its own set of villains, they share the same Earth (as against the multiple other Earths where these superheroes had different stories, lives, enemies and endings).

 

Hence, it was a natural occurrence for the major events of Arrow to spill over into The Flash, Supergirl, or DC’s Legends of Tomorrow series and vice versa. Keeping this point in mind, here is a year-wise look at the different TV series and the seasons of these series.

 

 

In 2012, the first season of Arrow was aired after the ending of Smallville. The series came back for a second season in 2013 but laid the foundation for The Flash by introducing Barry Allen.

 

In 2014, Arrow was back for season 4, while the first season of The Flash was aired. In the same year, they also introduced Constantine, another DC character, but from another show, for a cameo.

 

The following year, in 2015, the Arrowverse was back with two new series, The Vixen and Supergirl, while Arrow and The Flash were renewed for a new season. The Vixen was an animated web series.

 

In 2016, Arrowverse saw the start of a new series, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, that was a spin-off for the side characters of Arrow and The Flash. The other four series were also renewed for a new season.

 

However, the following year, Vixen was dropped as an animated series, and the character was included in the cast of the existing live-action series. In 2017, all other series were renewed for a new season, apart from Vixen, and a new series called Freedom Fighters: The Ray was aired. 2018 saw a new series called Black Lightning, and 2019 introduced Batwoman.

 

The following year, in 2020, the biggest crossover was aired with Crisis of the Infinite Earths, which saw characters from Smallville, Lucifer, Constantine, The Flash, etc., battling together to save Earth.

 

It also marked the end of Arrow. Apart from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, no new season was aired for the other series either. In 2021, most of the shows in Arrowverse were back with new seasons.

 

Yet, that year was also the last time we saw Supergirl, Batwoman, Black Lightning, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. These shows have not come back with a new season since.

 

In 2023, The Flash was the first to air season 9. The notable point here is that, although these shows were not back, two new DC superheroes, Stargirl and Superman & Lois were introduced.

 

They did not follow the same universe as Arrowverse, so they do not appear in this timeline. Here is a brief introduction to each of these TV shows:

 

1. Arrow

 

Arrow is the first show in the series that revolves around the life and crime-fighting work of Oliver Queen from Starlight City (later renamed Star City). The show starts with the return of Oliver Queen as a billionaire playboy who was lost for five years after a mysterious shipwreck in the North China Sea.

 

While, by day, Oliver works as the CEO of Queen Consolidated, by night, he becomes a vigilante by the name of Arrow. He fights against criminals and all the malevolent forces that threaten Starcity.

 

He is helped in his endeavours by his team, made up of John Diggle, Felicity Smoak, Sara Lance, Roy Harper, Laurel Lance, Thea and more. Along the way, he also makes friends with fellow superheroes like The Flash, Supergirl, etc., to fight crime.

 

2. The Flash

 

Barry Allen was introduced as a character in the second season of Arrow, and based on the positive response from the audience, The Flash was created as a spin-off series.

 

The plot revolves around Barry Allen, a crime scene investigator from Central City. He is changed into a metahuman with super-speed after a particle accelerator explosion at STAR Labs. Barry uses his metahuman powers to fight crime like his friend Oliver Queen. In his fight against crime and other evil metahumans, he befriends other heroes like Supergirl, Arrow, Batwoman, the Legends team, etc.

 

He also makes a bunch of enemies whom he has to fight from time to time.

 

3. Supergirl

 

Supergirl is the story of Kara Zor-El, a Kryptonian like Superman. She comes to Earth from Krypton as a 13-year-old and slowly starts to discover her latent superpowers. Although she tries to suppress them in their early days, she is forced to use them in the face of adversity.

 

Finally, Kara decides to use her superpowers for the good of mankind and to protect her hometown National City from evildoers, both earthly and alien. Kara is the cousin of Superman and was sent to Earth to protect him, but her ship was stuck in Phantom Zone, delaying her trip by 24 years.

 

Since Superman is already safe and in control of his powers, Kara decides to follow suit and embrace her powers to protect too.

 

4. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow:

 

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is another spin-off from Arrow and The Flash. The story begins with Rip Hunter, a Time Master, coming to Earth in an attempt to stop the rise of Vandal Savage, an immortal dictator.

 

Rip is a time traveller who puts together a team of heroes and villains with superpowers to stop Savage and his interference with the normal timeline. He lost his wife and child to another of Savage’s evil plans, so Rip Hunter goes rogue and steals a time-travelling ship called WaveRider and comes to Earth.

 

He makes a team with Ray Palmer / the Atom, Sara Lance / White Canary, Martin Stein, Jefferson “Jax” Jackson / Firestorm, Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl, Carter Hall / Hawkman, Leonard Snart / Captain Cold, and Mick Rory / Heat Wave.

 

5. Black Lightning:

 

This show is about a vigilante hero named Black Lightning who is forced out of retirement due to the rise in the crimes committed by the crime gang The 100.

 

This gang is led by the evil Tobias Whale, who will use all forms of schemes to spread chaos and crime. Jefferson Pierce hung up his boots as Black Lightning to concentrate on life as the headmaster of Garfield High School in the city of Freeland.

 

He wanted to protect his daughters from his alter-ego, but when these same daughters are kidnapped by The 100, Black Lightning comes back into action. Pierce’s daughters Anissa and Jennifer also discover their latent talent for Thunder and Lightning respectively to join their father in fighting crime.

 

6. Batwoman

 

Batwoman is the last series to be launched in the Arrowverse. Kate Kane is the maternal cousin of Bruce Wayne. She discovers the identity of Wayne after his disappearance and decides to take over the mantle to protect Gotham City.

 

Her role is taken over by Ryan Wilder, a homeless vigilante after Miss Kane disappears too. In their crime-fighting efforts, Batwoman is assisted by Luke Fox, the son of Lucius Fox, and Mary Hamilton, Kane’s step-sister.

 

She also has the unwitting help of the Crows, a private army that is controlled by Kane’s father.

 

 

 

Where To Watch Arrowverse

 

I bet you are all wondering how you can watch all these shows. We are here to help you catch up on all these shows. While most of the series in the Arrowverse is available on many of the top streaming apps, you might have difficulties watching them for free.

 

All those with a Netflix account can watch Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Black Lightning with their account. Batwoman is available for streaming on HBO Max.

 

However, if you are ready to buy/download/rent the shows, you can also watch them on Apple TV, Amazon Video, and Vudu.

 

 

 

Arrowverse Crossover Episodes List

 

If you speak to any of the fans of Arrowverse and ask them what they love about it, one of the things they would list is the wonderful crossover episodes.

 

The fact that each of these crossover episodes fits into the plot lines and the overarching story of the Arrow universe makes them more enjoyable. So here is the list of the best crossover episodes:

 

1. Flash vs. Arrow

This 2014 episode was the first crossover episode. It was the third episode of Arrow season 3, and the eighth episode of The Flash season 1. It was the first time Oliver Green and Barry Allen worked together for the first time to stop crime.

 

2. Heroes Join Forces

This is a two-part crossover from Arrow season 4 and The Flash season 2. The episode was aired in 2015 and it brought together Oliver and Barry to fight Randall Savage.

 

It also gave us Hawkgirl and Hawkman who were powerful enough to stop Savage.

 

3. World’s Finest

In this episode we see The Flash get accidentally shifted into the universe of Supergirl and Superman. It was aired in 2016 in Supergirl season 1 as episode 18. The tachyon accelerator thrusts Barry into a new world where he helps Supergirl fight off her villains.

 

4. Invasion!

This episode from 2016 was featured in Arrow season 5, The Flash season 3, and  Legends of Tomorrow season 2. It brought together Arrow, Flash, Supergirl, and the Legends team to fight aliens who have the power to manipulate minds.

 

5. Duet

This was a musical episode with The Flash and Supergirl from 2017. They team up to vanquish Music Meister.

 

6. Crisis on Earth-X

Crisis on Earth-X was a huge four-part crossover episode from 2018. It had all the major heroes from Arrow season 6, The Flash season 4, Supergirl season 3, and Legends of Tomorrow season 3 working together against a group of doppelgangers from Earth-X.

 

7. Elseworlds

This was another major crossover event that was included in Arrow Season 7, The Flash Season 5, and Supergirl Season 4. The best part was that it also involved Superman, Lois, and Dr.

 

Deegan from Superman & Lois. The three-part event had a new powerful being, Monitor, that could create a new parallel timeline thereby threatening all existence.

 

8. Crisis on Infinite Earths

Crisis on Infinite Earths was the biggest crossover event that took place over five episodes and brought together all the Arrowverse series that were being aired. It occurred in Arrow season 8, The Flash season 6, Supergirl season 5, The Legends of Tomorrow season 5, and Batwoman season 1.

 

9. Armageddon

Armageddon occurs in The Flash season 8 as a five-parter. This event again brings all of Barry Allen’s allies to fight against Reverse Flash and Desper. They have come back to the current timeline and Flash needs all the help he can get.

 

10. The Mask of the Red Death, Part 2

This crossover episode is from the current season of The Flash in 2013. Batwoman characters, Kara, Alex and Nia visit Central City to help Barry fight a sociopathic villain.

 

11. Wildest Dreams

This is another crossover in The Flash season 9. Nia is back in Central City to ask Iris for help.

 

12. It’s My Party and I’ll Die If I Want To

This is the latest crossover episode in The Flash Season 9 that is currently on air.

 

 

 

FAQs About Arrowverse

 

1. What is the Order of The Arrowverse?

Since the series under the Arrowverse share many crossover episodes, it is always advisable to watch the series in the correct order. Here is the complete watch order of all the episodes in the series

 

Serial Number	Watch Order
1	Arrow Season 1 – Ep 1 – 23
2	​​Arrow Season 2 – Ep 1 – 23​​
3	Arrow Season 3 – Ep 1 – 7
4	The Flash Season 1 – Ep 1 – 8
5	Arrow Season 3 – Ep 8 – 23
6	The Flash Season 1 – Ep 9 – 23
7	Vixen Season 1 – Ep 1 – 6
8	Arrow Season 4 – Ep 1 – 7
9	The Flash Season 2 – Ep 1 – 8
10	Arrow Season 4 – Ep 8 – 23
11	Legends of Tomorrow Season 1 – Ep 1 – 16
12	Vixen Season 2 – Ep 1 – 6
13	The Flash Season 2 – Ep 9 – 17
14	Supergirl Season 1 – Ep 1 – 18
15	The Flash Season 2 – Ep 18 – 23
16	Supergirl Season 1 – Ep 19 – 20
17	​The Flash Season 3 – Ep 1 – 7
18	Arrow Season 5 – Ep 1 – 7
19	Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 – Ep 1 – 6
20	Supergirl Season 2 – Ep 1 – 8
21	The Flash Season 3 – Ep 8
22	Arrow Season 5 – Ep 8
23	Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 – Ep 7 – 17
24	The Flash Season 3 – Ep 9 – 16
25	Supergirl Season 2 – Ep 9 – 16
26	The Flash Season 3 – Ep 17 – 23
27	Supergirl Season 2 – Ep 17 – 22
28	Arrow Season 5 – Ep 9 – 23
29	​Arrow Season 6 – Ep 1 – 7
30	​The Flash Season 4 – Ep 1 – 7
31	Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 – Ep 1 – 7
32	Supergirl Season 3 – Ep 1 – 8
33	Arrow Season 6 – Ep 8
34	Freedom Fighters: The Ray Season 1 Episode 1- 6
35	The Flash Season 4 – Ep 8
36	Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 – Ep 8 – 18
37	Supergirl Season 3 – Ep 9 – 23
38	Freedom Fighters: The Ray Season 2 – Ep 1 – 6
39	The Flash Season 4 – Ep 9 – 23
40	Arrow Season 6 – Ep 9 – 23
41	Black Lightning Season 1 – Ep 1 – 13
42	Black Lightning Season 2 – Ep 1 – 16
43	Arrow Season 7 – Ep 1 – 8​
44	Supergirl Season 4 – Ep 1 – 8
45	The Flash Season 5 – Ep 1 – 9
46	Arrow Season 7 – Ep 9
47	Supergirl Season 4 – Ep 9 – 22
48	Legends of Tomorrow Season 4 – Ep 1 – 16
49	The Flash Season 5 – Ep 10 – 22
50	Arrow Season 7 – Ep 10 – 22
51	​​Batwoman Season 1 – Ep 1 – 8
52	Supergirl Season 5 – Ep 1 – 8
53	Black Lightning Season 3 – Ep 1 – 9
54	The Flash Season 6 – Ep 1 – 8
55	Arrow Season 8 – Ep 1 – 7
56	Supergirl Season 5 – Ep 9
57	Batwoman Season 1 – Ep 9
58	The Flash Season 6 – Ep 9
59	Arrow Season 8 – Ep 8
60	Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 – Ep 1
61	Arrow Season 8 – Ep 9 – 10
62	The Flash Season 6 – Ep 10 – 19
63	​Batwoman Season 1 – Ep 10 – 20
64	Supergirl Season 5 – Ep 10 – 17
65	Black Lightning Season 3 – Ep 10 – 16
66	Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 – Ep 2 – 16
67	​The Flash Season 7 – Ep 1 – 3
68	Batwoman Season 2 – Ep 1 – 18
69	The Flash Season 7 – Ep 4 – 18
70	Legends of Tomorrow Season 6 – Ep 1 – 15
71	Black Lightning Season 4 – Ep 1 – 13
72	Supergirl Season 6 – Ep 1 – 20
73	The Flash Season 8 – Ep 1 – 5
74	Legends of Tomorrow Season 7 – Ep 1 – 13
75	Batwoman Season 3 – Ep 1 – 13
76	The Flash Season 8 – Ep 6 – 20
77	The Flash Season 9 – Ep 1 – 13

 

2. How many shows are in the Arrowverse?

Strictly speaking, Arrowverse comprises six TV series: Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Batwoman. The other two series, Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray, were animated web series.

 

Although we saw crossovers from Constantine, Lucifer, Superman & Lois, etc., they are not a part of the Arrowverse.

 

3. Do I have to watch Arrowverse in order?

It is recommended to watch the series and its episodes in the sequence indicated above. This will help you in stitching the timelines of all series and seeing the bigger picture of Earth-Prime.

 

4. Why is it called Arrowverse?

The series Arrow was the first from the universe that was shared by other series and set in motion the sequence of events. Since it was the first show, the universe is named after Arrow.

 

5. Is Superman and Lois in Arrowverse?

Superman & Lois does not take place on Earth-Prime, while all the shows of Arrowverse take place on Earth-Prime. This was revealed in the season 2 finale of Superman & Lois, thereby confirming that it was separate from the Arrowverse despite being on the same network.