A new report suggests fan-favorite Batman villain Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow will set up Ruby Rose's Batwoman replacement.
Industry insider Daniel Richtman told The Direct that Crane will play into the arc of Kane's successor and that casting is underway. Explaining how Crane will introduce the new Batwoman, the site claims Scarecrow is responsible for the death of Ryan Wilder’s mother, which spurs her into taking up the mantle. There's also more fuel to the fire that Kate Kane will die in the next run of episodes and leave the door open for Wilder to suit up when she steals Batwoman's suit to take vengeance on Scarecrow.
While Rose led the first season of The CW's Arrowverse show and appeared in both the "Elseworlds" and "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossovers, fans were shocked to learn the star was stepping down from the role of Kate Kane ahead of Season 2. Although showrunner Caroline Dries admitted she nearly went down the "soap opera" route of casting someone new as Kane, Batwoman is set to introduce someone new to take on the mantle of the masked vigilante.
As for Wilder, it's unclear if this is a cover for a character from the comics or if she'll be a unique creation for the Arrowverse like John Diggle, Mia Queen-Smoak and Sara Lance. That said, while there have been multiple Robins and Batgirls, the name Batwoman has only been taken by Kane, which makes things a little more complicated when it comes to replacing her.
Scarecrow has played an important role in Batman's rogues gallery and featured several times in live-action, most notably in all three of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight movies and in Fox's Gotham. Crane and his fear toxin also played into Rocksteady's acclaimed Arkham games.
Ultimately, there are plenty of rumors flying around about how Batwoman will handle a new lead in Season 2. The latest reports claim Riverdale's Vanessa Morgan could replace Rose, but ushering in a new lead so early in a show's lifespan is no easy task. However, using a villain with as much history as Scarecrow is a good place to start.
Airing Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, Batwoman stars Rachel Skarsten, Meagan Tandy, Camrus Johnson, Dougray Scott and Nicole Kang. The series returns in January 2021.