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"Batman gave up on us. It's been three years, Gotham. The Bat's not coming back."
—Catherine to her fellow Gothamites on the three-year anniversary of Batman's disappearance[src]

Catherine Hamilton-Kane (née Hamilton; 1974[1] – December 9, 2019[2]) was a corrupt billionaire and philanthropist, as well as one of the most powerful citizens of Gotham City. She was the owner and CEO of Hamilton Dynamics, and the financier of Crows Security. Catherine was also the second wife of Jacob Kane, the mother of Mary Hamilton, and the step-mother of Kate Kane and Beth Kane.

Catherine was fatally poisoned by her step-daughter, Beth as revenge for being indirectly responsible for her 11 years of suffering. Before succumbing to the poison, Catherine managed to give Mary the antidote, saving her daughter's life.

Biography

Early life

Catherine Hamilton was born in 1974 in Gotham City and raised in a wealthy and prestigious family. In adulthood, she inherited her family's company, Hamilton Dynamics[3] from her father.[2] On May 17, 1995 (at age 21), Catherine gave birth to a daughter, Mary,[4] to an unknown man.

At some point in her life, Catherine began to occasionally hire a mercenary named Shane McKillen in order to do some dirty work for her.[3]

Helping the Kanes

On January 26, 2003,[5] after Gabi and Beth Kane were in a car accident and fell off a bridge into a river,[6] Catherine, along with the whole city, helped the Kane family search for their bodies for months until Gabi's was found. It was then that she met the late woman's husband and the lost girl's father, Jacob Kane, befriending him.[7] After seeing Jacob and his surviving daughter, Kate Kane, mourning at Gabi's funeral and becoming increasingly obsessed in the search for Beth, Catherine decided to take the initiative to give them closure; she had some of her men recover skull fragments of a deer nearby Miller Farm and paid off a coroner to fake a DNA test in order to match them to Beth's DNA. As a result, the authorities and Jacob assumed Beth was dead, ending the search for her.[3][8]

The Hamilton-Kane wedding news

An article on Catherine's marriage to Jacob Kane.

Afterwards, Catherine remained close to the Kanes, wanting to help Jacob cope with his sorrow and find a way to turn his pain into power. She funded and helped him build his private security company, Crows Security, to protect Gotham City from crime.[7] Overtime, Catherine and Jacob's relationship intensified and eventually, they married on May 25, 2004,[5] the hottest day of the year.[2]

At some point, Catherine commissioned Hamilton Dynamics to develop the Coil accelerator, a weapon that could penetrate the Batsuit, possibly if Batman became a threat. However, the project was put on hold after the Dark Knight mysteriously disappeared.[3]

Prior to 2018, Catherine discovered that Mary opened an illegal clinic in Bennett Ave., using her medical expertise to provide health care to the poor. Catherine was very proud of her daughter, but chose to keep Mary oblivious that she knew her secret.[2]

Coryana

In 2014, Catherine earned the ire of Safiyah Sohail, the queen of Coryana, by reneging on a defense contract for the island. Safiyah sent the Many Arms of Death to steal one of Catherine's yachts to teach her a lesson, only to find the very much alive Beth, wearing Catherine's clothes and drinking her champagne. Beth, who wanted to confront Catherine in revenge for faking her death, was taken to Coryana and trained under Safiyah, leaving Catherine unaware of the assault planned by both parties.[9]

Rise of Batwoman

Catherine make a speech at the switching off of the Bat-Signal

Catherine's speech at the switching off of the Bat-Signal.

In late 2018, Catherine attended the switching off of the Bat-Signal with her family. She was annoyed when her daughter took pictures with the protestors, warning Mary to stop embarrassing the former. Catherine greeted Jacob and went to make her speech to the city's elite. She declared that it was time to stop waiting for Batman and accept he would never return to Gotham before asking Mayor Akins to turn off the signal. Suddenly, Catherine witnessed Alice and her Wonderland gang crash the event, terrorizing the citizens and kidnapping Sophie Moore.

Catherine organize a welcome home party for Kate

Catherine organizes a welcome-home party for Kate.

The next night after Kate Kane returned to Gotham City from her travels, Catherine organized a welcome-home party for her at the Kane penthouse. She happily greeted Kate, asking if it was okay making her stepdaughter the center of attention. Catherine then urged Mary to join her in taking a photo with a councilwoman; she claimed if her family showed everyone they felt safe, then their clients in turn would feel safe as well.

The night after, Catherine attended the city's Movie in the Park event alongside her husband, witnessing a new Bat vigilante. The next morning, she read about the ordeal in the Gotham City Gazette.[6]

As a contingency against the new Bat, Catherine had the Coil accelerator project reinstated.[10]

Kane penthouse

Breakfast at Kane penthouse.

The following day during breakfast, Catherine spoke on the phone with a business acquaintance, remarking that she didn't like another company's response to Hamilton Dynamics' AR, and decided to pull out from their association to spark interest in Dubai. As Mary commented on Sophie being married to a man, asking out loud what was her actual sexual orientation was, Catherine politely told her to simply drop it. Kate then revealed to Jacob her suspicions that Alice was actually Beth, shocking everyone, especially Catherine.[8]

That night, when Alice was arrested by the Crows at Burnside Park, on the way to Arkham Asylum, Catherine had the transfer truck bombed by Hamilton Dynamics on Loeb Bridge in an attempt on Beth's life in order to cover her past deed.[11]

Catherine orders her thug to destroy Alice's butterfly knife

Catherine orders Shane McKillen to destroy Alice's butterfly knife.

Then, after Kate contacted Sophie to gave her Alice's butterfly knife she previously stole her to have it DNA tested, they got attacked by a group of thugs dressed as member of Wonderland gang, that manage to steal it back, however Shane McKillen, the leader of said thugs, is later revealed to be working for Catherine and gave her the butterfly knife receiving from her the order to destroy it.[8]

A few days later, Catherine attended Tommy Elliot's party at the Elliot Tower and was approached by her daughter, who complained to her about the need of assigning her a bodyguard, to which Catherine replied it was inevitable as they lived in difficult times.

Catherine and Jacob stuck inside an elevator

Catherine and Jacob stuck inside an elevator.

Few moments later, Jacob received a phone call from Alice, who revealed to be at their house; in panic the man ordered his men to escort his family away and while Sophie Moore and Tyler took care of Mary he accompanied Catherine at the elevator, however due to Tommy having planted bombs on three elevators, the couple found themselves stuck inside one of it and were subsequently saved by Batwoman.

Later that night, after they came back home, Catherine find some playing cards left by Alice in her bedroom; getting scared she demanded Jacob to deal with her despite his concerns that she might be Beth.[12]

Revealing the truth to Jacob and Mary

Catherine is blackmailed by Alice

Catherine is blackmailed by Alice.

A few days later, Catherine went to a Jewish cemetery in Gotham City and watched as a backhoe dug up the graves of Gabi and Beth. She was then approached by Alice and her gang next to her car. The villainess asked if Jacob knew what was actually buried under Beth's grave. She blackmailed Catherine, promising to keep the woman's deeds to herself if Catherine gave her a top-secret weapon from Hamilton Dynamics. Alice warned Catherine to give said project (which she knew was the latter's idea idea) to her by 10 pm the next night or Jacob would know all about how she convinced him that Beth was dead years ago.

Alice tells Catherine that it's too late

Alice tells Catherine it's too late.

In response, Catherine sent her men into one of Alice's lairs, but the Wonderland gang easily captured them. A few hours later, the group's leader, McKillen, met with Catherine in a parking garage to show her his severed wrist tendon, which was a message Alice intended to send her. McKillen told Catherine that she would have to go after Alice herself and left. Alice then called Catherine on her phone, taunting her that it was now "too late" before hanging up.

Catherine confess the truth to Jacob

Catherine confesses the truth to Jacob.

Catherine visited Jacob at his office, revealing that Alice came to her and was interested in Hamilton Dynamics' newest project. However, she refused to give such a weapon to a terrorist. The phone rang but Catherine begged Jacob not to answer it since it might be Alice and she wanted him to hear the truth from her. Catherine finally revealed to her husband how 15 years ago, she made it seem his daughter was dead by passing off deer bone fragments as Beth's and bribing the coroner to manipulate the DNA test, so that he and Kate would move on. Jacob was furious and exited his office in anger, leaving Catherine in tears.[3]

Catherine confess her past deed to Mary

Catherine reveals her past deed to Mary.

The next day, during a walk by the river with her daughter, Catherine also revealed to Mary the truth about faking the discovery of Beth's body for Jacob and Kate's sake. Mary was upset and deemed her mother's action as a "horrible thing" before storming off, leaving Catherine heartbroken once more.[11]

Catherine compliments the fake Deveraux

Catherine compliments "Deveraux".

A few days later, as Mouse infiltrated Hamilton Dynamics posing as Dean Deveraux and entered the room in which the company newest secret weapon was kept, he was immediately intercepted by an equipe of scientist and Catherine herself, who complimented "Deveraux" for having accomplished such a thing as making their coil accelerator work properly. She asked him how does he resolved a specific engineering problem and, being unable to answer it, the latter save himself saying it was a classified information, to which Catherine reacted collegially pointing out that it could not be otherwise being it a weapon designed to penetrate the Batsuit.[10]

Family crisis

Catherine and Mary in a limousine

Catherine and Mary in a limousine.

Jacob asked for a divorce from Catherine and left Gotham in order to clear his mind and investigate August Cartwright. She was accompanied to the proceedings by her reluctant daughter, who was angry over Jacob and Kate leaving them, to which Catherine tried to assure her that not everything would change. However, Mary stated she had yet to forgive her mother and wished to be anywhere but there with her. Catherine tried to explain she was acting as a mother in faking Beth's death when she received a call from Hamilton Dynamics. Catherine learned the coil accelerator had been stolen and Deveraux killed, much to her shock.

After Pyra Electrics employee Derek Holcomb was murdered too, Catherine realized the targets were individuals capable of replicating the coil accelerator, as it could penetrate Batwoman's suit. She went to speak with Jacob in his office and told him her discovery. He agreed to let Catherine know when the Crows retrieved the weapon and allowed her to oversee the operation after the coil accelerator was found in possession of the Rifle. The assassin had a confrontation with "Batwoman", though the weapon was not found.

Catherine talks with Mouse as he poses as Jacob

Catherine talks with "Jacob" about their future.

Afterwards, Catherine managed to convince "Jacob" to hold off on filing for divorce for their daughters' sake. She assured him that no matter how difficult things were, they could face them as long as they were together. Unbeknownst to Catherine though, "Jacob" was really Jonathan in disguise as a part of Alice's machinations for her "tea party".[7]

Death

A toast in Catherine's honor

A toast in Catherine's honor.

Having to receive the Humanitarian Award during Gotham's annual Humanitarian Ball, Catherine went to the Orpheum Theatre with her daughter Mary and the man she believed to be Jacob (actually Mouse) while on their limousine they had a toast of champagne in her honor.

Catherine begins to bleed from Alice's poison

Catherine begins to bleed.

Later, at the gala she was introduced to the audience by doctor Ethan Campbell and started to make her speech, however, at some point she noticed Alice between the audience and on her teleprompter appeared a message from the villainess informing her that the Wonderland gang had infiltrated the Crows and was now surrounding the building; thus, forcing her, in order to avoid anyone to get harmed, to admit all of her crimes in front of the audience declaring to be the real villainess of Gotham together with her husband. Then she started to feel dizzy and collapsed to the ground, prompting the ceremony to end.

Alice tells Mary and Catherine there's only enough antidote for one of them

Alice tells Mary and Catherine there's only enough antidote for one of them.

After Catherine was transported to the back of the stage, Mary called the hospital while "Jacob" left stating that he was going to look for help; later Alice entered the room revealing that Catherine was poisoned with an Hamilton Dynamics toxin by Mouse under the pretense he was Jacob and that she got the antidote with her. After pouring the antidote into a teacup, Alice forced Catherine to apologize to her for the years of suffering she endured because of her deception then, after having received said apology, she revealed Mary was poisoned too and that there was only enough antidote for one of them.

Catherine dies in her daughter's arms

Catherine dies in her daughter's arms.

With her last wish, Catherine forced her daughter to take the antidote claiming Mary was the only good thing that she had done in her life and revealing how proud she was about her, and what she was doing at her clinic, whom she was aware about it. Then, Catherine died in her daughter's arms, though Mary tried to revive her.[13]

Legacy

Mouse and Alice over Catherine's grave

Mouse and Alice over Catherine's grave.

Beth used Catherine's as part of her plot to frame Jacob for her murder, leading to his incarceration.[14] Following said victory, Beth and Jonathan Cartwright started visiting the cemetery daily, where they would have tea and spill the beverage on Catherine's grave as a "celebration" to mock her death.[1]

Despite Catherine's past questionable deeds, Mary, Kate and Jacob were filled with grief over her murder. This tragedy strained Mary's relationship with Kate as the latter chose to believe in Beth instead of having her killed or arrested, which lead to Catherine's death. Eventually however, the step-sisters managed to reconcile.[1]

Catherine's murder finally convinced Kate to accept that her sister was truly beyond saving. When she visited Jacob in prison, they both vowed to do whatever it took to put an end to Beth's schemes once and for all, even if it resulted in her death, in order to get justice for Catherine.[2]

"Mary's gonna take that syringe to Kate and tell her that it will only save one of us. Kate—Kate's gonna pick me."
"For your sake, I hope that's true. But just in case she chooses otherwise, I'll save you a seat in Hell."
—Alice and her hallucination of Catherine Hamilton-Kane[src]
Alice hallucinates of Catherine

Alice has a hallucination of Catherine.

When Beth was dying in Mary's illegal clinic, she experienced a hallucination of Catherine that taunted her on how Kate will choose to save her doppelgänger instead of her. Beth insisted that Kate would choose her, to which Catherine promised to be waiting for her in Hell if otherwise. In the end, Catherine was right, as Kate chose to save Beth's doppelgänger instead of her, as she wanted her to finally find peace. But Beth's doppelgänger was killed; by August Cartwright; allowing Beth to live again, after moments of taking her last breath, but with the tragic realization that her sister betrayed her and was more than willing to let her die.[15]

Jacob mourns Catherine and uses his wife's death to fuel his hatred for Batwoman. When Beth escapes Arkham, Jacob blamed Batwoman, saying that the killer of his wife was on the loose because Batwoman chooses to be a vigilante; instead of allowing the authorities to do their jobs.[16] But his opinions on Batwoman changed once he realized Kate was Batwoman after her mysterious disappearance.

After researching Ryan Wilder's past and learning that her adoptive mother, Cora Lewis died in her arms; despite Ryan's best efforts to save her, Mary remembered Catherine's death and could relate to Ryan.[17]

When Jacob discovered Mary's secret clinic after he and Mary were threatened by Aaron Helzinger into giving him the source of the Desert Rose, he shut down the clinic, fearing Mary would become just like her mother, although this led to their estrangement, with her making it clear that she will never forgive him. Jacob was also furious to discover that Catherine was possibly involved in human experiments that her company was conducting, showing he still showed disdain towards his wife for committing immoral acts. However, after finding that the map to Coryana had been destroyed, Jacob got drunk where he realized why Catherine had faked Beth's death so he wouldn't have to experience the pain of waking up every day with the hope of finding his missing daughter, thus; allowing Jacob to slowly start forgiving his late wife[18] and allow Mary to reopen her clinic.

it is unknown if Gotham knows that; Catherine is indirectly responsible for the creation of Alice.

Personality

Catherine was a very business-oriented, driven, and practical individual, always thinking what was best for her company's profits and image.[6] She was such a hard-working woman to the point of not taking a break even during breakfast or in her spare time.[7][8] Having a serious demeanor, Catherine was often embarrassed by her daughter's status as an influencer,[6] as well as Mary's more free-spirited and inquisitive nature[8] since Catherine tend to be polite on every argument and matter. However, she also possesses a warm, maternal nature with loved ones; Catherine deeply cared for Mary, her husband Jacob Kane, and step-daughter, Kate Kane. Despite their differences, she was proud of Mary for her compassion in helping Gotham's underprivileged.[2]

Catherine came off as stern, rigid, ruthless, and sometimes immoral, in an ends-justify-the-means sense. Concerned of and sympathetic to Jacob and Kate's growing desperation in finding the missing Beth Kane, Catherine decided to arrange for a body and false DNA test in a bid to give the Kane family closure over her fate.[3] Catherine firmly believes that everything she did was out of love and for the betterment of her family, refusing to consider the ethical repercussions of perpetuating such a deception with a personal tragedy.[7][11] She felt her actions were justified in order to ease the suffering Beth's family was going through every day she was missing, coming to see Kate as her own daughter during this time, even though they weren't family.[2]

However, Catherine's love for her family often came under question when she aimed to protect her reputation. Upon discovering Beth was alive and became the deranged sociopath "Alice" as an indirect result of Catherine faking her death, she immediately tried to destroy any evidence proving Beth's identity,[8] even making two attempts on Beth's life in order to not have her deception discovered.[11] When Catherine finally confessed the truth, she only did so under blackmail from Beth. Nonetheless, Catherine seemed genuinely remorseful for her actions and their unintended consequences,[3] even agreeing to apologize to Beth for what the latter had endured because of her.

Despite Catherine's flaws, she possessed true selflessness when needed; after she and Mary were poisoned by Beth, Catherine immediately refused to take the antidote as there was only enough for one of them, thus saving her daughter's life.[2]

Abilities

  • High-level intellect/Great business acumen/Expert tactician/Leader: Catherine was an intelligent and cunning businesswoman, able to successfully run Hamilton Dynamics and help finance Crows Security. Under her direction, Hamilton Dynamics became one of the most important defense companies of the United States.[3] Catherine was very charismatic and a capable leader, being Jacob Kane's right-hand woman in the business of the Crows.
    • Skilled investigator: Catherine had proven to be a capable investigator.[7]
    • Expert of deception/Manipulator: Catherine maintained her image of a philanthropist and businesswoman whilst doing underhanded business and corrupting some public figures. She managed to deceive Jacob, the GCPD, and the entire city into believing that Beth Kane was dead,[3] with Bruce Wayne and Kate Kane being the only exceptions.
    • Expert engineer: Catherine was an extremely skilled engineer, having specific knowledge on how the weapons developed by her company were manufactured and worked.[10]
  • Network: As a businesswoman, member of the social elite, and part of Crows Security, Catherine had many contacts with significant figures. She also paid some thugs to do dirty work for her.[3][8]

Appearances

Batwoman

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3


Gallery

Promotional images

Batwoman

Season 1

Trivia

  • It should be noted that Catherine shares her first name with her step-daughter, whose full name is Katherine Kane, but is spelled with a "C" instead of a "K".
  • Catherine has similarities to the formerly deceased Moira Queen;
    • Both were prominent businesswomen and philanthropists.
    • Both embodied an ends-justify-the-means philosophy; regarding their questionable actions in protecting their respective families.
    • Both grew estranged from their families; once their lies and deceptions were exposed.
    • Both died protecting their children.
  • But unlike Moira; Catherine did not have any guilt, shame and remorse for any of her disgusting actions, as she (delusionally) believed that; her actions were completely justified.
  • Although Catherine isn't the most villainous character in the series in comparison to most others; but she is still a villain; due to her unethical actions, as she is one of the catalysts for Alice's creation and trying desperately to cover up the truth that; she had faked Beth Kane's death.
  • Unlike the Kane family; Catherine was not jewish, as she was not buried in a jewish cemetery.[1]

Behind the scenes

  • In the DC comics, Catherine Hamilton-Kane is the heiress to the Hamilton arms fortune, the second wife of Jacob Kane, and the step-mother of Kate Kane.
  • Catherine is the first major character from Batwoman to die.

References

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