Batwoman‘s second season is officially in full swing, and fans are relishing in the new storylines that the hit The CW series is bringing. After the introduction of Ryan Wilder (Javicia Leslie), the new character who will be taking on the series’ titular mantle, the series has a lot of ground to cover with regards to her story. Tonight’s episode of the series, “Prior Criminal History”, was definitely no exception, as it furthered Ryan’s own personal arc while also teeing up some pretty epic conflicts for the series’ ensemble of DC Comics characters.
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 “Prior Criminal History.” Obviously, spoilers for Season 2, Episode 2 of Batwoman, “Prior Criminal History”, below! Only look if you want to know!
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Ryan
In a flashback to two months prior to becoming Batwoman, Ryan gets robbed by the Wonderland gang while walking home on Halloween. Kate Kane’s Batwoman shows up and fights them off.
In the present day, Ryan stops a robbery at a bodega, but The Crows arrive and believe she caused it, arresting her. She’s interrogated by Sophie, and they both have a familiarity with each other, after Ryan has been arrested by The Crows several times before. Ryan is let go — but not before pointing out how The Crows have given Alice way too many free passes, something that Sophie is caught off guard by. Ryan then goes to Mary and asks her to confirm that Alice is really Beth Kane. The two bond over the fact that Alice killed both of their moms.
The Crows
Jacob is still distraught about how things ended with Kate. Jacob and Sophie interrogate Mary and Luke, respectively, both of whom deny knowing that Kate was Batwoman. Sophie also is upset with Julia for hiding that Kate was Batwoman.
Alice brandishes a knife at Julia, and suggests that they team up to get revenge on Safiyah for allegedly crashing Kate’s plane. Julia refuses, and Alice stabs her.
Later, Jacob reveals to Mary that he believes Kate is still alive, and they decide to work together to try to find her. At the same time, Julia tells Sophie that she was able to track down Alice’s location. She then asks Sophie why they broke up — if it was because of a lack of trust, or because Sophie still has feelings for Kate. Sophie says that it’s both.
Alice’s Master Plan
In the tunnels, Alice sics a bunch of bats on Mouse’s dead corpse, causing them to draw out the toxin that murdered him. The corpse then makes its way to Mary’s hospital, and a bat flies out of it. Gotham citizens hold a pro-Batwoman rally, which Luke worries that Alice is going to target. Ryan suggests that she put the suit back on and appear at the rally, and Luke reluctantly agrees. Ryan perches from the top of a skyscraper and tries to tell the crowd to disperse, but they don’t listen. Alice shows up on the top of the skyscraper and confronts Ryan. The two of them fight, culminating in Alice using a transmitter to sic the horde of poisoned bats on the crowd.
Ryan finds the transmitter and uses the Batmobile to draw the bats out of the city. She commandeers a Crows bus and uses it to draw the bats inside, blowing it up. Ryan saves a homeless girl from the blast, and the girl addresses her as Batwoman. As Mary tries to save the protestors who have been bitten, Alice arrives and brings her a bag of blood, which contains the Desert Rose antidote. She frantically takes it to Hamilton Dynamics, where they synthesize a serum from the antidote.
What’s Next?
Later, Sophie apprehends Alice, but is stopped by The Whisper, an assassin brandishing a katana. The Whisper tells Alice that using the Desert Rose to save Gotham has brought out Safiyah — and Alice says that was her intention all along.
Ryan brings the Batsuit back to the Batcave, and asks Luke and Mary if she can continue being Batwoman. Luke agrees — until Kate is back — as long as Ryan promises not to kill. Ryan finds Kate’s journal, and reads an entry from Halloween — the night that Kate saved Ryan. In it, Kate says that Ryan represents the hope that Gotham needs. Ryan then begins penning a new entry — to Kate.
