No...it's not Cassandra Cain coming back in Batman Eternal #9...apparently, it's someone we never met before...a totally new character:

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/127592-fans-baffled-as-batman-eternal-8-introduces-new-character.html

I was really hoping that it was Cassie coming back this time...it's frustrating, and it's sad, because it looks like DC is doing everything in their power not to have to write Cassandra Cain ever again...

1) David Cain is still nowhere to be found;

2) Lady Shiva has been de-aged, so she can't be Cassie's mom anymore;

3) DC created a new female character that is: Badass, Caucasian, Eurasian, Mute, and a great fighter, who is also heavily involved with both the Bat-Family and the Birds Of Prey = Strix;

4) And now, it seems they just ended the last "loop hole"...they are going to create a new character, connected to Batman and working on Hong Kong...(previously, that was Black Bat - Cassandra Cain).

Now, i'm sure we won't see Cassandra Cain, until the New 52 ends, and that may happen on the summer of 2015 when Both Batman Eternal, Futures End, Worlds End, and Multiversity (a new series coming soon) will all come to an end, on the same month (March) on the 30th anniversary of Crisis on Infinite Earths.

What do you think about all of this?...and what are your expectations about this new female character?...do you think she will be a good addition to the series?

Cassandra Cain was shoe-horned into the Bat-Family in the first place, because they couldn't figure out where else to put her. Now with the New 52, she's finally gone. If you ask me, they should keep her out.

As for the new character...seriously DC, the Bat-Family is big enough already, even without the characters you've benched, you can stop now. At this rate, the Bat-Family is going to turn into the non-powered version of the X-Men.

Yeah, they should keep her out, because she makes Bruce look weak...lol, at least that's what most Batman fanboys think...Cassie being appart of the Bat-family was an attempt to make the character popular, i guess...that's what they are doing with Batwoman, at first no-one cared about her, and now, she is supposedly connected with Bruce, in some way...lol

I love the character, appart from all of her abillities/skill, she also has the most awesome back story of all, only Bruce's is on pair with her's, and to me Cassie's is even better, with time, she could be an icon!...and they (DC) can create all of the Cassandra Cain's wannabes (Strix) that they want, it won't matter, because the original will always be better than the copy...but fanboyism appart, i really don't think she will appear until the New 52 Ends, which will HOPEFULLY happen on the summer of 2015 (the 30th anniversary of crisis on infinite earths).

@bat_girl_cc: Sorry to disappoint you, but it's highly unlikely that the New 52 will end any time soon. It seems to be pretty much a permanent thing.

About this new character, I don't really understand the public outcry. We don't know anything about her yet, she might not even be an ally of Batman, she might be working for Falcone. I think people shouldn't start hating her until we know who she is. :D

I've read some statements of some writters and some former writters that disagree with you there.

I've got no problem with the new character, other than her not being Cassandra Cain :D even tho i agree with @orangebat that the Bat-Family already has way too many members...it's supposed to be a Family, not some secret civilization...lol, we already have: Alfred...Owlman (not the one from earth-3, but "our Owlman", that appeared on the Court of the Owls story arc, and that is supposedly Bruce's older brother)...Batman (Bruce Wayne)...Catwoman (Selina)...Talia all ghul...Batwoman (Kate Kane)...Nightwing (Dick Grayson)...Batgirl (Barbara Gordon)...Red Hood (Jason Todd)...Red Robin (Tim Drake)...Robin (Damian Wayne)...1st Batwing (David Zavimbe)...2nd Batwing (Lucas "Luke" Fox)...Spoiler (Stephanie Brown)...Blue Bird (Harper Row)...Kerry Kelly...Huntress (Helena)...now this new female ninja...way too many people.

@bat_girl_cc: Could you please give links to these statements?

And yes, I know that the Bat-Family is a little to big, especially if we count Batman Inc. as well, but this new ninja might be a villain, not an ally of Batman. We can't be sure yet, but I guess we will learn more about her next Wednesday.

Eh, don't really like Cassie anyway, I prefer my Batgirl to...talk.

Agreed. They should have kept Steph out of the Batfamily too.

Here, Chuck Dixon basically says that he doesn't want Stephanie Brown to appear in the new 52, and that he thinks the New 52 is temporary.

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/118867-chuck-dixon-hopes-stephanie-brown-does-not-appear-in-nu52.html

and that's just Chuck Dixon's opinion, there's much more, but those statements have 1 or 2 years, so it's not easy to find all links, but if/when i do, i'll get back here, and post them.

A shame, Cassie was my favorite Batgirl. But hurray for new characters.

After reading this I agree new 52 might end or have drastic changes after all that stuff ends. Now that we have seen new 52 anti monitor who knows what can happen. I am excited. Don't really care about Cassandra though.