On Batwoman season 2, episode 3, Alice and Sophie awaken in Coryana after being kidnapped by Safiyah’s right hand; Meanwhile, Mary and Luke fight, and Ryan gets a lesson from one of Gotham’s most wanted: Victor Zsasz.

Batwoman season 2, episode 3 may be one of the first episodes of the new season, but it doesn’t hold any punches as viewers finally get a glimpse into the dynamic between Alice and Safiyah (which was worth the wait) and Kate’s disappearance remains one of the biggest issues of the season. Meanwhile, Ryan is tasked with stopping a villain that not even Batman could stop, but first she needs to make Batwoman her own.

Below, we’ve compiled a few teases and our (mostly) spoiler-free review of what’s to come on this game-changing episode.

‘Batwoman’ season 2, episode 3 screeners secrets

Ryan struggles

Since Ryan first put on the Batsuit, it’s been exceedingly clear (at least on the show) she’s just suiting up temporarily until Kate’s return. And that’s something that has prevented Ryan from owning her new role and making it work for her, even temporarily, as not even the suit’s boots properly fit her.

As we know, Batwoman season 2, episode 3 marks the arrival of Ryan’s own spin on the Batsuit (which looks even better in action), but what leads her to make these changes is certainly not expected, including a chat with Victor Zsasz about his, uh, very personalized comfortability in his skin.

At the same time, Ryan is struggling to keep her personal life and vigilante life from interfering with one another. When she’s put in a close call situation with her probation officer, Ryan comes up with a lie that may actually work in her favor and bring her further into the Batwoman world.

Coryana

After Alice’s very loud message to Safiyah (with the bats, poison, and desert rose), she and Sophie are drugged and brought to the remote island of Coryana on Batwoman season 2, episode 3. Since receiving the note from Safiyah following the explosion of Kate’s plane, Alice has been waiting for the moment to ask what truly happened to her sister, and that’s exactly what we see.

That said, we get plenty of insight into Alice and Safiyah’s past, including the tale of how they first met. Plus, Safiyah has some information about Kate that leaves Alice with mixed emotions… but can Alice really trust what she’s hearing? That’s something she certainly struggles with.

On the flip side, Sophie’s experience is Coryana is rather limited, spending most of her time with Tatiana (the woman who kidnapped them). But even her limited time on Coryana may change the trajectory of her story on Batwoman season 2 in major ways.

The divide between the Bat Team

Continuing where we left off at the end of the previous episode, Batwoman season 2 sees Luke still hesitant to accept Ryan’s new role as Batwoman, not even wanting someone temporarily filling in until Kate is back.

However, the divide is only strengthened between the Bat Team as Mary is eager and willing to do everything she can to help Ryan fill this new role, leading to a minor stand-off between Batwoman’s closest allies, revealing Luke’s feelings may not be directed at Ryan whatsoever but at their very different ideas about what the future of Gotham’s favorite vigilante may hold.

‘Batwoman’ season 2, episode 3 (mostly) spoiler-free review

Batwoman season 2, episode 3 proves, once again, that Batwoman is the best show currently on The CW. Javicia Leslie shines as Ryan Wilder once again, really capturing the struggle Ryan is experiencing as she’s feeling forced out of the world in favor of someone else, both as herself and as Batwoman.

I love how the dynamic between Ryan and the Bat Team is developing. It’s so real, not skipping over any of the hardships that are expected when the leader changes. Mary and Ryan’s relationship is becoming one of the standouts, possibly even surpassing Mary’s relationship with Kate already. These two women understand and empathize with each other so well, and Mary’s unwavering encouragement of Ryan is unbelievably heartwarming.

Alice and Safiyah almost steal the show, as finally meeting a villain that has been teased throughout the first season is incredibly interesting and enthralling, especially since she’s almost nothing like one would expect given how threatening she’s been perceived to be. I’m a bit disappointed that we see so little of Alice and Sophie together on Coryana, but the two leave the island with some form of an understanding between them, so it seems we may see those two together in future episodes.

After this episode, I’m particularly excited to see where Ryan and Alice’s stories go. We’re starting off the season so strong with two villains set to torment Gotham (Safiyah and Black Mask), it seems like it can only go up from here!

Batwoman season 2, episode 3 airs Sunday, January 31 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW! Don’t miss it!