Batwoman: Original cast member Dougray Scott exits Arrowverse series ahead of Season 3

The CW's Batwoman will return for a third season, but not with the involvement of OG cast member Dougray Scott. Entertainment Weekly first reported the actor won't reprise his role as Crows commander Jacob Kane, owing to the fact that the character was arrested in last night's Season 2 finale and sent to Metropolis, where he is currently awaiting trial.

"Having Dougray Scott as Jacob Kane on Batwoman was incredibly special for all of us," showrunner Caroline Dries said in a statement provided to SYFY WIRE. "An actor with his pedigree and reputation elevates any project, and he had great chemistry with his castmates. We loved telling Commander Kane's story for the last two seasons, and we will always leave the door open to have him return. We wish him the very best!"

Though it represents another original star leaving the show in just two seasons, writing Scott's character off makes a lot of sense, especially since Jacob's daughter, Kate Kane (originally played by Ruby Rose and then Wallis Day), is no longer the main character of the story. Following Rose's decision to part ways with the project after the first season, Javicia Leslie stepped in to play the titular hero as a different character, whose alter ego is not Kate Kane, but Ryan Wilder. With a new main character under the cowl, having all of Kate's supporting cast still hanging around just didn't make narrative sense.

"This character of Jacob had sort of run its course, for better or for worse, through that story line," Dries continued during a larger interview with EW about the Season 2 finale. "So it worked out that it was mutual [with Scott]. We ended up being able to really write to a good ending for Jacob, just kind of knowing in advance that's what we were going to do. I'm very pleased with how that story line worked out for him. It allowed us to give Dougray some really rich stuff toward the end."

The finale also saw Luke Fox (played by Camrus Johnson) don the Batwing mantle and suit, a development that was teased earlier this month. 

"It’s the craziest feeling because I feel like we all put on superhero costumes at some point. Every Halloween, all we want to do is be a hero,” Johnson explained to TheWrap. “But when you’re actually putting on an actually made superhero suit by professional superhero suit makers, and you’re seeing the details and seeing how heavy it is and how tight it is, it is — it is unreal.”

The actor also voiced his hope to attend Comic-Con in the full outfit. “That’s like the coolest thing of having a super suit with a full helmet. You can literally walk around Comic-Con and — the thing about it too is, when I’m at Comic-Con, there will be people that have super suits that look almost identical. Cosplayers are geniuses. So I would love to meet other Batwings, and then be like, ‘It’s me!'”

Season 3 of Batwoman is slated to premiere on The CW Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. EST.