On this week’s Batwoman, Renee enlists Ryan’s help after a startling discovery. Meanwhile, Mary continues to feel the effects of Poison Ivy’s vine, and Sophie seeks vengeance for Jordan. Read on to find out what happens in “How Does Your Garden Grow.”
A Budding Villain
This week, Renee and the Bat Team figure out who attacked a man named Chris. Renee arrives at the scene and finds him wrapped in plants, smothered with honey, and swarmed by bees. She tells paramedics to take him to Mary’s clinic and finds his phone. Then she meets with Ryan and Alice. Alice eventually pushes Renee into telling Ryan about Poison Ivy and how the vine infected someone. So, whoever is infected did this. Renee tasks Ryan with unlocking Chris’ phone, and Alice goes to the clinic.
The clinic is now almost overrun by plants. Mary works on Chris while Alice tells her that Mary did this, which she brushes off as Alice’s delusions. Chris wakes up. When he sees Mary, he panics. She was the one who did this to him.
At the Bat Cave, Mary tells Luke and Ryan she’s the new Poison Ivy, but they struggle to believe her. Alice takes this time to reveal that she knew. But they’re not going to tell Renee. They finally unlock Chris’ phone to find that Mary was the last person he texted.
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Ivy
Mary is now handcuffed to a rail to make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone else. Meanwhile, Luke tracks Mary’s movements. First, they find out she met Chris through a dating app. According to their DMs, he rejected her. Next, he tracks Mary’s phone GPS to a store where she picked up plant supplies, then to a vacant lot.
Batwoman and Alice go to the lot. There’s nothing of note. Just an empty bag of soil and an upturned plant pot. Alice kicks the pot and reveals Virgil, the Black Glove operative, buried alive, with only his head above ground. They head back and learn how Mary tracked Virgil. While they try to pin down her MO, Renee shows up to Wayne. Ryan goes to talk with her, and Renee knows Ryan knows something. She wants to question Virgil, but Ryan resists until Renee leaves.
While Ryan and Renee talk, Alice tells Luke and Mary about Renee’s history with Pamela (aka OG Poison Ivy). After, they begin to try and figure out what triggers the switch in Mary. Ryan returns and fills them in. Alice thinks they should ask Sophie if Virgil said anything. But Sophie isn’t supposed to know about Virgil.
Later, sunlight streams onto Mary, who basks in it. Alice stirs the pot about Ryan. She and Luke argue until Mary hits Luke over the head and knocks him unconscious. Sunlight is the trigger. Alice frees Mary from the cuffs. Mary calls Renee claiming a tip about Poison Ivy, using it to lure Renee to the botanical garden.
S for Vendetta
While the Bat Team works on the case, Sophie tries to find who hurt Jordan. Ryan tries to tell her Jada didn’t know but won’t say anything else. This upsets Sophie, who is angry Ryan is choosing the mother who abandoned her over Sophie. So, Sophie instead calls in a favor with Renee. And they have a tense history. They snark back and forth until Renee finally caves and wants to know what Sophie’s favor is. Sophie asks about Black Glove, but Renee doesn’t know anything.
Sophie interrogates Virgil. He reveals a woman with a disturbed kid hired him to help. The woman then formed a group of other rich parents with kids who needed help. Before he can reveal Jada’s problem with Marquis, Batwoman interrupts. She and Sophie go off to the side and argue. But when they’re out of eyeshot, Virgil uses the chains he hangs from to kill himself.
Gotham’s New Vine Star
Renee stands off with Mary at the botanical garden. Mary taunts Renee by bringing up Pamela, and Renee tries to talk her down. In response, Mary snatches Renee away with vines. Batwing and Batwoman arrive, but they don’t see Mary. Batwoman realizes they were also lured there just before vines snatch them away too.
They free themselves and Batwoman goes to find Mary. But Mary finds Batwing first. She strings him up and he tries to talk to his dad for help. Mary reveals she removed the failsafe and the AI from his suit. In an epic and gorgeous shot, Batwoman swoops down and Mary releases Luke. Batwoman apologizes for not being a better friend to Mary, who scoffs. Mary releases all that pent-up anger about being sidelined, essentially claiming Batwoman has never been her friend. She encases Batwoman in vines then disappears just as police begin to arrive. Renee frees Batwoman, who’s frustrated she called the police. Renee, though, tells Ryan that the most dangerous person in Gotham just escaped.
Next Steps
Back at the bat cave, Luke and Ryan discuss Mary. They both admit they failed Mary and plan to do better. They’re going to keep an eye out for her. Ryan then says they should find a cure for Mary. Luke doesn’t see how, but Ryan knows someone who can help: Jada.
Renee and Sophie bury whatever hatchet was between them. Who says a make-out sesh can’t solve all your problems? Meanwhile, Mary and Alice also plan their next moves. They meet up and drive off… somewhere (and in a car Alice stole).
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.
