Though many superheroes using the Batwoman moniker existed in DC Comics over the years, the one we know today debuted in 2005. Kate Kane, a former military officer, was inspired by Batman to take up a mask and help people.
She finally made the leap from the comic book page to live-action as part of an Arrowverse crossover event on CW in 2018. The network greenlit a television series for the character soon after. With Ruby Rose bringing the character to life, we’ve got a few powers (and weaknesses) fans might be able to expect from her.
Superpower: Gymnastics
Batman, and many of the heroes that become part of his Bat-Family, don’t technically have superpowers. Their superhuman feats come as a result of training and gadgetry. Kate is the same. Unlike Batman, who excels at leaping through the shadows with the help of his grappling hooks, Kate does have one athletic advantage.
Kate Kane, long before becoming a vigilante, or even joining the military, was on track to become an elite gymnast. She trained hard as a child and believed she would make it to the Olympics before tragedy struck her family. When she decided to become a vigilante, she added various martial arts and parkour to her training regimen, only strengthening her gymnastic skills.
Weakness: Her Heart
During one storyline, Kate found herself the target of a religious group. The group wanted to sacrifice her for their own ends. Kate ended up stabbed right through the heart while held by the Religion of Crime.
Despite the wound, Kate still managed to keep fighting. She even went off medication just a few days after having the damage repaired. Though she might have felt like she could handle it then, her heart hasn’t been the same since, leaving her no longer at her peak physical condition.
Superpower: Multilingualism
This is not technically a superpower, but knowing many languages isn’t something everyone can do. Likewise, while many Bat-Family characters are very bright, they don’t all learn numerous languages. Kate isn’t just bright, or a good detective like Batman. She’s also considered a genius. With that genius comes a gift for languages.
While the comics don’t tell us exactly how many different languages she knows, we can tell that she’s at least conversational in four and fluent in one. Kate speaks English in her everyday life. She’s also had conversations with characters in French, Hebrew, Yiddish, and Portuguese.
Weakness: Her Family
Like many members of the Bat-Family, Kate Kane is no stranger to family tragedy. The events of her childhood stay with her as an adult. When she was a kid, out for the day with her mother and twin sister, the three were kidnapped. While Kate ended up being rescued by her father, she witnessed (what she thought was) the execution of her mother and sister.
Years later, after her father began helping her with her Batwoman persona, she discovered her sister had survived the experience and become a supervillain. So, not only was she plagued with the trauma of her childhood, but also the knowledge that her father lied to her about knowing her sister was still alive. She hasn’t trusted him completely since.
Superpower: Electromagnetic Field Detection
The one time Kate has experienced her own real superpower in the comics was the result of an injury. A blow to the head left her with a wound that needed stitches. Repaired with gold thread, it had some surprising side effects.
As the injury healed, Kate found her perception more sensitive to the world around her. That resulted in her gaining a sixth sense. She was able to sense electromagnetic fields. The ability came in handy when her enemies tried to use illusions against her. It’s not an ability that appears to stay around, but perhaps fans will see a version of it when she joins the Arrowverse.
Weakness: Depression
If there’s one thing Kate winds up afflicted with after some difficult events, it’s depression. During her comic book storylines, she’s frequently wallowed in guilt, self-pity, and sometimes the bottom of a bottle.
Following Kate’s discharge from the military, she spent some time drinking and traveling, trying to avoid her own life due to her unhappiness. Likewise, bad breakups would also see her spending hours at a local bar, trying to forget. She doesn’t always get to the point where she’s depressed long term, but sometimes, her unhappiness and loneliness compromise her ability to do her vigilante job.
Superpower: Force Of Will
Batwoman doesn’t appear to be a metahuman in DC Comics. She does, however, possess some seriously superhuman willpower. Kate Kane is so stubborn that she can hold out against supernatural threats to her own mind.
When enemies try to influence her with magic, hypnosis, or even some medications, Kate has repeatedly proven that she can hold out against them. Enemies often think she’s just posturing as a hero when she tries. Somehow, she’s able to retain her sense of self and combat attacks, though even some metahumans haven’t been able to.
Weakness: Hallucinogens
Incredible willpower can only go so far. There’s a limit to what Batwoman can put her mind to. That limit usually comes when she’s facing hallucinogens. No matter how often she goes up against them, she doesn’t build up a tolerance.
Many of Batwoman’s enemies, including her twin sister, use various chemicals against their enemies. Most of those chemicals often have hallucinogenic properties. In the case of the Scarecrow, he uses his fear toxin to show people what they’re most afraid of. When Alice uses her own chemicals against her sister, they cause her to hallucinate images of her past.
Superpower: Stealth
To be fair, Batwoman’s stealth isn’t exactly a secret. If you’re going to be a vigilante, you’ve got to know how to disappear into shadowy corners with ease. Batwoman’s secret is just how good she is at it.
Batwoman is so stealthy, she’s actually been able to sneak up on the master of stealth: Batman himself. Likewise, she’s even surprised Supergirl before. Supergirl has Kryptonian level senses, which are far beyond superhuman. Batwoman has some serious skills when it comes to sneaking around.
Weakness: Her Hair
Batwoman isn’t a woman obsessed with her hair. That’s not why her hair ranks as a weakness. Instead, it’s because her hair can be used to identify her.
Batwoman combats her civilian identity of Kate Kane being uncovered with a simple solution. She wears a wig while in costume. In fact, it’s built in to her cowl. The bright red matches her comic book costume, and it also gives her a unique look. Of course, there are plenty of heroes who don’t disguise their hair, so given the chance, maybe it wouldn’t be a huge weakness for her if she stopped using the wig.
