Mary Elizabeth Kane (New Earth)

{{DC Database:Character Template
 * Image                  = Flamebird2.jpg
 * ImageText              = Flamebird
 * RealName               = Mary Elizabeth Kane
 * CurrentAlias           = Flamebird
 * Aliases                = Bette Kane, Betty Kane, Bat-Girl
 * Identity               = Secret
 * Alignment              = Good
 * Affiliation            = Formerly Titans West, Teen Titans
 * Relatives              = Kate Kane (Cousin)
 * Universe               = New Earth
 * BaseOfOperations       = Mobile; Gotham City; California; Titans Tower


 * Gender                 = Female
 * Height                 = 5'6"
 * Weight                 = 120 lbs
 * Eyes                   = Blue
 * Hair                   = Blond
 * UnusualFeatures        =


 * Citizenship            = American
 * MaritalStatus          = Single
 * Occupation             = Professional tennis player, aerobics instructor, adventurer
 * Education              =


 * Origin                 = An eager Robin fan, tennis pro Bette Kane adopted the Flamebird persona in hopes of meeting the Teen Wonder in person. A founding member of Titans West, it took some time for Flamebird to finally earn the respect of her Titans teammates.


 * PlaceOfBirth           =
 * Creators               = Marv Wolfman; George Pérez
 * First                  = Teen Titans #50


 * Quotation              = I want in.
 * Speaker                = Bette Kane, coming out of retirement.
 * QuoteSource            = Detective Comics Vol 1 863


 * HistoryText            =

Origin
When Bette Kane entered a tennis court, the stands always echoed with wolf-whistles, cheers, and other expressions of admiration. Blond, blue eyed, and beautiful, Bette was used to adulation; in fact, she was so used to it that it sometimes bored her. As a champion tennis player while still in her early teens, a beauty pageant winner since she was five, and an Olympic gymnast and swimmer, Bette quickly found no worlds left to conquer. Fiercely competitive, she needed a new challenge.

That challenge was Robin, the Boy Wonder. Ever since she was a child, Bette had had a crush on Robin, but her many fan letters to him had gone unanswered, which just made her more determined to get to him.

By the time she turned sixteen, Bette vowed that she would meet Robin - on his own terms. She put together a bright costume of red and gold and adopted the avian codename of Flamebird, but despite some high profile exploits, Flamebird still received no response from Robin.

Frustrated, she returned to normal high school life in California. After graduation, Bette just kept looking for more exciting challenges. Skydiving, wind sailing, mountain climbing all provided her with rushes of adrenalin, but it wasn't the same. No thrill could ever match the excitement of being a crime-fighter.

Titans West
So Bette Kane resumed her Flamebird career and, after a few minor escapades, she became a founding member of Titans West. Unfortunately, the glory was short lived. Although she finally got to meet Robin, the sparks just didn't fly. The West Coast Titans proved to be a dismal failure and eventually disbanded.

Flamebird aided the Titans again during the Technis Imperative conflict, which involved the Justice League as well as all Titans, past and present. Flamebird hoped to be invited for membership, but didn't make the cut.

After a recent confrontation with Nightwing, Bette was forced to reexamine herself and her role as Flamebird. A fire ignited inside Bette that she hadn't felt before: the fire of a hero. She hopes to spread it to others in need of confidence and motivation. Along with a new outlook and costume, she helped Beast Boy defeat the shape-shifting Gemini along with bounty hunters Fear & Loathing. After aiding Beast Boy on the case, the two heroes became fast friends. Bette encouraged Gar to reform Titans West, but he was apprehensive.

Later, Beast Boy's obnoxious cousin Matt took it upon himself to hold a membership drive party for an all-new Titans West. Gar reluctantly agreed to have the team re-form, and Titans West was re-dubbed Titans L.A. - with members that included Beast Boy, Flamebird, Herald, Bumblebee, Terra, Hero Cruz, Captain Marvel Jr. and Bushido. Titans L.A. was over before it even began; no one had any real devotion to the team. Desperation was obvious when Beast Boy and Flamebird even tried to recruit the displaced DEO orphans into Titans L.A.

After Superboy's tragic death during the Infinite Crisis, the Teen Titans faced a year of heartache and turmoil. Flamebird joined the team for a short time, but later quit. The group remained in constant upheaval until Robin returned and reorganized the Titans into a team.

Although Bette is more focused on her role as a super-hero, she still puts a lot of energy into her schoolwork at UCLA, where she majors in sports medicine.

Bette is back on the tennis courts now, challenging any and all corners. And sometimes, when the spirit moves her, she dons the red and gold costume with the fiery cape and lets Flamebird fly again.

After the recent events of Infinite Crisis a new Katherine "Kate" Kane has assumed the role of Batwoman. After the Crisis, we see Bette wondering "what Aunt Kate's up to in Gotham", however Kate Kane is her cousin and Kate's stepmother turns out to be Aunt Kate.

Final Crisis
Bette transfers to Gotham University and catches up with her cousin Kate.

Batwoman
Bette becomes Batwoman's new sidekick, sporting a gray jumpsuit now. After a short time fighting together, the two have a falling out and Bette leaves. Bette goes back fighting crime on her own in her original outfit, where she is critically injured in a gang fight.


 * Powers                 =
 * Abilities              =
 * Olympic Level Athlete: Bette Kane possesses the athletic strength and endurance of a woman who regularly engages in intensive physical exercise. Her physical attributes are almost equal to that of an Olympic level athlete.
 * Peak Human Strength
 * Peak Human Endurance


 * Acrobatics: Part of her training increased her gymnastic abilities to peak levels.
 * Swimming
 * Martial Arts
 * Kickboxing


 * Strength               =
 * Weaknesses             =


 * Equipment              =
 * Utility Belt: Like the caped crusader who inspired her, Flamebird has a utility belt containing such devices as a grappling hook with line, gas bombs, gas mask, flares, flashlight, radio transmitter, handcuffs, and throwing discs among others.


 * Transportation         =
 * Weapons                =  Flamebird has amped up her arsenal to include electrifying bolas and gloves, tracking devices and flare-emitting contact lenses.

* Before Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Earth-One incarnation of this character (Betty Kane) was the original Bat-Girl (before Barbara Gordon became Batgirl). Betty also had an aunt by the name of Batwoman (Kathy Kane). Both these characters also appear to have had counterparts on Earth-Two.
 * Notes                  =

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 * When Alexander Luthor attempted to recreate the multiverse and temporarily brought a version of Earth-Two back into existence, numerous superheroes who are now native to New Earth but who prior to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths were actually native to Earth-Two, were transported there. Bette Kane was one of them, suggesting that the current Bette would originally have been the Earth-Two rather than the Earth-One version if the Crisis had not occurred.
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