Kate Kane is alive on Batwoman, but even though the show has recast the role first held by Ruby Rose, Ryan Wilder won’t be giving up the cowl anytime soon. By recasting the role with popular Krypton actress Wallis Day, the show is signaling they have only just begun telling stories about Kate Kane. However, the character’s brief reintroduction quickly establishes that Kate won’t be picking up the Bat mantle again soon if she ever does.
Batwoman was created by Kate to find Alice, whom she recognized as her sister Beth. Even when the whole city embraced Batwoman as a symbol, Kate struggled to be the Batwoman Gotham wanted. For her, Batwoman was a tool for her personal mission, and she was unable to fully step into the role. When Ryan Wilder put on the suit after Kate's apparent death in a plane crash, she realized almost instantly what Batwoman means to the people on the streets of Gotham. Ryan was ready and willing to carry that weight and responsibility. She's becoming the Batwoman Gotham needs.
Outside of her role as Batwoman, Kate Kane is still a character the show needs. Every other character’s journey has been shaped by their connection to Kate. While her death creates a rich storytelling opportunity for those characters to find their individual paths, Kate Kane's story is far from over. Choosing Wallis Day to carry on the role is a promise that the show is still invested in Kate’s future. Keeping Kate around also brings an extra layer of suspense and mystery to the show, plus the promise of multiple emotional reunions. Kate will undoubtedly be brought back when Ryan has completely made Batwoman her own, but she won’t be the same person, nor does she have to be.
Kate will have immense trauma to work through before she’s able to even consider donning the suit again. Before she disappeared, Kate was in turmoil. She had just murdered Mouse's father, buried his body, and then betrayed her sister, leaving her locked in Arkham. For Kate, Batman and Batwoman are intertwined with the darkest parts of her life. Now she's alone, severely injured, lost in Gotham's underworld, likely with damaged memories and mobility.
Batwoman has many fascinating story threads intertwined with Kate’s survival, most notably how she survived the plane crash and who bandaged her after. The new Big Bad Black Mask's organization or Alice could find Kate first, and there's a question of what Alice would do with the opportunity to reshape her sister’s mind. If Kate's face doesn't heal will Alice give her a new one? There's also the possibility of Kate recovering and taking on the Red Alice persona that Beth Kane does in the comics. Coincidentally, Batwoman is about to introduce its version of Enigma, who on this show is responsible for wiping Alice's memories of Coryana. Hopefully, Kate’s season 2 role will extend past being the ultimate deus ex machina, destined to appear at some significant point down the line to save the day.
Regardless of the story that Kate is given, Batwoman can now move its characters out of the setup stage into the major leagues. Luke and Mary are more committed than ever to supporting Ryan’s journey as Batwoman. Sophie Moore has nothing left but the Crows. With a cure finally found for Ryan and Alice on her way to recovering her whole self, a new dawn has come to Gotham. If Kate does return to the Bat Team at some point down the line, the show has already built in a way for her to find closure. The journals Ryan has kept will let Kate see that something good came from her time in the suit, reassuring her that she can officially pass Batwoman to Ryan.