Warning: Spoilers for Batgirl #1!DC just brought in a derelict Batgirl codename back in an exciting way, in the debut edition of the character’s new solo series. Cassandra Cain can be seen as Batman’s greatest success and as Batgirl, Batman’s true successor. However, fans often forget that she wasn’t always Batgirl. Very briefly, she used the name Orphan, but as the name never caught on with readers, Cass reverted to being Batgirl.
Batgirl #1 – written by Tate Brombal, with art by Takeshi Miyazawa – takes a moment to pay tribute to Cass’s time as an orphan and what that part of her identity means to her.
Whether or not readers remember this part of the character’s early history as a DC hero, it’s still something that happened, and therefore plays a pivotal role in who Batgirl is today. In other words, if Batgirl can respect her Orphan past, so should fans.
Cassandra Cain Makes a Crucial Reference to Her First Codename “Orphan” in Her New Solo Series
Batgirl #1 – Written by Tate Brombal; Art by Takeshi Miyazawa; Color by Mike Spicer; Lyrics by Tom Napolitano
Batgirl #1 marks the latest chapter in Cassandra Cain’s evolution, giving Cass her first solo series in 18 years. This new chapter introduces a new chapter for the third Batgirl after Huntress, as Cass must join forces with her murderous mother, Lady Shiva. The dear mother warns her daughter that they are both under threat and must work together to protect each other. As Batgirl tries to decipher whether her mother can be trusted, threat strikes in the form of a cult of ninjas called the Unburied.
These are choices that constitute Cassandra’s Cain identity and, in her opinion, can never be taken away from her.
As the Unburied attack, as she is unsure whether to direct her attack against them or Shiva, Batgirl monologues to herself. Most notably, she refers to herself as “an orphan by choice” contextualizing the phrase to its identity; she recognizes that she is also Batgirl and considers herself Batman’s daughter by choice. These are choices that constitute Cassandra’s Cain identity and, in her opinion, can never be taken away from her. This includes the canonicity of her being an orphan.
A Brief History of Cassandra Cain’s Codename “Orphan,” Explained
Why Batgirl Honor #1 is important
Cassandra Cain’s time as Orphan came on the heels of Flash point event, which rebooted the DC Universe. Cassie’s origin story after the reboot was similar, including her father training her in understanding body language and physical combat, except in this continuity, he operated under the codename Orphan. Later, when he sacrificed himself for the same Cass, she adopted the nickname in his honor. However, subsequent reboots have complicated DC’s timeline, so it’s debatable whether his tenure with the name remains canon.
More specifically, it depends on how the creative team for a specific Batgirl story decides to acknowledge Cain’s legacy as Orphan. It was such a short period of time that it’s very easy to dissect Cassandra Cain’s biggest moments, origins, and story without ever mentioning her time as an orphan in detail. That’s what it does Batgirl #1 so interesting. It doesn’t outright say that this moment is still canon or happened in the current version of its DC Universe; instead of is yet another wink to audiences familiar with how the name Orphan relates to Cass.
Why Acknowledging Batgirl’s Past as an “Orphan” at the Start of Her New Solo Series Is a Big Deal
Defining the character’s identity
All of this is to say that Batgirl’s time as an Orphan cannot be easily ignored on the page, especially by readers. The brevity of Cassandra Cain being an orphan might suggest that it was a failure or that it was poorly received, which in some ways isn’t wrong. Certainly, those who spent two decades with Cass as Batgirl would probably have preferred to see her under the cowl, but that doesn’t mean Cass fans didn’t appreciate how being an orphan contributed to Cass’s broader arc and character development.
This moment in Batgirl #1 pays homage to her time as an Orphan and how it helped inform readers about her overall character. At the same time, contextualizes the codename in a way that works for your identity. She is one of the few members of the Bat-Family with parents, but was voluntarily orphaned when she escaped the assassins, replacing them with the Bat-Family. Even though she’s not using the name Orphan, it’s part of her identity in a way that Batgirl may complain as someone who left their abusive family in favor of a found family.
Batgirl #1 is now available from DC Comics.