Good news, Sophie recognizes the wire set up; bad news, if Ryan touches any of the wires, the whole thing could blow prematurely. Meanwhile, Mary sends out the hypnosis to everyone’s phones and it works; they start to clear the streets.
I would like a compilation of every time Wildmoore is on comms together because my word, they are so cute?! Like, why is it adorable when Sophie says “Batwoman” instead of “Ryan”? She respects the suit and the mantle, but as soon as it seems like her girl is in danger, she switches to the more personal name. Your Honor, I love them!
And speaking of Wildmoore comms, Ryan asks if Sophie happens to also know how to commandeer a blimp because this one is sans pilot. Sadly, Sophie doesn’t have secret blimp knowledge, but she does know that with Marquis’ audience gone, he could detonate the bomb at any moment and she will not lose Ryan. And Ry is almost too stunned to speak because no one has said that to her before. So Sophie says it again with her whole chest; “I’m not losing you.” With every week that passes for us, and every moment that happens for them, Sophie reminds Ryan that her feelings are real and that she’s here to stay. And not only that, she makes sure Ryan knows it’s because of the impact she has on Sophie; that as much as it would kill Ryan for Soph to leave, it would also wreck Sophie if she lost Ryan.
They don’t have long to sit in this feeling though, because Marquis confronts Ryan and explains that he wants half the city to be disfigured from the acid and live to see the consequences of what he believes their Bat worship has caused. The siblings fight as Ryan demands Marquis disarms the bomb, and Marquis plays the “Mommy doesn’t love you” card. Ryan tries to punch the sociopath out of Marquis, so he apologizes to her and she falls for his ruse. Both figuratively and literally, because Marquis kicks her through the glass and she falls out of the blimp.
As I watched Ryan and Marquis fight in the blimp, I was struck by how many layers this show has. On the surface, it’s a superhero show, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about love, and family, and hope, and friendship, and struggle, and heart. Is there some totems schmotems in the plot? Sure. But somehow they still manage to put as much emphasis on the action and comic-ness of it all, as they do on the softer more personal aspects, and it’s why I maintain it’s one of the best shows on television right now.
Ahem, anyway. Marquis’ plan doesn’t work though, because Ryan pulls him out of the blimp and uses him as her parachute. They land on a roof and appear to both be unconscious. Sophie is freaking out over comms because Ryan isn’t responding; the journey her face goes on, y’all…breaks my whole heart. Eventually Ryan comes to and tells Sophie there’s no way she’s dying before she buys her dinner and lawd, even I felt Sophie’s relief the second she heard Ryan’s voice.
They remember there’s still a bomb though, so Batwing flies up to examine the control panel and realizes they are well and truly fucked. The only thing that could work is using the Batwing AI, which means leaving it behind.
Back on the roof, Marquis and Ryan fight and end up dangling over the edge of the building. And who is there to save them, but Alice! We flash back to earlier at Arkham where Alice continued to plead her case about the buzzer. She needs Alice out of Beth’s head, but she doesn’t think she can do it on her own. Ryan counters that if anyone can survive hard, it’s Alice. Ryan leaves the buzzer, but tells her that they all know she isn’t the one who needs it; that she can become Beth again without it.
Snap back to reality and Ryan pulls the siblings back over the ledge and gives Ryan the buzzer back. She promptly uses it on Marquis and genuinely thanks Alice for her help. These two are so powerful together every time they share the screen and I’m so curious how and if their dynamic will change when Beth returns from …well, I’m getting ahead of myself again.
Luke is panicking in the Bat blimp because they’re running out of time, so Sophie gives him coordinates of the city’s most desolate area in case the blimp can’t make it all the way to the ocean. Luke takes a moment to say goodbye to his dad before the blimp explodes. Batwing makes it out alive and lands in an alley where he sees a little boy who got separated from his mom. He promises to help the kid, and introduces himself as Batwing. *cue the tears*
At the clinic, Mary is monitoring Marquis’ vitals as Ryan and Jada look on. Jada promises Ryan that they will build a better future together than the past they’re leaving behind. Ryan went from having no family, to having and losing Mama Cora, to finding her Bat family and now her biological family. She has everything she’s wanted and she DESERVES.
Marquis wakes up and greets the women with an innocence that, I’m sorry, I just don’t trust yet. We’ve already seen him fake sincerity multiple times, so I’m going to give it a second before I’m Team Marquis.
While the family gets reacquainted, Mary notices a note pinned to her desk with Alice’s butterfly knife. It’s the brochure for the sanatorium; Alice decided to pack her bags and give herself the chance to find Beth again. Like sure, Alice has done some shit, but I can’t help but root for her and want her to find happiness and contentment.
Back at Wayne Tower, Ryan and Sophie have some alone time after the insanity of the day. Sophie McProcessor over here wants to know what’s next for them. Of course, Ryan thinks she means what’s next in general, but Sophie is all too willing to set her girl straight (well, never straight). The next thing on the list for Wildmoore is a good and proper date night! Sophie pulls Ryan in for the sweetest of kisses before they’re interrupted by Luke and Mary.
There’s a very quick moment right before the camera cuts away post-kiss where Ryan starts to put her head on Sophie’s chest and I LOST MY ENTIRE MIND! RYAN IS SO SOFT!!! WE LOVE A TOL AND A SMOL IN THIS HOUSE!
Mary is ready to celebrate with some champagne, but Ryan wants to get things back in order. Sophie asks if she ever takes a night off, but listen, this is Gotham, and Ryan STAYS ready. With her team by her side, Ryan ends the season the same way she started: determined to leave the city better than she found it.
At the scene of the blimp explosion, my girl Dana Dewitt is reporting live despite her very own warnings that it’s too dangerous for anyone to be there. Something skeletal attacks the camera person and kills Gotham’s best reporter before slinking away into the distance. Pour one out for Dana Dewitt, y’all. She was a real one.
And that is a wrap on season 3!! You already know how much this show means to me, so I promise I won’t shout too many more feelings at you, but I do need to acknowledge how special this fandom and community is. Y’all have rallied around this show and these characters in the most beautiful way. Batwoman is for everyone, but it especially warms my heart to see so many blerds find a space where they can safely and loudly express their love for this show. We’re here and we’re sure as heck aren’t going anywhere.
As always, thank you to the writers for understanding the importance of showcasing two Black lesbian leads, and treating the Wildmoore relationship with such care. It matters. As much as Sophie doesn’t want to lose Ryan, I don’t want to lose this show, so I’m crossing all of my fingers and toes in hopes that I’ll see you all back here for Season 4!
