Yahoo News Why the Batwoman TV show doesn't need Batman
For years, shows like Supergirl and The Flash hinted at the existence of Batman in the Arrowverse. However, it wasn't until Oliver Queen name-dropped Bruce Wayne in season six of Arrow that the Dark Knight was finally confirmed to be an official part of DC's world(s) on the small screen.
Arrow producer Marc Guggenheim downplayed this reveal at the time, suggesting that Gotham won't play a role in the Arrowverse, which is why it was so surprising when The CW recently revealed that Batwoman will make her live-action debut in the annual crossover later this year.
Since this was first announced, the network has confirmed that they're also developing a Batwoman TV show based on DC's most prominent LGBTQ+ hero. What's still not clear, though, is how Batman himself will play into this. When the Bat-signal shines over Gotham, will Kate Kane answer the call on her own or will she be accompanied by another pointy-eared friend?
If Batman does play a recurring role on the Batwoman TV show, then the Arrowverse might have a problem on its hands that not even the World's Greatest Detective could solve.
They've kind of got a Batman already
After all, it's no secret that the entire story of Arrow draws heavily from the mythology of Batman. Both Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne hide behind a rich playboy persona, using a variety of gadgets to protect their respective cities while working out of a cave with young sidekicks in tow. The similarities don't end there.
Specific characters from Arrow's supporting cast might also be remarkably familiar to fans of the Caped Crusader. Not only did Roy Harper initially idolize the Green Arrow in much the same way as Robin first revered Batman, but Felicity Smoak is basically Oracle in all but name. Both work as hackers and Oliver's wife was even paralysed at one point too, just like Barbara Gordon in The Killing Joke.
It's not just the good guys who have been inspired by the Dark Knight, either. A number of Batman's enemies have also appeared on Arrow over the years, including Firefly, Anarky and Ra's al Ghul, who even went on to become the Big Bad in season three.
Diehard fans of Arrow will argue that the writers altered the backstories of these characters enough for the show to stand on its own two feet. Although that might be true to a point, introducing Batman into this world would still detract from what made Arrow so special in the first place and the same could apply to Batwoman too.
Batwoman needs Batman like a batfish needs a batbicycle
Unlike most legacy characters, Batwoman has successfully stepped out from the rather imposing shadow of Batman and became an important queer icon in the process. Comic book storylines actively strove to keep Kane separate from the man who initially inspired her in the first place, all to ensure that she stood out as a hero in her own right.
It would be silly to deny that Batwoman borrowed her crime-fighting persona from one of the world's most popular heroes, but that doesn't mean he has to have a physical presence in the show. After all, the official series logline claims that Gotham is "desperate for a saviour". Why would that be the case if Batman is active in the city too? It wouldn't make sense for Batwoman to fight alongside her inspiration on the show, and as a proud loner she would actively resist it.
If Batman has to appear at some point, then the show could draw on Superman's brief appearances in Supergirl for inspiration, bringing him in occasionally as and when it suits the story. To achieve this, Batwoman would work best if Bruce Wayne was absent for some reason, rather than just teasing fans with newspaper headlines or shadowy glimpses of him in the distance. Perhaps Batwoman could even be set in a future where The Dark Knight has retired completely, borrowing elements from the animated series Batman Beyond.
The Batman issue will have to be addressed eventually, but if not handled right, this could cause real problems for both Batwoman and the Arrowverse at large. Let's just hope that Arrow producer Marc Guggenheim sticks to his guns and decides to avoid including Bruce Wayne in any kind of pivotal way. Between his multiple movies and video games, Batman has had more than his fair share of the spotlight. It's about time that somebody else answered the Bat-Signal for a change.
The Arrowverse shows will return to The CW with a brand new schedule this fall in the US. The series air on Sky One and NOW TV in the UK.
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