Batwoman - first episode

Some see fear, others hope. I see the freedom to be myself, to play by my own rules.

We're finally there! Some time ago the first episode of Batwoman was released, one of the latest additions to the Arrowverse. In this new superhero series we follow Kate Kane, Bruce Wayne aka Batman's niece. Two years ago, we already had a bit of a sneak preview when Batwoman was part of the 2018 Arrowverse crossover event, Elseworlds. Although I must admit that I wasn't entirely convinced at the time, the pilot has managed to positively surprise me.

Like many, I don't know a whole lot about Batwoman. I've never really watched any of the Batman movies, nor have I seen Gotham. Any knowledge I have, has been acquired due to watching movies from the DC Extended Universe, which isn't a lot. It doesn't really matter, you can easily follow the events of this series without having any prior knowledge. In the pilot episode the viewer gets to witness how Kate Kane became Batwoman, which happened before the 2018 crossover. Katy has never dorn the cape and hasn't got a clue what her famous cousin is doing at night. Everything is nicely explained during the pilot, which was a great idea in my opinion.



In the pilot episode, we meet Kate Kane (Ruby Rose, Orange is the New Black), a young woman who lost her mother and twin sister in a horrible car accident. Batman has abandoned Gotham and the city is now protected by the Crows, which is a private organziation that is led by Kate's father Jacob (Dougray Scott, Hemlock Grove). Kate desperately wants to join the crows and has been training in private to be able to do so. She was kicked out of military service due to having a lesbian relationship with fellow cadet Sophie Moore (Meagan Tandy, unREAL). When Sophie is kidnapped, Kate decides to return to Gotham.

The pilot sets the right tone for the new Arrowverse series. The right amount of excitement, a good vibe and an intriguing storyline. Next to that it is also a series in which the main star is queer. The acting isn't all that great as of yet, but I have only seen the first episode. It could improve a lot over the next couple of episodes. One of the best things about the pilot was the surprise reveal near the end. This reveal could've been kept under wraps for maybe the entire season. By providing the viewer with clarity about what they're watching, Batwoman lays the groundwork for various interesting storylines. I can't wait to see how everything will work out.

I am looking forward to the upcoming episodes! I am, for one, excited! I will give the pilot episode an 8!