Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Birds of Prey!
A discussion pertaining to Black Canary’s mother was featured in a scene during Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), much to the delight of viewers. The character, aka Dinah Lance, made her live-action debut in Cathy Yan’s film and is portrayed by actress Jurnee Smollett-Bell. Here’s an explanation into Black Canary’s mom and what it means for the DCEU.
Black Canary is a well-known superheroine to come out of DC Comics. The metahuman often served as a vigilante and worked as part of the Justice League and, of course, the Birds of Prey. The DCEU version transformed the character to more of a loner who had no interest in fighting crime, at least in the beginning. When Dinah is introduced, she’s a talented singer at Roman Sionis’ (Ewan McGregor) nightclub. After showing off her fighting skills, Roman hires her to become his personal driver. It’s very clear that Dinah’s under his control so she has no choice but to oblige. Dinah then decides to act as Renee Montoya’s (Rosie Perez) insider into Cassandra Cain’s (Ella Jay Basco) whereabouts and later teams up with Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) in protecting the young girl against Roman, aka Black Mask.
The change of heart that forces Dinah into danger by becoming a vigilante may seem like simple character development but her mother’s backstory has a lot to do with the decision. When Renee first confronts Dinah outside of her apartment, she initially refuses to help the GCPD in taking down Roman. Dinah refers to her mother who helped fight crime and was left to die by the police when she found herself in trouble. Her mother’s superpowers, presumably the same metahuman gene that Dinah possesses, was also referenced. The plot point confirms that Dinah’s mother is the original Black Canary: Dinah Drake.
Dinah Drake’s Role In DC Comics
When Black Canary was first introduced in DC Comics during 1947, the character went by the name Dinah Drake. A genetic mutation gave her superhuman abilities, such as her signature sonic scream called the “canary cry.” This version of Black Canary was known for fighting crime alongside Gotham City detective Larry Lance. She was also linked to the Justice Society of America until DC retconned her background, explaining that she existed on an entirely different earth. Black Canary’s backstory went through several transformations, and at one point, the moniker was split between mother and daughter, Dinah Drake-Lance and Dinah Laurel Lance. After Dinah Drake gave birth to a daughter with Larry Lance, the child inherited the same genetic mutation and took on the alter ego, which is the backstory Birds of Prey seemingly follows.
The surviving Dinah attempts to stay out of the realm of superheroes and crime-fighting, something her mom ended up sacrificing herself for. Dinah eventually gets thrown into the drama surrounding Cass and can’t stand by and allow Roman to harm the city. She finally embraces her power and takes a few pages out of her late mother’s playbook by facing the villains directly. By the end of the film, Dinah joins Renee and Huntress in forming the Birds of Prey, a group of vigilantes hellbent on protecting Gotham City from people like Roman.
Even though Dinah Drake doesn’t directly appear in Birds of Prey, her legacy as the first Black Canary lives on. If Smollett-Bell does reprise her role for a future DCEU film, it would be interesting to see flashbacks into the original superhero and the relationship between the two before the elder Dinah’s death. The future of Black Canary is bright but there’s surely a lot of history to be told prior to the events of Birds of Prey.
Next: Birds of Prey Ending Explained: Harley Quinn’s DCEU Future
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