- "Dear Kate... It doesn't feel real to say good-bye. Unbeknownst to us, Julia Pennyworth spent months with a recovery team combing the ocean floor for any sign of you. She found something caught, a parietal skull bone in the shores outside of Blüdhaven, had three different labs match it to your DNA. It was enough to confirm you were gone, and since I can't exactly be there to say goodbye in person, I'll say it here in the place where I feel like I know you the best, and since I can't lay flowers at your gravesite either, I have another idea. This plant was my connection to my mama. Then it turned out to be more than a plant. It's a Desert Rose from Coryana, probably snuck over to the states by an islander named Ocean, who eventually gave it to my ex for safekeeping, who then gave it to me, having no idea that its serum was actually a miracle cure. Like you, this plant is one of a kind, and like you, it gave me a second chance. Beyond all earthly words and songs of blessing, praise, and comfort. So now when I look at it, I won't just think of my mama. I'll think of Kate Kane, and I'll think of the woman who saved a hell of a lot of people, the woman who created a family for everyone, the woman who could keep us from surrendering to our demons, the woman who inspired people to stay true to themselves even when it felt impossible, to always be there whenever someone needed them, who brought out our humanity, even in the darkest of moments, and the woman who changed me. Like everything good in my life, I thought my time as the Bat was temporary, but it's for real now, and I'm not in your shadow anymore. I'm it. I am Batwoman. Goodbye, Kate Kane. Thank you for changing my life. May your memory be a blessing."
- —Ryan Wilder's letter to Kate Kane
"Rule #1" is the ninth episode of the second season of Batwoman, and the twenty-ninth episode overall. It aired on March 28, 2021.
Synopsis[]
| Batwoman confronts Gotham's biggest foe, while new information forces those closest to Kate to make some difficult decisions. Ryan's feelings for Angelique puts her partnership with Luke Fox and Mary Hamilton at risk, while Alice goes on a warped walk down memory lane.[src] |
Plot[]
As Ryan Wilder writes a farewell letter and plants a Desert Rose in the Batcave, the funeral of Kate Kane occurs; however, Kate is truly in a basement, after being severely hurt fighting minions of Black Mask.
Two weeks have passed and Alice has finally returned to the US. She finds shelter in the basement of the Cartwright house.
Two more weeks have now passed. Ryan and Mary Hamilton have breakfast together in their apartment when Angelique Martin arrives, telling Ryan that she misses her and would like to rekindle their relationship; Ryan tells Angelique that she will not tolerate a drug dealer, causing Angelique to reveal that she is leaving the False Face Society after she does one last job. Ryan weighs the option.
Meanwhile, Jordan Moore confronts Commissioner Forbes about police corruption, but he is busy because he has a budget meeting to attend. Later, that night, Jordan is tagging graffiti on the building when Forbes exits and is killed by two members of the False Face Society who jump into a van to escape.
Sophie Moore has the Crows research the crime scene but the security tapes of the shooting were erased. Simultaneously, the Bat Team is doing research and learns that Jordan was a witness. Jordan hides in her sister's car until Sophie arrives and learns that Jordan is being pursued by gang members. Batwoman arrives and helps the women against the attackers; Batwoman allows one gang member to escape to tell Black Mask that Jordan is protected.
Ryan goes to Angelique to confront her on why she participated in the assassination of the GCPD commissioner; Angelique becomes scared because, if Ryan was able to figure out that Angelique was the van driver, so can the authorities. Ryan tells Angelique that she "knows" Batwoman and Angelique can be protected until she testifies; Angelique wants to ponder her options.
The Bat Team highly disapproves of Ryan's decision to allow Angelique alone time, but they follow their leader.
At the graveyard, Julia Pennyworth meets with Jacob Kane who wants Julia to dig deeper into whether Kate is truly dead.
Angelique decides that she wants Batwoman's protection, but, before the hero arrives, Angelique is captured and presented to Black Mask who shows her the body of a person who also wanted to leave the gang.
Batwoman finds where Angelique is imprisoned, but she is also captured by gang members. Black Mask saws in half the gang member whom Batwoman allowed to escape, because he did not do his job. When Black Mask begins the circular saw again for Batwoman, Sophie arrives and chases the villain away; Sophie was called by Luke Fox as back-up.
Angelique confesses to the crime of murder, because Black Mask told her that he would kill Ryan if she was disloyal to the gang. Ryan is highly upset and emotional when she learns of Angelique's sacrifice. Though Sophie knows that Angelique was not the killer, Sophie, legally, is helpless and sends Angelique to jail to await trial.
Returning to the Batcave, Ryan establishes three rules for the Bat Team to follow, with rule #1 being to leave a place better than they found it; Ryan wants them to help Jordan with her desire to make a community center in the attempt to lower crime in Gotham City.
After two weeks of being in the basement of the house where she was imprisoned, Alice has a psychological break where she talks to a figment of young Kate.
Julia researches and learns that some of her memories are missing.
Returning to the basement where Kate is held, Black Mask asks Enigma for assistance; she asks to be alone with Kate to begin her work.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder/Batwoman
- Rachel Skarsten as Beth Kane/Alice
- Meagan Tandy as Agent Sophie Moore
- Nicole Kang as Mary Hamilton
- Camrus Johnson as Luke Fox
- Dougray Scott as Commander Jacob Kane
Guest starring[]
- Peter Outerbridge as Roman Sionis/Black Mask
- Christina Wolfe as Agent Julia Pennyworth
- Laura Mennell as Dr. Evelyn Rhyme/Enigma
- Bevin Bru as Angelique Martin/Baby Doll
- Gracyn Shinyei as Young Kate Kane
- Keeya King as Jordan Moore
Co-starring[]
- Cameron McDonald as Commissioner Forbes
- Allison Riley as Dana Dewitt
- Matt Reimer as Gas Mask
- Nathaniel Shuker as Guy Fawkes
- Tommy Europe as Hockey Mask
- Sabrina Miniaci as Crows Agent #1
- Chad Bellamy as Plague Doctor
Uncredited[]
- Unknown as Kate Kane
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- The title is a reference to one of the Bat Rules set by Ryan Wilder, where Rule #1 is about Legacy.
- This episode marks the first appearance of Black Mask and Jordan Moore.
- Angelique Martin tells Ryan that she doesn't want to be the "Walter White of Gotham City," which is a reference to the main character from the TV series Breaking Bad.
- When Alice reflects on Kate Kane's death and her team's reaction, she sings a variation of Humpty Dumpty.
- Ryan mentions Bruce Wayne, revealing she knows Bruce being Batman just like how she found out on "Whatever Happened to Kate Kane?" that Kate was Batwoman.
References[]
| Batwoman season 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Whatever Happened to Kate Kane?" • "Prior Criminal History" • "Bat Girl Magic!" • "Fair Skin, Blue Eyes" • "Gore on Canvas" • "Do Not Resuscitate" • "It's Best You Stop Digging" • "Survived Much Worse" • "Rule #1" • "Time Off for Good Behavior" • "Arrive Alive" • "Initiate Self-Destruct" • "I'll Give You a Clue" • "And Justice For All" • "Armed and Dangerous" • "Rebirth" • "Kane, Kate" • "Power" | ||||