S03.E10: Toxic

[Trini]

Batwoman's hands are full as she juggles Jada's demands, Mary's ever-increasing power and a new romantic entanglement. Loyalties are tested and motives come into question as Batwoman races against the clock to once again save the city and those closest to her.

Glen Winter directed the episode written by Caroline Dries and Jerry Shandy.

Airdate: 1/26/2022

 

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Trini

[Primal Slayer]

A fairly meh conclusion.

Really not Ryans finest moments in this episode with her acting like a teenaged girl with Sophie and then putting multiple people in danger trying to get to Mary.

Ivy needing Mary as a battery was a storyline that just didnt make much sense, especially now that she magically discovers an island where plants are worshiped and she is off to live her happily ever after.

The way they treat the trophies just are very weak, and now here we are again with the public just taking a random word that Batwoman is this big bad because she didnt do as good as Batman? The writers really arent being that creative in the middle of the season.

[Trini]

Quick thoughts: This was kind of a let down from the previous episode which I thought was mostly good.

So all that hype for Ivy for her to only be in three episodes? And the "love" story with Renee and Pam was just NOT it.

Was this the episode they were writing when they found out they only had 13 episodes? Because there were so many problems. Felt like they had to do a rush job to tie up Poison Ivy so they could get back to Marquis; among other rushed plots, but I'm going to bed.

[Diapason Untuned]

Alice once again steals the episode. This was the first time that she actually felt like a part of the team, an annoying part, but a part. She should drive the Batmobile from now on.

I hop Mary keeps that dye job; it suits her. I look forward to where her character is going from here, especially the guilt. Someone should give her Roy's number, he could give her some advice.

11 hours ago, Primal Slayer said:

Ivy needing Mary as a battery was a storyline that just didnt make much sense, especially now that she magically discovers an island where plants are worshiped and she is off to live her happily ever after.

This is the same island as the Desert Rose, so not exactly a new place.

 

Quote

 

The way they treat the trophies just are very weak, and now here we are again with the public just taking a random word that Batwoman is this big bad because she didnt do as good as Batman? The writers really arent being that creative in the middle of the season.

 

Jada's not exactly a rando and there have been a lot of resurgence of old villain stuff, especially Poison ivy nearly killing half the city.

 

9 hours ago, Trini said:

So all that hype for Ivy for her to only be in three episodes? And the "love" story with Renee and Pam was just NOT it.

The last scene cemented that Renee is just as crazy as Pam.

 

Quote

Was this the episode they were writing when they found out they only had 13 episodes? Because there were so many problems. Felt like they had to do a rush job to tie up Poison Ivy so they could get back to Marquis; among other rushed plots, but I'm going to bed.

This makes much sense.

[BeautifulFlower]

13 hours ago, Primal Slayer said:

 

Really not Ryans finest moments in this episode with her acting like a teenaged girl with Sophie and then putting multiple people in danger trying to get to Mary.

 

How Ryan put multiple people in danger? Where was that in this episode? All she did when she heard Mary was unconscious was stop an ambalance with two paramedics inside. She got Mary and took her back to base. Where were the multiple people she endangered?

[Lantern7]

Wow. Jada does not fuck around.

Yeah, I get that Ivy is nuts, Rene is almost as bad, Luke having a breakthrough and Mary getting a hard reboot with guilt added . . . but a mad Jada is the worst Jada. It'll probably get worse once Marquis comes out and does more shit. Seriously, one drop of water is all it took to wake him up? I was good with a kiss reviving Ivy because she's probably more like a plant. Or something. Maybe the guy playing Marquis got a positive test result?

Good to see Mary back, even if her "return" felt a bit cheap. The sad thing: there could be a twist where it turned out she didn't kill that hunter, and I'd be good with that. Nicole Kang was good at being bad, but she's also terrific at looking like a scared child, the rush of her past mischief fading away. Team Batwoman is a dysfunctional group. I think it's natural for one person to be taken for granted. Not that Mary wasn't right to be mad.

I feel bad for the actress playing Renee. On the one hand, the character came off disappointing compared to the canon. On the other hand, at least she got to play Rene Montoya, and she might return in the future. Remember her as Rene in Gotham? All my mind grabs in her in bed with Barbara Keane (before she went delightfully cuckoo).

13 hours ago, Diapason Untuned said:

Alice once again steals the episode. This was the first time that she actually felt like a part of the team, an annoying part, but a part. She should drive the Batmobile from now on.

Agreed. So much fun. I don't think Alice should be completely redeemed, but she makes for a great frenemy.

23 hours ago, Trini said:

Was this the episode they were writing when they found out they only had 13 episodes?

Really? Dang. Looks like Marquis will be going hard into that Joker turn. Has there been word about a fourth season?

[thuganomics85]

Behold, what I imagine a group chat with the League was like:

Ryan:  "Okay, guys, so I have a question for y'all.  Alice is a mass murder who probably should be locked up for life, but she did help us this one time.  Sure, it was for selfish reasons and not because she wanted to do the right thing, but I still feel bad about locking her back up.  Any ideas?"

Barry:  "Just have her pinkie swear she won't kill anymore and join the team!  That's how I roll and it mainly hasn't blown up in my face!"

Ryan:  "Uh... don't want to go that far.  Hey, maybe she can redeem herself with the Legends?"

Sara:  "Yeah... I just did a quick poll with everyone and that would be a big no from us!  Even we've got some standards here."

Ryan:  "Fine!  Any ideas, Kara?"

Kara:  "Maybe give her some inspirational pep talks and she'll want to be a good person, suddenly?!  I go a few I haven't used yet, if you want some pointers!"

Ryan:  "No, I'm not doing that!"

Jefferson:  "I really think you should lock her back up, but if not, just don't help her in any way and let her be on her own.  Again, not the best choice, but that's all I got."

Ryan:  "That works for me!  Thanks for the help, guys!"

Clark:  "Hey, if y'all are all done with that, I could really use y'alls help about now.  Guys?  Guys?!"

(chat has ended.)

In short, I can't wait to see how a still free Alice blows up in all of their faces (again.)

 

If this is truly it for the Poison Ivy arc, it was a disappointing one.  It felt like it was only now that Bridget Regan was finally getting some material to let her big baddie flag fly, but then after getting infected by Renee's counter poison (thanks to Poison Mary), she is defeated by... simply falling off a ledge?  Even though she was still pretty much matching Ryan fist to fist during their fight?  Lightweight!  But thanks to Renee, they are now both going off to some kind of island filled with plants and no human civilization?  Yeah, this really feels half-baked.  I guess they just wanted to rush this off, so we can get back to Jets that the likely final baddies.

You see, while still clearly in the wrong, Poison Mary torturing and killing the corrupt (?) healthcare guy was more along the lines of what I thought they should have done: having the powers amplify her issues with the system that she fights back in a way that isn't healthy.  That makes way more sense then it causing her to hate on her friends for reasons that never quite match up with her methods.  But whatever: Poison Mary is gone and now it's back to regular Mary, dealing with a whole bunch of guilt since she remembers everything that happened.  At least Nicole Kang is doing a good job with everything.

Already rolling my eyes at Ryan/Sophie's relationship drama and it has barely even started...

At least Jada has shaken things up for the next few episodes.

[tennisgurl]

I just do not get why its so hard for live action Batman adaptations to do a really good story with  Renee Montoya, she's such a cool character but its like all live actions writers seem to remember about her is "cop" and "lesbian" and they mainly only care about the lesbian part. Yes her romantic relationships are important to her character, but not as important as her being a great detectives and her attempts at cleaning up the GCPD, which are things you think would be more interested in then having her make doe eyes at a supervillain. For as much hype as Poison Ivy's return has gotten, this felt like a real let down. She and Renee just go off together to the magic flower island after she gets one real fight scene with Batwoman, and that it.

Alice actually seemed to be contributing to the group this week, you can more see how she might fit into the group dynamic. Which is inevitable, we all know how much the Arrowverse loves their redeemed snarky bad guys who's evil deeds will be shoved under the bed, never to be spoken of again, we all knew it was coming. 

Jada does not play. John will be very disappointed. 

I'm glad that Mary is back to herself, but now with a fresh ton of guilt for killing that hunter in front of his kid I am guessing there will be a lot of angst in her future. I thought the opener with her was actually good, taking her regular issues, like her frustrations with the healthcare system, and pushing it over the edge, like Pamela and her environmental causes, which is what I was hoping Poison Mary would be. Instead it was mostly Mary whining about her friends while on the girls weekend of the damned with Alice, this all had so much potential and had been so disappointing. 

I so do not care about Ryan/Sophie, they already have drama without even being a couple, and I have already explained at length my dislike of them as a potential pairing. I did laugh at Sophie's affronted "what the hell did I do?" response when Mary started throwing shade at her.

Edited January 28, 2022 by tennisgurl

[Trini]

12 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

In short, I can't wait to see how a still free Alice blows up in all of their faces (again.)

Yes, Alice is (mostly) fun and Skarsten has great chemistry with everyone, but it makes ZERO sense that our team of crimefighters is treating this murderous criminal like a quirky next-door neighbor. Especially when they haven't even done a redemption arc for Alice yet. I say let her be queen of Arkham again.

 

On 1/27/2022 at 12:21 PM, BeautifulFlower said:

How Ryan put multiple people in danger? Where was that in this episode? All she did when she heard Mary was unconscious was stop an ambalance with two paramedics inside. She got Mary and took her back to base. Where were the multiple people she endangered?

I'd argue at least the two paramedics who were just trying to do their jobs. Blocking their pathway and windshield was kinda dangerous.

 

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I'm glad that Mary is back to herself, but now with a fresh ton of guilt for killing that hunter in front of his kid I am guessing there will be a lot of angst in her future.

I don't understand why the writers would want to want to do that to their 'ray of sunshine' character. She would already have enough regrets from the way she treated her friends (and others) while she was Poison Mary, but they had to add murder too?

Edited January 28, 2022 by Trini

[Cress]

Well, with Pam and Renee going to Coryana, I guess they can help revive the Desert Rose plant? Who's currently in charge there? That reminds me, what did Alice do with Safiyah after she stabbed her with the special dagger? Is she still stashed somewhere in Gotham, or did someone take her back to Coryana?

I thought Mary already ran over somebody with a car while she was Poison Mary? Then Alice told her to drive away from that guy because they need to escape. How do we know whether that guy survived? So this hunter guy makes it clear she definitely killed somebody? Oh, is that insurance CEO guy still trapped in that greenhouse? I mean, there's a lot of loose ends about Mary.

[Trini]

20 hours ago, Cress said:

That reminds me, what did Alice do with Safiyah after she stabbed her with the special dagger? Is she still stashed somewhere in Gotham, or did someone take her back to Coryana?

There was an offhand comment by Alice in last season's finale about Safiyah's body being dumped in a junkyard. I think we're supposed to assume that she's dead.

[Chicago Redshirt]

Does anyone think that sending Poison Ivy to an island where there's a magical flower that can essentially reverse death and there's a maniacal cult of assassins looking for new leadership is a bad bad idea? I mean, it's probably a bad idea sending her off anywhere rather than having her pay for her crimes or straight up killing her if she's too powerful to contain, but still...send her to the Amazon or one of any number of deserted islands or something.

I was hoping Poison Mary wasn't actually responsible for killing that guy, but nope, she's a killer, and the Batfam are now accessories after the fact by pretending it never happened or that it was Ivy who skewered the hunter dude. The trouble with that is that the hunter dude's son survived (presumably) and will be able to say that it was an Asian woman rather than a taller redhead who confronted them and skewered Dad. Also, it was unclear if PM actually killed the insurance bigwig or just tortured him. If it's the latter, then he too can finger her. She even specifically IDed herself as Dr. Mary Hamilton to him. If she did kill him, then she can't so much use the excuse of it being an accident as she could with the hunter.

The "get Marquis to me by midnight or suffer the consequences" ultimatum was particularly ridiculous since a) it seemed like there was little time when it was made b) there was nothing stopping Sophie or someone else from returning Marquis to Jada by the deadline c) it would have been fairly easy to call Jada and be like, "We can't return Marquis because there are bat-emergencies afoot, but you can find him at the Hamilton clinic."