The Arrowverse has a new hero, and she is here to play by her own rules! Gotham has become a significantly different place since the disappearance of the Dark Knight, and Kate Kane is here to take up the mantle. So don your cowl, grab your grapple gun, and join us as we give you five thoughts on Batwoman season one episode one, Pilot.
1. New Gotham, Old Problems
To many fans of the Caped Crusader, Gotham is a familiar setting. It is in many ways the ultimate example (and critique) of the American city. Gotham has the classical look of a place that was built by robber barons, while also showcasing the problems of what happens when a city continues to move on when it doesn’t have the same level of wealth and prestige it had when it was first built.
In the case of this Gotham, social stratification seems to have hit a particular high. Since the disappearance of Batman, the city has basically been entrusted to The Crows, a private security firm (though many refer to it as a military) to protect those the Dark Knight left behind. Events for the wealthy are kept behind fences, with crows patrolling every rooftop and entrance, metal detectors at every entrance. It sometimes looks more like a police state than a city and this is for the city elite. We also see that Gotham still has a large homeless population and that there is at least one secret black market hospital to help those who can’t afford any better. It is clear that despite the best efforts of Jacob Kane and the government to make Gotham feel normal in the absence of Batman, their New Gotham still has the problem of the past, just with a new coat of paint.
2. Kate Kane doesn’t play by the rules
The pilot of Batwoman begins with narration as we see Kate Kane attempting to recover a key from the bottom of a frozen lake. We are told “Stories, like the people who tell them, aren’t always what they seem,” and the pilot of Batwoman really takes this to heart. Characters are quick to point out that Kate is good at finding her own way, showing her resourcefulness and ability to adapt to new situations. But the pilot also goes out of its way to remind us that Kate has a bad streak.
Throughout the episode, there are a number of actions that show Kate has a wild side. She vandalizes school property, breaks into Wayne tower, and is quick to spring into action without team members or backup. Kate, it should also be said, is kind of a badass. She rides a motorcycle, has tattoos, and wears a cool ensemble of Ramones tee and a leather jacket.
Though, the episode also utilizes flashbacks to show how her past impacted the woman she is today. Kate doesn’t believe in heroes because she watched as Batman failed to save her sister and mother. Kate is kicked out of a military academy after she is caught making out with her (female) classmate, and refusing to deny her identity to conform with school rules. In possibly the most heartbreaking scene of the night, Kate confronts Sophie after being kicked out of school. Sophie has decided to sign the school’s conduct report, denying who she is and her relationship with Kate. Kate is an heiress and will land on her feet. For Sophie, this might be her only opportunity. Following these events, Kate also trained for years around the world to prove herself. But in many ways, these life events make it clear why Kate has ended up a lone wolf, and Ruby Rose does a great job of selling it.
3. A villain worthy of the streets of Gotham
Batman, and by extension his Batfam, has one of the best rogues galleries in comics. They are vibrant, memorable, and always provide a good foil for the Caped Crusader. Batwoman’s pilot features a villain that would not feel out of place in her cousin’s lineup of villains.
The villain in question is Alice, a woman who dresses in pseudo-Victorian garb, speaks in verses from Lewis Carrol’s children’s books, and features a gang who dress up in clothes that evoke wonderland, including rabbit masks. While I’m not usually fond of “look at how messed up Alice in Wonderland” take is (at this point, it’s kind of old hat,) on Batwoman it works. This is largely due to the performance of Rachel Skarsten, who is just a lot of fun to watch. She says the lines of Carrol’s work with just the right amount of sinister, while also having a manic level of fun. One of the highlights of the episode is the exchange between Alice and Kate when Kate is trying to figure out her motivation. She is idly playing with a switchblade which adds some kineticism to the scene, while not being distracting. I personally look forward to seeing more from her.
Continued below4. Family (both found and chosen) shape who we are
One of the running themes throughout the episode is a question about family and living up to your family’s expectations. One of the parts that loom largest in the episode is the relationship with her father. She had trained fifteen years, only to be denied to join the crows by their father. When Kate is kidnapped by Alice while tracking down her ex-girlfriend (and father’s current top agent) Sophie, Alice informs Kate that the reason she kidnapped Sophie is that Sohpie will send a real message to her father, Sophie is the daughter he always wanted.
There is also the relationship to her cousin Bruce, the only person who comforted her after her mom and sister died. She loves Bruce, only to find out that he was also Batman, the man who failed to save her family. Honestly, forgiveness happens kind of fast? She seems to forgive him when she finds out he miscalculated the weight of the car. Honestly, it would have been interesting to see how the tension grew about preserving the legacy of the man that made her young life difficult.
But like most Bat stories, I’m excited about the found family. At the moment there are two clear early members. Luke Fox is a young Wayne Enterprise security guard who also knows about Bruce’s secret (their password is Alfred for the record,) and Mary, Kate’s half-sister, who’s a chatterbox but also runs a free clinic in Gotham’s poor neighborhoods. The Arrowverse has always done well with ensemble casts, and it seems like they are shaping up to be a good one.
5. A healthy dose of mystery to keep us guessing and going forward
Batwoman presents us with three major mysteries, which are enticing enough to keep me interested. The first is what happened to Bruce Wayne/ Batman? His absence has clearly left a mark on the city and while there are those who have hope that he will return, others are just as quick to dismiss his legacy. When Kate goes out in the suit, the response is overwhelming, the Bat is back, which not only shows his importance but makes you wonder what happened to make him leave?
The second is how did Batman fail? Were there aspects of the car crash we weren’t made aware of? The crash was clearly an important moment for Kate, but we know that Batman tried to help, and it seems like there might be information we aren’t given.
Finally, the episode ends with a classic Arrowverse bombshell. Batman was unable to find Kate’s sister’s body. It’s revealed that it’s because Beth didn’t die, she became Alice and is trying to take revenge on her father. This reveal is really the thing driving to me to return and see how it all plays out.
So there we have it. I look forward to you joining me in Gotham this season! I’m excited to learn more about these characters and see what Kate has to offer. What did you think? Who do you hope to see make a cameo or two? Sound off below!
