Renee is pissed she’s being kept in the dark about another Ivy victim and accuses Ryan of hiding things from her. Poor Montoya is barely keeping it together right now. She’s a workaholic who uses her job as an escape from life, but now everything about that escape reminds her of her lost love. Watching Pam turn into someone Renee barely recognized, broke her (and frankly, Victoria Cartagena broke me here), and she won’t rest until she finds the culprit.
“And right before your eyes, I’m breaking”
Meanwhile, the rest of the team is watching this go down on the monitors, so Alice decides to regale Luke and Mary with the love story of Pamela and Renee. I would give just about anything for weekly Alice lore dumps, please and thank you.
“It’s a love story, baby just say ‘yes’.”
The sun starts to come up, and Mary’s beginning to feel a little icky, so they try watering her. Alice suggests having Sophie question Virgil (Black Glove hat guy) for info, but Ryan is confused because Sophie doesn’t know where Virgil is. Except Alice, being the good roomie she is, gave Sophie exactly that information, so Ryan heads out to stop her girl from making a huge mistake.
In the seemingly unending tunnels that span Gotham City, Sophie threatens to burn Virgil alive unless he answers questions about his employer. She doesn’t even wait for him to start talking before name-dropping Jada Jet. Turns out, his OG employer was actually Tommy Elliot’s mother. Sophie could not care less about the Elliot connection, burns Virgil’s face, and demands to know how Jada is connected to all of this.
“Sorry, I can’t see facts through all of my fury”
Before Soph gets any more info though, Batwoman shows up and Sophie lets her know how pissed she is that she had to find out about Virgil from Alice instead of from her friend (I don’t think you know what that word means, girl).
Soph is tired of Ryan’s excuses; the way her voice broke when she accused Ry of siding with Jada?! Meagan Tandy, how very dare you. As someone whose first instinct is to protect, it’s hard for me to watch this play out with Wildmoore because I get it! Ryan has a hard time trusting people, but also thinks she can prevent the people she loves from getting hurt by withholding information. Her intention to keep Sophie safe is wonderful and sweet, but Sophie is also her own woman with agency and has proven over and over that she has Ryan’s back.
“I said we should talk about it ‘Cause I read you should never leave a fight unresolved”
The two hear a noise, and discover that Virgil hanged himself with his chains. Sophie storms off and wow I hope she doesn’t decide to do something sexy and impulsive to staunch her emotional wounds…
Back in the Batcave, Alice tries to emotionally push Mary into being angry with Ryan for leaving her, while literally pushing her into the increasing sunlight. The light slowly starts to take hold of Mary, and as Alice continues to question Ryan’s decisions, Mary attacks Luke from behind (with his own keyboard, which is funnier than it has any right to be).
Watching Nicole Kang embody Ivy is absolutely delicious. And the way Alice sidles up to Mary once the transformation completes?! Whew, I cannot wait for the havoc these two are going to wreak on Gotham. Before they head out, Mary calls Montoya with a fake tip on a Poison Ivy sighting at the botanical gardens, because OF COURSE.
“Put your lips close to mine as long as they don’t touch”
Montoya, sans backup, arrives at Ivy’s literal home field, and is greeted by one, Dr. Mary Hamilton in her full green glory. This is hands down one of the most beautiful scenes on this show thus far. The plants move in concert with Mary as she slowly and deliberately plays into Montoya’s guilt over turning Pam in. Renee has her gun at the ready, but you can tell that using it is the last thing she wants to do. Before she has to make that decision though, Poison Mary summons vines that pull the detective out of frame.
“There’s nothing like a mad woman”
Meanwhile, Ryan finds Luke recovering in the Batcave and he tells her that sunlight is the trigger. Luke suits up and the two head to the Batmobile. I did not anticipate getting as emotional as I did over seeing these two Black ass heroes walking in unison to save the day, but here we are, I guess.
The two arrive at the botanical gardens and survey the scene. They don’t get very far before they too are attacked by Poison Mary’s vines.
Once they get untangled, Luke starts talking to his AI dad and gets no response from the suit. He does get a response from Mary, who’s snuck up behind him giving him shit about needing his dad. Luke promises to help her, but this version of Mary doesn’t need his help. She needed them to listen sooner, and now it’s too late. She strings up Luke and reveals that she removed the AI from the suit.
AND THEN BATWOMAN LITERAL SWOOPS IN! No joke, I gasped at this shot. Our baby is all grown up and sticking that landing!
“And it was like slow motion”
Ryan apologizes to Mary for being a bad friend, but this is way more than that. Nicole Kang manages to embody Ivy in a way that remains true to who Mary is, but also heightens the frustration we’ve watched her experience. As Ivy, she’s no longer encumbered by the metaphorical vines that have kept her from speaking her truth to her friends. Mary lays into Ryan about giving more time and attention to Jada than her actual friend and teammate. Points. Were. Made.
“And what do you do when the one who means the most to you is the one who didn’t show?”
They hear helicopters overhead and Ryan begs Mary to leave with them, but Mary insists on being heard. We’ve BEEN yelling LISTEN TO MARY for over two seasons now, it’s about time! Poison Mary wraps Ryan in vines yet again and Homer Simpsons into the vines. Montoya reappears, sets Batwoman free, and reminds them that Mary is now the most dangerous person in Gotham.
In the Batcave, Ryan and Luke acknowledge how shitty they’ve been to Mary recently. Well, Ryan acknowledges it and seems genuinely upset; Luke only mentions it in reference to deserving his torn rotator cuff. I’m just glad they’re having the conversation and realizing that just an apology won’t be enough to get their friend back. They decide to try and make a cure, but Ryan’s going to call in a favor since they’re down their only scientist.
“So, this is me swallowing my pride, standing in front of you saying I’m sorry…”
Okay, here we go. Everybody sitting? Great.
Sophie is at The Hold Up nursing her bad day with some whiskey, when Renee joins her at the bar. She seems genuinely worried about Sophie’s state and hopes that her presence isn’t making Soph’s day worse. Sophie tells the detective that there are other people she’d rather not be drinking with, Montoya takes it as a compliment, and these two give each other eyes like I’ve never seen. Like, I’m shocked the alcohol didn’t just burst into flames from the heat between them.
“I knew you were trouble when you walked in…”
Cut to Sophie pinning Montoya against the wall (I’m starting to think Meagan negotiated wall pinning into her season 3 contract) and the two intensely making out. Look. Wildmoore is endgame in my heart. That hasn’t changed. But by golly do I enjoy a love triangle. And this love triangle involves THREE. QUEER. WOMEN. OF. COLOR. In the year of Beyoncé 2021, I did not imagine we would get this. I didn’t dare wish for it. But Batwoman is out here doing what so many other shows are afraid of. They’re showing that intersectionality isn’t just about pain; we have “regular” drama too! Let us be messy! Let us love hard! Let us take out our frustration over the fact that the woman we’re crushing on won’t let us in, by hooking up with someone we have an intense history with!! I can’t wait to see how this unfolds. CANNOT WAIT.
“This slope is treacherous. This path is reckless. This slope is treacherous. And I like it”
As the episode ends, we see Ryan calling Jada to presumably help with the cure, and Alice and Mary driving away together to do Rao knows what.
One of the best joys of watching television, is getting “got” by television. When I tell you I did NOT see Renphie (??) coming, y’all, whew! Bravo, writers, bravo.
Next week, mid-season finale!?
Pages: 1 2See entire article on one page
I think I’d have gone with Mooretoya? Either way, Sophie making her way through all the eligible women of Gotham, living her best life, is what I’m here for.
Right after those last minutes of Sophie and Montoya, I began rubbing my hands together like that uncle getting ready to fix a plate at the cookout in full anticipation of this recap. Nic, you did not disappoint. I want Wildmoore to be endgame but girl, SoMo (too cheesy?) are fuego. Yeah…I see what I did there.
I too am going to LOVE watching Mary and Alice wreck shop and actually hate that we only get one episode of them doing the most before the long break.
“What’s it called when you gaslight someone by accusing them of gaslighting you?”
The CW? Sorry, I had to.
In all the best Batwoman S2 episodes, I would usually just summarize my reactions ala, “This. Show. Is. Nuts.”
Well, it took 4 Meh episodes and one (improving) So-so one, but NUTS have finally again been achieved!
Ryan, to Mary, enthused: “You’re Coming Out?!” Same gurl, same. Sigh.
Look, I’ve been upfront that WildMoore does not float my particular, subjective boat, so take this for what you will: this interruption (w/ conflict and Mooretoya) is the Best POSSIBLE Thing that could happen to this ship. From (JMO!!!!!) boring inevitability, to ACTUAL STAKES. Endgames, to be meaningful, HAVE TO OVERCOME. And ever since Sophie left the Crows, the overcoming part has been missing. Hello, lead ship actual stakes, how we’ve missed you.
Nicole Kang is TEARING IT UP as Poison Mary, and I. Am. Here. For. It! Good God, it took two and half seasons to see what a freaking GEM they have in N.K. [And—pardon my perversion—can we talk about girlfriend’s THIGHS for a moment??? 😵 Crush me, Mommi!] Poison Mary and “I want to date her” Alice TOGETHER??? We Are Not Worthy!
I’ve been moping re the end of Supergirl (and Supercorp) for over a week now, but—Halleloo!—this ep of Batwoman came along at PRECISELY the moment I needed it. See y’all next week for the Midseason Finale!
Forgot to comment on this gem
“Homegirl stepped into an unknown substance with fresh kicks are you kidding?!?!?! I’m pretty sure I heard my entire sneaker collection scream in that moment.”
I was saying the same thing under my breath as this was happening. One must even avoid low-lying fog in fresh kicks.
All of us. All of us felt it in our collective Black girl spirits.
My first thought of “her shoes tho” was immediately followed by “but what are you even doing, girl… investigating that kind of stuff is white people isht” lol.
I’m not even a sneakerhead and I was squirming at that first step.
I did scream when homegirl stepped in that goo with her fresh kicks. It doesn’t matter what is happening, you step around the goo especially in fresh Jordans.
I was excited when Sophie and Ryan had the fight in the Batcave. I was like one more step closer to a full blown relationship. But that second fight after the Black Glove off himself, I was like we need to pull back a bit. But who knew that fight would lead Sophie to Montoya’s lips.
I was literally on my feet when Sophie and Montoya were eyeing each other. I was like this is all Ryan’s fault lol
Love that Ryan was kind of disappointed that Mary wasn’t coming out as gay.
I died laughing when Mary said she was a threat to everyone and Alice in the background mouthing “Not me” and when Luke moved Alice’s head away from his. Rachel Skarsten was on it this episode.
I was already love the sister bonding between Mary and Alice and now both are on the run and super villains. I am here for it
I love Mary, but Poison Mary has my full attention. Damn girl
This season has been so good. Each episode keeps getting better and better.
If you’d told me before I watched this episode, that by the end I’d be desperately shipping NOT ONLY Alice and Poison Mary (🥵) BUT ALSO Mooretoya?????!!!! (Wildmoore is where it’s at, but I love adding ships to my collection)
Lesbian goddess above. There is simply no way Mary is straight, none. She is as bisexual a person as I’ve ever seen. And Alice openly thirsting for her evilness is… something. Whew!
The Mooretoya hook up threw me for a complete loop, but I very much enjoyed said loop. Please oh please let us have more details of their backstory. PLEASE. I NEED IT.
Watching the interactions between Montoya and Sophie, I was HOPING for a love triangle (I had been praying for some dyke drama this season!!) but I wasn’t sure if it was just everyone in this cast having great chemistry with each other.
If Sophie needs anyone else to push against the wall I’d like to formally submit my application.
I laughed out loud multiple times this episode. And fabulous poison Mary?!?
This might be my favorite episode of batwoman so far and the bar is high!
Also, some gorgeous shots! the upside down car approach, Ryan’s bat descent, and some great comedic framing of character moments. kudos to the director of this one.
I just found out that Alice was Tamsin on Lost Girl, which means double points and moving to the top of the leaderboard.
Sophie and Renee blew up everything, including the world.
The crew must’ve been on high alert for that makeout between Sophie and Renée, fire extinguishers at the ready. The hottest I’ve ever seen.
And Rachel Skarsten – mind blown.
I nominate the walls of Sophie’s apartment for best architecture in a supporting role this season.
This morning they released a promo image of Poison Mary on the Batwoman twitter. We finally have a redhead in the Arrowverse who is more than a sacrificial lamb or villain of the week. Praise Beebo!
I’m in so much love with BatWoman! Awesome Crew too!
Ultimately I ship Mary with happiness and love most of all, but I will treasure (and be a simp for) Poison Mary for as long as we have her. She didn’t have to make a Homer Simpson hedge parallel sexy but she did and I’m in awe.
I’m excited for Mooretoya in the sense that I both think all the best OTPs have to know each other through relationships with other people, and that Sophie and Renee have the potential to achieve the time-honored lesbian tradition of becoming really good friends with someone they used to sleep with.
It’s not like either of them won’t notice the loud, unyielding pining for another woman, but I think that it’ll be sort of freeing for them both to have this specific sort of comfort and to offer it in return until they get their shit together with the women they love. And then they can start a flag football team or something.
I was almost scared to watch this episode because I couldn’t see how it could live up to the last one. And damn. Every second (aside from the shoe atrocity) was freaking amazing. From the girls playing pick up to Alice’s everything to Ryan and Luke finally confronting how shitty they’ve been to Sophie and Montoya. Perfection.
I hope Alice continues to bring up how quick they’ve been to lock her in Arkham, especially since it seems like that might be where marquis should be (or at least a very nice and very secure therapeutic setting, I guess).