Warning: SPOILERS ahead for “Crisis On Infinite Earths - Part 2”.

In Crisis On Infinite Earths, Brandon Routh’s debut as Kingdom Come Superman proved the theory that Superman movies from 1979-2006 are now Arrowverse canon. Crisis Part 2 took place on Batwoman after Part 1 destroyed several Earths, including Supergirl’s homeworld of Earth-38, and saw the death of Green Arrow (Stephen Amell). In Crisis Part 2, The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) sent the superheroes to recruit heroic Paragons to join the fight against the Anti-Monitor; Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch), and Iris West (Candice Patton) had to find a different Kryptonian who suffered a devastating loss, which led them to Earth-96, the home of the Man of Steel from Superman Returns, who now wears the Kingdom Come Superman suit.

Along with Smallville’s Clark Kent (Tom Welling) joining the crossover, getting to see Brandon Routh don his red cape again was one of Crisis on Infinite Earths’ biggest draws for Superman fans. A decade before Routh joined the Arrowverse and became a cornerstone of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow as the cheerful Ray Palmer/The Atom, director Bryan Singer cast him as the Man of Steel in Superman Returns. Sadly, Routh only got to portray Superman for that one film; however, one of the unique aspects of Superman Returns is that Singer positioned it as a sequel to Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie and Superman II. Singer’s film is set ‘five years later’ and Routh played the same Superman that Christopher Reeve made into an icon. When Routh accepted the Superman role for Crisis, fans wondered if it meant his and Reeve’s movies would be retconned into the Arrowverse’s canon - and the issue was further confused by the announcement that Routh would be playing Kingdom Come Superman and wear that iconic suit with the black S shield.

Crisis On Infinite Earths Part 2 settled all doubts and somehow managed to make Brandon Routh’s Superman the best of all worlds. As the Arrowverse’s Superman, Lois, and Iris discovered, Kingdom Come Superman is every bit the noble hero Routh portrayed in Superman Returns - and it’s the same character because when Lois introduced Routh’s Clark to her baby son Jonathan, he said, “He looks just like my son Jason”. This is referring to Jason White (Tristan Lake Leabu), who was Superman’s child with his Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). This means Superman Returns happened and Routh’s Kingdom Come Superman is indeed the same legacy Man of Steel that was originated by Christopher Reeve - which officially makes all of those films Arrowverse canon.

Amazingly, Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 2 also made Superman III canon. After Lex Luthor (Jon Cryer) stole the Book of Destiny and gallivanted around the Multiverse killing Supermen, he arrived on Earth-96, mind-controlled Routh’s Man of Steel, and ordered him to kill Hoechlin’s Kryptonian, who is his arch-enemy on Earth-38. Routh and Hoechlin’s Supermen battled in the skies of Earth-96 Metropolis but Lois and Iris were able to KO Luthor, seize the Book of Destiny, and restore Routh to normal. Afterward, Kingdom Come Superman quipped, “Actually, this is the second time I’ve gone nuts and fought myself.”

This sly joke refers to the infamous junkyard fight between Clark Kent and an evil version of Superman that was corrupted by artificial Kryptonite given to him by Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor). And, since Superman III is now canon, it may even be possible that Routh’s Kent could have recognized Cryer’s Lex as the spitting image of Lenny Luthor, the nephew of his version of Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, although Crisis Part 2 didn’t acknowledge their resemblance.

As for why Routh’s Superman wears the Kingdom Come suit, the explanation cleverly weaves in the popular DC Comics Injustice story. On Earth-96, Routh’s older and more experienced Clark Kent is now Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet but the black S on Kingdom Come Superman’s chest symbolizes his eternal mourning because, in his world, his loved ones like Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White are all dead. As Kent told the tale, “a reject from Gotham” (implied to be the Joker) took umbrage to the Planet’s “lack of coverage” about him and gassed the whole building, killing everyone inside. This origin harkens to Injustice, which led Superman to become a ruthless dictator, but thankfully, Routh’s Superman never went that far and remained the Paragon of Truth who will play a crucial role in the Arrowverse’s Crisis On Infinite Earths.

Next: Who Died In Crisis On Infinite Earths Part 2

Crisis On Infinite Earths Part 3 continues on The Flash Tuesday, December 10 @ 8pm on The CW.