Last month, it was announced Ruby Rose will exit the CW’s Batwoman, on which she played the title role, after just one season. There are are a lot of reports floating around about how Batwoman may address Rose's exit. However, showrunner Caroline Dries confirmed Kate won't be recast or killed off and that a new character will don her Batsuit going forward, with the old hero's disappearance serving as a central mystery in Season 2. Overall, this move is probably for the best, as it avoids the unfortunate "bury your gays" trope and leaves the door open for a possible future return.

Still, while a recast is off the table for now, Batwoman has a great built-in way to change Kate's actor should it so choose in villains Beth Kane/Alice and Tommy Elliot/Hush.

Related: REPORT: Batwoman Circles Riverdale Star for Ruby Rose Replacement

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Batwoman has already established the ability to change one's face in-universe thanks to Alice, Jonathan Cartwright/Mouse and Hush. While Mouse is dead, Alice and Hush are still alive when Season 1 ends, and they're gunning for Kate. Towards the end of the season, Kate betrayed Alice, locking her long-lost sister up in Arkham Asylum. It is there Alice met Hush, who has his own grudge against caped crusaders, specifically Kate and Alice's famous playboy cousin, Bruce Wayne. After escaping Arkham Asylum, Alice and Hush devised their own plan to enact revenge on the extended Kane/Wayne family. Alice then paired her talents for creating realistic face masks with Hush's penchant for mimicry, allowing him to look exactly like Bruce Wayne. From there, Hush asked Kate for her help obtaining Kryptonite. As it turns out, Kryptonite is the only thing that can penetrate Kate's Batsuit, making it a vital tool in Alice's plan to kill Batwoman.

By ending Season 1 on this note, the writers inadvertently set themselves up to write Ruby Rose off the show. Had they decided to go the recast route, Alice and Hush’s plan could have culminated in stealing Kate’s face, stripping her of her personal identity and forcing her to forge a new one. Many superhero stories have dealt with the duality of their protagonists and the struggles of personal identities outside their suits. Outside of the Batsuit, Kate Kane can still hold her head high as a hero worth emulating. But who is she if she can't even be Kate Kane?

Related: Batwoman Showrunner Debunks Season 2 Kate Kane Death Rumors

That seems unlikely to happen at this point. But this still leaves a big question as to just how and why Kate will disappear, though it will likely involve Alice and Hush in some way. It's possible, if the show eventually chooses to recast Kate, the two's penchant for face-swapping could end up playing a role. While that doesn't seem to be the route Batwoman is taking right now, it's always possible that might change in the future at some point.

No matter the cause of Kate Kane's disappearance, the event does leave open a potentially interesting character arc for Alice. Batwoman, and the character, will have to figure out who Alice is without her long lost sister to play foil to. It could be the kick she needs to find redemption, but with a fake Bruce Wayne at her disposal, she's just as likely to cause serious problems for whoever next dons the famous cape and cowl.

Created by Caroline Dries and developed by Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Batwoman stars Rachel Skarsten, Meagan Tandy, Camrus Johnson, Dougray Scott, Elizabeth Anweis and Nicole Kang.

KEEP READING: Batwoman: What Ruby Rose's Exit and the Early Finale Mean for Season 2