Season 2 of Batwoman is in full swing after it had to recover from lead actress Ruby Rose stepping down from her role as Kate Kane. The show has certainly made the most of this change, building momentum around the new protagonist, Ryan Wilder played by Javicia Leslie.
Despite being about a gritty vigilante in the heart of Gotham City, just like any other superhero TV show, there are a lot of unrealistic things about this Arrowverse series. However, the CW has also done a great job in trying to portray both character arcs and over-the-top action sequences with a sense of realism and authenticity. That lens can't be applied to every storyline, though.
Least Realistic: Alice
Alice's backstory is certainly a tragic one. After somehow surviving the car crash which separated the sisters at a young age and killed their mother, Beth was abducted by Mouse's father before being subjected to emotional torture.
After years of this abuse, she becomes obsessed with Alice In Wonderland and takes on the persona of Alice. While elements of her trauma certainly feel very real, the idea that she'd create this whole supervillain identity around the Lewis Carroll character, quoting him and hiring henchmen dressed as rabbits, is a far-fetched villainous origin tale.
Most Realistic: Kate Kane's Personal Journey
Season 1 of the show really thrived when it managed to combine Kate Kane's own personal conflicts with the larger action-packed sequences as she suits up as Batwoman. From the complex relationship with her father to her romantic troubles with Sophie, there are a lot of genuinely moving moments in her own arc.
What's more, her return to Gotham and her desire to build a bit of a legacy in the Kane name to help the city is very reminiscent of Bruce Wayne. Granted, her work in the property market is just a cover, and setting up a bar isn't exactly charitable, but it certainly fills out the life of a wealthy entrepreneur.
Least Realistic: The Multiverse
Obviously. the idea of a Multiverse isn't exactly realistic and is instead prime comic book territory. Since Batwoman is part of the larger Arrowverse, it certainly couldn't ignore the events of the Crisis On Infinite Earths. As a result, a doppelgänger was brought into the show.
Beth Kane from a different Earth was brought into Batwoman's reality. With both Alice and Beth existing at the same time, one of them had to be removed. Ultimately it was the innocent Beth that was killed rather than Alice in a story that certainly felt more at home in a graphic novel.
Most Realistic: The Fox Legacy
Luke Fox is not only one of the most intelligent characters in the show, but he is also a connection point between Kate Kane's career as Batwoman and Bruce Wayne's as the Dark Knight himself. Luke feels incredibly responsible for protecting the legacy of his father.
He has inherited Lucius' knack for gadgets and his desire to support a vigilante dressed as a bat, but his story also links to the death of his father and his need to see justice served. It's a powerful story, although one that may become less realistic as he continues to move towards becoming Batwing.
Least Realistic: Face Changing
Having someone's face completely transferred from one person to another, allowing them to take on their identity completely, is definitely something more at home in science fiction. Mouse's ability to mimic a voice only takes this narrative into more bizarre territory.
Throughout Alice's childhood, Mouse's father would try experimenting on him so that he could cure his son's scarring. The story is completely odd but what's even more unrealistic is the almost shapeshifting-like ability that is later weaved into the story, which didn't really work.
Most Realistic: Sophie Moore's Arc
Sophie Moore's own narrative arc is one of the most compelling of the show; in fact, some believed she should take over as the lead when Kate Kane was to be written out of Batwoman. Her past relationship with Kate is a complex one.
Deciding to continue on with her career rather than embracing the love that she felt, Sophie went on to be incredibly successful with the Crows, even getting engaged. Her future marriage starts to crumble with Kane's re-emergence on the scene and this complex love story, as well as Sophie's continued rise in her field, both made for thrilling and realistic storylines.
Least Realistic: Nocturna
It's great that the CW was trying to introduce a number of other villains from the comics, so Batwoman could face off against some fresh foes. However, it's easy to wonder whether the series should have leaned more heavily into the supernatural.
The Nocturna that was put to screen certainly wasn't realistic, with the villain taking the blood of her victims, almost like a vampire. But her abilities didn't live up to the comics either, which do portray her as more vampiric. This story, therefore, lacked realism, without having fun with the concept.
Most Realistic: Mary's After-Hours Job
It seemed that Mary, Kate Kane's step-sister, might not have much to do in the show; that is until her after-hours underground medical facility was revealed. This changed the perception of the character and gave audiences an insight into her life.
Caring and incredibly skilled, she not only offers a great amount of support to Batwoman but also does a good deed in helping those who might not be able to afford medical bills. It's a story that certainly speaks to real-life financial and medical issues and one that fleshes Mary out further.
Least Realistic: Hush
The benefit of Mouse's story is that Batwoman could go all out in its portrayal of Hush, relying heavily on comic book material and leaving realism at the door. The result was a comi- accurate Hush costume, before moving onto Thomas Elliot becoming Bruce Wayne himself.
While his face may have literally have been punched off in season 2 of the show, the concept and execution were pretty great. It's just a shame there wasn't a version of the real Bruce Wayne who could have been impacted by this wild comic storyline.
Most Realistic: Ryan Wilder's Rise
Ryan Wilder's transition into becoming Batwoman had to be believable. It might have been hard for some audiences to say goodbye to Kate Kane and embrace Wilder just as quickly, but the portrayal of this new Caped Crusader was spot on.
From the development of her combat skills and excellent action sequences to her attitude in taking on the part and her partnership with both Luke and Mary, everything about Ryan feels genuinely authentic and as real as a protagonist can get in the unpredictable DC Universe.