Ruby Rose has explained the reasons behind her decision to exit Batwoman after starring in the titular role of the Arrowverse series for just one season.In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Rose elaborated on the reasons why she decided to hang up the cape and cowl ahead of Batwoman’s second season, revealing that her back injury played a part in her decision to not continue in the role Kate Kane/Batwoman for the DC drama.

“Being the lead of a superhero show is tough. Being the lead in anything is tough,” Rose told the publication. “But I think, in that particular instance, it was a lot more difficult because I was still recovering from my surgery. I had my surgery and then 10 days later I went to work, which maybe wasn’t the best idea. Most people take about a month or three off before they return to work, so it was definitely made more difficult by that. But as far as being a lead of a show or a film — regardless if it’s action or if it’s emotional — in whichever ways it’s taxing.”

Rose underwent emergency surgery last year after herniating two discs from her intense stunt work on the show, which triggered a preexisting injury to flare up and cause her chronic pain, with her spinal cord at risk of being severed and paralyzing her.

In conversation with EW, Rose said that she was proud of herself “for working under sort of interesting circumstances” while in recovery from the surgery, but admitted that she had time to reassess her role on The CW series while the production was shut down due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“It wasn’t so much [the injury], especially because after we wrapped up we didn’t get to finish the real finale because of COVID,” Rose explained, referencing the shortened Batwoman season, which ended after 20 episodes instead of 22 as originally planned. “You know, you have time in quarantine and sort of isolation to just think about a lot of different things and what you want to achieve in life and what you want to do. I think for both [me and the producers], it was a great opportunity to have a dialogue about a lot of things. I respect them so much and they’ve been so respectful to me.”

The CW already announced that it will not be recasting the Kate Kane role for the upcoming second season, nor will Rose’s character be killed off in between Seasons 1 and 2. Instead, actress Javicia Leslie will take over the lead role as a new character named Ryan Wilder, who is described as “likeable, messy, a little goofy and untamed,” and apparently nothing like “the woman who wore the batsuit before her.”

Batwoman Season 2 is expected to debut in January 2021. The CW previously hinted that the next Arrowverse crossover will focus on Batwoman and the new Superman and Lois series, though it’s unclear whether those plans have changed since Rose’s departure. We’re hoping to learn more at DC’s FanDome virtual event, which is scheduled to launch on Saturday, August 22.