“Power” is episode eighteen of season two of Batwoman and the season finale.
Black Mask is at a TV studio, broadcasting on every channel. He says people want to fix the city. Defund the police? The GCPD can’t afford the hole in the donut. Arkham, Blackgate, city, banks; Black Mask has a go at all of them and more. Circe is putting on the Batsuit she modified in the previous episode, “Kane, Kate”. Black Mask suggests a night of anarchy, to raise every institution to the ground. Masks have been left at every street corner. Strap one on and become your own vigilante. Black Mask is ready to lead their liberation. You know what they say about power; use it or lose it. And Gotham goes dark.
Ryan is writing a letter, saying she may not be the hero Gotham needs. Luke is watching Black Mask’s video over and over. Mary has made a to-do list. She asks if she’s forgotten anything. Ryan says yes: How? Mary just makes the list. Ryan isn’t sure they can get Kate back. Mary is going to head to the clinic. If they get anything, contact her. Somehow. Luke has walkie talkies. Luke can’t find anything from the broadcast, but Ryan notices a reflection in Black Mask’s shiny mask.
Black Mask is pontificating about Batman. He has Venom for Tavaroff, taken from the Batcave, with aerosolised Snakebite to counteract Bane’s rage. Everyone wants an invincible army, but not Bane’s tantrums. Circe asks if he isn’t feared enough. Black Mask wants to be loved. After the GCPD has collapsed and the mayor gone, millions of good people will want a saviour. And Roman Sionis will swoop in and put a bullet in Black Mask’s mask. Well, whoever Roman has paid to wear it. Tavaroff flatlines at this point. And people ask why they test on animals first.
Luke has found where Black Mask was broadcasting from, thanks to books in his father’s old workshop, and tells Ryan and Sophie over the walkie talkie. Sophie says they need to go after Circe. Ryan isn’t convinced. Last time she lost, and she doesn’t have the Batsuit or the gadgets. Sophie gives her a pep talk. Then Alice arrives. Safiyah told her about Circe. Safiyah won’t be a problem. It seems that after stabbing her, Alice to her to a scrapyard, stuck her in a car and crushed out. Just to be sure. Then something smashes the window.
Outside, Sophie and Ryan rescue what turns out to be the mayor from mask-wearers. Ryan wants Sophie to stay with him as she knows how to beat Circe. She heads back into the bar and says it’s time to return the favour for when Alice wanted someone bulletproof to hide behind.
Luke is rummaging through things and finds some sketches he made as a child. Then discovers that his father used them to design something. Under a sheet is what looks rather like a bat-themed suit of powered armour.
Mary is in the clinic when an actually not dead Tavaroff is brought in; he was found in a dumpster. Mary doesn’t remember him being so big. She sees the Snakebite is being atomised, and has an idea, removing it.
Alice and Ryan are in the Batmobile. Alice starts off being irritating, then talks about what Safiyah did by killing Ocean. Then realises why Ryan hates her. Her apology doesn’t exactly work. Possibly because Alice needs to work on the apologising thing.
Mary is outside the clinic and contacting Luke on the walkie talkie. Inside, Tavaroff is coming out of his Snakebite nap. Mary thinks that Snakebite, atomised, can bring Kate back. Luke thinks that’s brilliant. Then Tavaroff erupts from the clinic, looking for the Snakebite.
Alice and Ryan enter the studio and get into a fight with Circe. Black Mask shoots at them and Circe escapes with Batman’s villains’ items. Alice tells Ryan to go after her; she’ll deal with Black Mask.
Vesper reads out Batwoman’s note. It ended with suggesting that the hero Gotham needed was all of them. Everyone to do what’s right. A boy has a Black Mask mask; their neighbours have put one in their window. Can they do the same? His father is annoyed. Until he sees the mask. It’s likely been modified. And not in a way Black Mask intended. Not everyone wants to create a night of anarchy. Though Black Mask’s goal is already a little crazy.
No cliff-hanger ending, but new potential threads for season three.