Batwoman: Meagan Tandy talks representation and previews Sophie’s future at NYCC

As Batwoman arrives on The CW, star Meagan Tandy shares details about Sophie’s journey  and talks about the important representation this show provides.

The Arrowverse launched its sixth series last weekend, the highly anticipated small screen adaptation of Batwoman, which also happens to be the network’s first effort with an LGBT lead. If the series’ premiere is anything to go by, the show looks set to give us the female-focused superhero series we’ve all been waiting for, one that focuses on the complicated histories behind and between each character.

This makes a general amount of sense, given that this is a new series, and we still need to get to know these characters, no matter how well we might think we know them from the comics the show is based on.

That’s especially true for Sophie Moore, a character who barely appears in the DC Comics version of Kate Kane’s story, and in fact pretty much only exists in flashback form. On the show, Sophie and Kate share a similar backstory to their comic book counterparts. Both attended the United States Military Academy together, where they became roommates and eventually girlfriends. But the comics version of the story doesn’t see Kate and Sophie reconnect after the former is asked to leave due to the draconian policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. They basically live separate lives.

In The CW’s version of Gotham, that’s definitely not the case.

This, of course, gives the television version of Batwoman plenty of room to maneuver when it comes to Sophie’s backstory, motivations and agenda.

And star Meagan Tandy promises the show is going to do just that.

We got the chance to speak with the actress who plays Sophie during a press roundtable interview at this year’s New York Comic Con, where she shared some thoughts on Sophie’s upcoming arc, and the importance of Batwoman within the larger Arrowverse.

“I wanted to be in this part because I love strong, powerful women,” Tandy declared pretty much immediately. “And the cool thing with Sophie and Kate – they’re both very, very strong women. They both had the same exact training. But he difference is Kate’s calling was to be Batwoman and Sophie’s calling was to be part of the Crows. So they’re both helping Gotham and saving Gotham [in their own ways]. I just love that entire thing.”

Fans can expect to learn much more about Sophie as an individual and more details about her past with Kate as the season goes on.

“You guys are definitely going to get a full backstory of what went down in military school with the emotional connection between these two,” Tandy explained. “This wasn’t just a fling, they were in love, [they were] together. And we talked about how long they were together, and what that meant for both of them. You’ll definitely see that later on in the season.”

“You’re definitely going to go on this journey of Sophie trying to figure out what she wants to do,” she continued. “They abruptly split up in military school, and one of them is standing in her truth. The other is one is pretending a little bit.”

“It is such an honor to be playing Sophie, specifically,” Tandy said when asked about her feelings on joining a show that’s helping push the entire CW superhero universe forward, in terms of diversity and representation when it comes to both female and LGBT characters.

“All the characters on our show, they’re absolutely amazing. But I feel like Sophie represents to many women in this world right now. And my hope is that people will watch and look at Sophie and it’ll only expand their empathy meter, their understanding meter. There might be someone on their life that was going through something like that. And I hope this will help them understand why they were like that.”

“Being this role, it has just only magnified my purpose as an artist,” she explained. “It honestly makes me so emotional. Truly.”

Batwoman airs Sunday nights on The CW.