#Apologies to my friend for that uncropped screenshot

[wheelchairbatgirl]

Okay, I watched Birds of Prey 2002 TV series, episode 2:

Things that were in the second episode that were not in the first episode: Magic wheelchair.

Due to technobabble reasons, she can control the chair with her brain.

Personally, I'm kind of fine with this. I've said several times before, I don't want a magic disability cure, I want a magic wheelchair. So here we have one.

I might want to clarify my "i just want a magic wheelchair," comment, by which I mean, "if you have a plot problem that makes it impossible for a wheelchair user to complete their part of the plot, instead of finding a way to cure their disability, give them a mobility aid that will let the problem go away."

Although I don't really object to someone having a magic wheelchair for the sake of having a magic wheelchair. Also, while the tech wasn't around in 2002, there's currently a couple of different hands free wheelchairs out on the market, like the Omeo. The magic tech isn't too far away from reality.

The thing that I find interesting is that it's actually gotten notably taller since the pilot episode. Her seat is at the same height as the top of her desk, and she's pretty much the same height as standing humans that she interacts with.

I feel like they're kind of trying to make the whole show work like she's not disabled at all by doing this, which on the one hand isn't really my favorite way of handling disability, but on the other hand is way better than having the entire show stop to show off how disabled she is. I just don't trust 2002's ability to accurately and sensitively discuss disability on more than a superficial level.

I honestly hate the "I don't let people push me but it's romantic when you do it," trope. I don't like handing over complete control of my body to pretty much anyone, ever. Imagine if someone stabs you in the back of the neck with a little technobabble chip and then they can use a GameCube controller to pilot your legs for you. Does that sound romantic or just super invasive? Add to that that they don't have access to your eyes and so you just have to hope that they don't crash you into something.

We're going to like 7/10 for this one. I like magic wheelchair, love a good fantasy wheelchair, but they definitely hinted at magical spine implants to make her walk as being a thing they've considered, and I'm watching them and telling them they better not try that shit.

Edit: okay so in episode 3, they lose track of Huntress, and Barbara says, "if I can access the GPS in her comm set, then we can," and whoa whoa there hold the fuck up, there's a GPS in that communicator and ORACLE for some reason does not have complete access to that at all times?? Also I swear her feet are getting higher off the floor with every single shot. By the time this series concludes she's going to be 3 ft taller than everybody else