Batwoman season 2’s premiere was a busy episode, as it had to continue on with plot threads left dangling from the last run and introduce a brand new lead in Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder. But it still had time to slot in some references to the wider Batman universe for DC fans to lap up. Case in point: the Arrowverse series supplied us with yet another reminder that the Joker is out there somewhere.
The episode began by explaining that Kate Kane is now believed dead after being involved in a plane crash. Her loved ones all took the news badly, but for father Jacob Kane, it came with the added revelation that his daughter is/was Batwoman. Alice, who was also distraught that someone else had got to Kate before she did, was responsible for blowing her sister/nemesis’ big secret. As you’d imagine, Jacob didn’t believe her at first and when Alice told her dad that Kate was the Crimson Knight, he responded: “Yeah, and I’m the Joker.”
Of course, this is just the latest nod to Mr. J existing in the Arrowverse. His laugh was first heard back in “Elseworlds” and the Batwoman pilot confirmed he was responsible for the car crash that killed Kate’s mother. Since then, it’s been stated that his real name is Jack Napier (as per Jack Nicholson’s movie version) and, shockingly, it’s been hinted that Batman actually killed the Clown Prince of Crime prior to his disappearance.
That would explain why the Joker isn’t hanging around Gotham anymore and also why Bruce hung up his cape, because he finally crossed the line. That said, it’s all speculation at this point, but ideally, we’ll soon get a definitive explanation for what happened in the Dark Knight’s past with Mr. J. Fans would love to see (the real) Bruce and Kate return and reveal themselves to still be alive, of course, but for now, we’ll take these easter eggs instead.
Batwoman season 2 continues Sundays on The CW.