The beleaguered Gotham Knights television series might be saved by the character of Carrie Kelley and find success. Created by legendary comic creator Frank Miller, Carrie Kelley became the third Robin in the Elseworlds alternate future setting of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Carrie is one of the many teenage heroes from the Batman comics being adapted for the live-action Gotham Knights television series. She is also the character most likely to win over audiences that are skeptical of another show based on the Batman mythology without featuring Batman as a character.

First announced in 2021, Gotham Knights faced a troubled pre-production cycle. Beyond the brand confusion inspired by an unrelated video game with the same name, the series has drawn criticism from those who find its central plot line derivative of other adaptations exploring how Gotham City is shaped by the apparent defeat and/or death of Batman. Another problem is that the series premiere on The CW arrives amidst the cancelation or conclusion of almost every DC Comics television series not tied to the new DC Universe. The conventional wisdom is Gotham Knights will be quickly canceled and forgotten, but Carrie Kelly might carry the show to a second season.

Related: Gotham Knights Show Is Already Repeating An Arrowverse Batman Mistake

Carrie Kelley Could Save Gotham Knights (Maybe)

Navia Robinson as Carrie Kelley Robin in Gotham Knights

Over the years, Batman has recruited multiple teenagers to assist him in his war on crime. The Gotham Knights television series marks the first live-action appearance of many of these beloved Batman characters from the comics, including Carrie Kelley. She is unique, however, in having the largest established fanbase of these characters, based on the popularity of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and her status as the first full-time female Robin in the history of the Batman franchise. Carrie Kelley is also notable as being the only member of Gotham Knights' core cast who is a superhero as the series opens and has a direct heroic connection to Batman.

The Gotham Knights' Carrie Kelley is said to have "talked her way into being Batman’s unlikely sidekick." It seems likely that, as in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, this version of Carrie Kelley earned her place as Robin by saving Batman's life. This would explain why this version of Batman hid his second life from his adopted son, Turner Hayes, who is more stunned than anyone by the revelation that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Presumably, this Dark Knight never meant to recruit a squire but agreed to train the already active Carrie Kelley as Robin while giving Tyler the normal childhood Bruce Wayne never had.

Carrie Kelley Deserved A More High-Profile Live-Action Debut

The Dark Knight Returns Carrie Kelley Robin DC Comics

The idea that Carrie Kelley forced herself into the Robin role by proving her worth to Batman is well in keeping with her background in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. This suggests that more thought has gone into adapting Carrie and other characters from the Batman comics than was apparent in Gotham Knights' first poorly received trailer. Unfortunately, the fact that Carrie Kelley is part of the cast of Gotham Knights has barely been expressed in the show's promotional materials. For instance, the premiere poster for the show does not show Carrie wearing her Robin costume or trademark glasses.

Hyping the fact that Carrie Kelley is Robin might have helped to mitigate some of the suspicions among those who remain cynical of Gotham Knights' quality. However, even those Carrie Kelley fans willing to give Gotham Knights a chance seem likely to have preferred that Carrie Kelley make her live-action debut in a feature-length film rather than as part of an ensemble made up of multiple Batman sidekicks. Despite this, the Carrie Kelley of Gotham Knights might yet win over a skeptical audience.

Gotham Knights premieres on March 14, 2023.

More: Gotham Knight’s Riskiest Batman Plot Actually Copies The Dark Knight Rises

Key Release Dates