Erasing Ruby Rose's Batwoman Is A Betrayal Of Her Key Crisis Role
Erasing Ruby Rose’s Batwoman is a betrayal of her key role in the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover. The actress announced she was parting ways with Batwoman following the end of season 1 in May 2020. Prior to all that, Rose’s Kate Kane took part in the five-episode mega crossover that saw the superheroes — including The Flash, Supergirl, and the Green Arrow — band together to stop the villainous Anti-Monitor from destroying the multiverse. However, in a recent 30-minute special called Superman & Lois: A Legacy of Hope, which aired after the series premiere of Superman & Lois, Rose’s Batwoman was edited out of an important clip from “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
In the fifth and final episode of the crossover, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, Black Lightning, Martian Manhunter, Superman, and White Canary came together to form the Justice League, an elite superhero team that could be called upon whenever the world needed saving, so forming a new team in a more official capacity makes sense. Per the Arrowverse, a world-threatening catastrophe happens at least once a year. Their gathering was the start of a new chapter as they said goodbye to fallen hero Green Arrow and moved forward as a unit. It was especially wonderful to see the heroes together on what is now Earth-Prime following the reboot of the multiverse.
However, where Rose’s Batwoman once stood next to Sarah Lance and J’onn J’onzz in the scene, the Legacy of Hope special removed her completely. This erasure is a bad look. Rose’s Batwoman may no longer be a part of the Arrowverse, but that doesn’t mean everything she was once a part of should be erased. There’s also the fact that Kate Kane played a crucial role in the crossover. She was revealed to be the Paragon of Courage after defeating the shady Bruce Wayne/Batman of Earth-99, offered plenty of support to Kara Danvers in a time of doubt, and assisted the rest of the superheroes in the defeat of the Anti-Monitor.
Kate also became a founding member of the Justice League and removing her from this pivotal scene from “Crisis,” even if it’s only in the special, disparages her legacy and acts as an erasure of her importance as a character. Yes, Rose is no longer a part of the Arrowverse and the role of Batwoman is now in the hands of Ryan Wilder, an original character played by Javicia Leslie. The actress is likely never coming back, but that shouldn’t mean her previous appearances need to be ignored and removed. If it’s an issue of legality, then the special could have used another scene without her in it. Going the extra mile to remove her is in poor taste.
To be sure, Kate Kane/Batwoman isn’t erased in the actual crossover episodes that appear on the DVD/Blu-rays of Arrowverse shows, so why edit her out of the scene in the Superman & Lois special? It’s worth noting that Melissa Benoist (Supergirl), David Harewood (Martian Manhunter), and Cress Williams (Black Lightning) are leaving the Arrowverse since their respective shows have been canceled. It’s doubtful, however, that they will also be edited out of the crossover scene in the future, making Rose’s absence from the scene all the more noticeable. Ultimately, removing Rose’s Batwoman is to retcon and alter what happened in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, which is wholly unnecessary and disrespectful.
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