Batwoman 1x12 : Take Your Choice review

Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it. 

Batwoman return from it's semi hiatus and what an emotionally charged episode to return with. The episode begins with Jacob and Sophie talking to Doctor Campbell. The same doctor Mary asked for help a few weeks back. He agrees to help Jacob with his case after Jacob and Sophie agree to let him do tests on Mouse who is currently on 24/7 watch under lock and key at Gotham General. Before leaving the prison Jacob Kane gives Sophie an order. Take out Alice by any means necessary. This leads to checkpoints being place throughout the city as we see the Crows step up their security game. This causes problems for Mary, Luke and Beth however as they attempt to get out of the city and as far away from Alice as possible. Alice is yet to find out that Beth is the cause of her ongoing headaches and her coughing up blood but soon finds out that there is another version of her on this Earth. A far more polite, smart and well mannered version. After being told of how Mouse was tricked by Beth in the last episode Alice heads to Wayne Enterprises where everyone is since the Crows security is now tighter than ever before. After entering the room much to everyone's surprise Alice and Beth meet for the first time as Alice learns of Beth's almost perfect life growing up. Kate saved Beth from the fatal car crash that on this Earth claimed the life of Kate & Alice's mom and lead to Alice's descent down the rabbit hole. Alice's resentment is further cemented when she learns that Kate saved this version of Beth and the two grew up as close sisters which really is all that Alice ever wanted. Beth wasn't subjected to evil situations and people as Alice was. Beth lived a much more sheltered life in that sense and it only adds more fuel Alice's fire. 

Back in prison we see Jacob again in a restroom. From behind he gets attacked by one of Alice's main Wonderland gang members that he aided in being put away. The two get into a scuffle that leads to Jacob getting stabbed and wounded pretty badly. He ends up getting saved by another inmate that says now that he's helped someone like Jacob there will be a target on his back. He will need Jacob's help when the time comes he says as he leaves the room. Back at Mary's medical space Alice shows up and the two get into a fight which leads to some of Alice's blood being collected in a syringe. Mary refuses to give her back the blood as revenge for her mom as Alice gets cuffed to one of the beds. She manages to get a dial up phone closer to her thanks to her legs and calls up the Crows stating that she knows where Alice really is. Back at Gotham General we see Mouse again. Doctor Campbell walks into the room and in an instant it's all made clear. This man isn't Doctor Campbell at all. It's Mouse or rather Johnny's father. The same man who held Beth all those years in his basement. He rips off the mask that was supposedly Doctor Campbell and asks Mouse for Alice's location. He refuses but ends up getting injected with what I can only assume is truth serum. It was pretty surreal how in a moment it all became all clear that Doctor Campbell was only the mask and Mouse's dad was the real man under the mask. Using the alias as a way to restore himself and his image even though it was as someone else. 

The episode draws to a close back at Wayne Enterprises as the Crows begin to surround the building. Kate acts fast and brings a really struggling health wise Beth down to the bat cave. Down below Luke join them as they try to come up with ideas of helping Beth. Luke even suggests freezing Beth thanks to some cryo tech Bruce had. Mr Freeze / Nora Fries nod?? Kate soon gets a call from Mary who is outside the building with Alice's blood. Mary gives Kate an ultimatum. Save Beth and get the sister she's always wanted or save Alice who killed Mary's mom and who has been terrorizing the city for a long time now. It's an easy answer according to Mary who leaves it to Kate on who to choose. With time running out for both Kate goes to see Alice and tells her that she isn't giving her the blood. She tried to save her but ultimately couldn't. On the flipside we see Kate give Beth the blood in the bat cave saving her life in the process. Kate tells Luke to take the bat-bike and get out of the city with Beth which he does. Upon getting away from some Crow agents the two get off the bike and are talking as we see Beth down the lens of a scope. It's Sophie who doesn't take the shot rather someone else does killing Beth in the process. We see the killer and of course it's Doctor Campbell as Beth's life slips away in Luke's arms. One more surprise is in store before the episode ends and that is when Alice returns to life just as Kate breaks down into tears after thinking she's just lost her sister. Alice awakes and hits Kate over the head with a metallic tray and that's how it ends. I really did like this episode a lot. It wasn't perfect mind but it was a good welcome back for this show. One had to die between Beth and Alice and truth be told it was always going to be Beth. Kate's emotional side finally got to come out towards the end which was good and all in all this show while still not quite right is working through it's problems and unwinding them with each episode. Until next week!

★★★