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Plot
As Black Mask brings chaos to the streets of Gotham, leading an army made up of former Crows Security agents, Alice enacts a bold plan to save her sister. New alliances will be forged and new identities will be assumed, though it is uncertain who will emerge alive at the end of the night.
Influences
The Purge movies (scenes of chaos in Gotham, people being encouraged to commit crimes while wearing masks), Joker War (villain takes over Gotham and encourages people to dress as his henchmen( Captain America: The Winter Soldier (scene where an anti-hero saves the hero from drowning, also Kate's brainwashing is similar to what happened to Bucky) the Batwing comic (Luke's armor, character of Menace), the Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War storyline (people in Gotham showing support for Batwoman by hanging something in their windows)
Goofs
The episode leaves Jacob Kane's fate up in the air. Kate mentions visiting him before going to National City, but that could prove difficult since Kate is still legally dead and Jacob was still in prison in Metropolis last anyone checked and there's no apparent reason he would be released even after Roman Sionis was revealed to be Black Mask - especially not on a day's notice. Even allowing that Kate is clever enough to come up with a fake ID to get into a prison, her having Circe Sionis' face is bound to raise some questions.
Performances
Camrus Johnson does some fantastic silent acting in the sequence where Luke uncovers the costume his father made based on his childhood designs.
Wallis Day does a fantastic job of replicating Ruby Rose's performance as Kate Kane here and it's a shame she apparently won't be continuing in the role.
Artistry
The sequences in which Luke saves Mary and confronts Tavaroff is classic comic book action and well-played on every level.
Bat Trivia
Reportedly, this episode was originally planned to be the penultimate episode of Season 2 Precisely why that was changed has yet to be revealed, but it is suspected that the final episode was going to be a crossover with Superman And Lois before the COVID pandemic necessitated cancelling all the crossovers for the 2020-2021 season.
Black Mask's plan in this episode is reminiscent of the Joker War storyline, where Joker tried to take over Gotham City after stealing Bruce Wayne's fortune and encouraged people to dress like clowns to join his gang.
In the original Batwing comics, Russell Tavaroff became the villain Menace after taking Snakebite, which in the comics was a refined form of Venom. The Arrowverse version of Tavaroff is transformed into a hulking berserker by a combination of Venom and the drug known as Snakebite.
The idea of the decent people of Gotham taking Black Mask's masks and making them into jack-o-lanterns to reject his ideas is reminiscent of Green Lantern: The Sinestero Corps War. In that story, Hal Jordan encouraged the people of Coast City to flee in the wake of an army of Sinestero Corps members. Instead, most people stayed in their homes and put green-tinted lights in their windows to show their faith in the Green Lanterns. This led to Coast City being dubbed the City Without Fear.
Roman Sionis having his mask bonded to his face thanks to Joker's acid flower is a nod to Batman #387, where Black Mask's face was welded to his mask after he fell into a fire.
The Sionis are said to live on Finger Hill. This is a nod to Bill Finger - the writer who created many elements of the Batman mythology.
Mention is also made of an Adams Street. This may be a nod to legendary Batman artist Neal Adams.
At the end of the episode, Roman Sionis keeps saying the name Janus over and over. Janus was the Roman god of beginnings, transitions andendings and was traditionally depicted as having two heads.
Technobabble
With their usual systems shut down by the power outage, the Bat Team relies on walkie-talkies with a five mile range.
Russell Tavaroff is given vaporized forms of both Snakebite and Venom, as Black Mask convinces him that the tranquilizing power of vaporized Snakebite will off-set the rage caused by Venom.
The vaporizer employed by Russell Tavaroff results in a longer Snakebite high without ODing. This leads Mary to the idea that she could use vaporized Snakebite to restore Kate Kane's memories by exposing her to a controlled dosage that would allow her to confront her greatest regret.
Luke's Bat-Suit has some limited flight capability, allowing him to jet up several stories in seconds.
Mary reworks the atomized Snakebite into an aerosol spray that can be administer at close range, like pepper spray.
Dialogue Triumphs
Black Mask (addressing Gotham City) Why are we allowing these self-serving bandits to dictate to us what the terms fair and just mean? We should be dictating these terms to them, so I'm asking you to join me for an evening of anarchy. Help me raze every single one of these moldering institutions to their foundations. I've dropped masks at a dozen street corners. Stand up, strap one on, become your own vigilante, and when the dust finally settles over our failed system, well, Black Mask will still be standing, ready to lead you to your liberation because you know what they say about power, huh? Use it... or lose it.
Batwoman: Dear Gotham, I loved being Batwoman, and I want you to know I never took wearing the symbol for granted... Because I know how badly this city needed a protector... Someone to inspire hope, someone to prove that there's something better for us out there. You've always needed a hero, Gotham, but in this moment, maybe that's not me. Maybe it's a job for all of you now to trust what you know in your heart to be right and good and to find the courage to use that feeling as a uniting force against hate
(Circe regards Tavaroff as he is fitted with Bane's Venom harness.)
Circe: And you convinced your lab rat that the tranquilizing properties of the Snakebite's vapor would counteract the Venom's roid rage?
Black Mask: Well, let's face it. Everybody wants a bulletproof army, but nobody wants to deal with Bane's tantrums all day.
Circe: So you're building an indestructible army. Was Black Mask not scary enough?
Black Mask: Oh. I don't want to be feared, sweetheart. I want to be loved.
(After Tavaroff seemingly dies.)
Black Mask: And they wonder why we test our products on animals first!
Ryan: Without the suit, the gadgets, the symbol, I'm just Ryan Wilder.
Sophie: Damn right you're Ryan Wilder, and this chick's about to learn that the hard way.
Alice: They really let anyone be a superhero these days, don't they?
Ryan: Trust me. You're not the only one in the car shocked I've served more time than you.
Alice: Oh, I'm serving my time, dear, just not in the traditional sense.
Ryan: (sarcastic) Remind me to get the name of your lawyer.
Alice: (softly) Safiyah's punishment is worse than a stint at Blackgate. By killing Ocean, she made sure I would spend the rest of my life in agonizing grief. She didn't let me say good-bye.
(Ryan stops the Batombile, ignoring what Alice just said pointedly.)
Ryan: Okay. We're here.
Alice: I'm saying I get it. I get why you hate me.
(Ryan just blinks in disbelief at Alice, finally getting out of the car.)
Alice: (following after Ryan) Hey! Hey! I said I'm sorry.
Ryan: (angrily) What do you want? Forgiveness? Because you know what it feels like to have the one person who cared about you ripped from your life? Get this through your head. You don't deserve my forgiveness.
Alice: Why? Because you're the hero and I'm the villain? You're not a hero, Ryan, but you already know that! Which is why I'm here, which is why you're so desperate to get Kate back... because your city is falling apart, and you can't save it.
Ryan: (ignoring her) Put on your mask.
Alice: What kind of hero kills the first woman they've ever met?
(That gets a reaction.)
Ryan: (tense) What are you talking about?
Alice: (calmly) Your biological mother died in childbirth, right? (growing more angry) See, when a girl leaves me at the whims of a madman with a fingernail extractor, my first task upon escaping is to learn everything about her, and I know that your first act on this earth resulted in Mommy's death, so if you want to point fingers at who killed the moms in your life...
(Ryan slaps Alice. Hard.)
Ryan: We are gonna find Kate. Then I'm gonna do everything in my power to dump your ass behind bars!
(Alice throws a knife into Circe's back.)
Circe: You were really gonna stab your own sister in the back?
Alice: It's kind of our thing.
(Luke confronts Tavaroff in his new Bat-Suit.)
Tavaroff: What the hell are you?
Luke: Justice.
(Luke punches Tavaroff and sends him flying into a car, shattering the windshield. He is out cold instantly.)
Roman Sionis: You want to know why you failed as a villain?
Alice: Yeah. Unh. Please. How did you know?
Roman Sionis: You can't be bad and have feelings. You can't hate Batwoman and protect her identity. You can't hate your sister and risk your life for her. See, it's confusing. You can't sell a confusing message.
Alice: Says the freak with two names.
Roman Sionis: Oh. Two names, one goal. Black Mask terrifies the city. Roman Sionis rescues it.
Alice: (laughing) You know who was a great villain? The Joker!
(Alice sprays a stream of acid into Roman Sionis' face. He begins screaming and clawing at his face as she grabs his mask and forces it onto his head. He begins pulling at the mask desperately but it is stuck, forever trapping him in his guide as Black Mask.)
Roman Sionis: Aah! Nooo! It won't come off!
Alice: Good luck with your messaging.
(Alice kicks the helpless Black Mask and knocks him down.)
(Ryan is asked by the parole board chair if she thinks she's changed since leaving prison.)
Ryan: Honest answer... No. I haven't changed. I am still the good, caring, intelligent human being I was the day I was wrongly arrested and the day I met my cellmate and the day I was dumped before this board and told I had a 75% chance of being a repeat offender, but since I know this committee wants to do the right thing today, allow me to give you the answer you need. Yes... I've changed. I've changed because I stopped seeing myself the way you see me and started seeing myself for who I am, a woman who has found her power.
Ryan: I just want to say thank you. That suit changed my life in more ways than one, and it has been an honor to be able to wear your symbol.
Kate: I put that suit on to give back to my city. You put it on to survive. You know better than anyone what that symbol means to people who have no hope left. Batwoman's yours, Ryan.
(Kate offers Ryan her hand. Ryan takes it and they shake firmly.)
Kate: As for Mary and Luke...
Ryan: They are my family, and I'm going to take care of them.
Kate: Thank you.
Continuity
Black Mask sends a broadcast to every home in Gotham City, announcing his intention to take over the town, encouraging anyone who is sick of the way the city is run to put on a mask and join him.
Black Mask also triggers a city-wide power failure.
Ryan writes a letter, as Batwoman, telling the people of Gotham she may not be the one to save them this time.
Sophie is reportedly on her way to the Bat Cave with supplies.
Mary heads to her clinic, knowing she'll be needed there.
Ryan determines where Black Mask is broadcasting from, based on a reflective image in the footage of his speech, which shows he is at the Channel 64 news studio.
Russell Tavaroff is seemingly killed after being given a combination of vaporized Snakebite and Venom mixed together.
Luke explores his father's old workshop in the Bat Cave and finds a collection of old city almanacs, which allow him to find the address of the old Channel 64 studio at 5566 Olive.
Alice shows up at Kate's apartment and tells Ryan that Safiyah won't be a problem anymore.
Mayor Akins is killed by Black Mask's rioters.
Ryan recruits Alice to help her get into Black Mask's hideout to recover Kate.
While going through his father's workshop, Luke finds some drawings he made of a Black Batman as a kid. He then realizes his father wrote some notes on the drawings, leading to the discovery of a working Bat-Suit based on Luke's crude design.
Russell Tavaroff is brought to Mary's clinic, having apparently survived his heart stopping earlier.
Mary recognizes the Snakebite in Tavaroff's arm wonders how he got it when Batwoman shut down the Snakebite distributors.
Alice read Ryans mail, which consisted of a power bill, a post-card from Angelique and a reminder she has a parole board hearing the next day.
Alice looked into Ryan's background after Ryan abandoned her in 212.
Mary tells Luke about her idea to expose Kate to atomized Snakebite to restore her memory over the walkie-talkie. Luke says he thinks it might work.
Black Mask's rioters break the Bat-Signal.
Alice tells Ryan to chase after Kate/Circe while she keeps Black Mask busy.
Vesper Fairchild read's Batwoman's letter to Gotham, saying it was dropped off at multiple news outlets around the city.
People begin setting up the Black Mask masks as jack-o-lanterns as a sign of solidarity with Batwoman.
A crazed Tavaroff starts chasing Mary up the fire escape of her building.
Luke shows up, in his costume, and catches Mary as she is dropped over the side of her building.
Luke knocks out Tavaroff with one punch.
Mary gives Ryan the aerosol Snakebite.
Alice attacks Black Mask with The Joker's acid flower. This causes the mask to become melded with his face, ruining his plan to save the city as Roman Sionis after "driving off" Black Mask and his gang.
The Gotham White Pages from several years ago gives the Sionis' address as 2325 Finger Hill.
Trigate is the only bridge out of the city near 5th and Grey Street. It can be reached by turning left on Adams onto Riverside Street.
Alice catches up with Ryan and Circe/Kate and goes over the edge of the bridge with Circe/Kate after a brief struggle, wherein Ryan sprays them both with the Snakebite aerosol.
Alice's biggest regret is not getting a chance to say goodbye to Ocean before he died. Her hallucination gives her a chance to do that.
Kate's biggest regret is not being able to save Beth as a teenager. In her hallucination, she opens up the basement door in the Cartwright house and finds Beth before she became Alice.
Alice saves Kate from drowning, as Kate failed to save her as teenagers on the bridge.
Ryan performs CPR on Kate with Alice's assistance. (Alice either doesn't know CPR or was too panicked to remember how to do it.)
Several policemen happen by and recognize Alice just after Kate wakes up and confirms that her memory has been restored.
Vesper Fairchild's show the morning after the bad night starts with her telling Batwoman that her resignation has not been accepted and that the city still needs her.
Ryan goes to her parole hearing and is asked if she thinks that she has changed. Ryan says she has not, because she was a good person before she was sent to prison
Ryan is released from parole early for good behavior, based on her parole officer's recommendation
Luke and Mary tell Kate about the events of 213 - specifically how Ryan saved Mary from a Cluemaster's deathtrap and how Luke is apparently seeing Stephanie Brown now.
Luke tells Mary and Kate about his childhood Batsuit designs and his dad making them a reality.
Kate says she realizes now that as much as she wants to save Alice, first she has to want to start being Beth again.
Kate and Ryan both like vegan pizza.
Kate tells Ryan that the Batwoman mantle is hers now and asks her to watch over Luke and Mary.
Kate meets with Sophie at the Hold-Up.
Kate reveals that she's planning to go search for Bruce Wayne, after visiting her father and then is going to see a friend in National City - presumably Kara Danvers.
Kate and Sophie confirm their attraction to one another, but decide they both deserve something a little easier.
Ryan says their first priority needs to be recovering the Batman villain trophies that Black Mask stole from the Bat Cave.
Ryan suggest they build the new Community Center in the space over Mary's clinic, now that it is legitimate, making it into an all-on one mental-health, physical health and safe space for children and teens.
Black Mask is revealed to be locked up in Arkham Asylum.
Ryan is able to bribe her way into visit Alice with only $40.
Alice tells Ryan that she discovered something odd in her records: her biological mother didn't really die in childbirth and is still alive.
The lost Batman villain trophies are seen floating downstream, including one of the Penguin's umbrellas and the Mad Hatter's hat. The episode ends with the vial of Poison Ivy's plants open on the shore and a vine snaking out of it.
Untelevised Adventures
Kate leaves Gotham City to tell her father she is okay and meet with a friend in National City before going off to find Bruce Wayne. The showrunners confirmed this is the last time they plan to use Kate Kane in the Arrowverse.
The Bottom Line
A largely satisfying finale, though the fate of Jacob Kane is left unresolved and Kate's moving on out of the series is a bit rushed. Still, the episode is more satisfying than it is not and it creates some good ground for Season 3 to explore.
