Having a major villain across four shows, and a massive crossover shouldn't keep each show from developing villains of its own. This is a difficult row to sow because you don't want to damage the credibility or "boss-ness" of the show's main adversaries and you also don't want fans left with the impression that the villain they've been investing in over a season was left without a date for a Saturday night, so to speak. Which episodes are part of the crossover and which are part of the inter-season storyline? Which villains are involved in which plot? Even if they aren't involved in the crossover, their whereabouts or inactivity should be accounted for in-story. In this case, the use of Deathstroke or Suicide Squad could be advisable as they are pre-established in Arrow's world, and mercenaries will be mercenaries, why not involve them in the crossover? In the case of Flash's Rogues, they tend to associate with each other but not with others; they've got their own association. Better yet, don't leave the answers so cut and dry - develop the individual shows while cultivating the crossover and leave the audience guessing about who is involved in the larger plot.
Brandon grew from the awkwardness of his youth into the awkwardness of his adulthood. He is the author of the Eat Your Serial Press title "Ten Years Gone: Pomp and Circumstance" and is a contributor on Maglomaniac, Polite on Society, and What Culture.
