But maybe giving Stein a heroic death is a better move than quietly shuffling him to the side? It's important for a conflict like this to have real, tangible stakes, and sometimes that means killing a beloved long-term character. There's no denying those final Jax/Stein scenes connected on a real visceral level. The full weight and significance of their relationship came through, and it's clear this is something that'll be weighing on Jax for some time to come. I do wish some of the other Legends (or Caitlin) had been given the opportunity to say farewell, but there was ample time for tributes after his death and during the funeral sequence. It all served as a nice reminder of how much Stein has been a bridge between these various shows.Another big takeaway from this episode is how much fun it is to have Wentworth Miller back in his new role as Citizen Cold. "Part 4" didn't do as much with Ray as I would have liked (clearly, they're saving a lot for his upcoming animated series), but Snart was a real hoot in this episode. His reunion with Mick was especially memorable, with Mick drunkenly assuming "the ghost" was back. Snart's interaction with the bewildered Barry also proved very entertaining. In both cases, these characters simply don't know how to deal with a Leonard Snart who's this optimistic and goody-goody. And who can blame them. It's also great to see that Snart will be sticking around for at least a little while before Miller hangs up the coat and gun for good.
These and various other little character moments (the Atom saving Supergirl, Zari donning her costume for the first time, etc.) really made this episode sing. Unfortunately, the final showdown with the villains of Earth-X didn't quite have the epic feel I was hoping for. This crossover fell victim to the exact problem I had been fearing all along in that Dark Arrow, Overgirl and Reverse-Flash simply weren't enough of a threat when pitted against the entirety of Team Flash, Team Arrow, Supergirl and the Legends. The scope and tension of the Earth-X battle in "Part 3" wasn't really there for the big battle in Central City. I kept hoping for some last-minute game-changer or wrinkle to the battle (the debut of Overman, perhaps), but nothing came along to shake things up.
Granted, there were some strong, rousing moments of superhero action along the way. We got to see Killer Frost steal a page from the X-Men comics and ride an ice slide. We were also treated to another memorable rematch between Flash and Reverse-Flash, with plenty of cool slow-mo combat. But again, the outcome of the battle felt like a foregone conclusion from the start. There wasn't much urgency to the fight for central City.
I'm also not thrilled with the way Barry resolved his encounter with Thawne. I certainly didn't expect Barry would kill his old nemesis, but it seems surprising to think that he would let Thawne run free and give him a pass after his involvement in this whole debacle. Why didn't he at least try to subdue Thawne? Isn't there some sort of middle ground between killing an enemy (as Ollie was only to happy to do with the Dark Archer) and letting them run away scot free? Once again, an Arrowverse hero makes a questionable tactical decision, not because it's a logical plot development, but in order to set up a future conflict.Fortunately, "Part 4" mostly recovered its momentum in the final stretch as the focus shifted from fighting Nazis to tying up loose ends and restoring a more hopeful, optimistic tone in the aftermath of Stein's funeral. There was a lot to like in those final moments, from the friendly parting between Alex and Sara to that delightful hug between Snart and the bewildered Barry. So much of the appeal with these crossovers boils down to the hilarious interaction between characters who aren't normally in the same room together. It's basically like watching a blissful, spandex-filled family reunion.
"Part 4" ended things the only way it could have, giving Barry and Iris a second chance to finally say their vows and become a happily married couple. I wish the writers had let Kara stick around for that moment, but it was handled wonderfully nonetheless. The fact that Felicity and Ollie decided to join in on the fun made it even better. And that scene made great use of Diggle, who seemed doomed to sit out this particular crossover. With two weddings, a funeral and a number of profoundly changed heroes emerging from this crossover, never let it be said that "Crisis on Earth-X" didn't have a tangible impact on the wider Arrowverse. In that sense, at least, it's more successful than last year's "Invasion!".
