Arrowverse fans got some shocking news today. Just two days after the conclusion of its debut season, Batwoman has lost its leading lady, as Ruby Rose has officially exited the DC TV series. Rose debuted as Kate Kane in 2018’s “Elseworlds” crossover event, before starring in 20 episodes of her own show – plus taking part in “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Batwoman will continue, but The CW will have to find a new series lead for season 2 onward.
This is an unprecedented move for the Arrowverse, specifically, but also a highly unusual one for a TV series across the board. Understandably, then, social media is full of fans expressing their shock and sadness at the news.
To begin with, there’s a lot of these three letters going about…
https://twitter.com/superczrp/status/1262870237017526272
Others are being more level-headed about it and are looking forward to seeing Rose take on other roles in different projects.
https://twitter.com/softlcorp/status/1262872425307521025
Some are already thinking about who the next person under the cowl will be.
Shame I kinda liked Ruby Rose in Batwoman. Wonder who will replace her smh pic.twitter.com/JYcWsdWGOD
— marvelrudeboi (@marvelrudeboi) May 19, 2020
But for others, Ruby Rose is the only person they can imagine donning the red wig.
https://twitter.com/captraylla/status/1262870228947501057
Though, obviously, you can’t please everyone. And some people are glad to have a new Batwoman.
Ruby Rose was NEVER my Batwoman
— ari 🤍 (@artemishvnter) May 19, 2020
While others took the chance to take a potshot at the show’s writers.
There is many issues that I have with the @CWBatwoman show, but #RubyRose was not one of them. Wish her the best, and for the @BatwomanWriters not to squander the character of Batwoman for the next person to get the role.
— The Nemo Θf Night (@Nemo19089) May 19, 2020
Rare footage of CW execs finding out Rose was leaving.
CW management when they found out Ruby Rose wanted to drop out of the Batwoman show: pic.twitter.com/OJ5hvsELxO
— Filippo (@filippoq01) May 19, 2020
On the other hand, we don’t know the full story and some are suspicious that Rose could easily walk away from her contract of her own accord. And they’re getting hungry for the truth.
anyways the powers that be at the cw/batwoman must have really not liked ruby rose to actually let the star/title character of the show get out of their, no doubt, multi-year contract. i want the details. pic.twitter.com/bUsjE5NtPu
— britney (@abigailblossoms) May 19, 2020
The good news is that the Arrowverse has an in-built way to explain massive continuity glitches like this one. Barry Allen, time to go changing the timeline again!
https://twitter.com/UberKryptonian/status/1262870565871894528
Batwoman season 1 was curtailed earlier than intended due to the coronavirus outbreak, with episodes 21 and 22 of the season left un-filmed. Presumably, then, the new actress who’s playing Kate Kane will step right into Rose’s boots and finish up the original plans for season 1 as the former star of the show would’ve done herself.
Season 2, meanwhile, is due to premiere in January 2021.