While the Arrowverse has its Batman mystery, Batwoman is more suited for this franchise than the Dark Knight. When it comes to DC Comics' Caped Crusader and his role in The CW's DC TV universe, it has always been a tricky situation. Given that Batman is one of the biggest franchises in all of fiction, Warner Bros. has always been very protective of letting him stand outside the big screen in live-action. After The Dark Knight trilogy made more than $2 billion dollars at the worldwide box office, it became even more difficult to see Bruce Wayne on the small screen unless it was animation.
Despite having made some appearances on TV, it has always been at a cost. Gotham showed Bruce before he became Batman as fans got to see his teen years and how he discovered his destiny. Titans season 1 had an endless amount of name-drops of Bruce before Iain Glen was cast as that universe's version of him. Even though he's still active as a crime fighter, Glen's Bruce has still not suited up once as Batman. This all comes down to the grey area that Warner Bros. allows DC TV to walk in when it comes to using Bruce Wayne, but not Batman.
In the Arrowverse, Batwoman has become the representing Bat-Family member, starting with Ruby Rose's Kate Kane who will soon be replaced by Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder version of Batwoman. While Bruce/Batman definitely exists in this franchise, the Arrowverse hasn't really been able to get to the bottom of his character. But for The CW, it's actually a good thing Batwoman gets to represent this aspect of the DC Universe rather than Bruce. As Javicia Leslie brings new blood to Batwoman and the Bat-Family this year, this is why the heroine suits the Arrowverse better than Batman.
Arrow, more or less from its inception, pretty much already did Batman before Batwoman premiered in 2019. When The CW was doing the Green Arrow character for a second time following the conclusion of Smallville, it was done in a very different way from the source material. Greg Berlanti and the other creators reimagined an Oliver Queen that was inspired by Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. Even series lead Stephen Amell has been on record that the film series was a heavy influence on Arrow, especially in the first season. One of the core reasons Amell's Green Arrow was described as the CW's version of Batman was because of how gritty and gruesome his take on the DC archer was.
Oliver in the comics definitely has some darkness, but nowhere near as much as Arrow's version did. While they are familiar as superheroes, Oliver is far more lighthearted and optimistic than Bruce. In Arrow's defense, the writers did pull a lot from the Green Arrow mythology, that can't be denied. But a lot of their interpretations of various characters and plots had a Dark Knight-vibe to it, being depicted as grounded and realistic as possible. Despite Bruce and Batman existing in the Arrowverse, Arrow essentially already did a version of Batman, just with the titular hero running around with a bow and arrows.
While Batman is one of the most popular fictional characters, there is no denying the Dark Knight has had more than enough screen time between movies and TV, in both animation and live-action. Even in DC Comics, Batman is a very dominating figure with multiple comic series running at the same time. Batman has garnered a worldwide following for decades and decades, hence why there's always a lot of financial gain with the character in media. Nevertheless, Batman has oversaturated current pop culture, especially on screen. Of any DC character to have made the jump from comics to screen, Batman has by far had the most TV shows, movies, video games, and more.
It didn't take long after Nolan's Batman trilogy for Warner Bros. to quickly introduce a new iteration through Ben Affleck's DCEU version of Batman. Barely three years later and another Batman franchise is already in the works with The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson. Even though there is a lot of richness from the Batman universe, the legacy isn't only driven by Bruce; the entire Bat-Family has helped that side of the DC realm to grow. Even though the Arrowverse hasn't solved their Bruce mystery, the character isn't exactly lacking a platform right now. It's time for other members of the Bat-Fam to get their time to shine.
While Ruby Rose's time as Batwoman was short-lived, it's still key to remember the female crusader is still relatively fresh to the mainstream audiences. Kate Kane's Batwoman was reimagined and reintroduced in 2006 through DC's The New 52, being depicted as Bruce Wayne's cousin and also a crime fighter. Not only has Batwoman's role grown over the years, but the character has become one of the most beloved LGBTQ+ characters in the superhero genre. Despite that, Batwoman as she is now has only existed for less than two decades. That's why it was a big deal when The CW revealed that they were bringing her from page to screen as this marked her live-action debut.
Despite Rose's character being wrapped up in Batwoman season 2, the mantle will live on when Ryan Wilder takes up the cowl. While Ryan does exist in the DC comics canon as of a few months ago, she has yet to become a Bat-Family aside from knowing Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl. Whether it's Kate or Ryan in the cape and cowl, Batwoman is still fresh for the majority of audience members who follow her. That's why it was a big move for the Arrowverse to bring her into the franchise, unlike Batman, who has been depicted so many times he overshadows the rest.
There is still so much that can and will be done with Batwoman, particularly with Ryan as she is a fresh face to the DC world. It's also not often a female member of the Bat-Family gets to be the main focus in live-action, whether it be TV or film. The Arrowverse needs to solve the current Batman mystery that exists, so that they can finally let go of that character. While it would certainly be cool to see Batman meet The CW's Justice League, the Arrowverse doesn't really need Bruce. If the Bat-legacy is going to be a key element of the Arrowverse, a show like Batwoman is the best fit.
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