(WARNING! Batwoman Season 2 spoilers ahead!)
Well, it appears the bell has been rung on one particular spoiler already, hasn't it? Since the headline has been everywhere, I can't say that I feel that bad about writing one of my own. Cutting right to the chase, there is a new Kate Kane coming to Season 2 of Batwoman. TVLine was first to report the news that former Krypton star Wallis Day would be taking over the role once occupied by Ruby Rose.
So yes, Kate is alive but she has also been transformed. You might have seen on this week's 9th episode of Season 2 that Kate was in the sewers of Gotham and well bandaged up. She's going to look very different, and that is going to be a hard sell for pretty much everyone who believes she's actually dead. Yeah, remember those body parts? Plus Jacob Kane, Mary, Sophie and a host of others have gone through a lot in either grieving Kate or looking for her. It's hard to image they would just welcome her return, with a drastic new look, with open arms.
Caroline Dries broke the news to TVLine, praising Day as, "an amazing actress." Anyone who has seen Krypton already knows that, for sure. As a matter of fact, when the re-casting of Kate Kane was rumored as a possibility before Javicia Leslie joined the show, Wallis Day was on my short list to take up the Batwoman mantle. I have no doubt that she will do an amazing job. It looks like that will be a huge part of the back half of Season 2.
Just my opinion, but it seems like Luke Fox could be the key to speeding the process along of confirming that Day's new character is actually Kate. There has to be some sort of Batcave magic that he can work. I suppose that also puts him in the position of who do you believe? The Bat or the forensics? It also feels like there will be an inevitable question over who is the rightful owner of the Batwoman suit and mantle. Obviously, Kate was the original but Ryan Wilder has really made the role her own. I feel like this is a topic that will be a good debate amongst fans.
I'm happy that everyone involved in Batwoman finally made this decision. While I have enjoyed Season 2 so far, it was also very clear that they were never going to be able to really get away from the character of Kate Kane. How could you? That doesn't mean that there is no room for Ryan Wilder, by the way. This just adds a lot of intrigue and a big twist that the show very much needed. Last season, it felt like every episode had a great hook at the end. This season, again while enjoyable, seemed to be lacking that same urgency that I felt in Season 1. I'm excited to see what direction that the series is headed, and what Wallis Day can bring to the role of Kate Kane.
Batwoman airs every Sunday at 8pm ET on The CW.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. TV/Syfy