One key character is still missing from the cast of Gotham Knights, and her disappearance is very shocking. Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, is a major character in the Batman universe and has had huge roles in both the recent series of Batman: Arkham games and Batman comics in general. Her prominence in recent works makes it all the more strange that Catwoman is still missing in this latest game entry.
Gotham Knights is the newest video game in the Batman universe. Taking place after the apparent death of Bruce Wayne, Gotham Knights follows the remainder of the Bat Family as they attempt to wrest control of the city from Gotham Knights' villains (including newly revealed Harley Quinn), who are attempting to take it over. While many villains and characters have been shown off, Catwoman is not among them. Previously, Catwoman was a major character in the Arkham series of games, where she was even an alternate playable character and has made several recent appearances in Batman comics, shows, and movies (including the most recent, The Batman).
Traditionally, Catwoman has been an anti-hero in the Batman universe. While never outright evil, she does not mind engaging in criminal activity to get what she wants. However, recently she has undergone a major shift in her character and is, more often than not, portrayed as a heroic character that often helps Batman in his efforts to stop crime. For this reason, she can be considered a member of the Bat Family, which is why her disappearance in a game centered around Bruce Wayne's proteges and the reactions to Batman's death in Gotham Knights is so jarring.
Catwoman Is Missing From Gotham Knights' Bat Family
While she has always toed the line between criminal and anti-hero, Catwoman has usually set aside her interests in favor of the greater good when it was needed. She often allies herself with Batman and his accomplices to take down greater evils and has even been romantically involved with Batman at several points in the characters' history. This is why it is so odd that she is nowhere to be found in Gotham Knights. After the death of Batman, one would think she would at least have something to say about it and would maybe even help the Bat Family in their attempts to preserve his legacy.
However, as stated by the development team, Gotham Knights isn't part of the Arkham universe, meaning the game's version of Catwoman may be very different from the ones Arkham and comic fans are used to. This could lead to many things; it could erase her history with Batman and the Bat Family to the point where she is not personally connected with any of them, leaving her as just another criminal in Gotham. Doing so would also make it feasible to just leave her out of Gotham Knights altogether. While these interpretations of her character greatly differ from her recent appearances, this could be the direction the developers have decided on, and would work well if Catwoman were to appear as one of Gotham Knights' surprise villains.
However, that would be a missed opportunity to feature a major character in a game that explores the aftermath of a Gotham without Batman. For better or worse, Catwoman is a part of the Bat Family in most recent appearances and that would be hard to distance from, especially if Gotham Knights end up doing nothing with her character.