Batwoman Star Javicia Leslie Addresses SPOILER'S Exit

Batwoman's second season finale aired Sunday night and it was a finale that was packed with some major developments for Gotham, the Bat Team, and the series generally. As fans knew going in, the episode saw Luke Fox (Camrus Johnson) suit up as Batwing, but there were some surprises as well, especially in terms of who departed Gotham in the end. Now, series star Javicia Leslie addresses that exit and what it means for her character, Ryan, next season.

Warning: Spoiler's for Batwoman's Season 2 finale, "Power", below.

In Sunday's season finale, Kate Kane (Wallis Day) finally gets her memories back after believing herself to be Circe for the back half of the season and comes home to her loved ones. While it would seem that Kate's return would mean that she would want to resume her role as Batwoman, instead Kate turns that over to Ryan permanently and decides to leave Gotham to track down what happened to Bruce Wayne, visit her father Jacob, and then go see Kara Danvers in National City. It's a situation that leaves the series with Kate Kane alive and well, but no longer in Gotham, allowing for Leslie's Ryan to remain the city's protector. For Leslie, it's a goodbye she loved because it was a passing of the torch and not a "goodbye forever".

"I love Kate's goodbye because it felt like it wasn't a goodbye forever," Leslie told Entertainment Weekly. "So, it's like to me, a real passing of the torch, a real passing of the cowl. And I don't think we ever really had that throughout the season, we never had a moment where Kate and Ryan were able to really pass the torch and say, 'It's your turn.'"

Leslie went on to explain that she knew when she joined the show following Ruby Rose's departure as Kate Kane that Batwoman would recast the role and that Kate would return to allow for the series to properly close that chapter out.

"We really wanted to give the character its justice," Leslie said. "And so, I think we did such a great job, and hiring Wallis was so cool because I feel like she just, not only fit the part, but just fit our family so easily, so [quickly]. And so, it's been really fun to be able to be Batwoman while also still being able to play with the character of the original Batwoman."

Season 3 of Batwoman will premiere on Wednesday, October 13th at 9/8c on The CW.