BATWOMAN 2.18

 

RECAP - BATWOMAN  2.18:  "Power"  

Power....that's what it's all about in Gotham, and Black Mask wants it.  In this season finale, Black Mask makes his final push to drag Gotham City into chaos and anarchy...and then swoop in and become the savior of the town.  And he's got an army on his side....and his "daughter", Sersi.  With Kate still at Sersi Sionis' mercy, she's going to be on a rampage to help thrust Gotham into chaos---and what can the Bat Team do?  Well...it's the end of Season 2....let's see how it all shook out. 

Black Mask was revving up his troops, and using the old Channel 64 studios to send a city wide broadcast, spewing his agenda, and saying how the Crows, the GCPD, and Batwoman were the REAL prolem in Gotham, and that he wanted the people to rise up and initiate some anarchy in the town....take down the GCPD, the politicians, Batwoman.  He says if you've got the power---use it.  And thus, the powergrid is shut down, and the city is enveloped into darkness.  The Bat Team is watching all of this transpire when the power goes dark.  We then see Ryan in a quiet moment, penning a letter to Gotham, saying that maybe Batwoman isn't the answer.  But she never did take it for granted.  The team has to scramble to not only try and prevent the city from destroying itself, but to find Sersi and Black Mask...and put them down.  When looking at Black Mask's video footage, Ryan has an idea as to where he might be.  

Black Mask is overlooking all the bounty that Sersi had stolen from the Batcave, espousing that Batman loved his trophies, and that he got off on his power.  Now, he's going to use some of that power to take control of Gotham.  By using some of Bane's Venom...he gives a small dose to Tavaroff, as well as a mix of Snake Bite to help control him....but Tavaroff seems to have not survived the experiment, so Black Mask has his goons dump the body in the alley.  He reveals his plan to "save" the city once he destroys it. thus anointing himself the "white knight" of the city.  And that's after he disposes of his Black Mask identity, and having Roman Sionis as the sole savior of the town.  Luke informs Ryan where Black Mask is located.  Ryan is still doubting that she can beat Kate, and that maybe she's not cut out or deserving to be Batwoman.  Sophie sets her straight---she EARNED that cowl, and she IS Batwoman, and that is who the town needs right now.  They hear shooting and rioting outside, and they go to see what's happening, only to see the Mayor get shot.  Ryan tells Sophie to stay with him and get him to safety, while she has an idea on how to beat Kate.  Alice shows up at the cave, and says that Kate played them, and that Safiyah won't be a problem.  So, with that, she hands Alice a gas mask, and says that she's going to take down Black Mask, and get Kate back.  

Luke is in the Batcave trying to find alternate power, when he comes across some old drawings that look like designs of an old Batsuit.  It seems his father was building a new one, and the finds it under the black cloth we saw last episode.  We then get to see the Batwing suit in full glory, and as Luke touches it, it lights up to his signature.  Meanwhile, Mary is at her clinic, overloaded with patients, when someone brings Tavaroff in.  She notices the Snake Bite attatchment on his arm, and has an idea on how to stop Kate herself.  She has one of her assistants keep an eye on Tavaroff as she goes to call Luke and tell them her plan to use it on Kate...spark her memory, and get her back.  Everyone is on board with the idea.  But somehow, Tavaroff wakes up, and he's in a bad mood....and want's his elixir back.  So, Mary is in trouble.  

Ryan and Alice are on their way to the studio when Alice lets Ryan know she read up on her, and knows about her mother.  That she had supposedly killed her mother childbirth.  Alice tries apologizing for killing Ryan's adoptive mother, but Ryan refuses to accept it.  Ryan promises that they're going to find Kate, and then she's going to drag Alice to jail.  Mary is running away from Tavaroff when she is rescued by Batwing, who then takes out Tavaroff.  WHen he asks who he is...Batwing says "justice".  Mary then races to get the Snake Bite to Ryan, so that she can save Kate.  

Once they're at the stuido, Black Mask starts fighting Alice, as Sersi is off to do her damage, with Ryan in tow, meanwhile the rioting outside continues.  We then hear Vesper Fairchild reading a letter that Batwoman wrote (the same letter Ryan was composing at the start of the show), sayin that it was now Gotham's turn to be the hero...to use the mask and shine the light of justice and peace.  Many of the citizens do so, and when Ryan catches up with Mary to get the Snake Bite, she looks up and sees the city...heeding her call...and that they need Batwoman to save them. 

Roman and Alice continue their fight, and he calls Alice a failed villain....all because she has a heart.  Wanting to kill her sister, then save her sister....sends the wrong message as a villain.  But Black Mask/Roman Sionis...different face, same message.  Alice tells him that a great villain was The Joker...and she sprays Roman with the acid from the Joker's flower....thus scarring his face, and then putting his Black Mask back on, and she said good luck with his message, and walks off.  Ryan, at this time, is chasing Sersi down, trying to stop her from planting bombs and destroying the city.  Ryan finally catches up to her, and they begin to do battle on the bridge.  It's the same bridge that Kate and Alice crashed off of when they were kids.  As Sersi tries to goad Ryan, Ryan says to call her Batwoman.  Alice arrives to see the Snake Bite canister that Ryan dropped, and while Kate was dazed, Ryan yells at her to grab it and use it....Alice does, and Kate is sprayed in the face.  However, both of them tumble over the  railing and into the river---Ryan unable to stop them. 

As Alice and Kate hit the water, all the other artifacts from the cave that Sersi stole also fall into the river.  As both are out of it and close to drowning, Both Kate and Alice connect mentally...and Kate hears Alice, and calls out to Beth.  When she opens the door in her imagination from her locked room....Beth is there.  Alice wakes up, and then notices that Kate is drowning, and rescues her.  Ryan meets them down at the riverbed, and Kate is still out of it....so Ryan and Alice perform CPR on her, until she awakens, coughing up water.  As Kate stumbles into awareness, the GCPD is there, ready to spring on Alice and take her into custody.  

As the city has settled down, Vesper hits the airwaves the next day, giving props to the city for not buying ointo Black Mask, and for heeding the call to be heroes.  She also says the city refuses the resignation of Batwoman....they'll always need her. In the aftermath, Kate is back to normal, and she, Mary, and Luke catch up.  They respect the decision she's made, and as far as Alice goes---until Alice wants to be Beth...Kate says there's nothing she can do for her.  Ryan shows up, and she and Kate have a moment to chat.  Ryan says thanks to Kate , and Kate thanks her...and says that Batwoman is hers...and for her to watch out over Luke and Mary.  Ryan promises.  They shake hands, and Kate is off on one more errand.  She meets with Sophie, and says that timing is bad.  She says that she's got to go to National City to see a friend (have to visit Kara), and then visit her dad in Metropolis....then, she's off to find Bruce.  IF anything has happened to him, she owes it to herself to find her cousin like she failed to find Beth.  Sophie knows that they can't be together, but they share one last kiss until Kate takes off on her mission.  We should also note that Ryan had met with the parole board, and was finally granted her release from parole, making her a free woman once more--with no boundaries.  

The Bat Team meets up, and discuss current matters...including getting all the weapons that were stolen from the Cave back before they cause trouble.  Now that Mary's clinic is legit, Ryan feels that they should rebuild the youth center above it, and they all agree that's a good idea.  Ryan is also happy to have back up with Luke out in the field as Batwing.  They wondered how he found the suit, and he said he drew designs on what a black Batman would be like when he was a kid----and his father made it a reality.  Ryan then pays a visit to Alice at Blackgate Prison...letting her know that this is justice for her mother, and that she hopes they NEVER see each other again.  But Alice has yet another card to play----and reveals to Ryan that her biological mother is VERY much alive.

The show ends as we see the Penguin's umbrella...the Mad Hatter's hat...and the vial of Poison Ivy's vine floating in the Gotham river---and the vial opens....and when water comes into contact with the vine, it begins to grow. 

This was a pretty exciting ending to the 2nd season of the show!  I was happy with the way they wrapped up the Black Mask storyline, and now get the backstory as to how the mask is permanently fused to Roman's face now...his rep is done, and he's fallen from Babylon.  But we know he'll find a way to be a menace again down the road.  It also gives us a very satisfying ending to Kate's time in Gotham.  Now she's charged with a new mission:  finding Bruce Wayne.  We've never really understood Bruce's absence, but Kate is going to find answers.  She knows Gotham is in great hands with Ryan....who is now our ONLY Batwoman.  I have to admit....I had predicted that Alice and Kate would fall into the river in a scuffle....but that they'd BOTH disappear...and MAYBE wash up on Coryana.  But this works out better.  It still sees Alice as the villain, who still hasn't completely freformed...but happy that her sister is back.  As for Kate....a new direction, AND they can bring her back down the road.  Either way, I've no complaints about it.  Luke becoming Batwing was cool, and I LOVE the suit!  He's going to be an asset in the field for Ryan.  Mary's clinic is legit, so she's living her dream.  We DO bid farewell to Jacob Kane, as Dougray Scott is finished on Batwoman. With Kate gone, Alice incarcerated for the time being (and should only be seen SPORADICALLY), there is no further storyline for Jacob Kane....he served his purpose.  So, now the focus can shift to the Bat Team...which WILL have Sophie in tow, and a new slate of villains for next season.  I expected Sophie to stick around....she and Ryan have mended fences, and she's a valuable member to the team.  So, the sisterhood of the team will grow.  

As for Tavaroff....expect him to turn up next season as a villain...as well as what other designs the showrunners have for the Penguin's umbrella, the Mad Hatter's hat, and Poison Ivy's vine that just started to grow again.  This will be the team's next mission---getting all these artifacts back before a new breed of supervillains come to the fore.  But I enjoyed myself MUCH more this season, and Javicia Leslie was incredible...Ryan Wilder grew on me...and I totally see her as Batwoman.  NOW....I'm just hoping things will clear up with this virus crap, so that we can get some serious crossover action again.  

Okay boys and girls....how did YOU rate Batwoman, Season 2?  What did you like/hate about it?  What theories did YOU have going into this week's finale?  Subscribe and drop me a comment below.

Until next season....The Signal is OFF!