Here we are Batwoman fans! As has been noted, this moment aside from the plot is a very big one! Amid last season losing a lead, shutting down early in the midst of a pandemic, somehow, we got a fantastic second season that avoided the "abandon/bury your gays" troupe, endeared us to a new lead, and didn't close the door on the story of Kate Kane. Plot wise, we get to see Luke Fox take up the mantle of Batwing, Jacob Kane suffer and rise through a drug addiction to disband the agency that was causing the trouble in the city and watch Alice receive an ounce of redemption. What is the future for our heroes? Where do the ex-crows go? All is on the table tonight, here's what stood out to us:
- Gotham City Purge: Black Mask's final plan is revealed. He is going to give "power" back to the citizen. He weaponizes the community by offering them masks. The masks provide annonimity to the user so they can go after city officials. Black Mask then cuts power to the whole city. Team Batwoman is working to take on all the issues but while they divide up the tasks, Black Mask is starting to make his own Bane without the temper tantrums. Once the city is destroyed, he will promote someone to wear his mask and in the public eye, he'll kill Black Mask making him, Roman Sionis, the city's hero. Roman's Bane experiment fails and kills Tarkov. Ryan forms an alliance with Alice to break into Black Mask headquarters which they now know is channel 64. They'll use the masks that are abundant on the street to break in and get Kate.
- Batwing Found: Luke continues to rummage through the remains of the Batcave where he finds old drawings he did as a kid of himself as a Bat hero. It's there that he discovers that his father made his drawings into a reality and the Batwing costume is found. Alice and Ryan share a moment. With the death of Ocean, Alice now knows what it's like to lose love. She apologizes to Ryan but Ryan isn't having it. At Mary's clinic, Tarkov turns out not to be dead and is starting to rampage. Meanwhile outside, Mary discovers that a dose of atomized snakebite might force Kate's memory back. Luke agrees but the new Bane breaks out and has his eyes on Mary.
- Batwoman and Alice vs Kate Kane: Alice and Ryan break in successfully but are met with Circe and Black Mask. They are divided and Ryan goes after Circe and Alice after Black Mask. New Bane chases after Mary who eventually is thrown off a roof. Luke is there and is able to fly in his new Batwing suit and catchers her just in time!
- The Suit Doesn't Make the Hero: The citizens of Gotham have taken the masks provided and turned them into Batwoman Jack-o-lanterns. This inspires Ryan to have the courage to beat Circe. Alice gets the drop on Black Mask and she actually uses The Joker's acid spray to burn the mask onto Roman shattering his duality plan. Ryan catches Circe in the Batmobile and the two battle it out with Ryan not having the suit. Alice arrives to help and the pair are able to dose Kate with the Snake Bite that should restore her memory. Alice and Circe go over the bridge though and fall into the water like they did in the pilot, Ryan is helpless as she watches the sister go over.
- In the Water: As the sisters are in the water, Alice has an out of body experience since she breathed some of the snake bite where she learns Ocean was booking them an RV so they could start a new life. It affords her an opportunity to say goodbye to Ocean. Kate's experience is of her as a little girl and she is finally able to rescue her sister Beth. Alice pulls Kate from the water where she isn't breathing. Ryan begins CPR. As Kate opens her eyes and sees Alice, she calls her Beth! Are her memories restored? The Gotham PD, at least some of them arrive and arrest Alice before we know if Kate is fully back.
In the final wrap up moments, it turns out that Batwoman's call for calm worked and the city wasn't overthrown. Ryan's parole is dismissed with the help of her attorney who knows she is Batwoman. Luke, Mary and Kate all reminisce about the good days. Ryan arrives and Kate and Ryan talk about the elephant in the room. Kate surrenders the Batwoman moniker to Ryan. Kate and Sophie meet up in the bar. Kate is leaving Gotham. She is going to visit her dad, visit Kara in National City, then go on to find Bruce. She couldn't find Beth in time, she won't fail Bruce. The case of Batman trophies haven't been returned, their new mission is to find them. They are also going to build the new community center with the new medical facility for Mary, making it an all-in-one source for good. Ryan goes to visit Alice in jail. While Ryan gloats that the system finally worked, Alice drops the bomb that Ryan's biological mother is still alive. In the final scene we are left with the trophies floating along the river.
Let us know what you think in the comments below and in the forum! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.
Comments
I now put my review of the season finale in the forum.
I can't help but think of when Alice gave Circe-Kate the mug and she started remembering. Circe-Kate said you saved me but I didn't save you and Alice indicated there was still time. Kate wouldn't have left. She may have told Alice, when you are ready, I an here... but she wouldn't have left.
I was thinking about Supergirl and how they spread a mini arc about her trapped in the Phantom Zone that was filmed separate from the main episode... due to Melissa's maternity leave. They could have filmed mini arc of Kate searching for Bruce and spread it out over the the beginning of next season.
Many things they could've done... saying they couldn't figure it out was malarkey. Dries 7s a writer and producer... it's her job to figure things out.
I definitely agree it was a convenient excuse, and I don't think Kate would have actually made that decision, I just appreciate that they at least tried to give us the least lame, most semi-plausible excuse possible. It also opens the possibility for bringing in the real Bruce Wayne in the future, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but they may resort to it if the ratings don't pick up.
I think they needed something to explain why Kate would abandon Beth/Alice. I guess they figured, like an addict, Alice couldn't be helped until she wanted to be helped. Yet that makes little sense, as Alice now has more freedom of choice with the Enigma mind mess removed/unlocked. Kate tried really hard to reach Beth before, she would try again now. This was just for convenience to justify the ridiculous decision to write off Kate a second time.
From a story perspective, it was a good ending to a character leaving, as it touched all the necessary bases. And going to find Bruce is the probably the best possible excuse for writing her off the show. So, I appreciate that they at least gave us that. But I disagreed with Kate's statement that she couldn't help Alice anymore. Without Alice, she would never have gotten her memories back. And with Alice having her ability to love being (mostly?) restored, she is also a different person now, and needs Kate more than ever. But, as curious as I am to see how Kate's leaving her (again) is going to affect Alice, I just can't stomach Ryan as the lead character. I sincerely wish the show all the success it deserves.
It was a great scene. I also liked we got to see Mary, Luke and Kate catch up. It was good to see Mary happy as she was so disappointed Kate didn't remember her previously. If this was the series finale, it would have been more satisfying. By that, I mean we got to see Kate reunited with everyone... except Jacob. Although, that's apparently where she is heading next...
I thought the whole river sequence was definitely one of the best of the season. As soon as they fell off the bridge, I knew who was going to save who, even the music was similar. And that final scene when Kate looks up and calls Alice "Beth" - I think Alice was Beth at that moment. Everything played out exactly as it should have, and I love that they did this beautiful mirroring to bookend the beginning and (sadly) end of this phase of Kate's and Alice's relationship.
Yes, you called it and it went right over my head. LOL! Another one of those "duh" moments for me. I loved that it was Mary who came up with the solution and it was Alice to spray Circe-Kate with the snakebite aerosol. Watching Alice and Circe-Kate struggle and then fall into the water and then see their experiences was an episode highlight. Very touching that the sisters (Mary & Alice) helped bring Kate back.
No worries here. I must say the same to all you guys, as I was just called a Kate Kane cultist in forum. But, I feel I should be able to post my true opinions of each episode. Isn't that the point?? I was extremely disappointed in the final scenes of the season finale. I wanted Kate back. I am a Kate Kane fan. I was before the show started and I will remain such. I make no apologies for it. It is why I started watching the show. You can go to other sites and see my opinions are very similar to those shared by others, so I don't feel I am off base with my comments.
If someone calls you out, you have the right to respond.
Agreed. As @CatPat said, it SUCKS, but at least they've left it open for Kate to return. And if she returns with Bruce, I really hope they don't turn it into the Batwoman/Batman hour. Kinda defeats the purpose of Batwoman having her own show.
Quoting CatPat:My guess is that Batwing took care of Menace, who's now safely ensconced in Arkham - hopefully in one of those "special" cells in the basement. Doh! Whaddya know? I DID predict snakebite as an antidote to Enigma's brainwashing!
Quoting CatPat:Alas, Caroline did said Alice was going to "slide back", so I think it's going to be a while longer before Red Alice emerges. Which suggests she won't be leaving Arkham as Beth. Not yet, anyway.
And with Enigma dead, and the person who ordered Enigma to do it dead (technically, at least until the Desert Rose dagger is removed), it's not looking so good for witnesses!