The “Bat” has become a symbol over the years. Of safety. Of fear. Of heroism. Of danger. Though predominantly worn by the fictional character of Bruce Wayne, the identity behind the symbol has changed a number of times, and is about to change again. Ruby Rose played Batwoman for a full season of shows on The CW. Then she stepped away, leaving room for Javicia Leslie to step into the role. And she could look like this, in her costume:
This is fan art for Javicia Leslie, posted to Twitter by ScaryKrystal. And it is scary cool how good the suit looks on Leslie. The Bat insignia on her chest, the utility belt and glove/gauntlet combination and the hair (the hair!!) all pop, giving Leslie a unique look that instantly has her standing apart from the previous mask-wearer.
In case you missed Batwoman, Ruby Rose in costume as Kate Kane looked like:
Why did Ruby Rose leave the show? The actress chose to stay silent, though the word that circulated in the trades came down to the lead actress’s reluctance to dedicate the long hours that come with being a series lead. Rose has spoken openly about her struggles with mental health. It’s possible that the strain of carrying a TV show wasn’t worth the payoff that came with being Batwoman on The CW.
Luckily, the role can be recast, and that’s where Javicia Leslie steps in. A relative newcomer, she appeared for two seasons on the CBS fantasy drama God Friended Me. But this easily will be her highest profile role.
While we are very excited to see where the show takes Javicia Leslie’s new character, Ryan Wilder, there are plenty who followed the series who wonder why she didn’t just take on the mantle of Kate Kane. There were a lot of dangling plot threads left at the end of season one of Batwoman, especially involving Alice, Kate’s thought-dead twin sister. Getting rid of Kate Kane means that the show will have to invent a new way forward, because the showrunners reportedly have stated that they will not be “killing” Kate off, and that her disappearance will be a key storyline for season two.
Maybe at the very least, Ruby Rose could return in a cameo to bring closure to Kate, as a character? She seemed to leave the show on good terms (on the surface, at least), so if the show is able to develop its new arcs for Ryan Wilder (Lesie’s character) and get audiences to invest in her journey, then seeing Kate appear as a way to bring closure to her arc would be welcome.
We’re not sure when season two of Batwoman will resume. The original season was affected by the COVID-19 shutdown, reducing its order from 22 episodes to 20. And while this fan art is dope, we expect an official shot of Javicia Leslie in her Bat suit to be released by the studio, and soon.
