Originally Posted by
Tulku
Hmmmm. Okay, this thread took off somewhat worse than a lead balloon (the Mythbusters proved that a lead balloon could get off the ground...unlike this thread).
But I'll take one more shot, since the new issue is out. No spoilers (although the "what to do with a villain that knows your identity" bit was resolved with one of the oldest tropes imaginable). But the issue ends with a mysterious feminine figure sneaking into the Batcave to swipe the super-suit, and a teaser referencing "the million-dollar debut of...Batwoman!" So, time for discussion: who could it be?
(1) The tag line is reminiscent of how Barbara Gordon was originally introduced as Batgirl. So Babs has to be on the list. Actually, if this was still the animated series universe, that would be ridiculous: Barbara was depicted as too old and too much against masked vigilantes for that to fly. But this time-line (post-Future's End) has an inexplicably age-regressed Barbara and she seems to fine with the idea of masked vigilantes. But, still, I vote no--because it would be too obvious.
(2) Melanie (Ten): Again, a little too obvious. Ten seems happy with her own suit, name and skills.
(3) Nissa: For those who don't recall her very rare appearances, she is "Batgirl Beyond"--but tends to be ignored. I think we last saw her in issue # 12. I doubt it is her because, well, she is ignored. And it has not been truly established that she even knows where the Cave is. Besides, she is devoted to protecting "Crown Point"--the seedy spot of Neo-Gotham. Nissa might show up, though, to help amnesiac Terry, who is headed further into the seedy side of life. That would be cool.
(4) Max: Not her style. Besides, the mysterious figure seems to have white (or at least light) skin, which kind of rules Maxine out.
(5) Stephanie Brown or Cassandra Cain: I lump them together. Neither has shown in the Beyondiverse as far as I can recall. It wouldn't be a bad idea to introduce one or the other. Both are potential candidates in my mind (the "white wrists" might be Asian...they don't look it, but it's close enough not to be definitive about it, so Cassandra is still viable).
(6) Kate: Also no known appearance in the Beyondiverse, but making Batwoman be Batwoman Beyond is beyond boring.
(7) Tim Drake: Okay, he's a guy. But DC keeps trying to reinvent him into a character that people might actually give a damn about...and, while an alternate timeline Drake did wear the Batsuit for a time following Future's End, we don't really know what happened to the Tim Drake of this timeline. Maybe his life took, ummm, another path.
(8) Dana. Oh, we have a winner. She knows of the Cave, she knows the suit. With Terry missing, she might well come to help. Coloring of the wrists is still an issue, but re-introducing Dana this way, and adding her to the cast to create friction with Terry and Ten? That is storytelling gold. It's gotta be Dana.
But, then, I am almost always wrong on these things. Being wrong is my superpower. Any other votes?