'Batwoman': The bulletproof feature in the crime-fighter's suit does a disservice to the character and her history
One of the major plot points running through 'Batwoman' is the procurement of a gun. A very special gun, powerful enough to do the one thing that ordinary guns can't — pierce through the ultra-tough materials that make up the Batsuit, harming the person inside.
Ordinary guns, we're told, can't do the job, as Bruce Wayne's work on the Batsuit has made it functionally bulletproof. This plot contrivance means that the gun now in Alice's possession is significant. It really shouldn't be, because of all the things that should define Batwoman, being bulletproof shouldn't be one of them.
The Batfamily — Batman, the Robins, Huntress, Oracle, and yes, Batwoman among others — are street-level characters. That's what makes them interesting, and that's what sets them apart from other heroes.
They're humans, doing the best they can with finite abilities. Sure, sometimes their competence stretches the limits of believability — just ask anyone who thinks that Batman could beat Superman in a fight — but ultimately, the best stories involving Batman characters involve crime, corruption, and the man on the street.
It's one thing for a certain amount of resistance to bullets to be built into the armor, but by making it a feature on Batwoman's suit, and a plot point around which Alice's plan revolves, it elevates Batwoman above the level of street crimes.
It also lowers stakes significantly, considering guns are the weapons most employed by her enemies. Making Batwoman bulletproof means her enemies are taken a step up, as well, and that shift in focus changes the shift in the story.
The most dangerous thing about Alice is her mind. She is a brilliant villain, who knows how to get into Batwoman's head like nobody else. Suddenly, though, the most dangerous thing about Alice is not her twisted plans, but the fact that she has a high tech gun.
It's not enough to be a criminal in Batwoman's world, anymore — unless you have a gimmick or master plan, you're irrelevant as a criminal.
It's not inconceivable that Batman could build something like this. Batman's tech has been a reflection of the character's brilliant mind. He's always stopped just shy of making the Batsuit battle armor, though, aside from special circumstances.
It's what keeps him from just being a darker, broodier Iron Man. Even so, there is another facet of the "bulletproof" problem. When Batman used advanced tech, defense, and weaponry, it illustrated how brilliant he was.
When Kate Kane uses it, it only serves to highlight how dependant on Bruce Wayne she is. The more reliant Kate Kane is on Bruce's technology, the less of her own hero she is, and she's already fighting an uphill battle in trying to step out from under his long, dark shadow.
Despite her appearance in the upcoming 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', the appeal of 'Batwoman' is not about saving the universe, or fighting villains with high-tech weaponry. It’s about cleaning up the mess that Batman left behind and ending crime not just against the wealthy, but in Gotham's streets.
Making Batwoman's story all about who has better tech is a disservice to the character, and hopefully, something the show's focus moves away from. The next episode of 'Batwoman' will air on Sunday at 8 pm on The CW.
