| “ | You know what, Isis? Extinction's for wimps. | „ |
| ~ Catwoman stating her resolve to survive |
Summary[]
Selina Kyle, from a young age, had a great love for all felines - a feeling that was very much mutual, as it seemed all cats instinctively trusted her. As she grew up, however, Selina became aware of the horrible injustices being perpetrated against feline wildlife (such as mountain lions), and became an animal rights activist. At some point, she decided her activism was not enough and decided to use her gymnastic skill and talent for thievery to prevent the construction of a resort on Mountain Lions' land - as the master thief Catwoman. Over the years, she clashed many times with Gotham's protector, The Batman - however, the two always had a complicated relationship, as Selina was not insane (as many of Batman's foes were), nor did she go out of her way to commit violent acts, for the most part being a jewel thief committing nonviolent crimes - that, and there was an undeniable attraction between Gotham's greatest thief and its greatest champion.
Powers and Stats[]
Tier: 9-A, possibly 8-C physically, higher with claws
Name: Selina Kyle, also known as the Catwoman
Origin: DC Animated Universe
Gender: Female
Age: 30s - Early 40s for her onscreen time in the DCAU
Classification: Human
Powers and Abilities:
- Superhuman Physical Characteristics (See Attack Potency, Speed, Lifting Strength, and Durability)
- Superhuman Athleticism (Can jump absurdly high into the air, as showcased many times, and is capable of leaping between moving vehicles. Stated to be as agile as a cat)
- Acrobatics (Is a master acrobat, which is also showcased a few times)
- Hand-to-Hand Combat Skills (Has fought and even landed a kick on Nightwing, an exceptionally skilled Martial Artist. Performed a complex throw on Batman)
- Weapon Mastery (with her Whip)
- Bodily Weaponry (Conventional: Both of her suits have built-in, razor-sharp claws that she can use to slice things open (even being able to slice through a steel safe) and pick locks)
- Surface Scaling (Her claws allow her to scale walls)
- Animal Manipulation with Cats (Selina "enjoys a special bond with real cats, and all felines, tame or wild, instinctively trust her”)
- Paralysis Inducement (She can use her whip to wrap around and restrain parts of peoples' bodies, and she is shown using this net-based gadget)
- Vehicular Mastery (with Motorcycles, as shown here)
- Stealth Mastery (Seemingly snuck up on Nightwing, a vigilante personally trained by Batman. Disappeared on Zatanna, walking into shadow. Has several years of experience as a cat burglar, only seemingly being caught by the extremely well-trained members of the Bat-family. Hid from a criminal in total silence)
Her optional equipment grants her Explosion Manipulation (Carries a small explosive capsule)
Attack Potency: Small Building Level, possibly Building Level physically (Scaling to 0.095 Tons - Her kicks have twice harmed Batman, and have done the same to Nightwing. Described as "a formidable opponent who is nearly a match for Batman." Stated to be one of Batman's most formidable foes. Sent Ricky The Hook tumbling backward with a kick - Ricky could harm and take hits from Batman, as well as take hits from Nightwing - in addition, Selina's kick sent Ricky into a large wooden desk with enough force to split it in two, necessitating (at minimum) this much force. Tackled Harley Quinn. Shouldn't be any weaker than The Penguin's henchwomen, who kicked Batwoman through a thick stone wall), higher with claws (Tore through the BTAS Batsuit's cape)
Speed: Hypersonic combat speed and reactions (Scaling to Mach 8.7 - Has twice landed kicks on Nightwing. Tackled Harley Quinn too fast for her to move out of the way. Fast enough to smack Batgirl's Batarang out of the air with ease), possibly as high as Relativistic or higher (Scaling to 0.33c - Again, scaling to Nightwing and the other Bat-family members), with Superhuman travel speed via running (Ran in tandem with a serious Batman)
Lifting Strength: At least Peak Human (Struggled evenly with Batgirl. Should be as strong as Poison Ivy (and Harley Quinn who can grapple with her), who snapped a man's neck with ease - assuming she only broke 3 vertebrae to do so, it would result in 3090 N of force. Tossed a grown man far away)
Striking Strength: Small Building Class, possibly Building Class
Durability: Small Building Level, possibly Building Level (Scaling to 0.095 Tons - Should be capable of withstanding the force of her own strikes. Got up shortly after a charge from Harley Quinn's high-voltage joy buzzer. Should be no less durable than Amanda Waller, who was unhurt by this explosion. Just as if not more durable than a 13-year-old Tim Drake, who shook off a hit from an incomplete Clayface, whose kicks could shatter a stone bench)
Stamina: At least Athletic (In the animated short "Chase Me," she was not overtly fatigued after a minutes-long chase with Batman where she was running away for almost the entire time)
Range: Standard Melee Range physically, Several Meters with her Whip (Shown to be about three meters long when she used it to swing from a flagpole) and Projectile Claws (Projectile Claws are seen here, with that clip depicting them as capable of hitting their target from across a seemingly normal-sized room), and Tens of Meters with her Explosive (The average adult can throw a golf ball (which should be a good enough analogue for smoke/explosive pellets given size and shape) at least 60 yards)
Standard Equipment:
- Whip: A long black whip that Selina uses with expertise, restraining and attacking foes with it.
- Claws: Sharp claws built into her suit, which are stated to be razor-sharp. They can be fired like projectiles, as shown in “Chase Me.”
- Optional Equipment:
- Caltrops: Small, sharp metal trinkets that cut foes should they step on them.
- Net: A large, durable net that restrains the foe it's thrown onto.
- Explosive Capsule: Self-explanatory.
Intelligence: At least Above Average (Performs many heists nigh-flawlessly. Worked as a prolific animal rights activist)
Standard Tactics: Spends most of her combative engagements running away - as such, she is unlikely to strike first in a combat scenario.
Weaknesses: Normal Human Weaknesses. Cares deeply about Batman, even during TNBA.
Notable Attacks/Techniques: Wrapping her whip around a foe's lower legs and pulling, sending them tumbling to the ground, which she has used more than once.
Note: Bruce Timm has stated that the original DCAU tie-in comics are not canon, with the only tie in comics that have statements to the contrary (other than Batman: The Adventures Continue, which has so many continuity issues that it's essentially impossible to argue it's canon) being Justice League Infinity, the Batman and Harley Quinn tie in comics, and specifically the first annual of Batman Adventures. Ergo, I only consider those three comics canon.