Batwoman Won't Kill Kate Kane, Here's Why A New Character Is Being Created

When it was announced that Ruby Rose would not be returning for Season 2 of The CW's Batwoman, it was unclear what that meant for her character, Kate Kane. It was revealed that a new Batwoman would instead be introduced, leading some to wonder if that meant Kane would simply be killed off. Now, showrunner Caroline Dries has confirmed that's not the case.

In a statement obtained by Give Me My Remote, Dries said, "As a lesbian who's been working as a writer for the past fifteen years, I'm well aware of the 'Bury Your Gays' trope and I have no interest in participating in it. That's why it's important to me as the showrunner to clarify any misinformation out there about Kate Kane and recasting Batwoman. Like you, I love Kate Kane--she's the reason I wanted to do the show. We'll never erase her. In fact, her disappearance will be one of the mysteries of season 2. I don't want to give away any of our surprises, but to all our devoted fans, please know that LGBTQ+ justice is at the very core of what Batwoman is and we have no intention of abandoning that."

It was previously reported that the new Batwoman will be a woman named Ryan Wilder. A casting call reportedly is looking for a "female, Mid-late 20s, any ethnicity." It reads further, "she's likable, messy, a little goofy, and untamed. She's also nothing like Kate Kane, the woman who wore the batsuit before her."

As for why the series is choosing to create a new character rather than recast Kate Kane, Dries addressed that over the weekend during an Austin Television Festival Q&A session. She credited executive producer Greg Berlanti for the idea, according to Give Me My Remote, and explained that the choice might make the new face easier to accept.

"I just think it helps the audience a little bit, too, that we're not asking them to not address the elephant in the room," she said. "I'm inventing a whole new character. In her past, she was inspired by Batwoman. She is going to take on the mantle and is completely [not] the right person at the time to be doing it. That's what makes it fun."

It remains to be seen how the various story threads regarding Kate Kane will be wrapped up or when the show will even be able to resume production. As it stands, Season 2 of Batwoman will premiere in 2021 on The CW.

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