Catwoman's thrilling climactic battle commences with an apology from Tom Lone, who admits that he should have trusted Patience earlier. In response, Catwoman insists that he must be confusing her with someone else, raising the question of whether Catwoman is being cute or displaying signs of Dissociative Identity Disorder . Coupled with her already ridiculous get-up and superhero moniker, it's no wonder Tom answers nervously, "Come on, Patience."

The role of psychological illness in Catwoman is never explicitly addressed, although the film offers cinematic signs that Patience's mental stability is falling apart in this penultimate sequence. For example, the image has been overtly tinted blue-green, suggesting an "underwater" feeling perhaps experienced by Catwoman as she loses her mind. Additionally, this scene is characterized by nonsense dialogue such as, "If you don't have an identity, why keep it a secret?"

Admirably, Catwoman seems intent on keeping it together by repeating the same information over and over, seemingly to inform her opponent, but more likely to remind herself what's going on:

Catwoman: You killed me!

[fighting]

Catwoman: It was me you flushed down the pipes!

[fighting]

Catwoman: I'm Patience Phillips!

Laurel is awfully chatty herself, similarly chanting facts about Beau-line that she knows, Catwoman already knows, and the audience already knows:

Laurel: I can't be hurt!
Catwoman: Beau-line.
Laurel: You stop using it, and your face disintegrates!

[fighting]

Laurel: And if you keep using it, skin like living marble!

[fighting]

Laurel: And you can't feel a thing!

Once again, the viewer is reminded what is at stake here: every woman in America stands to become mutated by this product, desperately avoiding face-rot by slathering Beau-line on their armor-like faces. While Catwoman's intentions seem altruistic, it is worth noting how personally threatened she must feel at the prospect of thousands of women with actual superpowers; to be sure, although Catwoman ultimately prevails here, it would only take two Beau-line users to take her down, as Laurel nearly does it all by herself.

And so, it is no wonder Catwoman will do anything to stop Beau-line from reaching store shelves. The plot thickens, however, as we realize that Catwoman must be using Beau-line herself -- how else could she survive such a ferocious beating from Laurel, considering that neither super strength nor rapid healing are part of her special cat abilities? In fact, as Laurel delivers repeated blows right into Catwoman's belly, she exhibits not a single sign of injury, besides one grimace that anyone would make if they stubbed their toe.

As Catwoman swings precariously from the top of the building, Laurel announces, "Game over," inspiring Catwoman to inform her that it's overtime before coming back to kill her. True to form, however, Catwoman is not enough of a hero to finish Laurel off herself, instead trying to save her life and failing. As Laurel falls to her death, landing smack in the middle of a Hedare logo, Tom Lone reappears now that the actual crime fighting is over. Tom's statement that no one could pin this death on Catwoman if she was back in her cell by morning is patently ridiculous -- but only for its suggestion that this city's police force would even notice what happened here.

-- Catwoman