SHOULD KATE KANE RETURN TO BATWOMAN?
By Delia Harrington
We have a wonderful new Batwoman in Ryan Wilder, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Kate Kane is gone forever.
After weeks of wondering what happened to the missing Kate Kane, aka the former Batwoman, the third episode of the new season “Bat Girl Magic” ended with news that Kate is OK.
"Bat Girl Magic” sees new villain Safiyah telling Alice that Kate is not only alive, but her prisoner, and that she will be returned if Alice does as she says.
Will Kate Kane return to Batwoman?
We still don’t know for sure whether Ruby Rose will come back to Batwoman. As of now, no announcements have been made, so we’re left speculating.
However, showrunner Caroline Dries has been adamant that they will not recast Kate Kane, so if the character returns in a meaningful way, that means Ruby Rose will be back.
The Case For Ruby Rose’s Return
If Ruby Rose does return and this has all been a long con after all, then it’s been an impressive deception.
Rose’s departure just days after the season 1 finale aired was incredibly abrupt, which would lend credence to the idea that it was less than permanent, though given her injury and the physical demands of the role, it still seems understandable.
There’s been a lot of speculation and secrecy about the whole thing, which only makes it feel more likely that something is up.
That being said, while Kate Kane is an amazing character, there’s no denying that Javicia Leslie has gelled with the cast and made the role her own.
She stepped into what many saw as an impossible situation and brought a brand new character to life right from the jump.
Season 2 feels like it’s firing on all cylinders, so it would be unwise to ask Ryan and Javicia to take a step back.
If Ruby Rose does return as Kate Kane, it would be best to see her having found an important mission that largely takes her away from Gotham, making her an occasional guest star, or to reflect her injury on the show and bring her back to offer expertise from HQ.
Whatever happens next, the Batwoman writers clearly have more than just a few tricks up their collective sleeve.