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Barbara Gordon ’s Batgirl was curiously absent from the propose cast of new eccentric for the upcomingBirds of Preymovie . Could it be because she ’s already the hacker hero Oracle in the DCEU ? Several signs suggest this might be the case .
The daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner Jim Gordon , Barbara Gordon , has one of the most complex history of any character in modern comics . in the beginning created for the live - action Batman video series in 1966 , Barbara proved popular enough to be brought into the comic book one year subsequently inDetective Comics # 359.Her life history would interchange forever following an attempt by The Joker in the graphical novelThe Killing Joke , which go away her paralyzed . Barbara would later reemerge in Kim Yale and John Ostrander’sSuicide Squadcomic , having acquire the Oracle identity to aid the squad as a lily-white - hat hacker . She would go on to be a penis of the Justice League but never had a comic of her own untilBirds of Prey .
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think by editor Jordan B. Gorfinkel in 1996 as a serial of special , Birds of Preycentered upon the adventures of Oracle and her partner , superheroine / undercover agent Dinah Lance ( a.k.a . Black Canary ) . It became a full monthly comic in 1999 , but was on the verge of cancellation before author Gail Simone revitalize the serial in 2003 . Simone added the Mafia - focused vigilance man Helena Bertinelli ( a.k.a . Huntress ) to the cast of characters and went on to remold the team with a rotate roster of DC Comics ' heroines .
Given the central role that Barbara Gordon held in forming the Birds of Prey in two realities ( the most late incarnation of the radical was organize in the DC Rebirth seriesBatgirl And The Birds of Prey , where Barbara regained her mobility and became Batgirl again ) , many fans were stunned whena supposed list of bomber who would be in the moviewas reported and Barbara Gordon ’s name was conspicuously abstracted . This caused disarray , particularly when coupled with the on - go questions regarding the status of aBatgirlsolo film centering on Barbara Gordon followingJoss Whedon ’s departure from the project . What was more worrisome was the comprehension of an unexpected name on the inclination of quality to be see inBirds of Prey- Cassandra Cain .
Cassandra Cain is The DCEU’s Batgirl, Not Barbara Gordon
First introduced during theBatmanstorylineNo Man ’s Landin 1999,Cassandra Cain was Barbara Gordon ’s hired hand - nibble successor to take up her mantle . The girl of the assassin David Cain and Lady Shiva , Cassandra was raise by her sire and prepare from parentage to become the perfect assassin . Cain did not utter to his daughter , nor instruct her how to read or indite , theorizing that with the only speech she con being body language , she would spring up into a superior warrior . His theory essay correct , but he did not count on Cassandra ’s distressed reaction to her first " hit " at the eld of eight nor her running aside from house and living on the street , where she was taken in by Barbara Gordon and offered a better life .
Cassandra Cain ’s presence in theBirds of Preymovie present several interesting question . On the one hand , it seems unlikely that Cassandra would be include if there was any intention of having Barbara Gordon be Batgirl . On the other hand , given their story together in the comics where Barbara act as a surrogate mother of sorts to Cassandra , the fact that Cassandra is part of theBirds of Preysuggests that Barbara will be a presence in the film even if she ’s already passed on her mantle .
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give the relative age of the persona in the DCEU compared to their comic - book counterparts , with a distinctly former Bruce Wayne who has been at the vigilante act for decades , there ’s a fair prospect that aBatgirlmovie starring Barbara Gordon could still be a possibility . It could be treat as a retro - firearm , in much the same manner as the upcomingWonder Woman 1984 . The current DC Comics timeline had Barbara Gordon taking up the Batgirl name shortly after Batman made his first appearance in Gotham City . As such , there ’s a fair possibility the soloBatgirlfilm could be an origin fib for Barbara while allowing for an onetime Barbara Gordon to look in aBirds of Preymovie set in the modern twenty-four hours DCEU , acting as a mentor to Cassandra Cain .
Page 2 of 2:Theory: Barbra Gordon Is Already Oracle
There’s Already Been One Horrifying Bat Family Attack
There was one particularly infamous image fromBatman v. Superman : Dawn of Justicethat incite intense surmise from comics fans long before the plastic film was release . This was a picture of a graffiti - covered Robin costume held in a show example in the Bat Cave . Based on the erratic handwriting and the use of the phrase " Joke ’s on you , Batman " it was imply this had been written by The Joker .
This enkindle several questions . DidRobin expire at the hand of The Jokerin the realness of the DCEU ? If so , was it the second Robin , Jason Todd , who was killed by The Joker , as in the comics ? If so , what hap to Dick Grayson , the original Robin ? Did he become Nightwing in the DCEU ? And what about all the other vigilance man normally associated with Batman , like Batgirl ?
While theJustice Leaguemoviemay have quietly retconnedsome of this backstory , it is still clear that something high-risk chance in Batman ’s past that has made him loath to exploit with other citizenry . This is imply by some of his interactions with Wonder Woman , as they go about building a team together . It ’s also possible that Commissioner Gordon ’s remark about it being good to see Batman take on with others may have been worded in such a way so as to not directly reference missing loved ones .
interrelate : BvS ’s Dead Robin May Have Been Dick Grayson After All
Theory: Barbra Gordon Is Already Oracle
count all of this , one possibility stands out above all others that explicate all the available evidence - Barbara Gordon is already Oracle in the DCEU . Given Barbara’sstrong will and refusal to live an ordinary lifewhen her intelligence gives her so many opportunities to help others , it is unlikely that she ’d peacefully go to bed from crime - fighting . Even in the realities where she did give up being Batgirl , she continued to fight offence in some capacity , as in the realism ofBatman Beyondwhere she followed her father to become the Commissioner of Gotham City ’s Police Department .
Given that Jim Gordon was still alive and kick inJustice League , it seems far more potential - even ignore the graphic symbol ’s long story and her popularity in the Oracle role - thatBarbara Gordon would appear in as Oraclein The DCEU , particularly in aBirds of Preymovie . This might also explain why we did n’t see her inBatman v. SupermanorJustice League- she was tied up with another squad - or maybe she was no longer on speaking terms with her former mentor for some reason ?
How Oracle Ties The DCEU’s Bat-Movies Together
We recognize there was some idealistic larger-than-life battle between Batman and The Joker at some distributor point in the past . Batman V. Supermandidn’t give us many point , but it was put forward inSuicide Squadthat The Joker and Harley Quinn had killed at least one Robin . Given that , might it be potential that the events ofThe Killing Jokemight have played out in some way in this reality , with The Joker paralyzing Batgirl as part of his vendetta against Batman ? It would n’t be impossible and seems quite likely .
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assume that happened , we now have a likely breakdown of Barbara Gordon ’s condition in the DCEU . We also have a mean of strengthening the connections between the various films correct in Gotham City . Because Barbara Gordon has a singular condition as the only fictional character whose off - screen presence could have influenced the outcome ofBatman v. Superman , Justice Leagueand Suicide Squad .
Granting that there have been no lineal point of reference to Barbara Gordon exist in the DCEU so far , there ’s nothing to suggest she does n’t exist either . Moreover , there are numerous characters to whom she was closely splice in the comics that we know do exist in the movies . From her Father-God to Batman and Robin , all the way of life to Amanda Waller .
This last point could also explain the whodunit of Harley ’s involution inBirds of Prey . Perhaps a revenge - tending Oracle would see Harley as the cay to cross down the man responsible for her paralysis . Amanda Waller provide exactly that connexion , and would also make an excellent cameo for an " radius - Rated miss gang film"Birds of Preywas cant over as . With Harley being the one person who has more reason to hate The Joker than Oracle , such a story would tender a bully avenue for difference , with the notoriously ordination - apt Oracle sputter to cope and keep - up with the chaotic Harley Quinn .
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