The Arrowverse is currently in the age of transformation, and Batwoman will look to be a major part of that. The CW series is poised to introduce a new lead character in the form of Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder after the sudden departure of Ruby Rose last May.
Details about the narrative shift of Batwoman are still being kept under wraps, but previous hints suggest that the show will not erase Rose's Kate Kane entirely. Still, the departure of the actress remained a major subject of discussion among fans of the show. From the on-set injury that Rose suffered to the rigorous shooting schedules, there was no shortage of rumors that surfaced about the exit of the actress.
A previous interview with Rose may have shed some light on the ordeal, with the actress sharing that the pandemic played a role on her exit. And now, another piece of evidence straight from Rose has emerged, and it provides more insight regarding the situation.
NEWS
While speaking with SirusXm's The Jess Cagle Show, via Comicbookmovie, The Meg and Pitch Perfect 3 actress Ruby Rose admitted that the neck injury that she suffered while filming Batwoman didn't factor into her decision of leaving the show. Instead, the actress revealed that the early shut down played a "bigger part" since they "didn't get to finish the first season" of the hit CW series:
"It wasn't that. I mean, that definitely made going back to work so quickly tricky. They really accommodated trying to help me out the best they could, going back so early. We wanted to obviously meet the release date of the show. I think what played a bigger part was more, we got shut down early. We didn't get to finish the first season, which is such a shame, especially for a first season show."
Moreover, Rose also shared that she "mutually agreed" with Warner Bros and Greg Berlanti about her exit while also pointing out that it was "best for the show at that time:"
"We all kind of thought about where we're at and, and, and so did Warner Bros. and Greg Berlanti, and we were discussing the show...and we sort of mutually agreed that probably what was best for the show, at the time, was they go in a different direction and I go in a different direction."
Lastly, the former Batwoman actress acknowledged that "saying goodbye to that character is sad" but she agreed that she is still excited for "everything else that's coming up:"
"I do believe that that's what was best for the show. And I think that everything we set out to do, we accomplished, and I feel like as far as Kate’s story, it kind of made sense now that handing over the mantle to somebody else would be a very sort of creative process for the producers and for the show. And then for myself, of course, saying goodbye to that character is sad, but I also am excited for everything else that's coming up."
WHAT THIS MEANS
The departure of Rose from Batwoman was unexpected, and it sent fans reeling on how the show will recover after that unfortunate circumstance. Despite that, Rose's comments indicate that it was a graceful exit behind-the-scenes, and it should ease the worries of passionate fans of the franchise.
The reveal that the early shutdown of Batwoman's first season played a bigger part when it came to Rose's departure goes to show that there was a chance that the actress could've returned for the second season. However, it appears that the stars didn't align since Rose eventually came to a decision that she needed to go in a different direction career-wise. Despite that, Rose's remarks indicate that she seems to be at peace with the resolution of Kate's story, and all will be unveiled on how it will play out during the upcoming sophomore season.
Whatever the case, the first season of Batwoman clearly left a plethora of lingering plot threads that have yet to be explored, and it seems that Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder will be put to the task of resolving those storylines.
