Why Batwoman's arrival is huge for the Arrow-verse
Gotham is about to enter its final season, but the Bat-Family won't be leaving our screens anytime soon now that Batwoman is swinging into the Arrow-verse later this year during the annual crossover.
It was rather fitting that actor Stephen Amell revealed the news given how he was the first to officially name-drop Bruce Wayne on Arrow during an early episode in season 6 last year. Although it still seems unlikely that Batman himself will appear, the addition of his female ally will have huge ramifications for the Arrow-verse as a whole and will continue The CW's largely positive portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters.
First of all, introducing Batwoman into the Arrow-verse validates the numerous references that the show has made to a certain Caped Crusader, which the producers initially dismissed as just "fanboy mischief". More importantly though, the physical addition of Gotham as a city itself quite literally opens the Arrow-verse up to whole new realms found in the source material.
After all, it's highly doubtful that Batwoman will be the only Gothamite to appear in the crossover. Robin might be a tricky sell given that he's set to star in Titans soon too, but that's also being developed by Arrowverse producer Greg Berlanti, so there's still a slim chance that Brenton Thwaites might pop up as Batman's loyal sidekick. (Arrow has also utilised numerous Batman villains in the past as well, suggesting that a few more could rear their evil heads to take on Batwoman in the DCTV shows.)
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Even if Kate Kane is the only member of the Bat-Family to make their live-action debut in the crossover, her character could also redefine the way that queer characters are portrayed in the Arrowverse.
Sure, the likes of Sara Lance and Black Lightning's Anissa have made huge steps forward for LGBTQ+ representation on screen, and a gay kiss between Russell Tovey and Wentworth Miller in last year's crossover was a first for superheroes on TV. However, The CW also came under fire from fans after Floriana Lima left Supergirl, breaking up the power couple of Alex Danvers and Maggie Sawyer in the process.
Assuming that The CW remains faithful to the source material, this is the perfect opportunity to throw the spotlight on a Jewish, lesbian female superhero, one whose association with the Bat-Family instantly sets her apart from other LGBTQ+ characters in the Arrow-verse. Even casual fans who haven't heard of Batwoman will be aware of her lineage, giving Kane a higher profile that will help further celebrate queer identity for LGBTQ+ viewers who relate to her experience.
While we don't know yet which Earth this Batwoman will hail from, the crossovers usually incorporate as many characters as possible, so this would be the perfect chance to bring Maggie Sawyer back into play too. The door is apparently open for Lima to return, and if the writers move forward with this idea, then the romance that Saywer shares with Batwoman in the original DC comics could create an interesting dynamic between the pair and Danvers.
Little else has been revealed about Batwoman's live-action debut other than the fact that it's happening, and so a number of questions remain. What we know for certain though is that the producers are likely to have bigger plans for a character of this magnitude in the long run.
Back when DC Comics publisher Dan DiDio first introduced a solo series for Batwoman, he explained to Inverse how important it was that a gay character like her could become a major player in a major franchise, something which "validates that character immediately".
If the fans respond well to Kane's arrival in the Arrow-verse, then perhaps Batwoman could become the first LGBTQ+ hero to star in her very own show later down the line. Not only would this mark a huge step forward for queer representation on screen, but it would also provide audiences with a genuinely unique insight to the world of Batman, filling that Gotham-sized hole in people's hearts that an Alfred spin-off show never could.
The Arrow-verse shows will return to The CW with a brand new schedule this fall. The series air on Sky One in the UK.
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