'Crisis on Infinite Earths' Part 2: Batwoman and Supergirl team up to find Paragon of Courage in Earth 99's Bat
After the death of Oliver Queen (Arrow) in 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' Part 1, the next episode begins with Kara Danvers (Supergirl) and Barry Allen (Flash) trying hard to come to terms with Oliver's death. Barry and Oliver's daughter Mia Smoak is not ready to give up on Oliver yet. Then, of course, there is the possible ending of the multiverse that the heroes of Arrowverse have to stop. No pressure at all. Mar Novu aka The Monitor has weakened since Anti-Monitor's presence grows stronger, yet he does have a way to stop the multiverse destruction. He explains that there are seven paragons when brought together would help the Arrowverse heroes from stopping The Anti-Monitor and the multiverse's end. It is in search of one of these paragons that we see Kate Kane (Batwoman) and Kara team up.
This team-up was one of the most looked forward to, and so far, they have risen beyond expectations, especially hinting at a conflict in the future. Supergirl is informed that she is the Paragon of Hope, while Sarah Lance is the Paragon of Destiny. The heroes now go in search of the Paragon of Courage and Paragon of Truth. The former is the Bat of Earth 99, and at a time when Supergirl has no hope at all, Kate convinces Kara to accompany her in finding the Paragon of Courage and it is the beginning of a fascinating team-up. The two arrive at Earth 99's Bruce Wayne Manor and something about it is off. It looks like the man who was supposed to encompass enough courage within him to be a Paragon has nothing left within him to fight for the world, let alone the universe.
For Kate, who has always idolized her cousin, this image of an older Wayne is not something that she can accept. She tries to convince him of the importance of fighting for the universe now. She tries to give him a chance to become a hero again, but Wayne is unrelenting. In fact, Kara, who was waiting outside and going through Batman's spoils finds out a shocking truth. In a trophy case of a kind, Batman has put up pictures of every big villain that he took out and this includes Superman. Kara rushes in to let Kate know that none of this is going to work because this version of Bruce Wayne is beyond redemption.
His reign did not just end, but it ended with Superman being killed for being different. This Batman deemed Superman a threat to his world and so found a weapon that holds Kryptonite to help him end Superman. This man is clearly a shell who still believes that Kryptonians are all a threat and even ends up attacking Supergirl. To see a man who had inspired her fall to such pits is definitely not a great experience and this opens up a new avenue of self-doubt within Kate. Especially Wayne's last words before she left Earth 99 "There is no hope" leaves an impression of despair within her. She does protect Supergirl from the man who is now just a shadow of the hero that she knows and in effect becomes the Paragon of Courage.
Since the beginning, Batwoman has always struggled in the face of responsibility. She has always wondered if she was the right person and if she was good enough. To be informed that she is one of the paragons that could essentially save not just her world, but the universe itself doesn't leave her in high spirits. Kara, who saw Kate watch her cousin (on a different Earth, but still!) fall apart understands the kind of impression that would leave on someone who has just begun her journey as a vigilante. This conversation sets the two of them up for future cross over events definitely, but beyond that, it is also a scene of two women telling each other that they are what they are and they are good enough.
When Kara tells Kate that being Batwoman is not just about superpowers and time travel and that it is about persevering in the face of situations that may break a lesser person, she is right. Despite the circumstances in which Kate became a crusader herself, she has tried, always to rise above the very evil that she fights. The fact that she took Bruce's kryptonite weapon with her only shows how much she is prepared to fight even her friends if need be.
The next part of the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' will air on Tuesday at 8 pm on The CW.