Into The Arrowverse: Introducing…Sue Dearbon!
By Ariba Bhuvad
Pictured (L-R): Rachel Skarsten as Beth and Camrus Johnson as Luke Fox — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW
Batwoman Episode 112: “Take Your Choice”
Well, this episode just might be the strongest of the season for Batwoman. It was heartbreaking, gutwrenching, and involved Kate making a choice that none of us would ever want to make.
We last left the show with the revelation that Crisis Beth and Evil Alice can’t both exist on Earth Prime. One has to go if the other is to stay. That’s quite the predicament, and Kate is smack dab in the middle of it all. And it doesn’t help Evil Alice to learn that another, better version of her now exists, a version who was saved by Kate and who went on to live a very happy, fulfilled life.
It stings like no other, and it’s evident from her face that she is filled with pain and anger. She will do anything to be the one who sticks around, which is why she looks to stepsister Mary for a solution. I love how this strange family dynamic has formed over the course of the season. It’s twisted but entertaining.
Evil Alice soon realizes that Mary is the answer to her issues. Mary was given the antidote to the poison Alice gave her, and that antidote is still running through her veins. Alice manages to get a vial of Mary’s blood, but Mary has learned a thing or two about kicking butt and knocks Alice out.
Mary has been a very interesting character to follow, and I think we learn something telling about her this week. She’s always been close to Kate, and when Alice shows up, she feels threatened. But with Crisis Beth, things are different. She likes and respects her, and sure, Crisis Beth isn’t trying to kill her, but I like that she welcomes her with open arms, especially considering how close Crisis Beth and Kate were.
In any case, Mary takes the vial of blood to Kate, hoping she’ll use it on Crisis Beth. Naturally, this was a moment of crucial decision-making for Kate who had to pick between the evil woman she’s come to know or the sister she always wanted.
I felt for Kate in this situation, who had to work through the guilt of it all. But in the end, she decides to save Crisis Beth. Alice is far gone now, and there isn’t much she can do to bring back her sweet sister.
But, hey, at least Kate decides to sit by Alice’s side in her final moments. That has to count for something, right? A for effort, perhaps?
Unfortunately, everything backfires in a colossal way when Crisis Beth is shot. Shot by whom, you ask? Well, earlier in the episode, Mouse learns that his father is very much alive, and has spent the last 10 years trying to reinvent himself. And now, he wants Alice dead because she ran away from their family.
Simultaneously, Alice called the C.R.O.W.s to say that “Alice” is in Wayne Tower. The hope here was to have them capture and kill Beth (a shoot-to-kill order was given out by Sophie) so she could survive. The Batcave came in clutch as a hiding spot, but ultimately things go south anyway.
After giving her the vial of blood, Luke takes Beth away to a hiding place. We see that Sophie has managed to follow/locate them and has the gun aimed right at Beth. But she decides not to shoot, because…well, she loves Kate and can’t imagine hurting her sister. Sadly, Beth is shot anyway, by none other than Mouse’s father.
And as Beth falls to her death, Alice awakens in Kate’s arms. Awkward.
Talk about one heck of a way to end an episode, Batwoman. The Arrowverse family sees you, and we appreciate you for it.