cassandra cain has moved to #2 in my favourite batfamily members, right behind mr. dick grayson. who's your favourite batfam member? you can follow/support me here. thank you for watching. PATREON: www.patreon.com/sagesrain TWITTER: twitter.com/sagesrain INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/sagesrain/
An interesting difference between Cassandra and other similar "trained from birth to be assassin" characters like Damian, is that Cassandra wasn't even really trained to be an assassin, she was trained to be a weapon FOR an assassin. Damian was trained to be an assassin, which included not only combat training but also training in disguises, languages, strategy, tracking, etc. A lot of harsh and abusive training absolutely, but intended to make him a fully functional and proficient soldier and assassin on his own, and eventual heir to take over The League. Cassandra wasn't taught anything except solely to kill. Even if she did enjoy killing and always stayed with her father, she'd never be a functional assassin on her own, just an extremely proficient killer that David Cain could aim at his targets. It's a distinction I don't see mentioned often, sets her apart a little from Damian and the several other characters with similar backgrounds in superhero comics.
When you're raised to be an assassin you are never going to have a happy childhood just like Damien he was taught how to fight since he was a toddler and Cassandra's life was filled with nothing but abuse she never had a happy childhood she was shown a ton of violence and was raised by an abusive of a****** of a father and a mother that never loved her at all the bat family are her real family
Love how Cassandra parallels Bruce: her traumatic past and here determination to protect life. Unlike Damien, it's much easier to empathize with her because of her earnest desire to help people. Glad she's found a real father with Bruce and a home with the bat-family.
@@b4mfeva They are actually good friends again in cannon now. Spend a lot more time together, plus pre-52 when Damian was just coming out of his bratty spoiled child phase he always respected her.
@@hamizanyunos1502 True, there was actually an event in the pre-52 story "Gates of Gotham" where Damian tries to shit on Cassandra. After which Red Robin calls him out and exposed Damian for being jealous over Batman trusting Cassandra more than him. (For obvious and good reason). You said it right, Cassandra didn't use her dark past as a crutch, unlike Damian or Jason. Plus she is more badass than both combined (at least pre-reboot).
Cass is legit one of the most underrated DC characters out there. The reason she isn't more popular is because DC editorial had it out for her since she became Batgirl. Man I wish she would've stayed as the main batgirl for longer than she did.
Yeah, for me she's the number 1 Batgirl. I really never liked Barbara's Batgirl -but most people do-, because I think her best development as a character was when she was oracle. DC is just ruining all their characters with overuse.
@@anaclararodas4833 Fully agree with your take on Babs. She was my least favourite Batgirl and I kind of hated what they did with New 52 (*edit: I should say that I LOVED her as Oracle. That was the role she was born for and It was perfect). Like, they kept nearly everything else the same but decided to just ignore 2 decades of development for Barbara and get rid of Cass and Steph just so they could have Barbara be Batgirl again? Not cool. If I'm being honest though, I kind of preferred Stephanie as Batgirl to Cassandra as Batgirl (Though, I prefer Cass as a character to Steph).
Really sucks that she was so lame and helpless in the Birds of Prey film. I love her Black Bat costume-it’s like Batman’s, but her costume’s lack of a mouth is symbolic of how she was mute.
Yep. While the comics showed her history, how she wants what could've been a cycle brutality to end with her, and Batman's willingness to forgive and comfort her, the movie made her a shallow 'girl power' side character. I'm really glad people like Sages Rain can talk about it.
Birds of Prey was fun and all, but their Cassandra Cain disappointed me immensely. I think it would've been better if they went with Steph instead because BoP Cass
That was the only thing I didn’t like about that movie. That character was just NOT Cassie Cain. Idk why they used that name in the movie for that character.
I agree that the BoP movie did not due Cassandra Cain justice...but there was a reason for that. The director herself is an Asian women, and Cassandra is Chinese. In media like comics and film, the mute female Asian assasin type is a very prominent and harmful stereotype. The director, of course, didn't want this kind of stereotype in her movie, so she changed Cassandra's entire character. It may not have been the best decision in my opinion, but there was a reason behind it, which most people tend to overlook.
"Fear, then nothing," Cassandra, explaining what she saw the man she killed feeling. What she innately, deeply understood him feeling on a level few others can really understand.
I think of Cassandra Cain as the antithesis of Harley Quinn. How, you may ask? Harley Quinn is proof of the Joker's thesis, that most people are just one bad day away from becoming him. Of course, Harley also dilutes that premise by becoming a nobler, if morally gray version of the Clown Prince, but even in this way she represents a threat to Batman's ideology. Even after breaking from the Joker, Harley continues to live in a world of madness by choice, the difference now is that she owns it. In direct contrast, Cassandra Cain is proof of Batman's thesis, that everyone deserves a chance at redemption, the very reason he doesn't kill his enemies. As a born and raised assassin who turned away from the life after her one and only kill, Cain not only proves that thesis, she's since made it her lifelong mission.
I've always had a strong feeling that Cass has some strong reversive parallels to Jason. Where Jay is a "no-kill rule gone full murder spree" case, Cassie is a "took a life to learn it's fragility and value" case. I would love to see those two interact based on each other's work ethics and views. Edited: grammar.
Fully agree! They are both similar in so many ways but completely different when it comes to their morals. A talk between them would be very interesting to see
They should've made her a mentor to Damian to reign is his homicidal tendencies. They really should've done something with that characteristic that they both share.
I never understood why they never do more with Cassandra and Damien. You would think the story possibilities are endless from the two League of Assassin kids in the bat family. But, more than anything DC keeps them separated more than any other members of the bat family.
Which in all honesty is both a curse and a bit of a gift if you ask me. Better to be out of the limelight with a few great stories than in it and have people endlessly argue about the latest developments and which universe or interpretation is the most true one.
@@MinuteLeech2 yeah but, luckily they made confirmation of an upcoming season featuring Red Hood, Blackfire and possibly Barbara Gordon. They certainly can't manage ruin this but looking at it's recent track record, probably another wasted season.
I first came across Cassandra Cain as Orphan when she made her on-screen debut in Young Justice Outsiders. I never actually knew there was a reason why she never said a word. I dug deep and discovered those interesting tidbits of her story, daughter of David Cain and Lady Shiva, Black Bat, Batgirl, Orphan, and her Batman alignment. The scene where she sees ballet for the first time hit me in the heart, as I view art in the same way Cassandra does. Bruce and Cassandra are amazingly similar, their ideals, their obsessions, and they both had one bad day that changed their lives, at the very same age. Thanks Sage for all that knowledge and more.
That's easy. Orphan is added to the Team between seasons 2 and 3, making her first appearance in the latter and further appearances in the subsequent fourth season.
One detail you didn't mention that really sells her origin in my opinion: When she commits her first kill, she truly dousn't understand what she's done until she sees his face. Sees his fear and his pain, sees him struggling to breath. The very training that was supposed to turn her into a heartless killer was the thing that allowed her to see the gravity of taking a life.
I've said it before, I've always thought Cassandra should be Bruce's heir not Luke Fox or any of the former robins. All the robins have a level of trauma regarding the mantle that honestly makes it better for none of them to slip into the role
@•Reserved• Tim is a good choice too, I just think all robins should have the opportunity to grow in their own right as damien one day will too. Cassandra is devoted to the very essence of the bat not seeing it as a role or mantle but as some sort of manifestation bigger than her which I believe is similar to how Bruce saw it when he first started out.
Out of all the Bat fam members and pretenders to the throne the two Best Candidates to be Batman imo is Dick Grayson and Cassandra Cain Damien should he progress better might be above the two but he always seems to either A:Never understand the true symbole behind the Bat or B: is written atrociously for that role
That’s fair, dick feels he’s in Bruce’s shadow, Jason’s version of how Bruce should be is corrupt and involves killing, Tim’s is more of partner and deem that is his role, Damian wants to be Batman but he has his upbringing to deal with and not fully got Bruce teachings ingrained, he trying but still.
Cassandra doesn't have the detective skills, sadly. She and Tim make one hell of a pair because of this though. He is nearly as good as Bruce, and will be better as he grows and Cass... well Cass is a top 5 fighter on the planet and could be #1 any given day. (So long as Val is in his own time period) Tim should be the next Bat because he would be "The Worlds Greatest Detective" but Cass knows the mission better. Both of them need to be the ones to help train Helena when and if she is ever born in the mainline timeline.
@@rolkflameraven1483 that's a fair point actually, I'm kind of really attached to the idea of Batman more as the mission rather than detective but typing that out now feels wrong to me 😂 I suppose in my dream scenario Cassandra learns the detective chops as she goes on, kind of a Batman: Earth One kind of deal yk? Or alternatively, the Bat family network just works together well enough that an individual detective just ain't necessary, Oracle has done good work with the birds of prey. Thanks for the point tho, it gave me food for thought 🔥
Cassandra Cain is my favorite Batgirl. I was so upset with how they undid most of this story with the New 52 and started from scratch with her. During the Rebirth era, we saw her slowly returning to who she was pre-New 52 and I was loving it. Her being a fighter who feels compassion even for her enemies, her friendship with Stephanie and Clawface, and her love for dance and theater (which also made her connection to Clawface all the more genuine because he too loves theater and dance). I hope we get to the point we’re DC doesn’t hate its legacy characters. Cassandra Cain is a great character and seeing her be treated so badly by DC in recent years is disheartening.
I've thought for a while now that Cass deserves her own animated feature. She FINALLY got acknowledged on Young Justice for a few episodes but it wasn't enough. Maybe she needs a new solo run in the comics.
Worst part is Young Justice botched her characterisation, too. In that show she is clearly lacking her "nobody dies" mentality and you can't really have Cassandra Cain without that
Cassandra Cain is one of my favorites. She always felt more like Batman than any of the Robins. She is a hardcore character and her back story is both tragic and interesting. I always liked her as Bat Girl because she mirrored Bruce's darkness.
While she mirrored Bruce's darkness she always had a wide smile on her face. This is the aspect of Cass that is the most forgotten. For all intents and purposes Cassandra was the well adjusted version of Bruce until the editorial mandates started messing up her character. That was the main difference between them. Where Bruce is naturally cynical of everything, Cassandra is far more optimistic. I wish more writers would remember that.
I think a big difference between Damian and Cassandra is she never lost her innocence. She was raised to be a weapon a pawn that doesn’t think. She never lost her childlike foundation. Damian was indoctrinated and raised up to maybe be the next leader of the shadow of assassins or go shake up life with his dad. He was fed villainous thoughts and mindsets to prepare him for said life. So his innocence was pushed to the side.
This is an interesting take, IMO Cass completely lost her innocence after Cain made her kill someone. She spent/spends her entire life trying to make up for that and save as many people as she can. I guess it depends on what you mean by innocence.
Yes, this point is what I was thinking, when people call Damian spoilt and a brat + all that crap, he was taught to look down on people as they would be his subjects
Cassandra is an icon. Trained to be a weapon for an assassin, became her own individual using her skills to help a vigilante. I fully believe she should be the one becoming Batman if a new Batman was needed for a long period of time. She's obsessive, clever, skilled, compassionate and fully believes in seconds chances and in the importance of life. She truly embraces and dedicates herself to the Bat symbol, much more than any other character outside of Bruce.
I literally decided against seeing that Harley Quinn movie the moment I found out that little teen who needs to be rescued, was supposed to Cassandra Caine. I was like, NOPE. HARD PASS. Still haven't seen it. Never will.
I did not know Cassandra Cain by the time I watched the movie. When I learned her backstory, I was extremely disappointed. Still do not know why they added her to that film, the characters do not have anything in common but the name.
Birds of Prey did her character beyond dirty bruh🤦🏾♂️! If you wanted a kid companion in the movie they could’ve just used Stephanie Brown and have her become Spoiler at the end of the movie. We could’ve had an emotional & action pack Batman movie with Cassandra Cain😫; praying the Flashpoint movie reboots a lot of the DCEU🙏🏾.
@@diesenutss I didn’t choose Stephanie because the on screen version of Cassandra Cain reminded me of her, though I can see how it would come across that way. I was thinking of another way the story could be told and Stephanie could’ve been wrapped up in the situation unintentionally, that’s more of what I was going for. Harper Row would be a better replacement for Cassandra in that movie tbh.
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So true. Cassandra is the best batgirl. Her suffering, and trying to atone for her sins make her a great character. As a comic book reader you can’t help, but cheer her on and also cry for her. No character has a great emotional story line in my opinion.
As epic as that ballet scene is, the truly powerful moment is when this little girl with absolutely no social or cultural background takes a life without a moment's hesitation, and then IMMEDIATLY recognizes it as a horrible thing and turns away from it.
I also have always enjoyed the aspects of disability in Cassandra Cain's story, especially in the 2000 series. It isn't handled perfectly, but better than most examples and still really nice to see. I do think it's a shame most newer versions tend to gloss over it and/or rush along her rehabilitation to where it doesn't come up much. But it's at least usually there a little, except in her awful Birds of Prey rendition.
The problem is that DC keeps rebutting its adaptions, usually to keep the story on Batman in the first few years of his crime fighting when he either has no allies or only Dick and/or Barbara. That’s the problem, you can’t adapt the rest of the batfamily if you never move far enough in the timeline to reach them
Her outfit is my favorite out of everyone in the batfamily, everyone else's uniform is too colorful for me, now don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean that I'd want their outfits to change, I think everyone has a uniform that matches who they are perfectly. Nightwing's is sleek, fits his acrobatic style and the blue bird in the chest is iconic, Barbara's blue and yellow go super well together and kinda has a "cop" vibe to it, to resemble how Gordon is her father, it also feels lighthearted in a way, and I don't even have to say anything about the Robin outfits, the red and green are simply a classic design, the most iconic of 'em all, but as people who work and trained with Batman, who learned his tactics and are supposed to form a team with him, all that color clashes with how much emphasis Batman has with the shadows, how the darkness is suposed to be where he is invisible, their outfits stand out and aren't 100% suited for stealth. But Cassandra's? She and Batman could blend in the darkness no problem, It's full black and is super intimidating, since she idolizes Batman and wants to be just like him this style of uniform is perfect for her, no flashy colors, only functionality, perfect for stealth, and it still has her own distinct style with the sewn mouth, which both works as a way to look terrifying and a nod to how she didn't learn to speak as a kid, it's perfect character design. Out of all of 'em, she embodies the tactics of Batman the best. Nightwing's outfit is a close second, the blue is not big enough to call out that much attention.
when nobody wanted to take on the mantle because the dedication was too great here comes Cassandra who shows everyone whats it truly means to be a super hero and so many of them fall short. You cannot be a man cassandra but your dedication to what is right has made me understand what it means to be true and real and honest. That is why i like her more than any other "super hero" besides Batman.
Glad someone else recognized the unique awesomeness of Cassandra Cain. Tied with Dick Grayson for my favorite DC character. Wish we could've seen more of her in the young justice 3rd season(although, to be fair, that 3rd season was kinda bungled anyway.) Love this character.
Cassandra took the chance to change but although she knows that many can’t change it doesn’t hurt to try and give those who are willing to change the chance to atone. She bravely handles the bat symbol while spreading the mantra of second chances, because that is what she was given
Thanks for making this video. I love Cassandra, about on the same level as Stephanie, Damian, Duke and Jason. They all have something similar, between the five of them. I would love to watch your videos on the rest of them - there's so much content on Tim and Dick, but the rest of Batfam?
I only learned about Cassandra within the Young Justice appearance alongside that (enjoyable) Batfamily webcomic. Gimme a lego figure of Cassandra now plz.
This is… basically my introduction to Cassandra Cain. I knew nothing about her before hand. And I’m really, really glad that this video is it because this is just… an amazing analysis and it makes me want to look more into her character. I’m a big fan of Batman, and that’s mostly because of what he represents, how he represents it, and why. Cassandra seems to have the same essence. Also that suit design???? Absolutely amazing.
I want a run where shes the primary Bat. Like Bruce is out of commission, and he names her specifically to take over the Bat Family, over Dick (who doesnt want it anyway)
My favorite member of the Bat family. You did her justice with this video. Everything from the tone to the music was great and flowed so well. Well done!
Wow! I’m not an avid comic reader so I never heard of her, learning about her story is so compelling. My favorite bat member will always be Jason Todd. But shes definitely in my top favorites now!
My favorite member of the bat fam. Cass & Shiva are literally the only 2 reasons I’ve read so much Batman related comics. I have EVERY, SINGLE, ISSUE, that Cass is in her batgirl suit in on my shelves. Also have her mom in The Question by Denny O’Neil (RIP legend). But yeah, Cass’s batgirl run was the first comic run I ever read, glad she’s back & kicking again 🦇
I recently learned of Cassandra, thank you for sharing this video. She and Duke Thomas are two characters I do not see discussed enough by fans. I hope you can do a video on Duke (The Signal) in the future, he deserves more attention
Honestly, damian feels like a cassandra v2 but done more "edgy and cool" that over use the whole "only real son of batman" because he is bio, that kind of made me always dislike him because writers act as if that puts him over all the other kids even if lots of his qualities already belong to another robin
@@KnucklesxReala911 I hate Damian, because in my opinion his presence inherently isolates Batman from the rest of the Family. By being such a 'Problem Child' and by being Batman's Biological son, Batman ends up JUST paying attention to him. The point at which Damian first showed up in the comics is the same point when the Batfam stopped being a family and started becoming Batman's coworkers. Cass was the EXACT opposite. Bruce related to her incredibly strongly. He felt like they understood each other on a profound level. And by working with Babs to try and help her adjust - in often conflicting ways - the family still had the sort of drama that made for good stories but they FELT LIKE a family. Cass had really good interactions with pretty much everyone IN the Batfamily. Cassandra Cain makes Damian Wayne redundant. That's why they keep sidelining her.
@@kamalalsb7292 100% with you, like i said i just feel Damian at the end of the day is just an amalgam of all the best qualities all the robins too in general, which sidelines them too: the prodigal first son (dick), the troubled rebel (Jason), the precocious precious youngest (Tim) and again pretty much everything from Cassandra, but if you had to centralize it, would be being the outsider of the bunch (Cass' emotional and psychological problems that made her distant at first, she being batman's only daughter in between all his sons) (Steph and Barb are important too and Damian also steal role from them but Cass relationship with batman was more like he ever had with the robins than them, since they still keep parental figures around)
You always seem to show a new character I have never heard of and make it one of my favourites, or show a deeper understanding that I would never have seen. Always enjoy watching ur vids
I haven't seen much, if at all, of Cassandra and I think that just from this video alone and the few times I've heard of what she's all about before is all I need to love this character, I think she may now be one of my favorite comic book characters.
I definitely have to agree with you when it comes to the Eternal comic with Cassandra it really gives good moments to our character and deep moments with one of my favorites being her relationship with Sandman and what happens to Sandman by the end of the run and how Cassandra reacts to it and ultimately hates the person that inflicted pain on Sandman
Cassandra is my favorite Batgirl and Tim Drake is my favorite Robin. More of these characters please. I love they used Cassandra on Young Justice as Orphan.
Cass is my favorite Bargirl, and one of my favorite characters overall. Though, I will disagree with the "essential nature" of Batman & Robin Eternal. True, that bit at the ballet was nice, conceptually. But for me, it was marred by the entire series was more about Harper Row, with everything and everyone else being an afterthought. I frankly consider "Orphan" to be little more than a poorer clone of Cassandra; similarities notwithstanding, she's essentially a different character.
Thank you for this video. To me she was always just a background character. Another member of the bat family. But I never knew her. After you’ve explained her character, shes become so much more to me than just a background character.
Dick Grayson, may be Batmans greatest success, and he be my favourite DC character, but anyone is worthy of becoming *THE* Bat after Batman dying its Cass. Or at least thats what I think
Cassandra is the best Bat Family member, maybe second to Jason. She's so full of complexity, emotion, and life. She's grown to become the opposite of everything her father raised her to be. On top of all the emotional character shit, she's just awesome. The stitched-up Batgirl suit is absolutely terrifying. I feel so bad for all the people who only know her from Suicide Squad.
I prefer Puckett and Scott's work by far. They also made David Cain into much more of a complex character. He didn't look it at first but he truly cared about Cassandra and it destroyed him when she joined Batman. He thought she would be by his side but he accidentally pushed her away, as much as he deserved to lose her.
See I didn't read it as that. He always viewed her as a project, not a daughter. Nothing about her... was ever about HER, in his eyes. It was all about how great he was, what he'd accomplished by making her this way, and when she... y'know, decided she was an actual person who deserved her own life and agency, that hurt him because it meant all the shit he'd tried to make her hadn't worked. His project failed and he wasn't as smart as he thought he was. They still made him complex, but I wouldn't say sympathetic? Cass beat him - in every possible way, she beat him, and it's IMPORTANT that she beat him not just by kicking his ass - but by making herself into more than just another weapon in his arsenal.
@@kamalalsb7292 well he was pissed off at a guy for hiring him to kill "his own daughter". He's messed up but he still considering himself a father. He even thinks about her birthday and gets her a gift.
cassandra cain has moved to #2 in my favourite batfamily members, right behind mr. dick grayson. who's your favourite batfam member?
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First reply
Cassandra Cain and Tim Drake are tied
It’s Alfred and Cassandra for me!
Alfred and Grayson
She's always been my favorite batmember and I really hate what they did with her in Birds of Prey :(
An interesting difference between Cassandra and other similar "trained from birth to be assassin" characters like Damian, is that Cassandra wasn't even really trained to be an assassin, she was trained to be a weapon FOR an assassin. Damian was trained to be an assassin, which included not only combat training but also training in disguises, languages, strategy, tracking, etc. A lot of harsh and abusive training absolutely, but intended to make him a fully functional and proficient soldier and assassin on his own, and eventual heir to take over The League. Cassandra wasn't taught anything except solely to kill. Even if she did enjoy killing and always stayed with her father, she'd never be a functional assassin on her own, just an extremely proficient killer that David Cain could aim at his targets. It's a distinction I don't see mentioned often, sets her apart a little from Damian and the several other characters with similar backgrounds in superhero comics.
Excellent point. Just excellent.
Yeah! Great I introspective and I agree. Reminds me of kimiko from the boys
💯
Reminds me a lot of Laura Kinney (X-23) with the childhood training and a father figure who can perfectly empathize with her
When you're raised to be an assassin you are never going to have a happy childhood just like Damien he was taught how to fight since he was a toddler and Cassandra's life was filled with nothing but abuse she never had a happy childhood she was shown a ton of violence and was raised by an abusive of a****** of a father and a mother that never loved her at all the bat family are her real family
Love how Cassandra parallels Bruce: her traumatic past and here determination to protect life. Unlike Damien, it's much easier to empathize with her because of her earnest desire to help people. Glad she's found a real father with Bruce and a home with the bat-family.
Damian did the same
I feel like Damian and Cassandra would be good friends since they both have similar childhoods
Damian has a good arc too.
Sage did a video on him.
@@b4mfeva They are actually good friends again in cannon now. Spend a lot more time together, plus pre-52 when Damian was just coming out of his bratty spoiled child phase he always respected her.
@@hamizanyunos1502
True, there was actually an event in the pre-52 story "Gates of Gotham" where Damian tries to shit on Cassandra. After which Red Robin calls him out and exposed Damian for being jealous over Batman trusting Cassandra more than him. (For obvious and good reason). You said it right, Cassandra didn't use her dark past as a crutch, unlike Damian or Jason. Plus she is more badass than both combined (at least pre-reboot).
Cass is legit one of the most underrated DC characters out there. The reason she isn't more popular is because DC editorial had it out for her since she became Batgirl. Man I wish she would've stayed as the main batgirl for longer than she did.
I will never forgive DC for ruining Cassandra.
She had like the best batgirl outfit too
I'm glad she's back as Batgirl now.
Yeah, for me she's the number 1 Batgirl. I really never liked Barbara's Batgirl -but most people do-, because I think her best development as a character was when she was oracle. DC is just ruining all their characters with overuse.
@@anaclararodas4833 Fully agree with your take on Babs. She was my least favourite Batgirl and I kind of hated what they did with New 52 (*edit: I should say that I LOVED her as Oracle. That was the role she was born for and It was perfect). Like, they kept nearly everything else the same but decided to just ignore 2 decades of development for Barbara and get rid of Cass and Steph just so they could have Barbara be Batgirl again? Not cool.
If I'm being honest though, I kind of preferred Stephanie as Batgirl to Cassandra as Batgirl (Though, I prefer Cass as a character to Steph).
Really sucks that she was so lame and helpless in the Birds of Prey film. I love her Black Bat costume-it’s like Batman’s, but her costume’s lack of a mouth is symbolic of how she was mute.
tell me about it. if restoring the Snyder verse means we're stuck with that Cassandra Cain, then I say we're due for a reboot
Yep.
While the comics showed her history, how she wants what could've been a cycle brutality to end with her, and Batman's willingness to forgive and comfort her, the movie made her a shallow 'girl power' side character.
I'm really glad people like Sages Rain can talk about it.
Birds of Prey was fun and all, but their Cassandra Cain disappointed me immensely. I think it would've been better if they went with Steph instead because BoP Cass
That was the only thing I didn’t like about that movie. That character was just NOT Cassie Cain. Idk why they used that name in the movie for that character.
I agree that the BoP movie did not due Cassandra Cain justice...but there was a reason for that. The director herself is an Asian women, and Cassandra is Chinese. In media like comics and film, the mute female Asian assasin type is a very prominent and harmful stereotype. The director, of course, didn't want this kind of stereotype in her movie, so she changed Cassandra's entire character. It may not have been the best decision in my opinion, but there was a reason behind it, which most people tend to overlook.
Cassandra Cain is the only one who’s understood what the bat symbol means.
All of them understand what the Bat Symbol means, but she’s the only one who embraces that meaning.
Nightwing exists
@@mr.j410 read the first reply
@PrinceOJr
Batwoman clearly doesn't.
Jason arguably understands but doesn't care.
@@goji253 agreed
"Fear, then nothing," Cassandra, explaining what she saw the man she killed feeling. What she innately, deeply understood him feeling on a level few others can really understand.
I think of Cassandra Cain as the antithesis of Harley Quinn.
How, you may ask?
Harley Quinn is proof of the Joker's thesis, that most people are just one bad day away from becoming him. Of course, Harley also dilutes that premise by becoming a nobler, if morally gray version of the Clown Prince, but even in this way she represents a threat to Batman's ideology. Even after breaking from the Joker, Harley continues to live in a world of madness by choice, the difference now is that she owns it.
In direct contrast, Cassandra Cain is proof of Batman's thesis, that everyone deserves a chance at redemption, the very reason he doesn't kill his enemies. As a born and raised assassin who turned away from the life after her one and only kill, Cain not only proves that thesis, she's since made it her lifelong mission.
This comment deserves way more likes
@@derickadjei9849 Aw, thanks.
Nicely put.
@shut up or because they both hate the Joker enough to tolerate each other. Life is funny like that.
@@0g0dn0 *Applause, goodwill sir*
I've always had a strong feeling that Cass has some strong reversive parallels to Jason. Where Jay is a "no-kill rule gone full murder spree" case, Cassie is a "took a life to learn it's fragility and value" case. I would love to see those two interact based on each other's work ethics and views.
Edited: grammar.
Fully agree! They are both similar in so many ways but completely different when it comes to their morals. A talk between them would be very interesting to see
@@loganwendigo937 Agree.
That’s one of the many reasons I loved the DCeased series! It showcased their absolute grit!
I've thought this as well so many times! Glad to see someone else sees it too.
They should've made her a mentor to Damian to reign is his homicidal tendencies. They really should've done something with that characteristic that they both share.
agreed
She’s not socially skilled enough to be a mentor.
I never understood why they never do more with Cassandra and Damien. You would think the story possibilities are endless from the two League of Assassin kids in the bat family. But, more than anything DC keeps them separated more than any other members of the bat family.
Thank you. It’s like people forget she exists.
Which in all honesty is both a curse and a bit of a gift if you ask me. Better to be out of the limelight with a few great stories than in it and have people endlessly argue about the latest developments and which universe or interpretation is the most true one.
So does DC.
Birds of Prey really butchered the character. Seriously, no live action show or movie can ever get Batman's sidekicks right....
@@osmanyousif7849 Live action Titans threw so much potential in the trash.
@@MinuteLeech2 yeah but, luckily they made confirmation of an upcoming season featuring Red Hood, Blackfire and possibly Barbara Gordon. They certainly can't manage ruin this but looking at it's recent track record, probably another wasted season.
I first came across Cassandra Cain as Orphan when she made her on-screen debut in Young Justice Outsiders. I never actually knew there was a reason why she never said a word. I dug deep and discovered those interesting tidbits of her story, daughter of David Cain and Lady Shiva, Black Bat, Batgirl, Orphan, and her Batman alignment. The scene where she sees ballet for the first time hit me in the heart, as I view art in the same way Cassandra does. Bruce and Cassandra are amazingly similar, their ideals, their obsessions, and they both had one bad day that changed their lives, at the very same age. Thanks Sage for all that knowledge and more.
I agree with everything minus the one bad day. Cass didnt have a bad day, she had a bad LIFE Lmao
@@michaellabonte6390 Totally, who wants to be born a killer?
@@michaellabonte6390 can someone just give cassie a huge please 😢
Do you know what season she shows up?
That's easy. Orphan is added to the Team between seasons 2 and 3, making her first appearance in the latter and further appearances in the subsequent fourth season.
One detail you didn't mention that really sells her origin in my opinion: When she commits her first kill, she truly dousn't understand what she's done until she sees his face. Sees his fear and his pain, sees him struggling to breath. The very training that was supposed to turn her into a heartless killer was the thing that allowed her to see the gravity of taking a life.
I've said it before, I've always thought Cassandra should be Bruce's heir not Luke Fox or any of the former robins. All the robins have a level of trauma regarding the mantle that honestly makes it better for none of them to slip into the role
@•Reserved• Tim is a good choice too, I just think all robins should have the opportunity to grow in their own right as damien one day will too. Cassandra is devoted to the very essence of the bat not seeing it as a role or mantle but as some sort of manifestation bigger than her which I believe is similar to how Bruce saw it when he first started out.
Out of all the Bat fam members and pretenders to the throne the two Best Candidates to be Batman imo is Dick Grayson and Cassandra Cain Damien should he progress better might be above the two but he always seems to either A:Never understand the true symbole behind the Bat or B: is written atrociously for that role
That’s fair, dick feels he’s in Bruce’s shadow, Jason’s version of how Bruce should be is corrupt and involves killing, Tim’s is more of partner and deem that is his role, Damian wants to be Batman but he has his upbringing to deal with and not fully got Bruce teachings ingrained, he trying but still.
Cassandra doesn't have the detective skills, sadly. She and Tim make one hell of a pair because of this though. He is nearly as good as Bruce, and will be better as he grows and Cass... well Cass is a top 5 fighter on the planet and could be #1 any given day. (So long as Val is in his own time period)
Tim should be the next Bat because he would be "The Worlds Greatest Detective" but Cass knows the mission better. Both of them need to be the ones to help train Helena when and if she is ever born in the mainline timeline.
@@rolkflameraven1483 that's a fair point actually, I'm kind of really attached to the idea of Batman more as the mission rather than detective but typing that out now feels wrong to me 😂 I suppose in my dream scenario Cassandra learns the detective chops as she goes on, kind of a Batman: Earth One kind of deal yk? Or alternatively, the Bat family network just works together well enough that an individual detective just ain't necessary, Oracle has done good work with the birds of prey. Thanks for the point tho, it gave me food for thought 🔥
"guilt that isn't even her fault"
that sums it up perfectly. She's cool
Cassandra Cain is my favorite Batgirl. I was so upset with how they undid most of this story with the New 52 and started from scratch with her. During the Rebirth era, we saw her slowly returning to who she was pre-New 52 and I was loving it. Her being a fighter who feels compassion even for her enemies, her friendship with Stephanie and Clawface, and her love for dance and theater (which also made her connection to Clawface all the more genuine because he too loves theater and dance). I hope we get to the point we’re DC doesn’t hate its legacy characters. Cassandra Cain is a great character and seeing her be treated so badly by DC in recent years is disheartening.
Lady Shiva wants her to take off that Puppet-like(Orphan Mask) Mask.
I've thought for a while now that Cass deserves her own animated feature. She FINALLY got acknowledged on Young Justice for a few episodes but it wasn't enough. Maybe she needs a new solo run in the comics.
Worst part is Young Justice botched her characterisation, too. In that show she is clearly lacking her "nobody dies" mentality and you can't really have Cassandra Cain without that
Yo coming back to tell you she'll get a new one in November. Cheers mate
Cassandra Cain is one of my favorites. She always felt more like Batman than any of the Robins. She is a hardcore character and her back story is both tragic and interesting. I always liked her as Bat Girl because she mirrored Bruce's darkness.
While she mirrored Bruce's darkness she always had a wide smile on her face. This is the aspect of Cass that is the most forgotten. For all intents and purposes Cassandra was the well adjusted version of Bruce until the editorial mandates started messing up her character. That was the main difference between them. Where Bruce is naturally cynical of everything, Cassandra is far more optimistic. I wish more writers would remember that.
Sage's Rain is kicking bats and takin names.
Who's next: Terry McGinnis?
@@Kaine-e4h What would Terry be called? Certainly not "Bruce's Clone" as he is not.
@@Kaine-e4h He would also only exist in a continuity that's based on/inspired by the DC Animated Universe, so not the main one.
@@foldabotZ he is in the main one, they introduced him in Batman issue #700
I thought it would be Stephanie or Duke, but Terry works too.
She’s such an interesting character to hold up next to other members of the bat family. I really love Cassandra’s character.
Really appreciate you showing Cass some love, she’s always been one of my favourites.
I think a big difference between Damian and Cassandra is she never lost her innocence. She was raised to be a weapon a pawn that doesn’t think. She never lost her childlike foundation. Damian was indoctrinated and raised up to maybe be the next leader of the shadow of assassins or go shake up life with his dad. He was fed villainous thoughts and mindsets to prepare him for said life. So his innocence was pushed to the side.
This is an interesting take, IMO Cass completely lost her innocence after Cain made her kill someone. She spent/spends her entire life trying to make up for that and save as many people as she can. I guess it depends on what you mean by innocence.
Yes, this point is what I was thinking, when people call Damian spoilt and a brat + all that crap, he was taught to look down on people as they would be his subjects
@@archielive2566people who say he's spoiled don't know what spoiled means
Cassandra is an icon. Trained to be a weapon for an assassin, became her own individual using her skills to help a vigilante. I fully believe she should be the one becoming Batman if a new Batman was needed for a long period of time. She's obsessive, clever, skilled, compassionate and fully believes in seconds chances and in the importance of life. She truly embraces and dedicates herself to the Bat symbol, much more than any other character outside of Bruce.
I literally decided against seeing that Harley Quinn movie the moment I found out that little teen who needs to be rescued, was supposed to Cassandra Caine. I was like, NOPE. HARD PASS. Still haven't seen it. Never will.
I regret watching that movie because of that reason
You didnt miss anything. They tried way too hard to mimic deadpool
I did not know Cassandra Cain by the time I watched the movie. When I learned her backstory, I was extremely disappointed. Still do not know why they added her to that film, the characters do not have anything in common but the name.
They did Cass so dirty to the point where I despise that movie.
It was a failed flick, anyway... And, the director was a complete lack, and a talentless idiot.
she is a legacy character done right. the bat family is one of the more interesting family's in comic book history.
Birds of Prey did her character beyond dirty bruh🤦🏾♂️! If you wanted a kid companion in the movie they could’ve just used Stephanie Brown and have her become Spoiler at the end of the movie. We could’ve had an emotional & action pack Batman movie with Cassandra Cain😫; praying the Flashpoint movie reboots a lot of the DCEU🙏🏾.
I agree that she definitely wasn't Cass, but I'm curious what about her picking pockets and blowing people up for fun reminded you of Stephanie?
@@diesenutss I didn’t choose Stephanie because the on screen version of Cassandra Cain reminded me of her, though I can see how it would come across that way. I was thinking of another way the story could be told and Stephanie could’ve been wrapped up in the situation unintentionally, that’s more of what I was going for. Harper Row would be a better replacement for Cassandra in that movie tbh.
Or Holly Robinson. Really the kid could've been anyone. Really didn't need to be Cassandra
@@MstEli I got Harper Row vibes from that version of Cass.
I'd want to see a live action adaptation of Cassandra Cain done right but, Birds of Prey granted my wish in a interestingly sad way.
Loved the video!💕 Just started my comic book collection and found Toon Haven. They offer a huge variety of digital comics for every genre, and lifetime updates too!😍
So true. Cassandra is the best batgirl. Her suffering, and trying to atone for her sins make her a great character. As a comic book reader you can’t help, but cheer her on and also cry for her. No character has a great emotional story line in my opinion.
Moments of Batman hugging his kids are so rare and so precious!!!!
Cassandra Cain has a special place in my heart as one of my favorite Batman characters.
She's raw af...
They fleshed her out fast...
She's a compelling character...
As epic as that ballet scene is, the truly powerful moment is when this little girl with absolutely no social or cultural background takes a life without a moment's hesitation, and then IMMEDIATLY recognizes it as a horrible thing and turns away from it.
I also have always enjoyed the aspects of disability in Cassandra Cain's story, especially in the 2000 series. It isn't handled perfectly, but better than most examples and still really nice to see. I do think it's a shame most newer versions tend to gloss over it and/or rush along her rehabilitation to where it doesn't come up much. But it's at least usually there a little, except in her awful Birds of Prey rendition.
Honestly the Batfamily doesn't get enough adaptations. One of two robins and a batgirl but man if they gave the rest of it a chance who knows
The problem is that DC keeps rebutting its adaptions, usually to keep the story on Batman in the first few years of his crime fighting when he either has no allies or only Dick and/or Barbara.
That’s the problem, you can’t adapt the rest of the batfamily if you never move far enough in the timeline to reach them
@@varinstar7 Bruces parents with every reboot: "here we go again"
Her outfit is my favorite out of everyone in the batfamily, everyone else's uniform is too colorful for me, now don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean that I'd want their outfits to change, I think everyone has a uniform that matches who they are perfectly.
Nightwing's is sleek, fits his acrobatic style and the blue bird in the chest is iconic, Barbara's blue and yellow go super well together and kinda has a "cop" vibe to it, to resemble how Gordon is her father, it also feels lighthearted in a way, and I don't even have to say anything about the Robin outfits, the red and green are simply a classic design, the most iconic of 'em all, but as people who work and trained with Batman, who learned his tactics and are supposed to form a team with him, all that color clashes with how much emphasis Batman has with the shadows, how the darkness is suposed to be where he is invisible, their outfits stand out and aren't 100% suited for stealth.
But Cassandra's? She and Batman could blend in the darkness no problem, It's full black and is super intimidating, since she idolizes Batman and wants to be just like him this style of uniform is perfect for her, no flashy colors, only functionality, perfect for stealth, and it still has her own distinct style with the sewn mouth, which both works as a way to look terrifying and a nod to how she didn't learn to speak as a kid, it's perfect character design.
Out of all of 'em, she embodies the tactics of Batman the best.
Nightwing's outfit is a close second, the blue is not big enough to call out that much attention.
when nobody wanted to take on the mantle because the dedication was too great here comes Cassandra who shows everyone whats it truly means to be a super hero and so many of them fall short. You cannot be a man cassandra but your dedication to what is right has made me understand what it means to be true and real and honest. That is why i like her more than any other "super hero" besides Batman.
I love Cass so much. Her solo series was so underrated.
She does not only deserve; she has EARNED the Batman title. I truly believe she has to be the one who needs to take the title after Bruce
She's my favorite Batgirl by far and I love her relationship with Bruce and Tim
My first introduction to Cassandra Cain was in Young Justice and I instantly thought “oh, you poor child. You need to be protected at all cost.”
OMG She sounds like an amazing character. and fitting of the bat symbol more than anyone.
Cassandra Cain is one of the best and most interesting characters in DC.
I was just looking at fan art that kept erasing Cassandra. I’m so happy this exists for my favorite superhero!
She’s one of my favourite bat family members
She deserves more appreciation for her greatness 😩
Loved the comics where Cassandra Cain and Tim Drake teamed up!
I started loving Cass after reading Tynion's Detective Comics run. Volume 3 where she confronted her mother nearly brought me to tears.
I have nothing but love for Cassie and this channel
Now I really want to see the possible future where Cassandra is the future Batman
Glad someone else recognized the unique awesomeness of Cassandra Cain. Tied with Dick Grayson for my favorite DC character. Wish we could've seen more of her in the young justice 3rd season(although, to be fair, that 3rd season was kinda bungled anyway.) Love this character.
The Batgirl that doesn't get enough respect
Cassandra took the chance to change but although she knows that many can’t change it doesn’t hurt to try and give those who are willing to change the chance to atone. She bravely handles the bat symbol while spreading the mantra of second chances, because that is what she was given
thank you for making this video, cassandra cain is honestly so underrated compared to the other batfamily characters
Steph as well ☹
Bruce: I dont have a favorite child
Also Bruce: ...
Thanks for making this video. I love Cassandra, about on the same level as Stephanie, Damian, Duke and Jason. They all have something similar, between the five of them. I would love to watch your videos on the rest of them - there's so much content on Tim and Dick, but the rest of Batfam?
One of my favourite moments in the comics is when she rips the bat symbol off of Batwoman because Batwoman killed Clayface.
I only learned about Cassandra within the Young Justice appearance alongside that (enjoyable) Batfamily webcomic. Gimme a lego figure of Cassandra now plz.
This is… basically my introduction to Cassandra Cain. I knew nothing about her before hand. And I’m really, really glad that this video is it because this is just… an amazing analysis and it makes me want to look more into her character.
I’m a big fan of Batman, and that’s mostly because of what he represents, how he represents it, and why. Cassandra seems to have the same essence.
Also that suit design???? Absolutely amazing.
I want a run where shes the primary Bat. Like Bruce is out of commission, and he names her specifically to take over the Bat Family, over Dick (who doesnt want it anyway)
My favorite member of the Bat family. You did her justice with this video. Everything from the tone to the music was great and flowed so well. Well done!
I love her character she is really my 3rd favorite of the family she if you ask
Me has one of the best arcs
Wow! I’m not an avid comic reader so I never heard of her, learning about her story is so compelling. My favorite bat member will always be Jason Todd. But shes definitely in my top favorites now!
My favorite member of the bat fam. Cass & Shiva are literally the only 2 reasons I’ve read so much Batman related comics. I have EVERY, SINGLE, ISSUE, that Cass is in her batgirl suit in on my shelves. Also have her mom in The Question by Denny O’Neil (RIP legend). But yeah, Cass’s batgirl run was the first comic run I ever read, glad she’s back & kicking again 🦇
I recently learned of Cassandra, thank you for sharing this video. She and Duke Thomas are two characters I do not see discussed enough by fans. I hope you can do a video on Duke (The Signal) in the future, he deserves more attention
So, what I'm hearing is, when Bruce dies, Cassandra should become Batman.
Honestly, damian feels like a cassandra v2 but done more "edgy and cool" that over use the whole "only real son of batman" because he is bio, that kind of made me always dislike him because writers act as if that puts him over all the other kids even if lots of his qualities already belong to another robin
didn't she somewhere?
Honestly even if she didn't take bruces place she'd be the one to uphold his virtues better then any if the others
@@KnucklesxReala911 I hate Damian, because in my opinion his presence inherently isolates Batman from the rest of the Family. By being such a 'Problem Child' and by being Batman's Biological son, Batman ends up JUST paying attention to him. The point at which Damian first showed up in the comics is the same point when the Batfam stopped being a family and started becoming Batman's coworkers.
Cass was the EXACT opposite. Bruce related to her incredibly strongly. He felt like they understood each other on a profound level. And by working with Babs to try and help her adjust - in often conflicting ways - the family still had the sort of drama that made for good stories but they FELT LIKE a family. Cass had really good interactions with pretty much everyone IN the Batfamily.
Cassandra Cain makes Damian Wayne redundant. That's why they keep sidelining her.
@@kamalalsb7292 100% with you, like i said i just feel Damian at the end of the day is just an amalgam of all the best qualities all the robins too in general, which sidelines them too: the prodigal first son (dick), the troubled rebel (Jason), the precocious precious youngest (Tim) and again pretty much everything from Cassandra, but if you had to centralize it, would be being the outsider of the bunch (Cass' emotional and psychological problems that made her distant at first, she being batman's only daughter in between all his sons) (Steph and Barb are important too and Damian also steal role from them but Cass relationship with batman was more like he ever had with the robins than them, since they still keep parental figures around)
She's my probably my favorite Batgirl and I really wish she was acknowledged more as the Daughter of Batman just as much as any of the Robins.
You always seem to show a new character I have never heard of and make it one of my favourites, or show a deeper understanding that I would never have seen. Always enjoy watching ur vids
I am LOVING THIS BAT FAMILY VIDEOS keep them coming
I haven't seen much, if at all, of Cassandra and I think that just from this video alone and the few times I've heard of what she's all about before is all I need to love this character, I think she may now be one of my favorite comic book characters.
She's my favorite member of the batfamily
Gotta get these on the Spotify podcast, love listening to these when I'm winding down to fall asleep
Cassandra and Tim Drake are my two favorite comic characters of all time.
Cassie is my 2nd favorite person in the bat family. Her and Tim are amazing characters!❤️
Keep making these!
I definitely have to agree with you when it comes to the Eternal comic with Cassandra it really gives good moments to our character and deep moments with one of my favorites being her relationship with Sandman and what happens to Sandman by the end of the run and how Cassandra reacts to it and ultimately hates the person that inflicted pain on Sandman
Some of my favourite work on her character has been in James tynion’s detective comics run.
Cassandra is my favorite Batgirl and Tim Drake is my favorite Robin. More of these characters please. I love they used Cassandra on Young Justice as Orphan.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for this video on my Favorite Batgirl and one of my Favorite DC characters😭🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
Cass is my favorite Bargirl, and one of my favorite characters overall.
Though, I will disagree with the "essential nature" of Batman & Robin Eternal. True, that bit at the ballet was nice, conceptually. But for me, it was marred by the entire series was more about Harper Row, with everything and everyone else being an afterthought. I frankly consider "Orphan" to be little more than a poorer clone of Cassandra; similarities notwithstanding, she's essentially a different character.
Another absolutely AMAZING video, I’m a Cassandra fan and can’t tell you how much I appreciate this
I think I've found my new favorite character, thanks for the video.
Thank you for this video. To me she was always just a background character. Another member of the bat family. But I never knew her. After you’ve explained her character, shes become so much more to me than just a background character.
Every character in the bat family is!
another masterpiece the Sage has blessed us with
Love Cassandra.If Damian didn’t exist she’d probably be my favorite
I love you man, your content is what I aspire my content to be
Dick Grayson, may be Batmans greatest success, and he be my favourite DC character, but anyone is worthy of becoming *THE* Bat after Batman dying its Cass.
Or at least thats what I think
Cassandra is the best Bat Family member, maybe second to Jason. She's so full of complexity, emotion, and life. She's grown to become the opposite of everything her father raised her to be. On top of all the emotional character shit, she's just awesome. The stitched-up Batgirl suit is absolutely terrifying.
I feel so bad for all the people who only know her from Suicide Squad.
*She is the best Batgirl!*
I wish she gets more attention
Cassandra and Damian had similar childhoods in terms of abuse (Damian prob killed more tho) I find them both really cool
similar but different outcomes
I love your insight into Cassandra
About time Cassandra Cain gets the spotlight in the recent times, thanks Sage, great content as always 👌
That was beautiful. Thank you
I really hope that she will be in the new DCU or even in The Batman universe. (Nope not talking about that disaster in The Birds of Prey movie)
Agreed
Love these Bat family videos so glad cass finally has one more people really need to know about her
Wow deep lore Cassandra Cain
and this is why Cassandra should be the new batman. no one else truly understands what being batman like she does.
Yes
Lol no she can’t be batman
Another Awesome Character study. Well done Sage Rain.
How best to explain David Cain's whole deal...
So y'all remember Bean Dad, right?
I’ve never heard of this character, and it’s disturbing, fascinating and compelling
Thank you for this video. It was greatly appreciated🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I prefer Puckett and Scott's work by far. They also made David Cain into much more of a complex character. He didn't look it at first but he truly cared about Cassandra and it destroyed him when she joined Batman. He thought she would be by his side but he accidentally pushed her away, as much as he deserved to lose her.
See I didn't read it as that. He always viewed her as a project, not a daughter. Nothing about her... was ever about HER, in his eyes. It was all about how great he was, what he'd accomplished by making her this way, and when she... y'know, decided she was an actual person who deserved her own life and agency, that hurt him because it meant all the shit he'd tried to make her hadn't worked. His project failed and he wasn't as smart as he thought he was. They still made him complex, but I wouldn't say sympathetic?
Cass beat him - in every possible way, she beat him, and it's IMPORTANT that she beat him not just by kicking his ass - but by making herself into more than just another weapon in his arsenal.
@@kamalalsb7292 well he was pissed off at a guy for hiring him to kill "his own daughter". He's messed up but he still considering himself a father. He even thinks about her birthday and gets her a gift.