Warning: Spoilers for Batgirls #4!
In DC Comics, Cassandra Cain aka Batgirl has a secret skill that allows her to read micro-expressions and body language of allies and villains right down to the smallest detail. And in a fun visual nod to how she perceives this special power, DC Comics has confirmed exactly what Cassandra Cain sees when using her unique ability, and it’s kind of perfect.
Seen in Batgirls #4, by Becky Cloonan & Michael W. Conrad, and Jorge Corona, this issue picks up with the stacked Batgirl team of Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, and ex-Batgirl Barbara Gordon as they track down a new villain who is capable of turning people against one another thanks to a new kind of Scarecrow-like gas. Calling himself Tutor, the Batgirls are pulling out all the stops to foil a bad guy who has continually thrown a wrench into their plans at every turn, despite them coming close to nabbing him outright in recent days.
Enjoying a day off before jumping back into the superhero matter at hand, Steph deduces that Oracle is tired and needs some coffee, jokingly bragging about how she can also “read micro-expressions” much like how Cass does. And as Oracle gets her caffeine on, Steph and Cass head out into the world to kick it as best friends for the day, eventually leading to another micro-expression-related instance that confirms how Cassandra Cain’s secret power really works.
Leaving a local bookstore, Cass glances around at the people on the street before her and immediately concludes what each is feeling and even thinking simply by paying attention to their body language and facial articulations. Quickly translating what she sees into usable visual information, Cass sees emoji-like faces hovering over the heads of the people she passes by succinctly depicting their emotions down to a T. Seeing Gothamites that are happy, sad, angry, tired, excited, frustrated, and more, Cass susses out the environment around her without trying, a technique that undoubtedly gives her a tactical advantage should anything start to go sideways, but also dials her into the comings and goings of the world around her quickly and easily.
Trained since birth by a ruthless assassin that taught Cassandra Cain to speak less and observe more, being able to figure out what a handful of people from varying distances away are feeling like within seconds is an impressive feat, to say the least. And although it isn’t always a kind of superpower that she can rely on in every instance (Cass mentions that she can’t properly read one character in this issue as his face is “like a mask”), having the secret ability to pinpoint things about her enemies that others don’t see is a huge get for a hero that needs to be on her toes at all times.
Cassandra Cain’s secret power is one that she has honed to perfection ever since she was young, and with DC finally showing how she perceives the world around her while using this ability, fans are given a fun peek behind the proverbial curtain of how Cass' mind operates daily. Every version of Batgirl is chock-full of skills and specialized powers unique to them, and Cassandra Cain is no different!