This week marked the penultimate episode of this season of Batwoman, and conflict only continues to heighten with Black Mask. Meanwhile, Luke, Mary, and Sophie are thrilled to have Kate back, but Ryan senses that something is off. Read on to find out what happened in “Kane, Kate.”
Batwoman is at Janus Cosmetics to get info about Black Mask’s whereabouts. The security guard she pins claims he doesn’t know anything, but Batwoman sees through him. She gets him to admit that Black Mask went underground but doesn’t know anything else.
Back at the bat cave, Luke doesn’t believe the intel. He tells Ryan there are still no leads on Kate via traffic cams, and Mary tells her that no one has admitted a Jane Doe to the hospital. She gets a call from The Hold Up about a “belligerent drunk.” Ryan goes to check it out and finds that the drunk person is Kate.
Mary and Ryan bring Kate to the apartment, and Kate seemingly has an inkling of recognition with Mary but ultimately doesn’t. Mary and Ryan go downstairs where Sophie and Luke are waiting. Mary and Sophie are thrilled Kate is back, but Ryan is wary. The other three think that Kate just needs more time. Mary then says that Jacob was right about Kate needing Alice.
Alice is still on the train car crying over Ocean’s body. Mary shows up and, fueled by grief, Alice pins her to a pole, knife at her throat, and demands that Mary bring Ocean back. Mary gets through to her saying that won’t bring Ocean back. Alice goes over to Ocean again, and Mary empathizes. Alice wants to know why Mary is there. Mary thanks Alice for bringing Kate back, but Alice is overcome with what it cost her. Mary leaves shortly after.
Luke grabs Kate’s journals from the bat cave when Ryan finds him. He says he wants to fill in gaps of memory for Kate, but Ryan thinks it’s more than that. She reminds him about all the trauma Kate has undergone since they last saw her. Luke isn’t worried, and Ryan finally concedes. After Luke leaves, Ryan looks at the batsuit with concern and doubt.
Luke brings the journals to Kate, hoping they will remind her who she is. They fall into a rhythm of familiar banter, and Luke hands her the keys to her motorcycle. She takes it for a spin, arriving at a rundown TV studio. Inside, she greets her father … who turns out to be Roman. She hands over the journals, telling Roman they’re like a “how to” guide on infiltrating the bat cave. Another person takes a journal, and it’s Safiyah.
Ryan packs her belongings at the apartment, intending to leave. Sophie arrives, and Ryan notices she was expecting to find Kate. Sophie points out Ryan packing, and Ryan says that she wants to make room for Kate. Sophie offers her couch with a pull-out bed to Ryan, but Ryan indicates she’s returning to her van. Sophie says to Ryan that she doesn’t need to give up everything, but Ryan’s doubt takes over. Sophie continues by reminding Ryan about the good she’s done, but Ryan counters with everything that’s happened with Black Mask. Speaking of, Sophie tells her that Black Mask has started recruiting ex-Crows.
Roman gives an impassioned speech to said group of ex-Crows, including Tavaroff. As he talks, his henchmen reveal a table full of various guns. He continues his speech, eventually pulling out and donning the Black Mask mask. He sets the Crows free to pick their weapons, but Tavaroff stays put. Black Mask approaches him, curious, and Tavaroff wants to know what’s in it for him; he doesn’t want to be another “cog in the machine.”
A guy works in an office when the lights go out. Batwoman begins talking but remains hidden. The guy wants to know what she wants, and she mentions the ex-Crows that Roman has on his payroll. The guy shuts his laptop and says he won’t say anything. Batwoman responds he doesn’t need to, and the lights turn on. When the guy looks down, his laptop is missing.
Ryan brings the laptop to the bat cave, but no one is there. She hears voices and spots Luke, Mary, and Kate talking via the security feed. Later, she returns to her van. She talks to her mom via the now-empty plant pot. She realizes that maybe the reason she’s so adamant that Kate isn’t ready to come back is because Ryan isn’t ready to leave. She adds that she knows her mom would tell her to make the most of the time she has left. So, Ryan begins to search through the computer. GCPD intrudes and forces her out of the van. They search it and find the laptop, knowing it’s not hers. They also pull out a bag full of Snake Bite syringes, obviously knowing those don’t belong to her either but claim they do. Shortly after, they arrest Ryan.
Alice brings Ocean’s ashes to the ocean (how poetic). As she dumps them out, she flashes back to their time together on Coryana. While Alice does her thing, Safiyah appears.
Ryan arrives at GCPD, and the cop who drove her leaves her in the car. Moments later, Roman climbs inside. The two bicker until Roman reveals he knows Ryan is Batwoman and implies he wants to team up with her. He thinks they have things in common and that Batwoman shouldn’t be the only vigilante. He asks if it feels good, and Ryan says it does because she helps those who are powerless and trapped in a broken system. She leads into how Circe was one of those people. She understands why Roman is doing what he’s doing, but the way he’s doing it isn’t honoring Circe’s memory. Roman tries to brush it off, saying he doesn’t care what a repeat drug offender has to say — and one who will soon be facing a judge. Roman is ready to dispose of Ryan and Batwoman.
In the bat cave, Luke tells Mary that Ryan has been arrested. Mary begins to panic, saying they need the whole team. She asks where Kate is, and Kate is at The Hold Up with Sophie. Sophie just gave Kate the letter she left for Sophie, hoping it will prompt something. Kate is unsure how to respond. Sophie feels bad, but Kate assures her she’s glad Sophie brought it. Sophie gets a text and tells Kate that Ryan has been arrested.
Sophie and Kate head to the bat cave, and Sophie asks how Roman knew that Ryan is Batwoman. Luke doesn’t know, but he has the schematics of GCPD pulled up. However, with not knowing who is and isn’t on Roman’s payroll, they don’t know who to trust and how to free Ryan undetected. Mary offers Kate the batsuit, and Kate takes it. She heads to grab something off the weapon wall as Sophie volunteers to go with Kate. Kate thinks it’s a sweet sentiment before shooting Sophie, Mary, and Luke with tranquilizer darts.
In an interrogation room, Susan (Ryan’s parole officer) scolds Ryan for getting arrested. Ryan tries to defend herself, but Susan won’t listen. When Ryan says she won’t make it out of the building alive, Susan finally decides to hear Ryan. Ryan reveals she’s Batwoman, and Susan is back to disbelief. Ryan begins to get through to her as two cops enter to take Ryan somewhere. Susan stops them and says she needs to talk to the judge; she believes Ryan is being set up. One of them pulls a gun on Susan, and Ryan breaks their grip and takes the two down. More enter, and Ryan takes them down, too. Susan gives Ryan her badge to get out of the parking garage. Before leaving, Ryan thanks Susan for believing her.
Back on the beach, Alice notes the absence of Tatiana, and Safiyah says it’s because she doesn’t want Alice dead. However, Alice is ready — and attempts to — kill Safiyah. Safiyah stops her easily and takes the knife. Safiyah says she killed Ocean, because Alice burned down Coryana. She wants to end the conflict between them, but Alice doesn’t think it’s over. Safiyah claims she’s trying to save Alice from being locked away, and Safiyah is Alice’s only haven. After, she throws the knife into the water.
Luke, Mary, and Sophie wake up and find themselves trapped in the elevator. Sophie points out that they were duped. Luke is angry, but Mary thinks there’s still some Kate left. Luke agrees, but only enough to give her “the keys to the castle.” In a deeper area of the bat cave, Circe roams through various rooms. She finally finds the one she wants, with a biohazard case filled with items Batman confiscated from his enemies. Circe finds the main one she wants: one of Poison Ivy’s vines.
Ryan returns to the bat cave and finds the team. They fill her in about Circe but aren’t sure where she went. Ryan goes to grab something to cut through the bars, but the weapons wall is empty. An arrow shoots just past her head, and Circe has returned, armed with a crossbow. Ryan ducks behind the desk and is gone when Circe reaches her spot.
Safiyah wants Alice to go back to Coryana with her, but Alice gets facetious. Safiyah tells her that thanks to Poison Ivy’s vine, Coryana will return to its former glory. Alice doesn’t care much … until Safiyah reveals that Circe is the one who helped get the vine.
Ryan is still hiding, so Circe begins shooting at Luke and Sophie. Mary tries to get through but to no avail. Ryan appears and sprays Circe with a fire extinguisher before hitting her with it. The two begin to fight, and Luke reaches for the crossbow that Circe dropped. Unable to, Mary tries to reach it with her belt as Luke and Sophie dislodge the arrows from the wall. They use the arrows to lift the elevator door. Circe knocks Ryan down and begins to hit her with the extinguisher. Sophie, holding the crossbow, gets her attention, but Circe knows she won’t shoot (and she doesn’t). Knowing she’s free, Circe leaves.
Safiyah continues to try and convince Alice to leave with her, citing that she’s Alice’s only family. Alice begins to cry; she knows. Safiyah hugs her, and as they embrace, Alice stabs Safiyah with the Desert Rose coated knife.
The bat team heads to the biohazard room, which has been cleaned out by Circe. Luke tells them what used to be in there before apologizing to Ryan for not listening to her. Ryan says it doesn’t matter now. Circe has escaped with the batmobile and all the weapons.
Roman has the villain items laid out on a table where Tavaroff looks through and asks about them. Roman says he wants “to succeed where they failed” and picks up a massive cylinder of venom. Meanwhile, Circe is cutting up the bat suit.
Batwoman airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on The CW, available the next day on The CW app and cwtv.com. Find our previous recaps and the rest of our coverage here.
