8 Years Ago, The Arrowverse Lied To Everyone About Batman

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The Arrowverse TV shows mostly told their own stories within the DC Comics world, but one episode hinted at an appearance by Batman, which ultimately didn’t happen. While it’s not necessary for every TV show to connect to a larger universe, it’s great when a shared universe is handled well.

The Arrowverse is often considered one of the most successful shared universes ever created for television, with ten main shows and hundreds of episodes all connected within a single storyline. However, it hasn’t always been consistent in following through on its established plot points.

Bruce Wayne Debuted In The Arrowverse 8 Years Ago

Back in 2017, five years after the shared universe of Arrowverse began, the TV show Arrow briefly mentioned Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is, of course, the secret identity of Batman, the famous superhero who fights crime in Gotham City. Batman and Oliver Queen, the main character of Arrow, actually have a lot of similarities.

Both of these characters are very rich and use their money to fight crime as masked vigilantes. It’s therefore surprising that in a season six episode called “Tribute,” Oliver attempts to deny being the Green Arrow by suggesting Bruce Wayne is the one doing it during a public press conference.

After Oliver is photographed while acting as a vigilante, he attempts to deflect suspicion by claiming the pictures could be faked, suggesting they could even depict someone like Bruce Wayne. However, it doesn’t seem Oliver is aware of Bruce Wayne’s secret identity.

Arrow’s Bruce Wayne Namedrop Led To Absolutely Nothing

I’ll always remember this moment in the Arrowverse – it happened when the show had really grown, bringing in characters like Supergirl and her Superman. It felt like the perfect time for that mention of Batman to actually lead somewhere amazing, and honestly, I was hoping it would!

Sadly, that didn’t happen, and the idea went nowhere. We never got to see Bruce Wayne or Batman within the Arrowverse. It’s really frustrating, because the shows seemed ready for a significant team-up event.

Although it wasn’t certain Batman would ever be part of The CW’s DC shows, it’s disappointing they came so close to featuring him – one of DC Comics’ most iconic heroes – only for the plans to ultimately fall through after hinting at his presence in their universe.

It Took The Multiverse To Bring Batman Into The Arrowverse

In 2019, the Arrowverse grew with the addition of Batwoman, a show linked to the existing series, but with fewer crossover events. Interestingly, even though the show takes place in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne doesn’t appear.

After Batman seemingly killed the Joker, he vanished. His cousin, Kate Kane, then stepped up to become Batwoman. This means The Dark Knight never actually appeared in this particular story.

The ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ TV adaptation of the famous comic book story unexpectedly allowed for a Batman appearance, though the cameo itself was quite surprising.

Instead of a youthful, energetic Batman, the Arrowverse cast Kevin Conroy – the iconic voice of Batman – as an older, villainous Bruce Wayne. This version of the character had given in to his darker impulses, becoming a far more dangerous and murderous figure than Batman ever was.

Batman Was One Of The Arrowverse’s Weirdest Tales

The Arrowverse team likely wanted to feature Batman, but legal restrictions prevented them from even mentioning his name, let alone casting an actor. This ultimately meant any potential appearance of Batman remained just a shadowy idea that never came to fruition.

When Batwoman was added to the Arrowverse, it actually highlighted how much fans missed Superman. The show then resorted to strange explanations to avoid mentioning him, which felt ridiculous.

Fans often compare Stephen Amell’s Green Arrow to Batman from the comics, noting that his portrayal feels more like Bruce Wayne than the original Oliver Queen character in the source material.

Batman’s presence in the Arrowverse eventually faded to just mentions and hints, and surprisingly, that felt more disruptive than if he’d been completely ignored. It made it harder to believe the show’s heroes were truly driving their own story in their own world.

The existence of a Batman on Earth-1, which the Arrowverse never really acknowledges or explains, is one of the strangest and least satisfying parts of the show. Luckily, the series had plenty of strong storylines that didn’t rely on bringing in the classic Gotham hero.

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2025-10-29 21:41