7 Most Important Women in Batman’s Life (and Catwoman Isn’t Number 1)

With a nearly 90-year history, there are a lot of figures in Batman’s life and story that have helped shape the hero. From villains to other heroes, to enemies to allies, countless characters have factored into stories of the Dark Knight, bringing about new adventures and revealing interesting facets of the character. But while most of the time we think about characters like his various Robins or even his major villains like the Joker as being figures with the most influence, there are other characters that play major roles as well.

The women in Batman’s (and Bruce Wayne’s) life are important figures. Be they friends, allies, or even complicated love interests, there are many women who have been a part of Batman’s story over the years. Here are the seven that are the most important — and no, Catwoman is not at the top of this list.

7) Wonder Woman

Everyone needs a tried-and-true friend that can kick their butt and has no issues doing so — even Batman. And while you might think that for Batman that friend would be Superman, you’d be mistaken. It’s Wonder Woman. Not only can the Amazonian go toe-to-toe with Batman and give him a run for his money even intellectually, but she has a huge heart and actually cares about him. She, like Batman, believes in the pursuit of justice but she also isn’t above calling Batman out when he needs a reality check.

As a strong ally, a voice of reason, and an occasional romantic interest (depending on who is writing them and what stories you’re looking at), Wonder Woman is an important part of Batman’s life and we can’t imagine the superhero without her.

6) Barbara Gordon

The daughter of one of his greatest allies, Jim Gordon, Barbara Gordon has a unique role as one of the most important members of the Bat Family because she’s fit so many roles. She’s been a sidekick as Batgirl, but she’s also been Oracle helping to run ops as well. Batman may be a character presented as being able to do things all himself, but the reality is there are plenty of times he’s relied on Barbara — and let’s be honest, a lot of heroes have as well.

Barbara is more than just support, though. She’s pretty much actual family, given her close relationship with Dick Grayson and she’s a friend and not just a fellow hero. She’s a critical part of Batman’s operation — and an important part of Bruce Wayne’s life, too.

5) Silver St. Cloud

While she’s not as prominent a figure in contemporary comics, Silver St. Cloud is a very important character in Bruce Wayne/Batman’s life. Introduced in 1977, Silver is one of Bruce’s most prominent love interests is one of the few characters to figure out that Bruce is Batman all on her own.

What makes Silver significant is that while Silver figures out that Bruce is Batman, she also chooses to leave him because of it. It’s not that she doesn’t love him or that she doesn’t believe in what he’s doing. Instead, she tells him that can’t go through the worrying and the stress of having to deal with wondering if he’s going to survive his efforts every night. There’s good reason for that: she saw him fight the Joker.

4) Talia al Ghul

Being the daughter of one of Batman’s greatest enemies and threats would be enough to rank Talia al Ghul on this list, but she’s also the mother of his son Damian and that makes her pretty significant for very personal reasons. Talia’s relationship with Bruce has always been complicated, but that connection they share through Damian is a big deal, especially since Damian is now working with Bruce as Robin.

It’s also worth noting that Talia is so significant in Bruce’s life that he had to go meet with her before he could marry (or attempt to marry) Selina Kyle during Tom King’s Batman run.

3) Leslie Thompkins

Alfred Pennyworth may have filled a paternal role for Bruce Wayne after the death of his parents, but when it comes to a maternal figure, the person that stepped up for that is Dr, Leslie Thompkins. She comforted young Bruce when his parents were murdered and was a close friend and colleague of Thomas Wayne. She also devoted her life to serving the people of Crime Alley, running a clinic serving those who are often forgotten about — including criminals and drug addicts.

Dr. Thompkins is a bit of a tough love figure in Batman’s world. While an ally and also someone who is special to Bruce, she also disapproves of his methods as Batman and especially of his involvement of children in his efforts. That said, when Batman or the Bat Fam needs medical assistance, she’s there — and she often has advice as well.

2) Selina Kyle

As Batman’s most significant love interest, there’s no doubt that Selina Kyle/Catwoman would rank high on this list. Theirs is a complex relationship. As a master thief, she’s been a notable foe for Batman, but she’s also been a fierce ally. It’s their romance, however, that has been perhaps the most impactful — especially after they got engaged and then she left him at the altar.

While their relationship remains complicated and is likely never going to be straightforward, Selina has consistently challenged Bruce and Batman both, forcing him to confront different aspects of himself as both just a man as a hero and what it means to be both. She might the person closest to him and that’s saying something.

1) Martha Wayne

While many of the women in Bruce Wayne’s life and stories are significant, none are more so than Martha Wayne. Without her Batman wouldn’t exist — and we don’t just mean because she gave birth to Bruce or because it was her murder that ultimately led him to become a vigilante.

One of the things that is pretty consistent in Batman stories is that Martha Wayne had a strong social conscience and was very active in using her family’s wealth and status for important causes, funding various charities and organizations. Martha’s philanthropic efforts had a major impact on Bruce and, despite her death, has been an important figure in many Batman stories over the years.

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