- "Sitting at that desk, staring out that window, watching this city that we grew up in rot at its core, you find a way not to break. Bruce didn't leave Gotham without a fight."
- —Kate to Kara Danvers on Bruce Wayne[src]
Kate Kane is a wealthy individual and the cousin of Bruce Wayne. She is secretly the vigilante known as Batwoman.
Biography
Becoming Batwoman
At some point before the disappearance of Batman, Kate became a vigilante calling herself Batwoman. She also took charge of Wayne Enterprises after her cousin left Gotham as well, planning to redevelop it into a real-estate development firm.[1]
Meeting other heroes
At some point after reality was altered, Batwoman stood on a clock tower in Gotham.[2]
After Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, and Kara Danvers were arrested. Kate posted their bail and had a guard escort them to Wayne Enterprises. Once they got there, she offered to reluctantly help so they could leave, as she didn't want "Oliver" to cause any more problems. She took them to the rooftop and gave them equipment to use to find who they were looking for while she watched them on a security camera. After a while, Kara came inside. Kara apologized for asking a lot of questions, realizing the name Bruce Wayne was somewhat notorious. Kate said she knew, as Bruce is her cousin. Kara mentioned that her cousin was frenemies with Bruce, then wondered if keeping his private life a secret broke him. Kate responded by saying that watching the city fall to pieces makes it hard to break, and that Bruce was possibly forced to leave. Kara complimented her and then asked about John Deegan. Kate told her that he worked at Arkham Asylum. After Kara left, Kate took an elevator down to a cave, where her suit was located.[1]
When Barry and Cisco were attacked by Arkham inmates she appeared as Batwoman and took down the remaining inmates including Psycho Pirate. She told them that Kate told them to leave and that they should have listened to her and walked away.[1]
Later when the Flash and the Green Arrow were fighting each other, she neutralised them and made them realise that they were exposed to a hallucinogenic gas. At the asylum gate she told them to get out of her city and had a chat with Supergirl who knew her identity because of her X-ray vision. She recognised Kara Danvers from earlier. They shook hands and then walk away.[1]
After reality was restored back to normal, she contacted Oliver Queen asking if the deranged doctor they brought into Arkham was going to be a bigger problem since he already made a friend at the Asylum: the Psycho Pirate.[3]
Potential future
Batwoman will be involved in the events of 2024 when the Flash battles the Reverse-Flash before disappearing from the timeline. Different witness claims contradict versions of the events (whether the Flash was assisted by Supergirl and the Atom, or a team of Green Arrow, Batwoman and Elongated Man).[4]
Personality
Similar to her cousin, Kate is a no-nonsense and blunt individual. She is very open with her personal opinion. Unlike her cousin who is nothing like the real Batman, he is willing to accept help and do whatever it takes to help people. She is more of an uptight and cold-hearted person. She doesn't have Batman's good heart or is a team player who is willing to help his city. As Batwoman, she is very stoic and committed to helping Gotham City. While mostly an antisocial person, she can show respect to those she thinks deserves it, as she acknowledged Supergirl's worth as a hero. She is similar to Alex Danvers and Sara Lance.
Abilities
- Peak of human physical condition: As a vigilante, Kate is in the best physical condition, strong enough to throw her enemies into the air and quickly master opponents much larger than her with relative ease.
- Acrobatics: Since becoming Batwoman, Kate has developed free-running skills and can fall from a height of several feet without hurting herself. Her abilities allow her to dodge and attack with fluidity from different directions without losing balance.
- Master combatant/Martial artist: Kate is a highly competent unarmed combatant and an extremely skilled martial artist. She was able to quickly subdue Oliver Queen and Barry Allen, when reality was altered and they had each other's powers and skills, although it took them by surprise.
- Expert Markswoman: Kate has shown to have great accuracy, when she threw a batarang at a escaped inmate at Arkam Ayslum and caught her batarang returning back to her after subduing the inmate.
- Intimidation: As Batwoman, Kate has an intimidating appearance, capable of instilling fear in friends as well as enemies. This was seen when a criminal, from Arkham Asylum, cried out of fear when he saw Batwoman.
- Keen intellect: Kate is a very perceptive individual, as she quickly determined that Supergirl was Kara Danvers.
- Stealth/Infiltration: Kate is extremely secretive, being able to approach other people without being seen.
Equipment
- Batwoman suit: Kate wears a protective suit as Batwoman, to hide her identity from her enemies, when she goes out fighting crime.
- Red wig: Kate wears a fake red wig to protect her identity from her enemies and while fighting crime.
- Batarang: Kate uses a roughly bat-shaped throwing weapon.
- Grapple gun: Kate uses a length of monofilament wire attached to a spool, and primarily is used for scaling buildings and ensnaring targets.
Appearances
The Flash
Season 5
- "Nora" (name seen in the newspaper)
- "Elseworlds, Part 1"
Arrow
Season 7
Supergirl
Season 4
Gallery
Elseworlds
Trivia
- Kate has many tattoos, it is also implied by Kara Danvers that she has some that can't be seen.[1]
Behind the scenes
- In the main DC Comics continuity, Kate Kane is a superhero known as Batwoman affiliated with the Bat-Family. The character originated as Kathy Kane in 1956 and was a recurring love interest of Batman's until she was retired from the comics in the mid-1960s; she later returned in the 1970s but was killed off. In 2006 a new version of the character, now named Kate Kane and reimagined as being openly gay, was introduced in the post-Infinite Crisis continuity. The original version of Kane, however, was also reintroduced in 2011's Batman Incorporated series. The Arrowverse version of Batwoman is based upon the 2006 reimagining.
- In the comics, Batwoman had a relationship with Maggie Sawyer. The characters became engaged but DC Comics vetoed their wedding, causing the title's then writers to leave the comic in protest.[5]
- Unlike her comic book counterpart, who is a natural redhead, Kate's red hair is only part of her suit.