Batwoman is in the midst of its third season on The CW, and so far, the show's story has showcased unexpected twists and turns.
After Ruby Rose's sudden and controversial departure from the series, Javicia Leslie took over the lead role to become the new Batwoman. Instead of Kate Kane, the series introduced Leslie as Ryan Wilder, a new character that took over the Bat mantle. The actress is joined by series mainstays Camrus Johnson, Nicole Kang, and Rachel Skarsten.
Throughout Season 3, the Bat Team experienced a series of ups and downs since they were tasked to gather several Bat Trophies that went missing during the Season 2 finale. As part of this newfound mission, Skarsten's Alice joined the team, forming a new dynamic for Wilder and her allies.
Now, it seems that one of the original members of the team will finally take a villainous turn, ultimately causing a major shift in the show's storyline.
Poison Ivy Joins CW's Batwoman
The CW, via Deadline, officially revealed the new look of Nicole Kang's Mary Hamilton as Poison Ivy in Batwoman.
Kang's character was infected by one of the mysterious thorns of the original Poison Ivy during the Bat Team's hunt for Batman's trophies. The official press release revealed that Mary's transformation will be fully unveiled during Batwoman's midseason finale, entitled "Double Trouble."
The episode will air on November 24, 2021 on The CW.
Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries opened up about the creative team's decision to turn Mary into a supervillain, sharing that they made a few of the Bat Trophies personal to Ryan Wilder and the rest of the Bat Team:
“As we’ve watched the fallout of Batman’s Rogues’ weapons this season, we wanted to make a few of these ‘trophies’ personal to our Bat Team, and Mary felt like the ideal character to go through a major ‘photosynthesis. The fun part of making each villain’s powers transferable is that we get to do our own spin on the character — this one through the lens of what Mary would create: something heightened, playful, fashion-forward, and sexy."
Dries continued by expressing her excitement for Kang, praising her performance as Poison Ivy in the series:
"It was so exciting to work alongside Nicole as we picked hair color, eye color, and of course, the clothing itself. But it wasn’t until Nicole showed up on set and absolutely killed her performance that the character of Poison Ivy Mary was complete.”
Meanwhile, Kang recalled the first time she put on the full costume while speaking with Entertainment Weekly, admitting that she cried during the fitting:
"I was really emotional. I burst into tears. It has given me purpose and drive, and ultimately, I'm really proud of how Poison Ivy came out. What I'm most proud of is that it is rooted in history, both comic and fashion history. And it is culturally conscious. And then I am what's inside of it, what's filling it. And as a Korean girl, that when it all came together."
The Batwoman actress continued by discussing the importance of playing a fully-fledged Asian villain in the series:
"Everybody, I think, has been wanting Mary to [become a superhero because there's] the expectation that everybody suits up and for us to subvert that expectation — We have a Black Batwoman, we have Batwing, and an Asian Poison Ivy — it's so cool. It's really exciting for me to create a fully-fledged Asian villain. I think sometimes Asian villains are not explained, right? Their humanity is sometimes lost when in telling a story about a hero. And I think it's super brilliant. I give [showrunner] Caroline Dries all the props of creating a hero, and then turning her into a villain. I am very thrilled."
The full look can be seen below:
Mary's Heartbreaking Debut as Poison Ivy
Nicole Kang's Mary Hamilton has been with the Bat Team ever since Batwoman Season 1, so many would agree that her villainous turn was unexpected. Mary has often been portrayed as a sweet and loving friend, with her helping out Batwoman on numerous occasions, even without powers.
However, Batwoman also showed that Mary has a feisty and dangerous side, and this new reveal will allow the character to showcase more of it.
Interestingly, it was previously reported that Bridget Regan had joined Batwoman as Poison Ivy. It is unknown how this news will affect Mary's transition into the villain, but it appears that the original Poison Ivy will return to potentially reclaim her venomous throne down the line.
On the flip side, it's possible that the original Poison Ivy would instead mentor Mary, thus developing more of her newfound powers. As of right now, it seems that Mary's ally appears to be Alice, with the official synopsis teasing that the villain found a new sidekick in the form of her stepsister.
It will be interesting to find out how Batwoman and Batwing will react to Mary's villainous transition, ultimately leading to a heartbreaking encounter.
Batwoman premieres new episodes every Wednesday on The CW.
