Batwoman season 2, episode 13 review: I’ll Give You A Clue

Episode 13 of Batwoman season 2 offers new faces, new allies, and genuine clues of things to come.

A week ago, we saw Black Mask and Enigma complete the shocking reprogramming of Kate Kane into the grisly mobster’s fallen daughter Circe who was once an inmate at Arkham. She had successfully taken Alice prisoner at the end of episode 12 and the fallout plays a key part this week.

But before that, Alice and Batwoman found they had a common mission and a common enemy so they teamed up to track down Angelique and Ocean, stuck in the clutches of Black Mask and the False Faces. Things went all right until Ryan turned her back on her enemy and foolishly left her to die.

Get a clue

Alice lives and Ryan is none the wiser but she has more time to chase leads on the False Face Gang, so it’s not really a concern.

Unsurprisingly, though, priorities change again and she, Mary, and the unexpected guest of Sophie are put on the trail of Cluemaster, a payback-hungry gameshow host that just broke out of Blackgate. He’s an interesting and sudden addition to the Arrowverse out of Batman’s recurring yet lesser-known cast of rogues.

When The Riddler won’t do, Cluemaster is a suitable fill-in but what he really brings to the table is his daughter, Stephanie Brown. Played by Morgan Kohan, Stephanie will be familiar to comic readers as Spoiler – a guise she adopted before becoming Robin and then Batgirl.

Her presence is very appropriate in this season of Batwoman due to her encounters with Black Mask that could turn tragic and got really messed up. The show probably won’t scratch the surface of the harshness Stephanie endured, but that may be for the best.

Scooby Gang of Batwoman

Also, in this episode, Sophie (Meagan Tandy) becomes an official member of the Bat-Family when she goes on the mission to stop Cluemaster. Her skills and wit come in handy when she has to save Stephanie and the other two from the villain’s traps.

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When it came to rescuing Ryan and Mary, it got so desperate Sophie admitted she knew Ryan was Batwoman so they would trust her. After maintaining her secrecy a little longer to no avail, Ryan caves and tells Soph how to get into the Batcave – officially bringing her into the fold.

This is a pivotal moment because Ryan never totally trusted Sophie for being a Crow – and a high-ranking one at that. The Crows are not an organization Ryan is very fond of as they often get in her way and she doesn’t feel they really have the little people in mind.

Ryan and Sophie’s dynamic took a 180 this week, starting with Ryan under the cowl delivering an impassioned speech to Crows concerning how they fall short. She then escapes their crosshairs via zipline and, finding Sophie at her apartment afterward, teasingly calls her “Crowphie” before they have to build trust in a race against time.

It’s honestly long overdue for Sophie to learn everything and be part of the team, not just because of her past with Kate but because the show has gotten this far and the crew didn’t have anyone on the inside with the Crows – at least knowingly.

Sister, sister in Batwoman season 2

The episode’s main narrative was executed well while it was a little awkward on the other end with Kate, Black Mask, and Alice. The latter’s been captive since the end of the last episode due to value in her knowledge. Knowing who Batwoman is will go a long way and Alice manages to cut a deal with Mask – knowing full well he is actually Roman Sionis.

This brought us to the cliffhanger ending where Alice offers to give “Circe” a new face and finds out the truth. In the first instance of seeing Wallis Day‘s face on camera, everything feels rushed and confusing.

At first, it seems the new skin will give them an excuse to make Kate look like Day as opposed to Ruby Rose. However, that isn’t what happens – not that it needed to. Alice applies the face, in an odd jump cut that throws the scene off-kilter, and instantly recognizes her sister.

It’ll be intriguing to see where they take it from here but this could have played out over a few weeks rather than two. There would’ve been more patience in delivering the payoff and arguably more shock to come with it. In an episode loaded with twists and turns, this one might be the flattest.

Tell us what you thought about Batwoman season 2, episode 13, and what you think will happen next in the comments below.