We’re getting near the halfway point of Batwoman‘s second season, and between the dawn of Ryan Wilder (Javicia Leslie) becoming the series’ new titular character, and the ongoing search for Kate Kane (Ruby Rose), the series hasn’t been pulling any punches. With both of those storylines recently culminating in a fascinating way, and setting a course for Coryana along the way, there’s really no telling exactly what’s in store — which made tonight’s episode all the more shocking. If you need to catch up on the most essential details and storylines from Batwoman‘s latest episode, we’re here to help. Here are the biggest reveals and Easter eggs from “Survived Much Worse.” Obviously, spoilers for Season 2, Episode 8 of Batwoman, “Survived Much Worse”, below! Only look if you want to know!
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Ryan and Alice individually write diary entries to Kate — Ryan worrying that she’s going to die soon, and Alice planning to kill her for revenge. Ryan tells Mary about her plans to go to Coryana, kill Alice, and get the Desert Rose.
Luke provides Sophie with the tracking information for Alice’s location, which helps her realize that he’s working with Batwoman. The two of them then learn that Alice faked Ocean’s death to get Kate back, and Sophie agrees to travel to Coryana and get the Desert Rose for Batwoman. Sophie and Jacob are kidnapped by the Many Arms of Death, which makes Ryan decide to inject herself with adrenaline to give her enough strength to Coryana — even if it expedites her death in the process. Ryan suits up, and Luke gives her technology to temporarily knock out the power on Coryana. Ryan then questions what happens to the Batwoman mantle if she does find Kate, and tells Mary that if she does die, she’s trusting her to take care of her plant. Luke gets Ryan a flight to Coryana on a mail carrier plane, which leads to multiple jokes about a Batplane, Batsub, and even shark repellent. Ryan also reveals that she’s never been on a plane before, but she manages to successfully halo jump down to Coryana’s surface, all while activating the EMPs to disable the electricity — and, accidentally, the comms in the Batsuit. Ryan is then captured by a bunch of Safiyah’s goons.
Alice brings Ocean’s body to Safiyah, who tells Alice that she had a tracker on her person. Meanwhile, Jacob and Sophie are held captive by Tatiana, and Tatiana tells Sophie that Safiyah wants her to join the Many Arms of Death, because she argues that it and the Crows are both equally dangerous. The electricity in Sophie and Jacob’s restraints goes off, and they get the upper hand and escape. Safiyah suggests that Alice’s desire to kill Kate is rooted in more than just revenge, but Alice refuses to change her mind. The goons arrive with Ryan, who mentions that Ocean’s corpse is a fake, and Safiyah locks up both Ryan and Alice, where Alice realizes that Batwoman is dying and placed the tracker on her. Ryan argues that Alice doesn’t really want to kill Kate, she just wants her back, and she also understands that Alice is also a victim of the circumstances that have surrounded her. Safiyah shows up and offers Alice and Batwoman their respective goals — the Desert Rose for Ryan, and Kate for Alice. The only caveat is that Safiyah will only give Kate to Alice if she kills Ocean for real, and she ultimately does — but in order to rescue Kate, not kill her. Safiyah then brings Alice to Kate — but just finds an empty room filled with replicas of Kate’s necklace, because Safiyah was lying the entire time.
Meanwhile, Tatiana watches over Batwoman, and reveals she’ll only bring her a Desert Rose after Safiyah is done with Alice.
Back in Gotham, Luke and Mary are attacked by one of the Many Arms of Death, and the ensuing fight accidentally damages Ryan’s plant and mixes it with the assassin’s blood. As they escape, Julia suddenly returns and helps completely kill the assassin. Julia then tells Luke and Mary that they’ve definitively found Kate’s remains washed up outside of Bludhaven, and she is definitively dead.
Later, Safiyah and Tatiana revive Ocean — who actually didn’t die, because the blade Alice stabbed him with was hit with the Desert Rose. Safiyah then accuses Tatiana of orchestrating Alice’s return to Coryana — killing the Wonderland gang, sending the malicious notes, etc — and stabs her.
As Alice is taken away by Safiyah’s goons, she sets the crops of Desert Rose ablaze. At the same time, Sophie finds Batwoman, who confirms to her that Kate never was on Coryana. Sophie tries to help Batwoman back to Gotham, but Ryan argues that she isn’t strong enough, and asks her to be by her side while she dies. Sophie gets a phone call from Mary and Luke, who realize that they actually do have a cure — a Desert Rose, which grew out of Ryan’s plant.
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Batwoman airs Sundays at 8/7c on The CW.
