Warning: Spoilers for Batgirl #1Cassandra Cain Batgirl is a valued member of the Bat-Family, and his commitment to from Batman the no-kill rule cements it as such. Since being introduced as an assassin, Cassandra has evolved into Batman’s perfect successor, following his practice of sparing lives. Her partnership with her murderous mother shows how Cass fits into her father’s legacy, while Batgirl solidifies her devotion to Batman’s cause and proves that she is his daughter before she was Lady Shiva’s daughter.
Batgirl #1 by Tate Brombal, Takeshi Miyazawa, Mike Spicer and Tom Napolitano reunites Cassandra with her mother, Lady Shiva, when a mysterious group of ninjas comes after her. This reunion is not a happy one for Cassandra due to the complicated relationship they share, as she reiterates throughout the issue that she does not consider Shiva her real mother. Her loyalty now lies with Batman, which she confirms by saying: “I am Batman’s daughter by choice. I know how to kill. I hold back by choice.”
Batgirl’s loyalty to Batman is inextricably linked to her loyalty to the “no killing” rule she learned from him. When deciding not to kill, Cassandra Cain chooses Batman over Lady Shiva and thus confirms who his real father is in DC lore.
“No killing“: Batgirl shows her loyalty to Batman’s code rather than Lady Shiva’s code
Cassandra Cain refuses to let her mother kill, after learning from Batman
Batgirl’s refusal to kill is a lesson she learned from Batman and has become a central aspect of her character. When Lady Shiva approaches Cassandra to inform her of the threat that haunts her, instead of listening to her mother, she fixates on the fact that her mother killed an innocent bystander. This death causes her to initially reject talking to Shiva and try to leave the place, which shows how Batgirl values her moral stance above all elseeven when Shiva insists that there is danger on the horizon.
Batgirl’s unwavering dedication to preserving life doesn’t just extend to the innocent.
Lady Shiva is a deadly assassin who has no problem killing those who stand in her way, which is why she and her daughter are diametrically opposed. She does not value the sanctity of life, while Cassandra accuses her of murder. No explanation is enough for Cass to excuse her actions as she repeats with conviction: “Do not kill.” Batgirl’s unwavering dedication to preserving life not only extends to the innocent, but includes her attackers. This insistence on mercy reveals how much Cassandra has changed since her introduction, and it’s all thanks to Batman’s influence.
Cassandra Cain was raised to be an assassin until she met Batman
Batgirl’s origin as assassin intern, explained
Before she became Batgirl, Cassandra Cain was supposed to be the assassin her mother is. Her father, the vile David Cain, treated her as an experiment to become the ultimate killer. David deprived his daughter of the ability to speak or read, forcing her to read the most minute mannerisms of her opponents and to communicate only with her fists. Cassandra’s solitary purpose for her existence was to kill, a stark contrast to the mission statement it follows today. Batgirl’s twisted origin story culminates in her escaping David’s clutches and taking refuge with Batman in search of a different way of life.
During her traumatic upbringing as an assassin, Cassandra never had the luxury of choosing between killing or sparing those she fought. All she could do was obey orders without questioning the consequences for herself and others. Now, like Batgirl, Cassandra dictates her own path without anyone’s input weighing on it. Cassandra recognizes that she is capable of killing, but makes the active choice not to do so – because she now gets to define who she is, and has been chosen to be a hero in Gotham who follows Batman’s code rather than David Cain’s code. .
Batman’s no-killing rule separates Batgirl from her biological father
Batgirl leaves her murderous roots behind thanks to Batman’s influence
Batman’s no-killing rule is the core of his character, and he expects the rest of the Bat-Family to follow that rule as he trains them. No matter how far your enemies go in conquering the streets of Gotham City, Batman will never take their livesas that would mean he has fallen to the level of villain. He’s made exceptions before, like in the case of Darkseid, but the difference between a universal threat and a low-level criminal is vast. Batman may be the night, but his goal is to protect those in the dark rather than become another monster for them to fear, and Batgirl inherits that goal from him.
It takes time for Batman’s moral code to take root in Cassandra due to her troubled past, and her moment of truth finally arrives in 2008. Batgirl #6 by Adam Beechen, Jim Calafiore, Jack Purcell, Nathan Eyring and Sal Cipriano. Batgirl engages in an emotionally charged battle with David Cain, and she considers letting him die before finally trying to save him. She fails in the end, but the fact that she tries demonstrates that she chose Batman’s teachings over David’s. Cassandra’s adherence to her no-killing rule leads Bruce to officially adopt hermaking him her father in both an emotional and literal sense.
Batgirl’s tentative alliance with her mother puts her morals to the test
Cassandra Cain teaming up with Lady Shiva doesn’t nullify her loyalty to Batman
Even when she reluctantly teams up with Lady Shiva, Batgirl clings to the morals imparted to her by Batman. She now has a say in her own destiny and has chosen the path of mercy alongside the other heroes of the Bat Family. Working with an assassin isn’t ideal for Cassandra, but this alliance isn’t being forced on her. She chooses this, just as she chose to follow her code of not killing. She chooses to call Lady Shiva her mother and be her daughter in exchange for this night, as she remains Batman’s daughter every night.
Batgirl’s alliance with her mother is not without restrictions, evidenced by the ground rules she firmly establishes throughout the issue. She won’t let the killing go, and the only way she will be convinced to join Lady Shiva is if she holds back during the union. As such, her acceptance of being the killer’s daughter is not a moral step backwards on Cassandra’s part. Although she physically fights alongside her mother, she still aligns herself with Batman, as opposed to Lady Shiva. In the first place, Batgirl is the son of Batman in every way that matters, and her biological parents can’t take that away from her.
Batgirl #1 is now available from DC Comics.