Mother knows best.
Alice has always worked best when the show emphasizes her vulnerable, human side over her theatrical displays, and this episode really takes advantage of that by exploring just how much the Cartwright family matriarch haunts her even today. The nightmare scenes are especially well done, with past and present bleeding into each other and Alice having a complete breakdown by the time her father arrives. As disappointed as I was that the short-lived Beth doppelganger storyline didn't result in the two characters merging together, this episode suggests that was never necessary. After everything she's done, it turns out Alice's greatest fear is still being abandoned by her father and sister. It definitely looks as though Alice is transitioning from antagonist to more morally ambiguous figure in Kate's life, which seems like the right choice.
This episode is arguably even more important where Kate is concerned, given that she finally loses control and kills Cartwright. As much as he deserved a painful death, this is a dark development for a hero who so recently saw what happens when a Caped Crusader crosses that line and becomes a killer. I'm very interested to see how this impacts her character arc in the remainder of the season and Kate's relationship with Beth. Perhaps she understands her sister a little better, along with the lesson their mother was trying to impart with those necklaces.On that note, Episode 15 sets some other exciting wheels in motion with the reveal Kate and Beth's mother was targeted by Cartwright and the implication that Mabel may still be out there wearing Gabi's face. Where it seemed like Cartwright was being angled as the season's main villain, now it appears his dear old mother is instead stepping up to claim that title. Having established a very personal connection between Mabel and both Kane sisters, that prospect is very appealing.
This episode only falters a bit during the small Luke/Mary subplot. That's to be expected from a storyline involving two characters trying to connect dots we the viewers already understand. Apart from the moment where Mary tries and fails to confirm her suspicions about Kate's extracurricular activities, there's not much to write home about here.
While Batwoman hit another rough patch in recent weeks, the series bounces back in a big way with "Off With Her Head." This episode succeeds in highlighting Alice's vulnerable side and the horrific circumstances that made her who she is. It also introduces a compelling new villain in the form of Mabel Cartwright, a character far more unnerving and dangerous than her son could eve hope to be. If Mabel truly is the endgame for Season 1, the series is headed in a very promising direction.
Batwoman bounces back this week as the series delves deeper into Alice's past and introduces a scary new villain.
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