Warning: Contains spoilers for Birds of Prey #9!!
Batgirl has been a staple in the Bat Family for many years, and Cassandra Cain wears the mantle with pride. Her intense loyalty, formidable combat prowess, and empathetic nature make her one of a kind, and her time with the Birds of Prey proves why she’s the perfect right-hand for Black Canary. Together, the two are unstoppable, and they’ve quickly established an unwavering trust that might just save their team.
Birds of Prey #9 – by Kelly Thompson, Jonathan Case, Gavin Guidry, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles – picks up after the chaotic fashion show that saw half the team pulled through a portal to a shadowy approximation of Gotham. After the team finds a surprisingly alive Barbara Gordon, alarm bells begin going off for Cassandra.
It isn’t long before Batgirl tells Dinah that the creature leading them isn’t Babs at all, and her word is all it takes for Black Canary to scream and prove her right. Her immediate action on Cass’ hunch alone highlights the intense trust between them and acts as a reminder that Batgirl was her first choice for the new Birds of Prey team.
Although Batgirl is undoubtedly one of DC’s greatest fighters, and is nearly unparalleled in hand-to-hand combat, she doesn’t take the lead in the same way as certain other heroes. She works best in the shadows, tapping into her uncanny ability to observe and read people. Cass has value beyond fighting, and Dinah has acknowledged that from the start. Not only is she dependably sincere, but she’s driven by her own conscience to do what’s right and can’t be deterred. Beyond that, she’s just as motivated as Dinah to save Babs, keeping the two of them on the same wavelength.
Cassandra is unwaveringly loyal to what Batman stands for. However, she is still her own person beneath that – a lesson that Barbara Gordon spent a great deal of time teaching her. Working with Black Canary and the Birds of Prey is the best of both worlds. She stands on her own merit, and Dinah repeatedly shows that she believes in Cass by offering the trust Batman doesn’t fully extend. Not only did she recruit the total wild card Harley Quinn because Cass made a case for it, but she attacked her best friend because of her faith in Batgirl.
The new Birds of Prey have encountered nothing but chaos, and any answers they find spawn an additional problem or question. They’re struggling to find their footing, but the trust established between Batgirl and Black Canary offers surprisingly steady ground at the center of it all. They might question reality itself, but the two of them don’t question each other. It’s the solid wall the team needs to lean on, and it’s the kind of rock Cassandra Cain deserves to find in another hero, too. Black Canary and Batgirl are forming the formidable bond the Birds of Prey need to succeed.
Birds of Prey #9 is available now from DC Comics.