Ruby Rose’s sudden departure from Batwoman came as a surprise. Her casting was announced with great fanfare and despite some rumors of unhappiness on set, most expected her to stick it out for longer than a single season. But I guess if you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go.
The CW eventually decided to rework the show and focus on a new Batwoman: Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder. It was a smart but risky move as it essentially amounts to a soft reboot of the concept after just one run. But now it’s looking like Kate Kane isn’t gone for good, as it’s confirmed that Krypton and The Royals star Wallis Day will play her in upcoming episodes. Fans should be happy, too, as Day had been their pick for Kane after Rose’s exit and prior to the Javicia Leslie announcement, many were rooting for her to take the lead role.
Showrunner Caroline Dries commented on the news, saying the following:
“Wallis Day is going to be playing our altered version of Kate Kane, and she’s an amazing actress. I’m excited for you guys to see the journey that she endures.”
That mention of an “altered” Kate Kane could prove a big clue as to how it’s going to go down. The most recent episode, “Survived Much Worse,” shed some light on what happened to the season 1 heroine, with Julia Pennyworth revealing that they’d gotten a DNA match for Kate from a body recovered from an apparently deadly plane crash. But the hour ended with a bandaged woman wearing Kate’s red necklace hiding out in a barbershop, so perhaps she simply needs time to heal.
It may be that Kate will require plastic surgery after her accident, explaining why she’s now “altered” and looks like a completely different woman. It remains to be seen how this will all play out, but before too long, we may have two Batwomen competing for the mantle.
Batwoman airs Sundays at 8/7c on The CW.
