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Here's Your First Look At Nicole Kang In Full Poison Ivy Mode On Batwoman

The world got its first-ever glimpse of the newest supervillain to rise up in the CW hit "Batwoman" with the revelation of series regular Mary Hamilton (Nicole Kang) suited up as plant-based bad-girl Poison Ivy. As long-time fans are well-aware, a variety of Bat Trophies have been washing up on Gotham City's shores lately. The trophies' ability to transform unsuspecting Gothamites into brand-new baddies was immediately made all too apparent with the sudden appearances of Mad Hatter and Killer Croc. Indeed, viewers may have suspected something nefarious was afoot when Dr. Hamilton was infected by a jab from a thorny Bat Trophy in the show's November 17 episode.

In the following episode, the Bat Team realized something suspicious about Hamilton's behavior: she seemed to lose consciousness and undergo a marked change of personality whenever she was exposed to sunlight. Instead of the usually altruistic and considerate doctor, her Poison Ivy side blossoms, revealing an angry and utterly unfamiliar alter ego.

The look of Kang's Poison Ivy character is firmly rooted in supervillainous psychology

Interviewed about what it meant for her to take on the prickly persona of the iconic Poison Ivy, Nicole Kang told EW.com, "I was really emotional. I burst into tears... We have a Black Batwoman, we have Batwing, and an Asian Poison Ivy — it's so cool. It's really exciting for me to create a full-fledged Asian villain... And I think it's super brilliant."

Detailing how Kang's Dr. Hamilton character influenced the look of the newly imagined Poison Ivy, "Batwoman" costume designer Maya Mani joined in the same EW.com discussion to say, "I created this costume to reflect Mary's desire to be seen and heard by those closest to her, while maintaining her unique eye for fun and fanciful fashion; a strong shoulder and a corset to symbolize a trellis guiding her alter ego upwards." The show's make-up department head Cory Roberts chimed about how the character's cosmetic make-up reinforces her psychological make-up, saying, "I envisioned her character being intrinsically powerful, alluring and seductive, but also dangerous if pushed too far." If this first look at her power-suit costume is any indication, Kang's Poison Ivy is a character sure to scratch the itch of villain-loving "Batwoman" fans in future episodes.