Batwoman made big news over the summer hiatus when it was revealed that leading lady Ruby Rose was departing as Kate Kane after only one season in the cape and the cowl. While Batwoman found an exciting new star with Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder, there was still the question of how the show would switch from one Batwoman to another with Rose not returning to reprise her role. Well, a new Season 2 trailer (seen above) shows how Batwoman will address Kate's absence.
The trailer is packed with action to show Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder taking on the mantle of Batwoman and eventually putting her own spin on the costume, along with the rising threats that will require a hero on the streets. The nod to what actually happened to Kate is quick moment that comes about 12 seconds into the trailer, with what looks like a memorial to a missing Kate. Take a look:
The top headline of the Gotham City Gazette there reads "Whatever Happened To Kate Kane?" so it's clear that her absence doesn't go unnoticed on the civilian front or on the superhero front. The font is too small to read most of what is directly printed beneath the headline, but the last five words are seemingly "Woman Missing After Jet Crash." The headline of the column on the right reads "City Budget Reflects Uncertainty," but the important element of the front page is that Kate seemingly disappeared in a plane crash.
Or that's the public story, anyway. It's possible that the Gotham City Gazette printing that Kate is missing after a jet crash isn't the full story, since so much of Kate's life was still a secret as of the end of Season 1. Still, I think it would be easier for those in the know about her double life to not give any explanation for her absence at all than go for "jet crash," so there may be more to the situation than the press being fed a false story.
Her loved ones do seem to be in the dark, as several look upset, and her father says that he doesn't want to give up hope that Kate's alive. Then again, if the footage from the trailer is pulled from more episodes than the premiere (which seems likely), maybe the characters looking upset are mourning Kate. Oddly, it looks like Ryan just happens to find Kate's Batwoman suit and wig, both looking intact. If Kate really did go down in a jet crash, then she either didn't have her suit with her or it was packed in some kind of explosion-proof case.
While replacing the star of the show may not have been ideal after just one season (especially without that star returning for an on-screen sendoff), the new footage indicates that Batwoman found a badass replacement with Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder, and the disappearance of Kate could be a great mystery that fuels the second season, at least to start.
On the whole, I hope that Batwoman plays up the mystery angle indefinitely rather than killing Kate off. Even if Ruby Rose (who eventually explained her decision to depart her starring turn) doesn't intend to return, the possibility of Kate coming back beats a reveal that the show's original hero died off-screen. Hey, if the Arrowverse's Batman could disappear, why not Kate Kan's Batwoman?
See Javicia Leslie's debut as the new Batwoman and the mystery of Kate Kane's plane crash with Batwoman Season 2, premiering on Sunday, January 17 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. It will be the the first Arrowverse series to premiere in The CW's delayed 2020-2021 TV season, followed by Black Lightning, The Flash, and Superman & Lois in February. For more of what's on the way in the new year, check out our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule.
