Episode 2: “The Rabbit Hole”
Original Air Date 10.13.19
Cast: Ruby Rose, Megan Tandy, Camrus Johnson, Nicole Kang, Rachel Skarsten, Dougray Scott, Elizabeth Anweis, Gracyn Shinyei, Ava Sleeth, Brendon Zub, Rachel Maddow
Warning: This is a complete recap of the episode and will be lengthy. If you just want the review, skip to the last paragraph. Again, this post is NOT spoiler free. Look away if you haven’t watched it.
Recap: The show opens with another flashback to the car accident that started it all. Kane’s (Rose) voice over asks what is the difference between being hopeful and crazy? She goes on to say that as long as there wasn’t a body for her sister Beth, Kate had remained hopeful that her sister was still alive. Kane explains that 15 years ago, the entire city had gone out looking for the body that first night, but, eventually, the search party’s dwindled until it was just a young Kate (Shinyei) and the Commander (Scott). Kane says she’s still looking for her sister, but her father is looking for someone else entirely.
We flash forward to the present day where the Commander is briefing the Crows on the number one priority, Alice (Skarsten) and former Agent Chuck Dodgson (Zub). The Commander gives the order to stop the two criminals, and presumably the entire Wonderland Gang, dead or alive. The Crows manage to track the gang down to a warehouse in the city where two of the Gang have enough time to tag and ignite the Crows security van before taking off into a back alley. Batwoman appears from nowhere checking herself into one of the gang members as they are knocked into the alley wall. She throws a batarang at the other gang member before the now recovered gangster fires a gun point blank at Batwoman’s suit. Batwoman recoils back from the impact of the 3-4 rounds at close range, however, is chuffed to see that the suit is bullet proof. The Gangster, not as thrilled as our caped crusader, starts off down the alleyway but is stopped moments later by Batwoman descending from her shortcut over the rooftops.
After a quick scuffle Batwoman disappears as the Crows illuminate the scene with high beams from, presumably, anther Crows security van as they arrive n the scene. As Batwoman ascends back to the rooftops of Gotham, the Crows witness her departure before gunning down the Wonderland gang member. Kane’s voice-over acknowledge that the Commander would be unlikely to accept her theory that Alice was Beth, however, she had to try before the Commander, and the Crows, took out her sister for good.
Batwoman heads back to Wayne Enterprises utilizing the employee entrance in the underground garage. She accesses a moving panel via garage door opener on the utility belt before moving into an elevator and the bat cave beyond on her motorcycle. Fox (Johnson) grills Kane about her whereabouts for the last 3 hours warning about the dangers of being seen in the Bat suit. Kane stares at an old photo, ignoring Fox’s warnings, and states that she needs to find “her”. If Alice is her sister, Beth (Sleeth) then she needs to know.
Vesper Fairchild (Maddow) comes through over the radio and speakers of Gotham’s citizens as she invites people to weigh in on whether they think the Bat is back. It has been 4 days since the sighting in the park and citizens are mixed about whether this means that Batman, who has been missing for the last 3 years, was truly back in the black. Kane’s voice over says that she was to busy to notice the hope rising in Gotham for Batman’s return as we pan over to the Kane family penthouse. Mary (Kang), the Commander, Catherine (Anweis) and Kane are all sitting down to morning meal. After Catherine finishes a business phone call and Mary shows off her apparent social media addiction, the Commander and Kane soon crosshairs over his team’s search efforts for Alice and the gang.
Though we had already strongly suspected as such, the Commander confirms that Kane turned down the offer to join the Crows team, Kane stating the Crows weren’t a good fit for her now. Mary, perhaps unknowingly pouring vinegar in the wound, brings up Sophie’s marital status and questioning sexual identity. After a failed attempt at dropping the conversation, Kane unloads the big guns and drops her theory on the table, that Alice is Beth Kane. Ripples across the table as disbelief and a few more details are brought forth about skull fragments being found with Beth’s DNA years ago. Kane drops that she has one of Alice’s knives that has their birthstone, a Garnet (making their birthday in January), within it. Kane says they can test the knife for DNA to see if it is a match. Additionally, she rationalizes that Alice has a vendetta against the Commander and seems to know everything about Kane herself.
The Commander tries to shut down the theory saying Beth is dead with Catherine supporting him rehashing all the horrible things Alice had done thus far. If Alice were Beth, how could she had done all those horrible things? Despite her father and step-mother’s rebuttal, Kane only strengthens their resolve to prove her theory to them. In the meantime, Alice herself is hosting a tea party for two bound and gagged hostages at an undisclosed location. She monologues about having to run from location to location as they are still weak and poor while the bullies of Gotham are paid by the wealthier bullies of Gotham to sweep the undesirables into the shadows to be forgotten. She reinforces her vendetta against the Commander rallying the Wonderland Gang that it is time to make him squirm.
Dodgson joins the tea party revealing that he was unable to find Alice’s knife, the one now in Kane’s possession, questions Alice’s motivations for staying on target with their plan now that her sister is in the picture. Alice says that her father gave up on her and now she will make him suffer the way that she did. A nice tie in with Alice wondering where her knife I as we flash over to Kane in the Batcave contemplating the bagged evidence. Another flashback reveals a touching scene between a young Kate and the Commander promising never to stop looking for Beth.
Fox walks in bringing us back into the present as he explains to Kane about his inability to run a DNA analysis for her. He also brings up the fact that Gotham city now thinks that Batman has returned, and Kane is the one providing them with that hope. Kane defends their use of utilizing the suit in order to catch Alice to which Fox goes on to illustrate, by pointing out Kane’s and his lack of knowledge and understanding of the gadgetry in the cave, that the suit and all the subsequent Bat tools were made FOR Batman. With Fox unable to provide assistance on the DNA analysis or any of the Bat tools, Kane makes their way to Crow’s headquarters.
Agent Moore (Tandy) is reading about the sighting of Batwoman as Kane approaches. Moore, recalling her face to cowl interaction with Batwoman, asks Kane directly if she is Batwoman. Kane tries to deflect by saying that anyone who knows her knows she hates Batman but Moore uses this to illustrate a point. Commander Kane hates Batman too which would make putting on the suit and pretending to be Batman a reckless move which could end up with the imposter dead. Kane denies it and says that if she were going to save Moore, she would have dressed as Wonder Woman. (DC Legends had brought in Themyscira in a previous episode so… now hope for a Wonder Woman cameo perhaps?) The Commander, however, is observing the two from his office before Kane asks to talk to Moore in private. She presents Moore with the butterfly knife requesting a DNA analysis to compare it with her own. Moore refuses to fearing the Commander’s retribution. Kane takes the knife, disappointed, but tells Moore that if she had known she was getting married (to Tyler) she would of come back to stop the wedding.
But before to many fan fics can be generated about Kane whisking Moore off minutes before her vows, a gas can rolls into the scene and Moore pulls Kane out of the way of a speeding incoming van. The assailants, wearing Wonderland Gang rabbit masks, attack the two highly trained fighters as Moore and Kane hold their own. Shock. The assailants, however, manage to knock the knife from Kane’s hands, grab it and speed away from the scene having obtained their target.
We reconvene in the Commander’s office who berates Kane for bringing Alice’s goons down on her and leading them straight into the Crow’s garage. Kane defends herself questioning how Alice would even know she had her knife before the Commander seeks assistance from Moore. Moore, however, explains that she doesn’t see the harm in running a DNA test after Alice is apprehended. The Commander rages about how his daughter is dead, the lab result proved it and we are once again treated to a recounts Alice’s misdeeds. Kane explains that his 15 years since Beth went missing and that they didn’t know if Beth was still inside the person Alice now was. A brief interruption about the location of a missing rabbit, one of the Wonderland Gang, and Kane is off to visit her sister’s secret Medical Clinic.
Mary emphasizes to Kane about the secrecy of the Clinic, how hard it is to balance while attending medical school and trying to keep up an appearance as a socialite, as well, as reveals some of her motivations for pursuing this path in the first place. She hopes to fight the corruption of the medical system in Gotham from the inside. Winning over at least this viewer's heart, we find that Mary has been treating the missing rabbit. She pulled a Batarang out of the gang member but tells Kane he hasn’t revealed any information since he’s been there. As Kane reveals the gang members' origins, Mary tries to set up a dinner date for some sisterly bonding while Kane moves to her own interrogation methods regarding the rabbit. Her bedside manner lacking, she frees the rabbit and tells him to bring a message to Alice. Despite his injuries, the message is easy enough to remember. Waffles.
In the meantime, the Crows have been diligent in their surveillance and have been tracking sightings of the gangs as well as approximate locations of where the rabbit had been shot. Moore comments that a white picket fence neighborhood would hardly be a place for a gang that works in the shadows to be held up. The Commander, however, has a spark of recollection and orders his team to 1472 Normand Drive as Moore receives a call from Kane. Kane asks her to stall the Crows for a few hours as she prepares to meet Alice at their favourite place, a waffle stand. Kane rationalizes if Alice really is Beth she’ll know what it means. Moore cautions that this move is extremely dangerous and asks Kane not to move forward with her plan. However, Kane is adamant that she needs to prove to the Commander that he is wrong about Alice and that he will kill his daughter if she does nothing.
Fox returns to an empty Batcave, bare tool walls and a flashing bat computer. After fumbling around to figure out how to engage the computer, enter my last desktop upgrade, Fox manages to trigger the detailed informational screens which appear to be tracking our hero. Kane rocks up to park on her motorcycle before we are treated to a flashback in the park. Young Kate talks with her father about their dedication to finding her sister as he brings her waffles and a beverage. Young Kate blames herself or Beth’s status saying she should have helped her sister check on their mother instead of climbing out of the vehicle.
Meanwhile, on Normand Street, the Crows storm the house where Alice and her gag had recently occupied. The house, however, is vacated except for the two victims, throats cut, forever seated at their tea party. Moore questions the Commander how he knew Alice was here. He reveals that Beth grew up there and it had formally been their house. He refuses to believe that Alice is Beth, however, saying that she’s just trying to get into his head. Alice, however, has been waiting on another reunion with Kane at the waffle stand in the park.
Kane asks directly if Alice is her sister but Alice’s answer is veiled. Kane asks if Alice knew she would have her knife tested for DNA but Alice is surprised that Kane had the knife at all. Kane realizes that Alice never sent her goons to retrieve the knife in the first place while Alice states directly that they are sisters. Kane implores for the chance to test her DNA to prove the connection between them but Alice hesitates saying that if she weren’t her sister she wouldn’t of known what the message had meant and never had appeared at their favourite waffle stand. However, she does freely admit she could of read the information online when the press was reporting Beth’s disappearance 15 years ago. But, while Kane and Alice are having their own trips down memory lane, Moore is spilling the beans to the Commander about Kane’s plans to talk to Alice.
As we wait for the countdown of Crows to descend on the park, we find out more about what happened to Alice on that fateful day. She watched her mother go through the windshield and then described the sensations of the car filling with water as she recalled one thought that had kept her calm. Surely someone will come and save me. Kane’s mobile signals and Alice graciously decides to allow her to answer it. It’s Mary texting Kane who has forgotten about the sisterly bonding dinner date she had arranged at 7pm. Broken hearts everywhere. Alice, who clearly knows about Mary, jibes Kane about her efforts to bond. She asks Kane when was the first time she was able to sleep through the night after she disappeared to which Kane responds that she has yet to do so. She never moved on having never given up that she would find her. Alice consents to giving Kane her DNA to test just as the timer on our Cows clock runs out and the murder arrives.
The Commander orders Kane to stand down as Kane flat out refuses to move, being the only barrier between a whole barrage of red dots and her sister shorn up, with a knife I might add, behind her. Kane asks Alice to drop it but Alice says as long as Kane doesn’t move she’s fine. Bat shield activate. Kane tells the Commander that Alice is his daughter and that if he kills her he won’t just loose her he’ll lose Kane as well. The Commander then orders Alice to be brought to Arkham which diffuses the standoff and drops the guns of the Crows. Moore tries to go after Kane, but Kane is having none of her as she pursues Alice who is being placed in the back of the Crows van. Alice reminds Kane why they each had to get their own waffle as children, because she doesn’t like to share, and that Kane is HER sister. Kane, now realizing Mary’s life is in danger, speeds off down the footpath.
Mary, now crestfallen for being stood up by her step-sister, is being paid a visit by Dodgson on behalf of his boss and girlfriend. “Alice doesn’t like competition” he cites while attacking her, the struggle moving around the clinic as he does so. Mary, however, still has the batarang in her lab coat and uses it to break free of Dodgson’s grasp before locking herself in a supply room. Dodgson grabs a fire axe and starts trying to break is way through the door before our hero arrives pulling him back with a grappling hook. The power, which had been flickering this whole time, now restored, Mary peers out into the room but sees no one. Coverage of the capture of Alice runs on the news channel as Batwoman watched from the doorway. The transport carrying Alice, however, is attacked in route to Arkham asylum.
Batwoman speeds to the scene as the transport van starts sinking into the Gotham river. Fox has figured out the communication functions on the Bat computer and contacts Kane via the cowl’s com. The van now beneath the waters, is sliced into as Kane pulls Alice from inside and stick the rebreather on her saving her life. A touching moment underneath the river as Kane finally gets to pull her sister to safety, as she had wished to do so many years prior, before the van eventually explodes removing Alice from the scene and knocking Batwoman to the shore. Fox figures out how to send an electric pulse to the Batsuit to reanimate Kane just as the GCPD arrive along its banks searching for a survivor.
Vesper Fairchild provides commentary the morning after remarking on the absence of Batman. Mary is cleaning up the clinic when Kane arrives on scene apologizing for not showing up for dinner. Mary goes on about having been attacked by her boyfriend and being viewed as Alice’s replacement. She says it would have been flattering if it hadn’t been so off base and that Kane needed to tell Alice she wasn’t a threat. Ouch. More heart hurt. The Commander, however, is concentrating on how a bomb got anhere near the bridge and the transport attacked. Kane and him have words about how Alice, a murder, could not possibly be Beth.
Before we have a chance to judge Commander Kane to harshly, we are treated to a flashback about the day he tells young Kate about the bone fragments matching Beth’s DNA. We learn that Catherine Hamilton’s investigators had found the fragments, but young Kate has difficulty accepting this fact. A scene of a father processing the loss of his daughter not just for himself, but so his other daughter might not spend her whole childhood in an endless search for something he was no longer sure could ever be found. To add more heart ache to the sequences here, Kane and Moore have an exchange where Kane calls her on lying to the whole academy about their relationship and Moore tells Kane that she needs to move on. Pass the facial tissues, mates.
Back to Wayne Enterprises and we find there is no auto dry feature on the 8 million-dollar bat suit. I agree with you, Kane. Definitely an oversight. Kane thanks Fox for saving her and reveals the information that Alice didn’t know she had the knife nor had her goons jump her. Catherine Hamilton, however, meets with her operative to have the knife and all the evidence destroyed revealing to the audience, at least, that she was the one who ordered it’s retrieval. A dangling Dodgson discovers Batwoman is not Batman, and should have been so lucky, as Kane starts her own interrogation efforts. Alice, meanwhile, has arranged her own thank you gift placing a black box on Kane’s motorcycle. Inside a bat presumably dead, and a note, calling back to the infamous scene in the comic series, that reads, “You have our father’s eyes.” Our “dead” bat then comes back to life before flying off into the night. Cue title. Applause.
Review: There was so much to like about this episode. Additional information about Kane and Alice’s mutual backstory, the super ken move on behalf of the writers to make Kane aware of the connection between herself and the main villain from the get go, the small tidbits of personality from the rest of the supporting cast, and the subtle nods to the comic series sprinkled here and there. My only real question was the point of Alice returning to the childhood home on Normand Street at all. Gotham, nor any city in the Arroweverse, has any shortages of warehouses and she had obviously been in the area for some time. So apart from the obviousness of reemphasizing her motivations and giving her two more throats to cut I couldn’t see why Alice would choose to return to her childhood home. Other than that, loved the episode. 5 out of 6 stars.
