DC Just Turned Batman’s Greatest Fighter Into a Major Villain

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Batman is one of the world’s greatest fighters in every universe. He’s a master of more fighting styles than most people could name, and regularly uses those insane skills to protect Gotham City and beyond. However, as great as he is, he’s not the best fighter alive. There’s definitely some competition for that title, but there’s one character who, even beyond arguably being the greatest fighter of all, is definitively the best fighter in the Batman-Family. Cassandra Cain is the second Batgirl, the daughter of Lady Shiva, trained by Bronze Tiger, and the fighter who has proven that she is just as dedicated to Batman’s mission as she is skilled at combat.

For a long time, Cass has been known as a hero dedicated to saving people with her amazing abilities. But that’s about to change in DC’s latest story arc. “Absolute Universe” explores what would happen if heroes lost their core values. For Cass, this means she never left behind her past as an assassin and has become a powerful villain. In the first issue of Absolute Catwoman, this dangerous new version of Cassandra Cain is going head-to-head with Catwoman, and it’s uncertain if Selina Kyle can win.

Catwoman Versus the Absolute Greatest Fighter

The issue started with Selina celebrating her twenty-fifth birthday and planning to retire from the thievery game. Unfortunately, we know that getting out is never that easy. Holly, her friend and member of her old crew, the Callicos, showed up to ask for Selina’s help on one last job. Selina declined, but got dragged in anyway when Holly left something in her cake, and a whole crew of Catwoman-impersonators showed up to take her down for it. Selina showed everyone that her Catwoman was practically the Batman of her universe, complete with her very own Cat Cave, and tore them apart with superior training and arms.

Holly was kidnapped by a mysterious assassin dressed in black. Selina, as Catwoman, fought back, but the assassin was a match for her incredible skills and quickly gained the upper hand. Despite Selina’s desperate attempts to use her agility and technology – even putting herself in danger – she couldn’t win. Realizing she was outmatched, she retreated and, surprisingly, focused on retrieving the stolen orb instead of saving Holly. The assassin took Holly to a warehouse, where she received praise from her superior. When the assassin removed her helmet, it was revealed to be none other than Absolute Cassandra Cain.

Absolute Cass With an Absolute New Direction

This version of Cassandra Cain is a significant departure from the character we know. Instead of being a hero, she’s now a villain, or at least someone who works with them. Considering her last name is still Cain, she’s probably working for either her criminal father or Mother, the ruthless assassin trainer who clearly approves of her methods. This Cass has become a criminal as an adult, which is a major difference from the original. Her willingness to cause a dangerous crash to stop Catwoman suggests she’s comfortable with lethal force. Recent announcements about the upcoming one-shot, Absolute Cassandra Cain: The Shadow’s Hand, confirm she survived the Joker’s attack on the League of Assassins.

Obviously, this Cass is a total villain and the main physical opponent for Catwoman in this series, but where can she go from there? Cass always started as an assassin, and just because she’s a little further down the road doesn’t mean that she can’t claw her way back. If she does redeem herself, then I can definitely see Cass being Catwoman’s ally, or possibly even her own sidekick, for a time. When Catwoman returns to Absoltue Batman, she might even bring Cass along with her. On the other hand, Cass could easily just be this world’s Shiva, where she remains a major threat over time. Personally, I’d love to see her as a hero.

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2026-06-11 20:26