Batwoman‘s freshman season has been cementing its own take on Gotham City thus far, and the latest episode was certainly no exception. The newest installment added a major layer to the decades-long trauma of Elizabeth Kane/Alice (Rachel Skarsten), and the abuse she suffered while being held captive by the Cartwright family. In the process, the entire Kane family was put through the proverbial wringer — and left everything on new footing. Here’s what you need to know about this week’s episode, “Off With Her Head”. Obviously, spoilers below! Only look if you want to know!
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In a flashback to the day of the accident, the Kane family talk following Kate and Beth’s bat mitsvah’s. Their mom, Gabi, gives them necklaces with their red birthstones, which match her earrings, telling them that they signify all of the emotions they’re going to have to balance as adults.
In the present day, Alice finds Mouse hooked up to Scarecrow’s fear toxin in an empty house, which he reveals used to belong to “The Queen” — August’s mother. Mouse says that the fear toxin was to help him unlock his greatest fear, which is Alice. He chains her to a chair and hooks her up to the toxin, which causes her to hallucinate.
In a flashback, we see the mother arriving to August’s house hooked up to an oxygen tank, and immediately takes a liking to Alice. She begins to express jealousy about how young and beautiful Alice is, and then chastises her for making tea incorrectly. She begins to abuse her — pouring hot tea on her hands, chopping off her hair, and pushing her around. In the present day, Alice begins to remember these traumatic moments, and then tries to frantically search through the house for cream. She is led to a locked freezer, which August tells her to ignore.
In the present day, August’s mom tells Alice that nobody cares about her. She’s visited by visions of Batwoman and Jacob, who fight each other in front of her — but ultimately agree that she isn’t worth saving, and leave.
Alice tries to make it out of the cellar, but the door is locked. She decides she can’t do this anymore, and breaks glass from a nearby window to try to kill herself with. Just then, the real Jacob arrives, and he comforts her.
In a flashback, August’s mom begins to wear Gabi’s earrings, which leads Alice to the locked freezer. She opens it, and finds Gabi’s severed head inside. She then goes to August’s mom, lighting her oxygen tank on fire and using it to kill her.
Other tidbits from the episode include:
- Batwoman helps a woman being attacked by a mugger. She then finds August handcuffed and passed out by the Batsignal, with a note from Alice to “ask about mommy dearest.” Kate invites Jacob to help with August, and confirms to him that Alice isn’t dead. She also tells him that August was impersonating Dr. Campbell, just as August wakes up. Kate asks about mommy dearest, and August explains how he manipulated Mouse with the fear toxin, and how she’ll die or completely lose her sanity if she’s not saved soon. August explains to them how his mother helped cause a lot of Alice’s trauma, and August suggests that Alice left the “mommy dearest” note to motivate Kate to kill him, but she swears she’ll never kill. He asks for a glass of water, which he breaks, using the shards to stab his neck.
- Luke finds Mary in her underground clinic, and they decide to team up to follow a lead on Beth’s murderer. This leads them to a junkyard, where they find a car registered to August’s mom, with the gun that killed Beth inside.
- Kate calls Mary as Batwoman, and asks for help in closing the gash in August’s neck. She ultimately uses a staple gun to close the wound. August later wakes up, and Kate gets him to tell her Alice’s location, which she passes on to Jacob. Meanwhile, Kate gets August to admit that he shot Beth, because he thought it was Alice — down to the necklace that matched Gabi’s earrings. As August explains, his mother wanted him to transplant Gabi’s face onto her own. This upsets Kate, who chokes out August and kills him.
- Jacob and Alice arrive on the scene, and Alice closes August’s eyes, remarking to Jacob that both of his daughters are now killers. Kate goes outside to drink and almost texts Sophie, but decides against it. Alice joins her, and remarks that they have a problem on their hands, now that they have to bury August’s body.
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Batwoman airs Sundays at 8/7c on The CW.
