Cassandra Cain: Orphan, Black Bat, Batgirl Appreciation 2021

[John Venus]

Even though I suggested Yīnyǐng 阴影 (simplified Chinese for Shadow) as a code name, the problem with trying to base a new code name for her based on her ethnicity is that 1) Her ethnicity is amibguous. 2) Even though Chinese is our best guess (unless there was something in another title that I haven't read) and assuming she is of Chinese ethnicity, she has no real connection to the culture of China.

[Digifiend]

Yeah, and one of her other codenames (from Justice League Elite) was Kasumi, a name of Japanese origin meaning mist (hence why it's also Misty from Pokemon's Japanese name), which seems odd if she's Chinese instead of Japanese - is Cassandra a combination of the two? What ethnicity is Shiva?

[John Venus]

Took me a while but I found the overly long, exhaustively detailed Tumblr post which discusses Shiva's ethnicity:

https://dragcnlady.tumblr.com/post/1...s-up-on-tumblr

[Ruthborn]

I think its generally accepted now that she is genetically Chinese but she was born in a small shanty village and then taken to America where she grew up as an Asian American. Then she travels the globe and acquires the cultures, knowledge and mannerisms of pretty much every culture that has something to do with martial arts (china, japan, india, korea, etc). So, genetically: Chinese, culturally: martial art global.

Cassandra is Eurasian (half asian, half white) with her cultural background quickly becoming American. Did we ever confirm New Earth Cain's ethnicity as American? I think Earth Prime Cain's ethnicity is European.

[John Venus]

Probably best to make her dual Chinese-Japanese heritage to account for her Japanese uncle and the Japanese influence on her character but have her lean more towards her Chinese side.

The 'Shiva' influence could be because she grew up in a Hindu minority community in China (which would explain why her take is so different from what Hindu's in India practice) and the move to the US, with her sister Carolyn could have been because they were trying to escape from the policies of Communist China. They could have adopted Americanized names to better fit in. Then Cain sees her talent and orchestrates Carolyn's murder in order to unleash Shiva's full potential.


There is some interesting connections between Hinduism, Taoism and Bhuddism and how it spread from India to China to Japan but DC comics which are all about action is probably not the best place to explore it: https://www.quora.com/What-do-the-Ch...hink-of-Hindus

[Konja7]

I'm starting to suspect the new codename for Cassandra would be "Cass".

In Joker #4, when Oracle is speaking with Cassandra (during the mission), she calls her as Cass.

This is funny, because Oracle steadfastly refuses to call Tim as Drake (although he is Tim Wayne now) in Urban Legends #4.

[The Cool Thatguy]

I'm starting to suspect the new codename for Cassandra would be "Cass".

In Joker #4, when Oracle is speaking with Cassandra (during the mission), she calls her as Cass.

This is funny, because Oracle steadfastly refuses to call Tim as Drake (although he is Tim Wayne now) in Urban Legends #4.

In fairness, Tim has a well documented civilian life he should be protecting.

Cass, not so much

[dietrich]

I'm starting to suspect the new codename for Cassandra would be "Cass".

In Joker #4, when Oracle is speaking with Cassandra (during the mission), she calls her as Cass.

This is funny, because Oracle steadfastly refuses to call Tim as Drake (although he is Tim Wayne now) in Urban Legends #4.

Steph and Cass are fill in batrgirls like Tim Drake. I can't see Cassandra's code name being Cass. It's going to be batgirl only she isn't going to be getting a movie or anything of the sort. that will go to the main Batgirl. Babs

[Konja7]

Steph and Cass are fill in batrgirls like Tim Drake. I can't see Cassandra's code name being Cass. It's going to be batgirl only she isn't going to be getting a movie or anything of the sort. that will go to the main Batgirl. Babs

That would likley still be better than Orphan.

That said, unlike Tim, Cassandra hasn't been called Batgirl in current continuity yet. She is one of the Batgirls, while the other is Stephanie (who is ofter called Spoiler).

So, I think Cassandra would have her own identity. I just hope this isn't Orphan.


PS: In the Asian special, Cassandra is Batgirl in a story where Barbara is Oracle in the wheelchair.

[sifighter]

I'm starting to suspect the new codename for Cassandra would be "Cass".

In Joker #4, when Oracle is speaking with Cassandra (during the mission), she calls her as Cass.

This is funny, because Oracle steadfastly refuses to call Tim as Drake (although he is Tim Wayne now) in Urban Legends #4.

Quick thought because of Joker #4 today, spoilers in a spoiler box of course

spoilers:

So would it be correct in assuming that Cassandra just walked into the base of the court of owls on her own basically?

end of spoilers

[CPSparkles]

I'm starting to suspect the new codename for Cassandra would be "Cass".

In Joker #4, when Oracle is speaking with Cassandra (during the mission), she calls her as Cass.

This is funny, because Oracle steadfastly refuses to call Tim as Drake (although he is Tim Wayne now) in Urban Legends #4.

cass as a code name is on par with Drake

[Blight]

Steph and Cass are fill in batrgirls like Tim Drake. I can't see Cassandra's code name being Cass. It's going to be batgirl only she isn't going to be getting a movie or anything of the sort. that will go to the main Batgirl. Babs

I disagree. I think Cass will be the eventual Batgirl. Tim is at a crossroads with his identity. Cass on the other hand seems like Batgirl will be in her future. Steph while being Batgirl is still going around as Spoiler.

[Konja7]

I disagree. I think Cass will be the eventual Batgirl. Tim is at a crossroads with his identity. Cass on the other hand seems like Batgirl will be in her future. Steph while being Batgirl is still going around as Spoiler.

I really doubt that. So far, DC is selling Batgirls as a duo between Cass and Steph. It's more likely both are Batgirls (or none is), while they have alternate identities.

Recently, the only time DC has shown Cassandra a Batgiril in an individual way is the Asian special (and Cass stories in this special aren't in the present).

[Frontier]

As long as she's not called Orphan again, I'm good.

[Ruthborn]

Quick thought because of Joker #4 today, spoilers in a spoiler box of course

spoilers:

So would it be correct in assuming that Cassandra just walked into the base of the court of owls on her own basically?

end of spoilers

spoilers:

Walked in and walked out. She does have Batman-level abilities in that regard. Although presumably she just investigated the apartment façade as she had no way of knowing that it was a cover for something else and she did have specific mission objectives to meet and then, presumably, instructions from Barbara to exit as soon as those mission objectives were met. Additionally the Court knew that they were being watched by Oracle and so probably assumed a Bat would investigate the apartment, hence why Cass found nothing. Now I hope next issue we will get the Cass vs Talon fight we've been itching to see since the Night of the Owls event from years ago.

end of spoilers