Batwoman Season 2, Episode 16 recap: Do They Stand United?

In Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16, “Rebirth,” a surprise guest helps Luke through his troubles, and Team Batwoman gets closer to completing an important mission.

Following recent episodes on The CW show, things aren’t really looking up for the team. Luke is struggling with being back in the living world. He needs time alone, away from Team Batwoman, his duties, and even his friends.

Luke didn’t want to survive the attempt on his life by Tavaroff, and he’s resentful that Ryan and Mary brought him back. He doesn’t want to help the city that wants to take his life. But this is Gotham. It isn’t long before things get bad and Luke is needed.

There are new players in town—a ninja with two huge swords and Safiyah. Plus, Tavaroff is out on bond. Of course, someone like him would be freed within days of trying to murder someone. There’s never any rest for Team Batwoman.

Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16 – Poker Face

Luke goes looking for Tavaroff and finds him at a bar preparing for a poker game. It would help if all the team members were making healthy decisions in Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16.

This is a dangerous game he’s playing—in more ways than one. Luke’s a nerd, but how much does he know about poker? Fortunately, there’s someone with a wise head to help—John Diggle, aka Spartan (David Ramsey)!

For now, at least, Mary has to handle comms in the Batcave, and Batwoman needs to get out there and protect the city.

Diggle joins the game alongside Luke, but he’s soon out of the game. Before long, it’s between Luke and Tavaroff—Tavaroff even needs his fellow Crows’ help to make up the deficit. Despite Tavaroff cheating, Luke still wins and cleans the place out.

Tavaroff’s looking for a fight, but he hasn’t planned on Luke, who is tired of running from this fight. Luke’s back to life, and this time he’s playing for keeps.

When Tavaroff and Luke inevitably get into a fistfight outside, Diggle has to come to Luke’s rescue. And Diggle is a bonafide superhero. Tavaroff has no idea what he’s up against.

What CWVerse fans have always loved about Diggle is that he was the brains and brawn of Team Arrow. He uses his own father’s loss to connect with Luke. He also tells Luke to use the anger he’s feeling to do good.

While it’s great to see Diggle, it turns out he’s in Gotham City for a medical appointment with the neurology department.

The last we saw of him in Arrow, Diggle had encountered what many assumed was the Green Lantern ring. How are we going to find out what happens next for Diggle?

Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16 – Family Matters

Safiyah is in Gotham, and she wants Circe Sionis’ help with fixing her affairs in the city. Roman isn’t having any of it in Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16. Since he got ‘Circe’ back, aka the brainwashed Kate Kane, he’s been careful about protecting her new identity.

He’s got Circe on a strict regimen of a new cream from his company that has helped her burns heal. Circe is really coming into her own.

But that’s a problem for Safiyah—she knows only one person who makes such a good face. Alice obviously gave Circe her new face. Apparently, Roman, with all his resources, did not know that Alice was actually Beth Kane. Bringing the twins together will be bad for business.

And Alice and Jacob have already found Circe and taken her captive. But can they bring Kate back? Surprisingly, Ocean is helping them! And he’s making a good impression on Alice’s dad. How sweet.

Jacob and Alice try to use visual and memory triggers to bring Kate back. Jacob has less success than Alice. And it works—twin power!

And then things go bad—Safiyah’s people find them. It turns out the ninja is Tatiana, who has been a thorn in Alice’s side for a very long time. Back when Alice was on Coryana, Tatiana viewed her as a rival for Safiyah’s affections—with reason. Now, Tatiana’s going to get her revenge.

Alice gets captured by Tatiana, and Jacob is soon taken hostage by Roman Sionis in Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16. And worse—he’s got the GCPD in his pockets. Jacob ends up being arrested by the crooked cops for aiding and abetting Alice.

However, this leads to a bonding moment—Jacob announces on live television that Alice is Beth and that she still has her humanity despite all the terrible things that have happened to her. This surprising declaration of his love moves Alice. Is the Kane family coming back together?

Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16 – Restitution

Meanwhile, Kate—at least she is beginning to think she’s Kate—escapes Tatiana’s clutches and runs directly into Batwoman’s path. Ryan brings Kate back to Wayne Tower, but things are still foggy for Kate.

For one, she doesn’t remember Mary. But when Sophie arrives, Kate immediately runs to her. Ah, true love. But poor Mary. Will nobody ever think of Mary?

But without Alice, this process is going to be much harder. Circe’s memories start resurfacing and push Kate down. Team Batwoman needs to find Alice and give the remaining Desert Rose to Safiyah. But they need Luke to do this.

Batwoman hands the last vestige of Ryan’s mother over to Safiyah in exchange for Alice. Ryan’s selflessness for a woman she doesn’t even know, even if Batwoman does connect them, is astounding. She really is a wonderful addition to the superhero universe.

Ryan even manages to bring Luke around to her point of view—Ryan doesn’t regret bringing Luke back because he is the beating heart of Team Batwoman, and he will always be needed.

Of course, the exchange with Safiyah was all too easy. Safiyah has sent Tatiana on a mission Alice will regret—has anyone heard from Ocean recently?

It looks like Safiyah took that whole burning down her island thing personally—Ocean is now dead, and Alice is devastated. This woman cannot catch a break.

With Jacob in prison and set to be transferred to Metropolis, it’s up to Mary to bring her sisters together. Easier said than done—Kate returns to Roman and asks him whether she’s Kate.

Roman tries to gaslight her and gets a knife in the hand for his efforts. He deserves worse. But Safiyah comes to Kate’s aid. She believes Kate/ Circe should decide who she wants to be. Who will she choose to be?

Final Thoughts – Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16 brings it all together

All the breadcrumbs this season have been leading up to come together in Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16. It’s great to see Luke and Ryan becoming the friends they were always meant to be despite their differences.

We are so close to seeing the Kane family back together. But the chances of Jacob making it to Metropolis safely are slim. We’ll have to see what happens in the penultimate episode of the season.

As much as I miss Ruby Rose’s Kate Kane, Wallis Day is an interesting addition, and I can already feel the connection between her Kate and Rachel Skarsten’s Alice. They also look similar, which makes their twinship more believable.

Of course, that’s if Kate remains herself and in Gotham City. It would be lovely to see her and Sophie together. But I don’t want Ryan losing out on being Batwoman. She’s been a gem this whole season, and she has so much more to give.

The last two episodes of this season will take place way too soon and not soon enough. I’ve loved every moment of this season and these characters, and it’s great to see such fantastic stories in the superhero genre. I’m both excited and nervous about what comes next!

What did you think of the Batwoman Season 2 Episode 16? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Batwoman Season 2 is airing weekly on The CW.