It’s been officially confirmed that season 8 will be the last for Arrow, the series that kicked off the DC multiverse on The CW. At the same time, filming has quietly started on the pilot for Batwoman, a new potential addition to the Arrowverse.
Although Batwoman has yet to be ordered to series, if it does get picked up could it fill the void left by Arrow’s departure after a shortened 10-episode eighth season? Let’s take a look.
Comparisons Between Arrow and Batman
Arrow’s similarities to Batwoman’s cousin Batman were obvious from the beginning. Like Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen is a millionaire playboy who runs his family’s company. He’s also secretly a vigilante that lacks any real superpowers.
Where Batman has awesome tech to help in his fight for justice, Arrow has, well, all kinds of bows and arrows. Both characters live in corrupt cities and the death of a parent catalyzed both of their journeys to superherodom.
Of course, while Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) lives in Gotham and is involved in Wayne Enterprises, like her cousin, her story will be different in many ways. One thing is likely to stay the same though if the character’s introduction during this season’s Arrowverse crossover, “Elseworlds,” is any indication.
Unlike the other remaining shows in the Arrowverse — The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow — Batwoman will front a dark and gritty show about a superpowerless superhero.
Here’s the description provided by the CW:
Armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane [Rose] soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence. But don’t call her a hero yet. In a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope.
Much of the description sounds… familiar, especially towards the end. So, tonally, at least, Arrow and Batwoman could be quite similar.
Batwoman is a Win for Diversity
Of course, while Batwoman could fill the void left by Arrow in certain ways, it will also provide something new. Kate Kane/Batwoman will be the first out-lesbian superhero to front her own network TV show. A win for diversity and a sign of the Arrowverse’s increasing inclusivity.
Each of the Arrowverse’s existing shows has carved out a specific niche for itself that distinguishes it from the others. That Batwoman is likely to most closely resemble Arrow is a symbol of the progress the Arrowverse has made in pushing for representation in the years since Arrow’s 2012 debut.
Instead of another white male superhero, we’ll have a female whose struggles with her demons will hopefully be just as potent as Oliver Queen’s were at the start of his show. The fact that Kate Kane also happens to be a lesbian gives the character another unique layer that will continue the Arrowverse’s trend of showing superheroes that come in all forms.
The Arrowverse has always been representative. In maintaining that tradition with its newest show, the Arrowverse moves into an even more diverse future.
So in some ways, Batwoman could fill the void left by Arrow and in other ways, it will be an entirely new experience. For long-time fans of the Arrowverse, it’s an exciting prospect.