Sasha Bordeaux

Sasha Bordeaux
Sasha Bordeaux in Checkmate vol 2 #2 (July 2006); art by Jesús Saíz
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Detective Comics #751 (December 2000)
Created by	Greg Rucka Shawn Martinbrough
In-story information
Alter ego	Sasha Bordeaux
Team affiliations	Checkmate
Notable aliases	Black Queen, Black King's Bishop
Abilities	An OMAC cyborg independent of Brother Eye, also infrared vision in cybernetic eye, resistant to telepathy

Sasha Bordeaux is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was at first primarily associated with superhero Batman, and she has subsequently evolved an association with Checkmate in two of its incarnations. Sasha Bordeaux was created by Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough, and first appeared in Detective Comics #751 (December 2000).

Sasha Bordeaux first appeared as an attractive young martial artist who was hired as Bruce Wayne's bodyguard by WayneCorp's second in command, Lucius Fox, albeit against Wayne's wishes. Wayne at first tried to avoid her, but she kept on doing her job.

She eventually became suspicious of his constant late-night disappearances and did some searching, and was shocked to find that Bruce Wayne was secretly Batman. Knowing he couldn't legally fire her for knowing of his secret identity, Batman began training her to become his apprentice. After weeks of hard work, she became fit enough to go out with him on patrol in a suit, though he still treated her as a total stranger both as Batman and as Bruce Wayne. During this time, she fell in love with him, even as he insisted on having her around while he dated other women.

One night while Batman and Bordeaux were out on patrol, the assassin David Cain lured Wayne's ex-girlfriend Vesper Fairchild to Wayne Manor and killed her, framing Wayne in the process. Both Wayne and Bordeaux were charged with murder, and Sasha refused to exonerate herself by giving up Wayne's secret despite the fact that they had been patrolling separate areas at the time of the murder and therefore even she couldn't be sure Bruce hadn't killed Vesper. They were both arraigned and held without bail while awaiting trial. After a while, Batman escaped to leave his alter ego behind, leaving Bordeaux inside Blackgate prison. Although Sasha was briefly offered her freedom if she testified against Bruce Wayne— even contemplating taking the deal after Bruce abandoned her— a meeting with Alfred Pennyworth, who had recently returned to Gotham after spending time away, left her resolved to reject the offer. Alfred helped her realize that Bruce had truly valued her work, rather than using her without any thought for herself, as otherwise he would never have allowed her to accompany him as Batman. Batman eventually confronted those who framed him, and Wayne and Sasha were cleared of all charges.