‘Batwoman’: What the Kate Kane Twist Means for Season 2

Rachel Skarsten and Meagan Tandy - Alice and Sophie - Batwoman Season 2
Spoiler Alert
Katie Yu/The CW

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 3 of Batwoman, “Bat Girl Magic!”]

In the Season 2 premiereBatwoman told us Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) died when her jet exploded. Her twin, the villainous Alice (Rachel Skarsten), then received a note from Safiyah claiming responsibility. But that’s not the whole story.

With Shivaani Ghai’s debut as Safiyah in the January 31 episode comes a twist in what happened. On her island of Coryana, Safiyah shows Alice Kate’s necklace, proving that the former Batwoman wasn’t on the jet when it was blown up. But the sisters won’t be reunited so quickly.

“She’ll be brought back to the island as soon as you leave. I’m not foolish enough to have you both here at the same time,” Safiyah tells Alice. “I have every intention of giving you your sister back, but before I do, I need you to do something for me.”

That’s exactly why Sophie (Meagan Tandy) doesn’t bring Alice in upon the return to Gotham. There’s a chance Kate’s alive, and so Sophie has to let the villain go. But she does go to the sisters’ father, Jacob (Dougray Scott), and tell him Kate may be alive … just as he’s unlocked her phone and sees a message about Safiyah. And so the mystery about Kate continues and more people are now wondering about Safiyah.

While we do have to consider the possibility Safiyah is lying and Kate is dead — or will be by season’s end — let’s examine what this new twist could mean about what’s next. Since Rose has left the show, the focus isn’t necessarily on seeing Kate again (if that ever happens) but more on what that means for those still around.

Alice must remain free for the time being to accomplish whatever task Safiyah has given her, so The Crows can’t arrest her. Sophie knows what she’s doing, and we could very well get more of those two together. Jacob may have to grapple with whatever Alice is doing — and he has to let her do — to possibly save his other daughter while taking into account what her actions may mean for the city.

That may also put those three in direct conflict with the new Batwoman, Ryan Wilder (Javicia Leslie), and the team at some point. After all, there’s no love lost between Ryan and Alice: the latter’s gang killed the former’s mother.

Rachel Skarsten Batwoman Season 2 Premiere Alice

(The CW)

One thing’s clear: The residents of Gotham probably need to be concerned about whatever Safiyah wants Alice to do — and anything else Alice may have up her sleeve.

Batwoman, Sundays, 8/7c, The CW