Batwoman season 1, episode 2 review: The Rabbit Hole
Kate Kane wrestled with the possibility that Alice could actually be her twin sister in the second episode of Batwoman.
“The Rabbit Hole” opens where the pilot episode of Batwoman ended, with Kate discovering that the villainous Alice is, in fact, her long lost sister, Beth. Kate, through a monologue, shows us the search for her sister and how, as time moved on, the search for her body was called off and she was left behind.
This episode tells a two-prong narrative — one of Kate coming to terms with the idea that her sister is evil and the second being her coming to terms with the city seeing her as the new Batman.
Early in the episode, the viewer is treated to some delightfully “Batman-esque,” scenes with Kate Kane ambushing a member of the Wonderland Gang after her father Jacob put out a “dead or alive” order on Alice and her henchmen.
Family Ties
As the episode progresses, Jacob is hunting Alice, Kate is also hunting her but to see if she is indeed her sister, and Alice is busy causing mayhem in her effort to hurt her father for abandoning her. Ruby Rose is coming into her character but still is a bit flat in the emotional scenes, the two scenes which felt the most touching occurred late in the episode.
In a flashback, young Kate is shown with a map that she has marked off, as she searches for her sister. Jacob comes in and sees it and then breaks down crying, as he reveals to his daughter that bones matching Beth have been found. It’s heartbreaking, and Dougray Scott does a good job showcasing a grieving father.
The second scene takes place after the prison transport carrying Alice goes over the bridge. Kate as Batman dives in and rescues her, placing a breathing apparatus in Alice’s mouth. She wakes up and, for a moment, Kate and Beth gaze and each other. Beth, seemingly sane for a moment, puts her hand up to Kate’s cheek.
It’s a touching moment, as Alice recognizes her sister and knows she saved her. This also leads us into the final scene where Kate finds a box on her bike that has a bat inside and a note that says “You have our father’s eyes.”
Mysteries mysteries!
This rabbit hole was very much a saga episode, one that sets up the overall plot of the season and its players. We will likely see a bunch of one-off “Monster of the week” adventures, mostly as the world of Gotham and the Bat-family is too rich in baddies to just focus on one villain.
More from Arrowverse
- The 9 best (and 8 worst) Arrowverse characters
- 27 best fighters in the Arrowverse, ranked
- All 8 Black Canary actresses ranked from worst to best
- 11 things nobody wants to admit about the Arrowverse
- The 7 best (and 6 worst) Arrowverse villains
This episode begins by laying out the overarching mystery of what happened to Beth, who saved her and why she’s suddenly a homicidal maniac. As the episode plays out it shows that there is someone else out there who very much wants Alice’s identity kept secret. One plot point finds Kate trying to get Alice’s dagger tested for DNA, only to have members of the Wonderland gang steal it back, but WAIT. It’s then revealed that Alice did not order the heist, so who did?
Finally, as Alice is being taken to Arkham, an attempt is made on her life and, later on, the viewer is shown that the “Man behind the curtain” is none other than Catherine Hamilton-Kane, Kate’s stepmother.
Conclusion
Overall, “The Rabbit Hole” was a much better episode than the pilot. Ruby Rose seems more comfortable in the role, and the story plots are coming together to give a clearer picture of the season’s narrative. The show is definitely taking some of the mystery elements from Batman to craft a story that leaves the viewer guessing.
Another interesting Easter egg is the name drop of Wonder Woman (Does this mean she exists in the Arrowverse?) The program has also toned down the social aspects as seen in the trailers. With this, it seems much more like Arrow then Supergirl. That being said, the episode did have its moments of cringe, such as Kate’s stepsister trying to figure out Sophie Moore’s sexual orientation, which came off very awkward.
Next. All you need to know about Crisis On Infinite Earths. dark
In the end, “The Rabbit Hole” was an episode that built the story of the season and served up some compelling emotional beats. If the following episodes can keep this up, Batwoman may just prove itself worthy of the Arrowverse.
7/10 Batarangs