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Katana

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Real Identity: Tatsu Yamashiro
Affiliations: Central Intelligence Agency and League of Assassins
Appearances: Hunted, Secrets, Tests, Safe, Broken, Family, Allies, Control, Sacrifice, Instinct, Attraction, Fall, Darkness, Reckoning, Nexus, Monsters, Games, Animal, Doppelganger, Unique, Hero, Choices, Epitaph, Twist, and Alone
Appearances (Comics): Law & (Dis)Order, The Rule of Three, Tobias Awaits, Son of Man-Bat, Suitable for Framing, and First-Person Shooter
Powers/Skills: Armed Combat, Unarmed Combat, Above Average Agility, and Cryptography
Voiced By: Sumalee Montano

Tatsu Yamashiro is the goddaughter of Alfred Pennyworth, her father's partner in MI6. From a young age, she knew Pennyworth as "The Major." Yamashiro was told her father died in a horrible car accident. Pennyworth funded Yamashiro's education and she attended western boarding schools. At some point, Tatsu Yamashiro worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as an undercover agent with the League of Assassins while she was officially stationed in Kahndaq. She was initiated into the League as Katana. Instead of her original mission to determine the whereabouts of Ra's al Ghul, Yamashiro discovered the Soul Taker sword. She successfully faked her death and faked the destruction of the Soul Taker sword in Shiruta. She decided the sword was too dangerous to surrender to the CIA and went into hiding.

About a year later, Alfred Pennyworth sought Yamashiro out and offered her a new job, Bruce Wayne's new driver and bodyguard. She refused but later agreed to help Pennyworth crack the encryption on Simon Stagg's financials. Once she was finished, Yamashiro met with Pennyworth outside Wayne Manor. She still refused his offer but promised to be in touch. Yamashiro later changed her mind and accepted the offer until Pennyworth's ankle healed. In reality, she believed taking the job would keep the Soul Taker safe. The day after Batman defeated Professor Pyg and Mister Toad, she was introduced to Bruce Wayne. Pennyworth only told Wayne she was formerly in the military stationed in Kahndaq. After some consideration, Wayne decided to take up Pennyworth's offer to test her. Yamashiro was intrigued with Wayne's rather intense work out room. She soon discovered the secret elevator but needed access and got Wayne's palm prints with a well-placed handshake. Yamashiro found a private library and research on Gotham's wheelhouse. Just as Batman was leaving the scene, Yamashiro was present and looking around.

During a botched press conference, Tatsu Yamashiro helped save Dr. Jason Burr. Burr was instantly smitten with Yamashiro much to her dislike. Bruce Wayne then assigned her to protect Burr while he went off to a museum reception. Yamashiro battled her former comrade Silver Monkey but was assisted by Pennyworth and his pulse rifle. Yamashiro then sealed Pennyworth and Burr in the manor's panic room. She grabbed the Soul Taker and got the drop on Silver Monkey. He, however, took the sword and was about to kill her if not for Batman. Before following the two, Yamashiro hid the sword in a large vase. She grabbed Batman's grappling gun and snagged his leg as he fell off a cliff after Silver Monkey. Lady Shiva, of the League of Assassins, found Katana's continued existence to be unexpected and intriguing. She wanted Katana in the League's custody. Pennyworth discovered the Soul Taker and hid it. Yamashiro bit the bullet and told the truth. She was dispatched by Pennyworth to secretly watch over Dr. Burr while he moved to a new lab.

While waiting for Bruce Wayne to finish a date with Dr. Ravencroft, Yamashiro was paid a visit by Silver Monkey. She attacked but was defeated. Silver Monkey demanded the Soul Taker, lit the car on fire, and left the scene. After some thought, Yamashiro decided to tell Wayne the truth about the Soul Taker and her ties to the League of Assassins. Wayne responded by accepting her resignation and Pennyworth's for keeping her secret a secret. As she packed her belongings, Yamashiro received a call from Silver Monkey. He held Bruce Wayne for ransom demanding the sword. Yamashiro complied but attacked after she saw Wayne fall to his death. She was soon joined by Batman. Together, they failed to stop Lady Shiva from leaving with the Soul Taker. Batman took her back to the Batcave and explained his plan to turn the League against itself. Yamashiro was enraged at his cavalier attitude since Wayne was dead, Ravencroft was a lifeless shell, and Shiva had the sword. She swore they would not be friends the next time they met but Batman revealed he was Wayne and congratulated her on passing the final test. As she stood in shock, Pennyworth arrived and officially welcomed her into the "family."

For the next couple weeks, Batman tried to outfit Yamashiro in overly protective suits that restricted too much movement. She tired of the situation and wanted to go after the League of Assassins. Batman reminded her the Argus Club was abandoned and the League had scattered but still wanted the Ion Cortex. He insisted she wasn't going with him on the field without being suited up and armed. Yamashiro took a Katana blade and domino mask. She also asked to be called Katana in the field. However, for the assault on the Cauldron, Batman ordered her to stay in the Batcave with Pennyworth. After Batman left, Pennyworth advised her that "actions not words, gets things done." Yamashiro suited up and joined Batman in the Cauldron. Batman warned her to excise her ego or she would be dead within a year. Batman and Katana reached the warehouse where Barbara Gordon was being held against her will. Her kidnapper, Milo Match was Tobias Whale's lawyer and also his enforcer, a pyrokinetic named Phosphorus Rex. All of a sudden, Katana ran out of the warehouse leaving Batman to fend for himself. She soon returned in the seat of a fuel tanker truck. Katana ditched it as soon as Rex opened fire. As she thought, the bigger fire generated by the tanker exhausted the oxygen in the area. As a result, Rex could no longer generate heat and passed out. Batman was somewhat impressed, chalked it up to luck and stated they would keep working on their partnership. Barbara Gordon was amazed and wanted to be just like Katana.

As training continued, Bruce Wayne concluded she had technique but no discipline. Furthermore, she needed to start using more of her head than her heart in battle. After getting a fifth call from Dr. Burr, Yamashiro left to eat dinner with him at Wayne Industries. Luckily, she arrived and disrupted Cypher's first attempt to kidnap Burr. Dr. Burr regained consciousness and surprised her with his Ion Cortex prototype by projecting her likeness on a building. Cypher soon made his move and took Burr with him into the duct system. Batman and Yamashiro pursued but she was also taken control by Cypher after she disobeyed Batman's orders to only track. Eventually, Batman forced Cypher to release them both. Yamashiro awoke and found herself in battle against Batman. She managed to convince him to fight back. Batman then managed to disengage Cypher's connection but the villain grabbed Burr. Yamashiro realized Cypher's weakness, he could feel what his victims felt. Yamashiro kissed Dr. Burr and the resulting surge of emotion overwhelmed Cypher and Batman took him down.

Katana continued to try and control her rage but still had to fight past training. During a raid on Murphy's, Katana wished to pursue Tobias Whale's men before helping evacuating the building. In an act of selflessness, Katana sacrificed her life to beat back two assassins infected with the mutative Calibosix toxin. She managed to knock them back three levels down but was infected by the toxin. Batman returned for her and applied the anti-serum. Katana made a full recovery. Wayne attempted to encourage her to trust her instincts, which came into play against Professor Pyg and Mister Toad. After attaining a sample of a mysterious goo, Yamashiro took it to Dr. Burr for analysis. There was an awkward moment when Burr tried to kiss her. Aboard a Trident Monarch X-90, Katana evacuated attendees of the Masters of Fashion's After Party on the Sea then descended to free Batman from Professor Pyg's resin. When Pyg and Toad attempted to make their escape, Katana instead deflected their bombs. The blast radius was close enough to knock the duo out.

Katana became a target of Magpie. Magpie believed Batman wanted her help to get rid of Katana. She believed she alone understood Batman and only deserved to be by his side. She kidnapped Katana and buried her alive at the Gotham Cemetery. Katana awoke and with 30 minutes of air left, dug her way out. Katana took back her katana from Magpie as Batman cured himself of Magpie's curare. Together, they defeated Magpie. Dr. Burr was set to test his finished Ion Cortex on the anniversary of Yamashiro's father. After Burr tried to kill them by blowing up his lab, she refused to believe he was evil all along. Batman and Katana tailed Burr to the Fallpoint Underground Power Substation, where the rest of the League of Assassins awaited. Katana followed via glider but landed after the Batmobile was blown away by rocket propelled grenades. Reunited with Batman, they stormed the substation. Forgoing stealth, Katana rode on Batman's back as he glided down the maintanence shaft.

At the substation's central hub, Dr. Burr pulled a knife on Batman. Katana stepped forward and removed her mask. She kissed Burr. Burr regained his senses. Batman and Katana realized he suffered residual synaptic corruption from Cypher. Burr tried to disable the Ion Cortex but Katana was restrained by a bola and watched in horror as Burr's soul was taken and Batman was beaten unconscious by Ra's Al Ghul. Pennyworth arrived and freed Katana. With little choice, Pennyworth sealed the two of them off from the League. Katana worried about Batman but Pennyworth ordered her down the tunnel with him. They returned to Wayne Manor but Katana questioned Pennyworth about what Ra's said about her father's true death. They were interrupted by the Batsignal. Trusting Lieutenant Gordon, Katana informed him about the Ion Cortex hoping he would utilize the police department's mobile command unit to hack and destroy the Cortex. She handed a communicator to Gordon then returned to Fallpoint with Pennyworth, armed with explosives.

Just as Batman left Fallpoint, Pennyworth and Katana infiltrated the substation. However, they were subdued by Lady Shiva and taken to Ra's. Ra's continued to drive a wedge between the two and revealed Pennyworth killed Katana's father then ran away. Pennyworth insisted there was no other choice. Katana was overcome with rage and beat on Pennyworth. Ra's stopped her and had the two locked away in separate prison cells. He then issued an ultimatum to Batman to surrender. If he complied, Ra's would release Katana. Batman, however, refused to cooperate. Ra's then proposed to her if she killed Pennyworth, he would release her father's soul from the sword. She was shocked Pennyworth never told her that but still refused. She eventually gave in and agreed to. Before executing Pennyworth, she demanded the truth. Learning of her father's sacrifice, Katana spared Pennyworth and stood at his side. Their deaths were put on hold as Tobias Whale arrived with Batman. It was a ruse and Batman fought Ra's in vain. Katana soon realized he was stalling.

After the Ion Cortex was overloaded by Barbara Gordon, Katana drop kicked Lady Shiva and threw the Soul Taker to Batman. She watched as the imprisoned souls took Ra's away. As she picked the Soul Taker back up, Edogawa Yamashiro's soul came to her, smiled, and flew up above and dispersed. Katana was content he was free. Soon enough, the Batsignal appeared in the night sky. Yamashiro alerted Wayne that duty called. At some point, Katana defeated a villain named Battleaxe in honorable combat, she was framed for the murder of Gotham mob boss Whitey Blackmon by Battleaxe's latest apprentice Christine Banner. Katana refused to lay low after James Gordon issued an All-Points Bulletin and went to the Gotham Supermax Prison to make sure Battleaxe was still in her cell. After receiving intelligence on Battleaxe's three favorite apprentices, Katana was attacked by Banner. Using a breathing tube, an old samurai trick, Katana remained underwater after she was knocked off a ledge. Banner ran off to kill Tobias Whale but Katana followed. They battled on the roof but fell through a skylight and were shot at by Whale's men. They temporarily worked together but Banner fled the scene when Batman confronted her. Batman and Katana cornered Banner at her motel room and turned her over to Gordon.

Six months after the blackout, Katana became worried about Batman pushing himself too far and taking bigger and bigger risks with each new case. After the latest incident with Anarky, she left a voice mail on Pennyworth's phone pleading him to return home. A few weeks later, Katana met Rex Mason for the first time while investigating assaults in Old Gotham with Batman. She later provided him an acceptable codename, Metamorpho. Katana, with Barbara Gordon's help, infiltrated Blackgate Penitentiary and stopped Batman from killing Killer Croc. They fled with the Key in their custody and turned him over to Commissioner Gordon. While Wayne recovered from his injuries, Pennyworth returned and Katana watched over Gotham. She also began teaching Barbara Gordon self-defense. While on patrol one night, Katana encountered Professor Pyg and Mister Toad robbing a chemical factory. She was unable to capture them. It soon was revealed they had manipulated a research scientist named Dr. Kirk Langstrom into turning himself into a Man Bat and planned to duplicate his serum for an animal army.

Man Bat led Batman and Katana to the Gotham Zoo, where Pyg and Toad were based. They managed to gain control of Man Bat again and knocked Katana out after she freed their hostages. Toad decided to take Katana as his bride, the future Mrs. Toad. Luckily, Batman saved her in time. Bruce Wayne and Ava Kirk attempted to set up Dane Lisslow and Tatsu Yamashiro together but the date ended abruptly when Lisslow was called into work. Dent's new champion Deathstroke sought to neutralize Batman. He concluded Katana was one of his weaknesses and made short work of her. Deathstroke detonated an explosive and Katana was caught in the collapse of scaffolding. Batman took her to Gotham Hospital and got Kirk to help him. Katana suffered mild brain swelling and was able to keep breathing on her own. Kirk convinced Batman to let Katana stay for observation. Kirk never admitted Katana as a patient and promised to take care of her alone. After Deathstroke was defeated and Dent rescued, Katana was moved to Wayne Manor to finish her recovery.

As events escalated and Deathstroke's hand was revealed, Katana stayed by Batman's side. However, the trap set at the Watson Building didn't go as planned. Katana was knocked out a helicopter and made a rough landing on a building ledge. Katana awoke and found Batman unscathed but belt-less. They made their way back to the vehicles but discovered Deathstroke had stolen the Batmobile. While Batman used the Batcycle to face Deathstroke alone at the Batcave, Katana called upon their allies for help. Oracle commandeered a police mobile command unit and met Katana at the entrance to the Cauldron. Katana didn't like the choice but time wasn't on their side. She gave Gordon an domino mask to hide her identity then called out Man Bat and Metamorpho from their hiding place. They drove to the Batcave and managed to get in. Thanks to Katana, Oracle, Man Bat and Metamorpho saved Batman and his mission to protect Gotham.