Batwoman season 1 episode 16 review: The lies keep on coming

This week’s episode of Batwoman forces Kate to make a difficult decision about her sister, while the murder of Luke’s father becomes less and less clear.

Batwoman has done an excellent job throughout its first season of building up the tensions between Kate and Alice, highlighting that they’re one another’s weaknesses. And their relationship truly began haunting Kate after she murdered Alice’s former captor without remorse during “Off With Her Head.” Sensing that she’s more like her sister than she thought, Kate wants nothing more than to prove the opposite — and she succeeds this week, but at what cost?

“Through the Looking-Glass” sees Alice convincing her sister to help break Mouse out of Arkham Asylum. In a touching scene, Alice admits that her father and Kate leaving her behind was her greatest fear — and that she could never do the same to Mouse.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t take much to convince Kate to help — the first sign that something about the episode isn’t quite what it seems. And as the two sneak into the asylum in Alice’s twisted Alice in Wonderland masks, it’s hard not to admire the work that went into the scene. Everything from the choreography of Kate’s fighting moves to the dialogue is spot on, and it makes for one of the most suspenseful moments of the series so far.

Unfortunately, while Alice keeps her promise not to kill anyone on their mission, Kate doesn’t exactly stay true to her twin sister. When the two find Mouse, Alice rushes into his cell to free him — and finds her sister locking the door behind her. When Jacob appears, it becomes obvious why Kate was so willing to comply with Alice’s scheme: The two had set the whole thing up as a means to trap Alice. And thanks to Alice’s trust in Kate, it worked.

Rachel Skarsten and Ruby Rose play this scene to perfection, capturing all the emotions behind this huge betrayal. Kate’s conflict is clearer than ever in this moment, and Alice’s rare vulnerability makes her character that much more complex — though it’s doubtful we’ll be seeing this side of her again. The final moments of the episode suggest that, if Alice does return, she’ll be out for vengeance once more. And she’s unlikely to allow Kate to get under her skin a second time.

Eliminating Threats

The B-plot of this week’s Batwoman opens a storyline that could become the cetral focus of the upcoming episodes, especially now that the Cartwrights and Alice are out of the way. Now that it’s clear someone tampered with the tapes the night Lucius Fox was murdered, his assumed killer is temporarily set free and offered a retrial — though it quickly becomes clear the man who was convicted for killing Luke’s dad isn’t actually guilty of the crime.

As Jacob and a reluctant Sophie look further into the case, they find a sniper on their tails. Sophie, thankfully, is saved by the return of Alfred Pennyworth’s daughter, Julia, who’s also looking into the case. Unfortunately, neither of them managed to save one of the key witnesses needed to prove the wrong man was framed for the crime. Of course, his name is cleared in a much more sinister way later on in the episode.

Naturally, Luke is devastated that the man he believes killed his father has been let off for the time being, and Camrus Johnson deserves a shout out for his emotional moments throughout “Through the Looking-Glass.” Watching Luke confront the supposed killer — only to have the man shot by the same sniper tracking Sophie and Jacob almost immediately after — truly makes for an intense moment, and this development also hints at a new major villain.

Whoever is sniping everyone involved in this investigation clearly doesn’t want the truth about Lucius Fox’s death uncovered, and that means our characters are likely to go all in to reveal the truth. With any luck, none of them will die in the process — but then, this new villain seems dangerous enough to keep us on our toes.

Romantic Revelations

The episode ends with Julia heading to Bruce Wayne’s lair to check on Luke, only to find Kate moping over her difficult decision instead. The two share a moment during which Kate finally opens up about her feelings surrounding Alice — and then they kiss. Whether their relationship will evolve as the show continues remains to be seen, but this development certainly puts a damper on anyone hoping for Kate and Sophie to rekindle their romance. On the bright side, though, Julia actually knows about both of Kate’s identities….

What did you think of this week’s episode of Batwoman? Do you think Kate made the right call betraying Alice?