Cassandra Cain

* Batgirl
* Orphan
* Civilian

**Cassandra Cain** is the vigilante known as **Batgirl** (formerly **Orphan**) who fights crime as a member of the **Batman Family**. The daughter of assassins **David Cain** and **Lady Shiva**, she was raised to be the perfect killer before rebelling and joining Batman's crusade.

## Chronology

### **Origins**

Cassandra was the daughter of David Cain, an operative named "Orphan", who worked as an assassin for Mother. He raised Cassandra alone and forced her not to speak but to "listen" to body movements and react accordingly with deadly precision. Exasperated by her life as a human weapon, Cassandra sought the help of the Dark Knight, the only enemy of Mother who was ever close to stop her. After defeating Mother and David Cain with the aid of Batman, Cassandra battled crime in Gotham City as part of Batman's Gotham Knights for some time under the Orphan alias. The team consisted of Red Robin, Spoiler, Clayface (Basil Karlo), Batman and Batwoman.

Orphan and the Gotham Knights went head-to-head with Lady Shiva, Cassandra's mother and the deadliest woman on the planet, and her League of Shadows. After suffering defeat multiple times Orphan eventually managed to defeat her mother, who was subsequently shot and killed by Ra's al Ghul. Ra's then took the all the League members, including Shiva, and then left Gotham.

### Karma

Cassandra fights Karma

Some time after the dissolution of the Gotham Knights, Duke Thomas was severely injured in a terroristic bombing. Cassandra wanted to visit Duke but she was turned away by Alfred, who stressed that Duke was still in intensive care. She's suddenly ambushed by a villain calling himself Karma and who was responsible for the bombings that injured Duke. Cassandra attacked Karma and quickly gained the upper hand, however this didn't last long as Karma quickly began turning the battle in his favor. Karma extended an offer to Cassandra to join him in his crusade against Batman, seeing that she was the most dangerous of all of Batman's allies. Cassandra refused his request and prepared to die at the hands of Karma. She's saved by Black Lightning and managed to forced Karma to retreat. Although Cassandra tried to pursue him, he was able to escape into the sewers of Gotham.

Batman called in Black Lightning from Metropolis to be a mentor for Cassandra and Duke, believing both need guidance in forging their path as heroes that he could not provide. After being bested by Karma, Cassandra threw herself into training to defeat him the next time they fought. Knowing Karma was targeting Batman's allies, Cassandra, Duke and Batgirl were all put under the protection of Black Lightning, who was under strict orders from Batman not to allow them outside of the penthouse they were staying in. As the group were watching television, a disturbing news cast came on. A kidnapped reporter said that Batman's followers were making him weak and soft, and that he planned to thin the heard so that Batman would be strong again. The reporter informed the people of Gotham that he had kidnapped a group of school children, and if the Bat-Family was not destroyed he would kill the children. The news reporter was then burned alive by Karma live on the air.

Barbara had traced the broadcast which led to Karma's location, and sent Orphan there behind Lightning's back. When Orphan entered the warehouse she was greeted by Batman, the Bat told her that he was blocking all signals to and from the building, incase Karma had mobile detectors which would give away their location, this meant Orphan would have no mobile support from Barbara. Batman ordered Orphan to save the children while he went after Karma. Orphan eventually found the children and discovered them hooked up to a bomb, this made Cass panic as she had no idea how to disarm a bomb. Lightning soon arrived and used his lightning to create a shield around the bomb, Cass then freed the children which set off the bomb. After ushering the kids out the building, Cass drove back in on her motorcycle to pick up Lightning. Batman, who had managed to make Karma flee, rejoined them and the trio fled the building before it could explode.

Cassandra was later told by Batman that Karma was once a Markovian warlord named Fleet Delmar. Batman had infected the warlord with the Fear Toxin of the villain Scarecrow, which had made him claw his own face off in fear. Seeking revenge against Batman and his allies, Fleet bought an alien artifact off an arms dealer in Markovia. This arms dealer was named Martina Dementieva. Batman told Cassandra her theory was correct, Karma's mask did allow him to read his opponents' minds and imitate their powers, however it also gave him a form of sight after he clawed his eyes out and enhanced his strength and speed. Batman then introduced a new specialist- Katana, a former Olympic-level athlete turned sword-wielding vigilante and member of the Suicide Squad. Katana, Orphan, Duke, Pierce were formed into a unit tasked with hunting down and containing the dangerous weapons owned by Dementieva, this operation would be spearheaded by Batman and the team would be known as the **Outsiders**.

Alfred then arrived in the room and informed the Outsiders that Karma was currently attacking a Wayne Enterprises building. The team arrived at the building and took out a group of mercenaries holding a security guard hostage. Batman then went upstairs to face Karma alone, so he could prove to Karma and himself that his students didn't make him weaker. The rest of the Outsiders cleared the building. Using his fear, Batman was able to overwhelm Karma's mind and defeat him, bringing him into custody.

## Powers & Abilities

Cassandra Cain does not possess an super powers or metahuman abilities but, as the daughter of two of the deadliest martial arts grandmasters on the planet, she has arguably the most prestigious training of any martial artist in the DC Universe. Cassandra Cain is considered one of the most dangerous hand to hand combatants on Earth, right alongside her mother Lady Shiva.

### Abilities

* **Peak Human Condition**: Due to being trained to fight since birth Cassandra is in the peak physical condition. She possesses a body that boasts the peak strength, durability, and stamina levels for someone of her age. Cassandra was able to fight an entire army of League ninjas without slowing until she had defeated all of them. She was mostly unaffected when slammed against a car, an action which bent the casing out of shape and shattered the windows.
	+ **Enhanced Sense of Smell**: Cass can detect the scent of cyanide, an uncommon ability in humans.
* **Martial Arts**: Cassandra is one of the best-trained martial artists in the world. With nothing but her fighting skills, Orphan was able to fend off an entire army of highly trained League of Shadows ninjas. She was also able to easily defeat Nightwing in a fist fight, as well as go toe-to-toe with her father, David Cain, and her mother, Lady Shiva. Batman himself stated that he would lose if he had to fight her.
	+ **Enhanced Combat Perception**: Due to her upbringing Cassandra can pinpoint weak spots in every opponent she faces, this also allows her to read body language very well and predicts an opponents movements
* **Weaponry**: Cassandra is an expert in many types of melee weaponry, including axes, maces and many more.
	+ **Throwing**: Orphan is an expert marksman when it comes to throwing projectiles. She was able to hit four targets with Batarangs while performing a flip.
	+ **Swordsmanship**: Cassandra is an expert swordswoman, being trained since birth.
* **Dancing**: Cassandra learned how to dance by watching ballerinas, and often incorporates this dancing into her fighting in a similar fashion to capoeira.
* **Acrobatics**: Orphan is an incredibly elegant and skillful acrobat.
* **Stealth**: Orphan was able to perform a disappearing act on Batman, not unlike the ones he performs on Commissioner Gordon.
* **Driving**: Cassandra can drive motorcycles with a degree of skill.

### Weaknesses

* **Limited Speech (formerly)**: Cassandra used to have limited speech due to her upbringing, in which she was taught to read body language rather then being taught any spoken language. However she has eventually gone on to receive speech and vocabulary coaching from Barbara Gordon.

## Equipment

* **Orphan suit** **(formerly)**:
* **Batgirl suit**: