Watchmen Fans React to Episode 3's "Bootleg Batman"

Watchmen aired its third episode on Sunday night, providing an array of unexpected twists on the DC Comics graphic novel of the same name. The episode, titled "She Was Killed By Space Junk", added more context to the four main characters of the source material, Silk Spectre, Ozymandias, Dr. Manhattan, and Nite Owl. But in the process, fans briefly thought that the episode poked fun at another DC Comics character -- before quickly subverting those expectations. Spoilers for this week's episode of Watchmen, "She Was Killed by Space Junk", below! Only look if you want to know!

The episode established the new life of Laurie Juspeczyk/Silk Spectre (Jean Smart), who had reinvented herself as Laurie Blake in the decades since the events of the original Watchmen. As audiences quickly learned, Laurie Blake was operating as an FBI agent, who specialized in apprehending vigilantes who were defying the Keene Act. In the opening sequence, this was put on full display, when Laurie and her agents pretended to rob a bank to lure out Mr. Shadow, a new vigilante that they subsequently arrested.

Of course, Shadow bore some aesthetic similarities to Batman, with an all-black costume and a cowl that looked like it had ears. This quickly resulted in some confusion, and jokes, from fans watching the episode. Here are a few of those reactions.