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Cassandra Cain (also known as Cassandra Wayne and Cassandra Wu-San) is a
superheroine A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, o ...
appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by
Kelley Puckett Kelley Puckett is a comic book writer. He is notable for having co-created DC Comics characters Cassandra Cain and Connor Hawke. Bibliography DC Comics * ''Batgirl'' #1-19, 21–25, 27–29, 33-37 * '' The Batman and Robin Adventures'' #24 ** '' ...
and
Damion Scott Damion Scott (born 1976) is a comic book artist and writer, known for his work on books such as ''Batman'', '' Robin'', and ''Batgirl'', ''Web of Spider-Man'', and '' Duppy''. He splits his time between New York and Tokyo, where he founded an ar ...
, Cassandra Cain first appeared in ''Batman'' #567 (July 1999). The character is one of several who have assumed the role of
Batgirl Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in 19 ...
. Over the years, she has also assumed the code names of Black Bat and Orphan. Cassandra's origin story presents her as the daughter of assassins David Cain and
Lady Shiva Lady Shiva (real name Sandra San or more recently Sandra Wu-San) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was co-created by Dennis O'Neil and Ric Estrada, and first appeared in ''Richard Dra ...
. She was deprived of speech and human contact during her childhood as conditioning to become the world's greatest assassin. Consequently, Cassandra grew up to become an expert martial artist and developed an incredible ability to interpret body language to the point of reading complex thoughts, while simultaneously developing very limited social skills and remaining
mute Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak. Mute or the Mute may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart * ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...
and
illiterate Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
. Cassandra was the first Batgirl to star in her own ongoing ''Batgirl''
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are oft ...
series. She was replaced as Batgirl by Stephanie Brown in a 2009 storyline. She returned in late 2010, where she was shown working as an anonymous agent of Batman in Hong Kong before adopting the new moniker of Black Bat. The character was brought back to mainstream continuity after the company-wide reboot in '' Batman & Robin Eternal'', using the code name Orphan, previously used by her father, David Cain. The character's full history was restored in DC's 2021 ''Infinite Frontier'' relaunch. The character made her cinematic debut in the DC Extended Universe film ''
Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators h ...
'', portrayed by
Ella Jay Basco Ella Jay Basco (born September 17, 2006) is an American actress, singer and songwriter best known for her work in ''Birds of Prey'' (2020). In 2020, she released her EP, Middle School. In February 2022, she released her single Eye to Eye for he ...
.


Publication history

Cassandra Cain first appeared in ''Batman'' #567 (July 1999), written by Kelley Puckett and penciled by Damion Scott (who are generally credited with her invention). In 2000, Cassandra became the first Batgirl to be featured in an eponymous ongoing comic book series. During the "
War Games A wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a realistic simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for recreation, to train military officers in the art of strategic thinking, or to s ...
" story arc in 2004, Batman relies heavily on Cassandra to help control the violence of the gang war in Gotham City. Cassandra took on the role of a villain by becoming the head of the League of Assassins following the "One Year Later" continuity jump, as established in ''
Robin Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: **European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') ** Bush-robin **Forest r ...
'' #150 (July 2006). Cassandra then appears in ''
Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. Th ...
'' #14 (April 2007), battling the title character, (
Kara Zor-El Kara Zor-El (Supergirl) also known by her adoptive names of Linda Lee Danvers, Kara Kent, Linda Lang, and Kara Danvers, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by Otto Binder and designed by ...
). In '' Teen Titans'' vol. 3 #44 (April 2007), it revealed that Cassandra battled Supergirl first, before attacking the Teen Titans with the
Titans East Titans East is the name of several DC Comics superhero teams. The teams appear in the ''Teen Titans'' comic books and Teen Titans (TV series), animated series. The comic book incarnation of Titans East first appeared in ''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #1 ...
. Cassandra reappears later in the ''Robin'' series.''Robin'' #161 (June 2007) Cassandra next appears on the roster of
Titans East Titans East is the name of several DC Comics superhero teams. The teams appear in the ''Teen Titans'' comic books and Teen Titans (TV series), animated series. The comic book incarnation of Titans East first appeared in ''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #1 ...
once again wearing the Batgirl costume. Cassandra remained in the role of a villain, under the command of Titans East's leader, Deathstroke. In October 2007, DC announced that Cassandra would be taking up the Batgirl identity as a member of the Outsiders in the upcoming ''Batman and the Outsiders'' ongoing series to be written by
Chuck Dixon Charles Dixon (born April 14, 1954) is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher and on the DC Comics characters Batman, Nightwing, and Robin in the 1990s and early 2000s. Early life D ...
, which appears to, or is hoped to, begin resolving the controversy. In February 2008, Dan DiDio revealed during a convention panel that writer
Adam Beechen Adam Beechen (born December 14, 1968) is an American comic book writer who wrote '' Countdown to Adventure'' and co-wrote ''Countdown'' for DC Comics. Career Animation Beechen has written scripts for various cartoons, such as ''Teen Titans'', '' ...
would be writing a "new Batgirl" miniseries. Beechen himself said that the story would resolve the questions over Cassandra's behavior and will be a setup for new Batgirl adventures. In 2009, Cassandra passes the Batgirl identity to Stephanie Brown.''Batgirl'' #1 (October 2009) In July 2010, Cassandra appeared as one of the main characters in a short story written and drawn by
Amanda Conner Amanda Conner is an American comics artist and commercial art illustrator. She began her career in the late 1980s for Archie Comics and Marvel Comics, before moving on to contribute work for Claypool Comics' '' Soulsearchers and Company'' and Ha ...
for '' Wonder Woman'' #600, where she helps Wonder Woman and
Power Girl Power Girl, also known as Kara Zor-L and Karen Starr, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books by DC Comics, making her first appearance in ''All Star Comics'' #58 (January/February 1976). Power Girl is the cousin of the superhero Super ...
in a battle against
Egg Fu Egg Fu is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman. Most frequently represented as an enormous sentient egg (and often, inexplicably, of Chinese descent), h ...
. After Bruce Wayne returns, it is revealed that Cassandra's disillusionment was a ruse, and that she had willingly handed over her Batgirl mantle to Stephanie because she was acting under her mentor's orders, and she is now working as a codename-less vigilante.''Red Robin'' #17 (January 2011) In 2011, in Grant Morrison's ''
Batman Inc. Batman Incorporated (also known as Batman, Inc.) was an ongoing American comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring the superhero Batman. Written by Grant Morrison, the series debuted following the events of '' Batman R.I.P'', ''Final C ...
'' series, it is revealed that Cassandra had taken up the name Black Bat.''Batman Incorporated'' #6 (May 2011) At
C2E2 The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) is a Chicago fan convention dedicated to comics, pop culture, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. The inaugural event was held April 16–18, 2010 at the McCormi ...
2011, it was confirmed that Cassandra would be appearing as a main character in
Scott Snyder Scott Snyder is an American author. He is known for his 2006 short story collection ''Voodoo Heart'', and his comic book writing, including '' American Vampire'', ''Detective Comics'', ''Batman'', '' Wytches'', ''Swamp Thing,'' and ''Justice Lea ...
and
Kyle Higgins Kyle Higgins (born June 12, 1985) is an American comic book writer and film director. He is best known for his work on the ''Batman'' franchise at DC Comics, namely writing the miniseries '' Batman: Gates of Gotham'' and for the ''Nightwing'' an ...
' mini-series '' Batman: Gates of Gotham''. After the New 52, Cassandra appeared in what appeared to be a variant timeline; however, at
San Diego Comic-Con International San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
2015, James Tynion IV announced that Cassandra would be introduced into mainstream continuity in '' Batman & Robin Eternal''. February 4, 2020 was the debut of Cassandra Cain's first graphic novel, ''Shadow of the Batgirl'', written by Sarah Kuhn and illustrated by Nicole Goux.


Fictional character biography


Early History

Cassandra's birth and childhood are revealed in the ''Batgirl'' series. David Cain had sought a perfect bodyguard for Ra's al Ghul. He found a potential mother when he saw Sandra Wu-San fighting her sister Carolyn in a martial arts tournament. Believing that Sandra was holding back for Carolyn, Cain murdered Carolyn and lured Sandra into a trap, sparing her life in exchange for giving birth to his child and leaving that child for him to raise. She agreed. After the birth of Cassandra, Sandra set out to become
Lady Shiva Lady Shiva (real name Sandra San or more recently Sandra Wu-San) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was co-created by Dennis O'Neil and Ric Estrada, and first appeared in ''Richard Dra ...
. Cain trained Cassandra from birth how to be an assassin. She was not taught to read or write; instead, reading body language was her only language. She was able to read people's movements and predict what they were going to do. When she was eight, Cain took her to kill a businessman. As the man died, she read what he was feeling, realized what she had done, and ran away from her father. After that, her activities are, so far, a mystery, until she first appears during the "No Man's Land" story arc.


No Man's Land

During the "
No Man's Land No man's land is waste or unowned land or an uninhabited or desolate area that may be under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied out of fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dump ...
" storyline, after Gotham was leveled by an earthquake and isolated, Cassandra Cain saves
Commissioner Gordon James W. "Jim" Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as an ally of Batman, the character debute ...
's life and gains
Bruce Wayne Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
's approval, and, eventually, becomes the new Batgirl. Her father, David Cain, sends a video of Cassandra's first murder to Bruce Wayne (Batman) attempting to disrupt her status. However, Wayne continues to accept Cassandra after she takes several bullets to save the life of a hired assassin, proving her devotion to protecting human life.


''Batgirl''

Bruce Wayne sends Cassandra to
Barbara Gordon Barbara Gordon is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. The character was created by television producer William Dozier, editor Julius Schwartz, writer Gardne ...
, currently functioning as Oracle. Barbara says she prefers to live alone but since Cassandra is never home and doesn't talk, it is just like living alone. A telepath "rewires" Cassandra's brain so that she can think with words and use language, but these abilities come at some cost to her ability to read people's body language. As she had relied completely on this ability to fight, she is unable to effectively fight crime. Worried, Bruce Wayne takes away her costume and begins training her in defensive skills. Cassandra soon discovers that the assassin Lady Shiva can read people like she used to be able to and asks Shiva to reteach her. Lady Shiva accepts on the condition that they would have a duel to the death a year later. As Cassandra would rather be "perfect for a year" instead of "mediocre for a lifetime", she accepts the offer. When the women fight in a year's time, Cassandra dies within minutes. Shiva then restarts her heart, realizing Cassandra had a death wish, so that they can have a real fight. In the subsequent fight, Cassandra beats Shiva but does not kill her. Though not known for her private life, Cassandra does have a one-time romance with
Conner Kent Superboy (also known as Kon-El or Conner Kent) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A modern variation on Superboy (Kal-El), the original Superboy, the character first appeared as Superboy in ''The Adventures ...
after meeting him on a cruise ship. He shares her first kiss, and she even visits him at his home in Smallville, though the relationship never becomes serious. Cassandra then helps Batman control the violence of a gang war in Gotham City. Later, Batgirl moves to
Blüdhaven This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites * the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. * Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for t ...
with Tim Drake (the third
Robin Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: **European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') ** Bush-robin **Forest r ...
) at Batman's suggestion and with his financial support. There, Deathstroke takes on a contract from the
Penguin Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes , family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain t ...
to kill Batgirl and decides to let his daughter, Rose (the current Ravager), do the job instead. Cassandra beats Rose by playing on her emotions to leave her open for a critical strike, giving Deathstroke no choice but to get her medical attention. During this time, Cassandra starts developing a friendship with Brenda, the woman who owns the local coffee shop, and even a very short-lived relationship with a boy named Zero. Unfortunately, her friends are all killed in the Blüdhaven disaster. Cassandra also goes undercover for Batman, as Kasumi, in the
Justice League Elite ''Justice League Elite'' was a twelve-issue comic book limited series published monthly by DC Comics in 2004 and 2005. The title was created by writer Joe Kelly and penciller Doug Mahnke. The Justice League Elite was formed to attempt black op ...
, working under Sister Superior to track and eliminate metahuman threats to the population. She works with the Batman's old fellow Justice League members
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
and the
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
, and forms a bond with
Coldcast Cain Calamity King Calamity King (E. Davis Ester) is a superhero from the 30th century in the DC Universe. He first appeared in ''Adventure Comics'' #342 (March 1966), and was created by Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan. Within the context of the ...
, who is the first Leaguer to whom she reveals her identity. Although he is subsequently accused of murder, she and the rest of the team soon realize that he has been manipulated by renegade Elite member
Menagerie A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in 17th-century France, in reference to the ...
, who was himself being manipulated by the spirit of Manchester Black as he tried to drive his sister to destroy London. As the JLA falls, the Elite, united by the spirit of the deceased
Manitou Raven Manitou Raven is a fictional character and superhero from ''DC Comics'', who first appeared in '' JLA'' #66 (July 2002). Manitou Raven was known to shout "Inukchuk!" when he cast spells. This is a reference by writer Joe Kelly to Apache Chief fro ...
, free Vera and vanquish Black, although the team disbands after this last mission. Cassandra gathers evidence that indicates that Shiva could be her mother, and seeks her out to confirm this, rejoining the League of Assassins. After she is proclaimed by
Nyssa al Ghul Nyssa Raatko ( ar, نيسا رعتكو), also known as Nyssa al Ghul, is a supervillainess in DC Comics. Nyssa Raatko was created by Greg Rucka and Klaus Janson for the Batman series of comic books. She is an enemy of Batman. She is the daughter ...
as the "One Who Is All", the students of the
League League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football Sports * Sports league * Rugby league, full contact footba ...
are split, half following Shiva, and the others Cassandra. In the following confrontation, Cassandra is mortally wounded by her "adoptive brother", the
Mad Dog Mad dog is a phrase commonly attributed to rabid dogs. Mad Dog may also refer to: Music * ''Mad Dog'' (album), an album by John Entwistle * "Mad Dog", a song by America from '' Holiday'' * "Mad Dog", a song by Deep Purple from ''The House of Bl ...
, while heroically saving one of the students under her leadership. Shiva revives Cassandra in a Lazarus Pit, then answers Cassandra's questions about her parentage. When Cassandra asked Shiva whether she was still killing, whether she would ever stop, Shiva says she was, and responds, "It's why I had you", so Cassandra agrees to fight her to the death once more. After a closely matched battle, Cassandra manages to break Shiva's neck, paralyzing her. She appears ready to place Shiva in the Lazarus Pit, but Shiva pleads with her not to do so. Instead, Cassandra impales Shiva on a hook hanging over the pit, apparently killing her. Cassandra then abandons the identity of Batgirl and returns to her life as a wanderer.


One Year Later

Robin (Tim Drake) captures David Cain and brings him to the League of Assassins as ransom to free Cassandra, only to find that Cassandra is the new leader. Cassandra produces a gun and tells him to shoot Cain and join her league. Upon his refusal, she shoots Cain herself. Tim and Cassandra engage in a fight which ends when the platform they are fighting on explodes. By the time Tim comes back to the original location, Cassandra and Cain are gone and the ninjas' necks have been snapped. Tim had secretly recorded the conversation, clearing his name, but branding Cassandra as a murderer at the same time.


Brief Appearances

Cassandra next surfaces when she is hired by Dark Angel to kill Supergirl and attempts to do so by kidnapping Supergirl's friend,
Captain Boomerang Captain Boomerang is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, who respectively serve as enemies to both the Barry Allen and Wally West versions of the Flash. Created by writer John Broome and artis ...
. Supergirl arrives at the League's Tibetan headquarters to confront Cassandra, where they fight. Cassandra uses swords that emit
red sun ''Red Sun'' (french: Soleil rouge, it, Sole rosso) is a 1971 Franco-Italian international co-production Spaghetti Western film directed by Terence Young and starring Charles Bronson, Toshirō Mifune, Alain Delon, Ursula Andress, and Capucine ...
energy which strips away Supergirl's powers. However, as Cassandra prepares to kill her, Supergirl mysteriously extrudes crystals from her body which injure Cassandra. Later, Cassandra approaches Dodge, a wannabe superhero with teleportation powers, wanting him to steal a drug that gives humans metahuman strength in exchange for money. Cassandra (with an ally) plans to use the drug to create an army. She also makes another appearance where she murders the businessman who was producing that drug, who Robin has previously unsuccessfully attempted to bring to justice.


Teen Titans

Cassandra is left behind while Batman, Robin, and Nightwing leave for their year-long trip and
Harvey Dent Two-Face is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #66 (August 1942). As one of Batman' ...
is charged with protecting Gotham instead of her. Deathstroke approaches Cassandra and preys on her desire for a loving father as well as her feelings of abandonment. Apparently, Deathstroke manages to inject Cassandra with drugs, from a distance, that warped her mind allowing for him to manipulate her to his liking. Having gained control of his daughter, Deathstroke recruits her into
Titans East Titans East is the name of several DC Comics superhero teams. The teams appear in the ''Teen Titans'' comic books and Teen Titans (TV series), animated series. The comic book incarnation of Titans East first appeared in ''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #1 ...
, where she resumes the role and costume of Batgirl. As a member of Titans East, she has a rematch with the Ravager and a brief confrontation with Robin, after which Robin injects Cassandra with a counter-serum (prepared in case Deathstroke regains control of his daughter), and she is apparently freed from Deathstroke's control and vows to kill Deathstroke to revenge herself. However, some time later, when she is working with the Teen Titans,
Miss Martian Miss Martian (real name: M'gann M'orzz; alias Megan Morse) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Sharon Leal portrayed the character in the second season of the Arrowverse series ''Supergirl''. Leal return ...
comments that she is more in control of herself now. She faces Deathstroke, Match, and other former Titans East teammates, before being subdued by Risk. Soon after, Cyborg,
Raven A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...
, and
Duela Dent Duela Dent is a fictional character in the DC Universe. She is a former member of the Suicide Squad, the Teen Titans and its counterpart, Titans East. Introduced under the alias of the Joker's Daughter, she has also used the aliases Catgirl the ...
summon former Titans Nightwing,
Donna Troy Donna Troy is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the original Wonder Girl and later temporarily adopts another identity, Troia. Created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, she first appeared in ''The Br ...
,
Beast Boy Garfield Mark Logan, better known as Beast Boy, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He has also gone under the alias Changeling. Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Bob Brown, he is a shapeshifter who ...
, and the
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
(
Bart Allen Bartholomew Henry "Bart" Allen II is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A speedster (fiction), speedster, he first appeared under the alias Impulse and later became the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash (c ...
), who join them against Deathstroke's team. Batgirl attempts to kill Deathstroke, but is stopped and knocked unconscious by Nightwing, who demands that Deathstroke face the courts. However, Deathstroke escapes from the Titans with the help of Inertia, and after the battle is over, Batgirl and Duela Dent both vanish without a word.


Batman and the Outsiders

Cassandra retakes the Batgirl mantle to join the Outsiders at Batman's request. She moves into the team's apartment, but does not show much desire to socialize with her teammates. Batman also offers membership to Green Arrow, who is furious to learn that the former leader of the League of Assassins is on the team as well. While on a mission, Green Arrow and Batgirl battle one another and end up gaining an unusual sort of respect for each other. The team as a whole begins to slowly accept Batgirl into their ranks after she frees all of them from the Chinese military. After the loss of their leader in the 2008 "
Batman R.I.P. Batman R.I.P. is an American comic book story arc published in '' Batman'' #676–681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove org ...
" storyline, the Outsiders are left in disarray. Cassandra, believing that Batman brought her onto the team for just such a contingency, takes command of the group. Together, they undertake a search for the Batman.


''Batgirl'' (2008)

After Batman is found, Cassandra moves into Wayne Manor, on the trail of father and Deathstroke. She uses the Batcave's computer to locate them but is attacked by Nightwing, who claims she cannot be trusted. Robin and Batman give her the benefit of the doubt. Due to her research, Cassandra learns that David Cain and Deathstroke started up a school training Cassandra's "sisters". When Cassandra hears that the school's purpose was to "cripple the meta-hero community", she believes Oracle is about to be assassinated and rushes to her base of operations. She locates her father on a rooftop and engages in a one-on-one fight, eventually sending him over a ledge. When he loses his grip, she tries to save him but fails; he falls to another part of the rooftop. Batman, who had followed her, accepts her into the family again and says he will adopt her and make her his daughter. However, after Bruce Wayne's apparent death, Cassandra, apparently disillusioned, passes the cowl to her close friend, Stephanie Brown, then she leaves Gotham.


Black Bat

After Bruce Wayne returns, it is revealed that Cassandra's disillusionment was a ruse, and that she has willingly handed over her Batgirl mantle to Stephanie because she was acting under her mentor's orders in the event of his death or disappearance, and gone undercover, using Tim Drake as a regular contact. Following Bruce Wayne's public announcement about his intention to create a global team of Batmen, Tim visits Cassandra in Hong Kong, where she has been acting as an codename-less vigilante. He attempts to persuade Cassandra to return to Gotham now that things have returned to normal, but she refuses, saying that Stephanie needs the Batgirl role more than she does. Just before departing, Tim gives Cassandra a copy of her old costume and tells her that if she chooses to stay and fight crime in Hong Kong, he hopes she will do it while wearing a Bat-symbol. Cassandra takes Tim up on his offer, and joined up with Bruce's new group, now wearing a heavily modified costume that uses her original outfit as a base. She now uses the name of Black Bat, and among other activities brings down a heroin-smuggling operation in Hong Kong. After a new supervillain named the Architect destroys three Gotham bridges with the help of explosives smuggled from Hong Kong, resulting in the deaths of dozens of civilians. Cassandra, feeling guilty over her failure to stop the explosives from leaving China, returns to Gotham and partners with Red Robin,
Dick Grayson Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman and Teen Titans. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he first appeared in ''Detective Comics' ...
, and
Damian Wayne Damian Wayne, also known as Damian al Ghul (Arabic: دميان الغول), is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, commonly in association with Batman. He is the son o ...
(the newest Robin) to bring the Architect to justice. During a stakeout at Oswald Cobblepot's nightclub, Cassandra is mocked and berated by Damian, who tells her that he is a better hero and that Bruce likely sent her to Hong Kong as a demotion. Despite Damian's hostility toward her, Cassandra ultimately saves his life after pulling him out of the club mere seconds before it is destroyed by a bomb. And after Dick discovers that the Architect plans to flood Gotham and kill thousands of civilians, Cassandra and Damian work together to dispose of the explosives that were supposed to sink the city. Once the Architect is defeated and captured, Cassandra decides to stay in Gotham rather than return to Hong Kong. Cassandra later infiltrates a tournament for hired killers and rescues Red Robin, who had been captured and was about to be sexually assaulted by the half-sister of Ra's al Ghul. After rescuing Tim, Cassandra apparently kills him with a katana, thus winning the tournament for herself. But in fact, she has merely faked Red Robin's death in order to allow him to escape. The two then travel to Hong Kong in order to catch a 10-year-old assassin known as the Cricket, but are easily defeated. Just as Cassandra and Tim fall into unconsciousness, the Cricket vows to face them again someday, and tells them that he hopes they will put up a better fight next time.


The New 52

In what might be a variant timeline, Cassandra is a member of
Barbara Gordon Barbara Gordon is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. The character was created by television producer William Dozier, editor Julius Schwartz, writer Gardne ...
's League of Batgirls, operating on the field under her leadership alongside fellow Batgirls Stephanie Brown and Tiffany Fox. Her father, David Cain, is portrayed as a character named the "Orphan", who raises Cassandra alone and forces her not to speak but to "listen" to body movements and react accordingly with deadly precision. She was intended to be a "gift" to the villain "Mother", to show her that child assassins can be manipulated through "the old ways" instead of through the use of drugs, but "Mother" rejected her and told Orphan never to do anything behind her back again. Although she is used by Mother to kill Miranda Row, mother of Batman's new ally Harper Row, at the conclusion of the storyline, Harper forgives Cassandra for her role in her mother's death, while Cassandra's own father David sacrifices himself to kill Mother by trapping her in her disintegrating fortress, refusing to allow her to torture others in the future. At the storyline's conclusion, Cassandra adopts her father's identity of Orphan to continue protecting others.


DC Rebirth

As Orphan, Cassandra is later inducted into Batman and
Batwoman Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Kathy Kane and Kate Kane. History * The first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, debuted during the Silver Age of Comics ...
's "boot camp" for young Gotham vigilantes. Orphan is known for being the best fighter on the team. She tries to fight the team's battles alone and is known for sneaking into Stephanie Brown's and Harper Row's apartments in the middle of the night. When Batman is attacked by the Colony, she tries to take them on by herself and is left injured and later sedated after leading the Colony into their base. Clayface helps Batwoman, Red Robin, Spoiler, and the injured Orphan escape.


Batman and the Outsiders

Cassandra was a part of the latest Outsiders team, alongside Batman,
Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...
, Katana, and Signal.


Batman: The Joker War Zone

In this anthology comic, Cassandra and Stephanie Brown fight the Hench Master in Bludhaven. At the end of the story, both she and Stephanie reclaim the Bat symbol and Cass's costume becomes very similar to her previous Batgirl costume. In ''
Infinite Frontier Infinite Frontier is a 2021 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles in 2021. It is the follow-up to the 2016 DC Rebirth relaunch. The relaunch and event was shepher ...
'' #0, Barbara Gordon – now primarily operating as Oracle again – explains to Huntress that Stephanie and Cass share the Batgirl title, but that she reserves the right to occasionally suit up as Batgirl in future.


Abilities


Skills and training

Like the rest of the Batman family, Cassandra has no superhuman powers. As a child, she received intensive training by her father, along with several other members of the League of Assassins, including
Bronze Tiger Bronze Tiger is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dennis O'Neil, Leopoldo Dirampma, and Jim Berry, he first appeared in ''Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter'' #1 (May 1975). The character's rea ...
,
Merlyn Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
the archer, and a series of instructors hired by her father, including
Alpha Alpha (uppercase , lowercase ; grc, ἄλφα, ''álpha'', or ell, άλφα, álfa) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of one. Alpha is derived from the Phoenician letter aleph , whic ...
. Upon taking the mantle of Batgirl, she was trained further by Batman, Oracle,
Black Canary The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and Ca ...
, and by Lady Shiva. She received supplementary instruction from Onyx. She is an amazing hand-to-hand combatant and is highly skilled in several martial arts, including Kung Fu,
Jeet Kune Do Jeet Kune Do is a primarily wing chun kung fu inspired eclectic martial arts philosophy heavily influenced and adapted by the Taoist personal life philosophy and experiences of martial artist Bruce Lee. Overview and philosophy Jeet Kune D ...
,''Batman: Gotham City Secret Files and Origins'' #1 (April 2000) Muay Thai, and
Ninjutsu , sometimes used interchangeably with the modern term , is the martial art strategy and tactics of unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage purportedly practised by the ninja. ''Ninjutsu'' was a separate discipline in some tra ...
. She was also very briefly trained in detective methods by Tim Drake during their time in Blüdhaven. Cassandra's superiority in combat results not just from her excellent physical condition, but from her cognitive functions (the result of her idiosyncratic upbringing) that enables extraordinary feats of coordination as well as perceiving minute changes in an opponent's movements and body language. In ''Batgirl'' #14 (May 2001), the writer,
Kelley Puckett Kelley Puckett is a comic book writer. He is notable for having co-created DC Comics characters Cassandra Cain and Connor Hawke. Bibliography DC Comics * ''Batgirl'' #1-19, 21–25, 27–29, 33-37 * '' The Batman and Robin Adventures'' #24 ** '' ...
, places Cassandra in a position within the story in which her skills are analyzed by a group of government experts. The creative team reveals to the reader that the character has no
metagene In DC Comics' DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with both ''mutant'' and ''mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and ''posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In DC Comics, the term ...
. Yet her genetic status was felt to be incompatible with her recorded abilities. One expert states, "Her individual moves are borderline human. It's her aggregate speed that's metahuman. Look—humans can throw a 100 miles-per-hour fastball, smash concrete blocks with their heads, and run 4.2 forties. What they can't do is all of that at once. It's not so much physical as... as mentally impossible. Too much to coordinate." Her upbringing using body language as her exclusive mode of communication also had the effect of enabling her to "read" minute changes in an opponent's expressions, breathing, muscles, joint position, and center of gravity which in turn allows her to see or "predict" an opponent's moves before they happen. It is possible this ability is only partially the result of her upbringing and that there is a genetic predisposition to it, since Lady Shiva, Cassandra's mother, is the only other martial artist known in the DC universe to have this ability. When a telepath "rewired" Cassandra's brain to allow her speech, this had the unintended consequence of blocking her ability to "predict" attacks, as though her ability to comprehend physical language was traded for her ability to speak and read. Eventually, Lady Shiva helped her to regain this ability, but how this was done is never revealed. Cassandra also exhibits extraordinary resistance to pain. On more than one occasion, she has been described as "being able to take a bullet wound and not even bat an eye," due to additional training received as a child.


Language skills

As a side effect of her father's training, Cassandra's brain developed learning functions different from most. Having been brought up by Cain deliberately without speech, the communication centers of her brain learned body language instead of spoken or written language. Thus, she originally had as much trouble learning spoken and written language as a normal individual would have in learning body language. Although she was able to learn some very basic things ("no", "yes", "me") the same way a normal person can learn to recognize smiles and frowns, it took a
telepath Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic ...
"rewiring" her brain to teach her to speak and understand English. Even then, she only spoke with extreme difficulty (very falteringly, short sentences with long pauses, frequently using the wrong words, etc.). In ''Batgirl'' #67 (October 2005), Oracle performed a number of tests on Cassandra, determining the severity of the problem: "The language centers of your brain are all over both hemispheres. Not centralized like with most people. When you try to read or write, your brain doesn't know how to keep it cohesive." In the 2008 ''Batgirl'' miniseries, the first issue delves into an explanation as to Cassandra's increased verbal and literary skills. It is explained that during the year in which Batman, Nightwing, and Robin were abroad, Cassandra and
Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *'' Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interl ...
took it upon themselves to help develop the skills that she lacked due to her less than conventional childhood. By day, she took speech and
ESL English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages. Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EF ...
courses. The formal training aided her thought processes related to language and thus her verbalization improved rapidly.


Costume and equipment

Cassandra's costume as Batgirl is composed of black skin-tight leather. Her mask covers all of her head with the exception of the eyes, which are darkened, and symbolic stitches surround the mouth of the mask. Cassandra wears a yellow-rimmed black logo rather than the yellow bat version of the logo worn by Barbara. The costume was first created and worn by the Huntress in the early stages of "No Man's Land". Like the other members of the Bat-Clan, Cassandra's Batgirl also wears a yellow-pouched
utility belt A police duty belt (sometimes referred to as a gun belt, "duty rig" and/or kit belt) is a belt, typically constructed of nylon or leather used by police, prison and security officers to carry equipment easily in a series of pouches attached ...
which contains grappling hooks, batarangs, mini-explosives, tracking devices, a hand-held computer, binoculars,
PlastiCuffs Plastic handcuffs (also called PlastiCuffs or FlexiCuffs, zip cuffs, flex cuffs or Double Cuffs) are a form of physical restraint for the hands, using plastic straps. They function as handcuffs but are cheaper and easier to carry than metal handcu ...
, and smoke pellets. However, Cassandra rarely uses any of these devices. The costume displays slight variations in Titans East. The cape shows a yellow lining and Cassandra wears a "capsule" utility belt rather than pouches. In ''Teen Titans'' vol. 3 #43, the once hollow bat-symbol appears to have been filled in and her cape is once again completely black; a new line of stitching goes up the forehead of her cowl. This version of the costume apparently results from one artist's interpretation, as Cassandra's appearances elsewhere (i.e., ''Supergirl'' and ''Batman and the Outsiders'') show her wearing her standard Batgirl costume. Her costume as Black Bat incorporates her former Batgirl costume, with some modifications. She now wears a
domino mask Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with gaming pieces, commonly known as dominoes. Each domino is a rectangular tile, usually with a line dividing its face into two square ''ends''. Each end is marked with a number of spots (also ca ...
and exposes the rest of her face and head. Her cape is now severely torn, looking ragged and almost smoke-like. Her hands are wrapped in bandages rather than her former scalloped bat-gloves. The costume she currently wears as Orphan consists of a form-fitting longsleeved black top, gloves, and full head mask; occasionally she has worn a variant with an attached hood and no mask. Her pants are looser and baggier in the thighs to allow greater flexibility with her acrobatics, and she wears knee-high black boots. The entire costume has yellow accents, with small armor plates in strategic areas on the torso and arms, and includes a yellow utility belt.


Controversy

Critical reception of Cassandra's villainous turn in the "
One Year Later "One Year Later" is a 2006 comic book storyline running through books published by DC Comics. It involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Universe following the events of the ''Infinite Crisis'' storyline, to explore ...
" storyline was mixed. In general, the portrayal of Tim Drake was praised, whereas Cassandra's depiction was not. Upon being asked if Cassandra's characterization was editorially mandated, writer Adam Beechen stated, "When I came to the book, I was told that the first arc would deal with presenting Cassandra as a major new enemy for Robin. From there, I worked out the details of just how that would come about with our initial editor,
Eddie Berganza Eddie Berganza (born circa 1965) is an American comics writer and editor, known for his editorial tenure at DC Comics from the early 1990s to the late 2010s, rising at one point to the position of Executive Editor. He was demoted, then terminate ...
, and then his successor,
Peter Tomasi Peter J. Tomasi is an American comic book editor and writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. As an editor, he oversaw numerous comic books featuring the Justice League, including series starring various members of that team such as Batman, ...
." In a follow-up interview, he clarified further, stating, "They didn't present me with a rationale as to why Cassandra was going to change, or a motivating factor. That was left for me to come up with and them to approve. And we did that. But as far as to why the editors and writers and whoever else made the decision decided that was a good direction, I honestly couldn't answer." In interviews and press conferences, Dan DiDio and others have stated that Cass will "be going back to basics", as in her early adventures before she was able to talk. Later,
Geoff Johns Geoffrey Johns (born January 25, 1973) is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash and Superman, has drawn critical acclaim. He serve ...
was quoted as saying, "We will be addressing in ''Teen Titans'' exactly what the deal is with her. Is she a bad guy? How? Why? She was a completely different character before 'One Year Later,' so let's find out what happened." According to ''
Wizard Magazine ''Wizard'' or ''Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture'' (previously titled ''Wizard: The Guide to Comics'' and ''Wizard: The Comics Magazine'') was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wiz ...
'' #182, the storyline was "one of the most controversial changes to come out of DC's 'One Year Later' event", and "fans rose up in arms, organizing websites and letter-writing campaigns to protest the change." Dan Didio commented, "I'm glad to see there was a reaction created, it shows that people care about the character and want to see something happen with her."


Other versions

In the alternate timeline portrayed in the "''
Titans Tomorrow "Titans Tomorrow" is a storyline of a possible alternate future in the DC Comics Universe, from ''Teen Titans'' vol. 3 #17-19 (2005), by Geoff Johns and Mike McKone. The story arc has been collected as part of the ''Teen Titans: The Future is Now'' ...
''" storyline in ''Teen Titans'', Cassandra was mentioned as having been murdered by
Duela Dent Duela Dent is a fictional character in the DC Universe. She is a former member of the Suicide Squad, the Teen Titans and its counterpart, Titans East. Introduced under the alias of the Joker's Daughter, she has also used the aliases Catgirl the ...
. Years later, Tim Drake (now the new Batman) killed Duela in retaliation. In the timeline depicted in the sequel, ''Titans Tomorrow... Today!'', Cassandra is portrayed as the successor to the
Batwoman Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Kathy Kane and Kate Kane. History * The first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, debuted during the Silver Age of Comics ...
mantle, and a member of
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: April ...
's Titans Army. A toddler version of Cassandra appears in several issues of '' Tiny Titans''. She is a friend of Barbara Gordon and Stephanie Brown. Cassandra makes a cameo appearance in issue #13 of the second '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' tie-in comic. The issue focuses on the Phantom Stranger bringing together
Robins Robins may refer to: Places United States * Robins, Iowa, a small city * Robins, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Robins Township, Fall River County, South Dakota *Robins Island, of the coast of New York state *Robins Air Force Base, Georgia * ...
from all time periods to help save Batman's life, because "Batman can always rely on Robin"; at the end of the comic, Stranger's sister
Madame Xanadu Madame Xanadu is a comic book mysticism, mystic published by DC Comics. The character is identified with Lady of the Lake, Nimue, the magician (fantasy), sorceress from Arthurian mythology made popular by Thomas Malory, Sir Thomas Malory's ''Le Mo ...
remarks that had the Robins failed, "there is always Batgirl, too", revealing the four Batgirls (Cassie,
Barbara Gordon Barbara Gordon is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. The character was created by television producer William Dozier, editor Julius Schwartz, writer Gardne ...
,
Bette Kane Mary Elizabeth Kane, better known as Bette Kane, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in the 1960s as "Betty Kane", the Bat-Girl. Her name was later modified to "Bette Kane", an ...
, and Stephanie Brown). In '' The New 52: Futures End'', Cassandra appears as a member of the League of Batgirls alongside Stephanie Brown and a young African-American girl named Tiffany Fox (the daughter of
Lucius Fox Lucius Fox is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Bruce Wayne / Batman. He is Bruce Wayne's business manager at Wayne Enterprises who runs the business interests that s ...
). Her friendship with Stephanie appears to have remained intact. In the ''
DC Comics Bombshells DC Comics Bombshells refers to a line of figurines released by DC Collectibles depicting DC Comics superheroines in a retro 1940s look based on designs by Ant Lucia.World War II, she returns to her home country to help rebuild and make life better for the young girls there.


Collected editions

Most of the 2000 ''Batgirl'' ongoing series, as well as the 2008 miniseries, has been collected into
trade paperbacks A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, and often held together with glue rather than stitches or staples. In contrast, hardcover (hardback) books are bound with cardboard covered with cloth, lea ...
.


Other collected editions

* ''Bruce Wayne: Murderer?'' (''Batgirl'' #24) * ''Bruce Wayne: Fugitive'' vol. 1 (''Batgirl'' #27, #29) * ''Bruce Wayne: Fugitive'' vol. 3 (''Batgirl'' #33) * ''Batman: War Games, Act 1'' (''Batgirl'' #55) * ''Batman: War Games, Act 2'' (''Batgirl'' #56) * ''Batman: War Games, Act 3'' (''Batgirl'' #57) * '' Ghost/Batgirl: The Resurrection Machine'' (a 4-part miniseries crossover with Ghost, a Dark Horse Comics character) * ''Bruce Wayne: Murderer?'' (New Edition) (''Batgirl'' #24, #27) * ''Bruce Wayne: Fugitive'' (New Edition) (''Batgirl'' #29, #33) * ''Batman: War Games Vol. 1'' (Modern Release) (''Batgirl'' #53, #55) * ''Batman: War Games Vol. 2'' (Modern Release) (''Batgirl'' #56, #57)


In other media


Film

*
Ella Jay Basco Ella Jay Basco (born September 17, 2006) is an American actress, singer and songwriter best known for her work in ''Birds of Prey'' (2020). In 2020, she released her EP, Middle School. In February 2022, she released her single Eye to Eye for he ...
portrays Cassandra Cain in the DC Extended Universe film ''
Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators h ...
''. Her comic background is removed entirely. In the film, Cassandra is a twelve-year-old pickpocket who is shown to live under the care of neglectful foster parents (who are never shown and can be heard arguing loudly because of her in one scene), sports a cast on her arm from an unspecified injury, and idolizes
Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker (character), Joker in ''Batman: The An ...
(
Margot Robbie Margot Elise Robbie (; born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and producer. Known for her work in both blockbuster and independent films, she has received several accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, four Golden Glob ...
). She plays a pivotal role in the story after unknowingly pilfering from Victor Zsasz (
Chris Messina Christopher Messina (born August 11, 1974)Hochberg, Mina.Chris Messina stars in 'Ruby Sparks'��. ''Newsday'' (Long Island, New York). August 8, 2012: “...the actor, who turns 38 Saturday ugust 11, 2012 After graduating from Northport ew Yor ...
) a diamond which contains codes for the family fortune of the Bertinelli mafia, which Roman Sionis ( Ewan McGregor) wants. To prevent the police from
frisking Frisking (also called a patdown or pat down) is a search of a person's outer clothing wherein a person runs their hands along the outer garments of another to detect any concealed weapons or objects. U.S. Law In the United States, a law enforc ...
her after getting busted by them, Cassandra ends up swallowing the diamond, prompting Harley to keep tabs on her, which eventually leads to them bonding and Harley having second thoughts about handing her over to Sionis. Harley then teams up with
Black Canary The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and Ca ...
(
Jurnee Smollett-Bell Jurnee Diana Smollett (born October 1, 1986) is an American actress. She began her career as a child actress appearing on television sitcoms, including '' On Our Own'' (1994–1995) and ''Full House'' (1992–1994). She gained greater recognition ...
), GCPD detective
Renee Montoya Renee Maria Montoya is a fictional character appearing in media published by DC Entertainment. The character was created by Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Mitch Brian for '' Batman: The Animated Series'' and was preemptively introduced into mainstre ...
( Rosie Perez) and
Helena Bertinelli The Huntress (Helena Rosa Bertinelli) is a antiheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the third DC character to bear the name Huntress. Originally introduced as a new interpretation of Helena Wayne, no longer ...
(
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Mary Elizabeth Winstead (born November 28, 1984) is an American actress and singer. Her first significant role was that of Jessica Bennett on the NBC soap opera ''Passions'' (1999–2000). She went on to appear in series such as '' Tru Calling ...
) to protect Cassandra and take down Sionis. Ultimately, however, it is Cassandra who defeats Sionis, by planting a grenade in his coat pocket without him noticing and pulling the pin while he holds her at knifepoint before Harley. Cassandra becomes Harley's partner and apprentice afterwards.


Television

* In the '' Justice League'' season one finale "The Savage Time" (based in the DC Animated Universe), a girl is seen with Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, and Dick Grayson in an alternate timeline that bears a resemblance to Cassandra. The creators of the show have stated this as an uncredited cameo. * Cassandra Cain appears in '' Young Justice: Outsiders'' as Orphan, a member of Batman's team. In the series, her name is Cassandra Wu-San. She first appears as a member of Robin's squad, along with Spoiler and
Arrowette Arrowette is a superheroine that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. Publication history The Bonnie King version of Arrowette appears in ''World's Finest Comics'' #113 and was created by Dave Wood and Lee Elias. The Cissie Kin ...
, but joins the Team in the season 3 finale. She appears in '' Young Justice: Phantoms'' in where it is revealed she used to be a member of the
League of Shadows The League of Assassins (sometimes renamed the League of Shadows or Society of Shadows in adapted works) is a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The group is depicted as a collective of assassins who ...
, having been raised by them. It is also revealed the reason Cassandra doesn't speak is that her mother
Lady Shiva Lady Shiva (real name Sandra San or more recently Sandra Wu-San) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was co-created by Dennis O'Neil and Ric Estrada, and first appeared in ''Richard Dra ...
took out her vocal cords when she was an infant. In the episode "The Lady, or the Tigress?", it is revealed Orphan was the one who paralyzed
Barbara Gordon Barbara Gordon is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. The character was created by television producer William Dozier, editor Julius Schwartz, writer Gardne ...
by accident after attempting to kill the Joker. * Cassandra Cain appears as Batgirl in the ''
Batwheels ''Batwheels'' is an American computer-animated superhero children's television series that premiered on September 17, 2022, on HBO Max, and on October 17, 2022, on Cartoon Network's preschool block, Cartoonito. Plot The Bat-Family's vehicles are ...
'' animated series, voiced by
Leah Lewis Leah Lewis (born December 9, 1996) is a Chinese-American actress, model and singer who began her career as a child actress. She is best known for her roles as Ellie Chu in the 2020 Netflix film ''The Half of It'' and as Georgia "George" Fan i ...
. In the show, she is able to communicate with no problems and is a more cheerful and lighthearted character.


Video games

* Cassandra Cain as Batgirl appears in a cameo alongside Robin (Tim Drake) in the video game '' Batman: Dark Tomorrow''. * She can be made in the character creator in '' Lego Batman: The Videogame'' and ''
Lego DC Super-Villains ''Lego DC Super-Villains'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform video game developed by Traveller's Tales. The fourth installment in the ''Lego Batman'' series of games, it is a spin-off that focuses entirely on villains of the DC Univers ...
''. * Cassandra appears as Batgirl in ''
DC Universe Online ''DC Universe Online'' (''DCUO'') is a free-to-play action combat massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional universe of DC Comics. Developed by Dimensional Ink Games and co-published by Daybreak Game Company and WB Games, the game ...
'', voiced by Mindy Raymond. * Cassandra also appears as Batgirl in two Batman games made by The Learning Company: ''Toxic Chill'' and ''Justice Unbalanced''. * Cassandra Cain appears as a Batgirl variant obtained by online challenge in the mobile version of '' Injustice: Gods Among Us''.


Audiobook

* Cassandra Cain as Batgirl, voiced by Nanette Savard, appears in the GraphicAudio full-cast audiobook of the novelization of ''
No Man's Land No man's land is waste or unowned land or an uninhabited or desolate area that may be under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied out of fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dump ...
'' written by
Greg Rucka Gregory Rucka (born November 29, 1969) is an American writer known for the series of novels starring his character Atticus Kodiak, the creator-owned comic book series '' Whiteout'', '' Queen & Country'', '' Stumptown'' and '' Lazarus'', as well ...
.


References


External links


Cassandra Cain
at DC Comics' official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cain, Cassandra Fictional characters from Chicago Asian-American superheroes Batgirl Batman characters Characters created by Jordan B. Gorfinkel Characters created by Kelley Puckett Characters created by Damion Scott Comics characters introduced in 1999 DC Comics female superheroes DC Comics female supervillains DC Comics American superheroes DC Comics sidekicks DC Comics martial artists Fictional acrobats Fictional assassins in comics Fictional blade and dart throwers Fictional Jeet Kune Do practitioners Fictional matricides Fictional Muay Thai practitioners Fictional Ninjutsu practitioners Fictional patricides Fictional female assassins Fictional female ninja Fictional mute characters Superheroes who are adopted