Every fandom has its range of relationships, from the romantic to the platonic, the positive and the negative. Today we'll take a look at the many ships inside Gotham. Let's get started!

The OTPs of Gotham

Romantic Relationships

Bruce/Cat 
  

The ship as old as the comics themselves —  the iconic Batman/Catwoman pairing. Only this time, it comes in a fun-sized package. Really, is there anything cuter than the baby Cat and Bat first getting to know one another? Already they have a chemistry similar to their older counterparts. A shared playful spirit, a simultaneous trust and suspicion. We just can’t get enough of young Bruce Wayne and Selina “Cat” Kyle together.

The Lee/Jim/Barbara/Montoya Quadrangle 
  

Some of the most infamous ships are those inside this complex relationship quadrangle. The relationship between Barbara and Montoya is the most controversial, of course, as it is one of the few female/female relationship depicted on television. Some relish the representation it brings, while others argue it horribly misrepresents the LGBT community due to the couple’s instability and poor choices. Jim and Lee’s growing relationship, however, is quickly gaining popularity. Most viewers find Lee’s inner strength and enthusiasm for life to be refreshing, and enjoy seeing her with Jim; while others say that, considering some of Jim’s misogynistic tendencies, she deserves better. All things considered though, it’s a far more popular ship than the much derided Jim/Barbara pairing. Despite having the most canonical support from the comics, viewers loathe Barbara far too much for most of them to ship her with the show’s main protagonist. As for me, I think both Jim and Barbara have some growing up to do before they can even hope to have a healthy romantic relationship with anyone; while Lee and Montoya would be better off finding love interests who are more stable and better suited for them. 

The Butch/Fish/Harvey/Scottie Quadrangle
  

A quadrangle with more than a few surprising turns, and many questions as well. Who would have guessed Harvey would genuinely fall in love with Fish? Or that Butch was in love with her either, for that matter? And to which of them (if any) does Fish return the affection? Will we ever see Harvey’s other love interest, Scottie, again? Personally, I find all of these relationships quite unexpected and strange, but interesting as well. I don’t know if I personally ship any of them, per se. But I am very intrigued to find out what direction the show takes each of these dynamics. 

The NoTPs of Gotham

Doomed or Unpopular Romantic Relationships

Jim/Barbara
  

As mentioned above, a ship almost universally disliked. With Barbara’s life in such disarray, how will she and Jim ever get back together?

Eddie/Kristen
  

A ship liked by many people, but on the whole too problematic for me. Don’t get me wrong  —  Eddie and Kristen would be perfect for one another… if she returned his feelings. However, she doesn’t. And that is (or should be) the end of it. It may be unfair how often she has misunderstood Eddie, but she is under no obligation to like him back. Meanwhile, Eddie needs to understand that you can’t win a woman’s heart by further persuasion once she’s given her rejection. And he deserves to be with someone more on his personal wavelength anyway. 

The BroTPs of Gotham

Famous Friendships 

Jim/Harvey
  

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What started out as a FoeTP is now one of the most famous friendships on the show. Despite having complete opposite personalities and goals, Jim and Harvey have become inseparable. You can always count of them to have each other’s backs. Well… usually. 

Cat/Ivy
  

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Cat was wary of Ivy at first. But after finding her ill in a back alley and helping her regain her health, the two girls are quickly forming a newfound friendship. Now all we need is a young Harley Quinn, and the Gotham City Sirens will be complete. 

Jim/Oswald
  

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The relationship may be a bit one-sided, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fan favorite. Though Jim doesn’t trust Oswald in the least bit, his connection is invaluable to solving many of his cases. Oswald, on the other hand, is obsessed with Jim, and cherishes any opportunity that will bring them closer together. 

Eddie/Oswald
  

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So far they've only had one scene together, but viewers haven't stopped talking about them since. It's clear they don't quite trust each other yet, but both are mutually intrigued. I'm sure there will be plenty of fighting and friendship between the two before the show is over.

The FoeTPs of Gotham

Famous Enemies

Fish/Oswald
  

The most famous FoeTP on the show. The two once shared a sort of mother/son relationship. But now Fish Mooney has resolved to never rest until she gets revenge on Oswald, after he betrayed her and used her as a stepping stone to gain more status. Their game of cat and mouse is the main focus of the Penguin’s journey to power. 

Maroni/Falcone
  

Of course, a list of FoeTPs wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the two Dons. The rivalry between Falcone and Maroni is the driving force behind the show’s main plot. Falcone has always been the number one underworld figure in Gotham City. But once the Waynes are taken out of the picture, a hole is left in his net of power. A hole Don Maroni will do anything to exploit. 

Oswald/Zsasz
  

A newly forming FoeTP, but still a fun one. One has to wonder why Falcone’s two head men are so dead set against each other. 

The PsychOTPs of Gotham

Relationships So Disturbing You Can't Help Loving Them

Oswald/Gertrud
  

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On one level it’s a close and loving mother/son relationship. On another, it’s an obsessive, abusive, and dependent relationship with subtle hints of possible incest. Despite its disturbing nature, the relationship between the Penguin and his mother is one of the most intriguing aspects of the show. And one of the few glimpses we get into Oswald’s personal life outside his plans for gaining power. 

The FamTPs of Gotham

Related Or Not, They're Family

Alfred/Bruce
  

When Bruce’s parents died, Alfred’s treatment of the boy was initially quite stern. That, along with the fact the two had an employer/butler relationship, made it look like any kind of emotional bond was far off. Yet it became evident quite quickly how much the two cared for one another, and how each was needed in the other’s life. 

Falcone/Liza
  

What you’d expect to be a father/daughter relationship, considering that Falcone is a powerful Don and Liza is a young woman, is actually an unusual mother/son relationship. Liza bears a striking resemblance to Falcone’s dear departed mother, and was trained by Fish Mooney to act like her as well. Her original intent was to serve as a mole for Fish, but the young woman soon began forming a genuine bond with the old man. Unfortunately, this was a relationship doomed to end in tragedy.

Which relationships are your favorites? Tell us in the comments!

Your Gotham Girl is back bringing you a recap for the show’s last episode before its month-and-a-half-long hiatus. So let’s get started! Spoilers ahead. And, as always, we’d like to remind readers that Gotham contains adult content, so viewer discretion is advised. Mild trigger warning for blood.

Jim Gordon is shocked to discover that Detective Flass, the crooked cop that he fought so hard to get arrested back in episode 13, has been exonerated. But how could this be, when the evidence he had collected against him was irrefutable? After discussing the matter with Essen and Harvey Dent, Jim learns that the defense dug up a witness that somehow cleared Flass of all charges. And that witness was someone provided by Commissioner Loeb, who then reinstated Flass as the head of narcotics department, and is now also backing Flass in the upcoming election for president of the Policeman’s Union.

After a visit to Commissioner Loeb’s office, Jim discovers the witness was his very own partner, Harvey Bullock. He watches the tape of Harvey’s confession, in which he claims to have presented false evidence in the trial. Jim immediately confronts him on this. Harvey tells Jim that the only reason why he made the confession was because Commissioner Loeb blackmailed him into doing it. Jim asks what Loeb has on him. Harvey reminds him of the time, long ago, when Jim had been given the task to take Oswald Cobblepot to the edge of a pier and shoot him, as a test and sign of faithfulness to the way things are done at the GCPD. Jim isn’t the only one who was tested in such a way, Harvey reveals.

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In fact, every officer at the GCPD has a “Cobblepot” — a person they were forced to kill in order to be allowed to keep their jobs or their lives. Each time it’s framed as a test of loyalty. But in reality, Commissioner Loeb arranges it to ensure he has something on everyone. That way, if someone doesn’t do exactly as he orders, all he has to do is charge them for murder.

Not willing to let a situation like this go, Jim meets with Harvey Dent and explains the situation. Dent claims that Loeb has nothing on him. He also tries to get information out of Jim on what exactly Loeb has on Bullock, but Jim remains tight-lipped about it.

Finally, Dent offers his advice: they should find Loeb’s treasure trove of information that he uses to blackmail people, and destroy it. It would be too risky to keep it on his person, Dent says; therefore, it would be best to look for someone close to him, someone Loeb trusts absolutely. Dent asks if Loeb has a wife. Jim explains that his wife died awhile ago, and many suspect that Loeb himself killed her. Their attention turns to Dent’s next idea, seeking out Loeb’s old partner.

The two men find Griggs, Loeb’s long-ago partner, and question him about the secret files. When he’s unwilling to talk, they realize Loeb’s got something on him too. Dent says this is his chance to come clean. Griggs, still unwilling to talk outright, gives them a tip instead — talk to a man by the name of Xi Lu, who is often hired to keep things safe. Later, Jim and Dent find Xi Lu; but when they try to pressure him to give them information, the two men end up getting chased out by men with knives. Realizing Griggs set them up, they question him again, this time with Harvey Bullock’s help. Bullock holds his head outside of a moving car until Griggs admits Loeb is working with Falcone.

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It will do no good to try to get the information out of Falcone, they realize. Instead, they need to find someone close to Falcone who will help them. Jim and Harvey Bullock visit the most obvious choice, Oswald Cobblepot, who is very happy to see them. When they explain the situation to him, he’s a bit hesitant to betray his patron, and will only help under two conditions. One, when they find the files, he gets five minutes with them to take what information he wants. Two, he gets one favor from Jim Gordon sometime in the future, no questions asked. Jim agrees to the terms.

Following Oswald’s guidance, they drive until they come to what looks like an ordinary farmhouse. Harvey is suspicious the Penguin is leading them into a trap, but Oswald insists this is where Loeb keeps a great secret — a secret he assumes to be the files.

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They meet the elderly caretakers of the house, and claim to be there for an inspection under Loeb’s orders. The old couple, however, remains highly suspicious of them. During dinner, the men hear a strange noise coming from upstairs, while the old couple continues to question them on who they are and what they’re doing here.

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Finally, the old woman leaves the room for a moment and comes back with a rifle. A shootout ensues, in which Harvey non-fatally shoots the man, and Jim saves Oswald’s life by temporarily taking out the old woman right when she’s about to shoot him. Jim has Oswald guard the old couple while he and Harvey check out the noises upstairs.

In the upstairs attic, they find Mirriam Loeb, the commissioner’s mentally unstable daughter, who makes a hobby out of killing birds and creating jewelry with their bones. After talking with her for a little while, they discover birds are not the only thing she’s killed, and that she murdered her mother long ago when her mother wouldn’t let her perform at a dinner. A noise downstairs alerts them, and they discover that, while Oswald is safe, the old couple has escaped him. Oswald asks if they found what Loeb was hiding. When they say they have, he demands to see it, and out comes Mirriam, who seems very fascinated with Oswald’s resemblance to birds.

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Jim uses Mirriam as blackmail against Loeb, threatening to have her sent to Arkham if he doesn’t cooperate. Loeb offers to resign from his position, but Jim doesn’t want that. With Loeb, he now has leverage; if a new commissioner came, Jim would have no way of controlling him. Loeb agrees to hand over Bullock’s file, but refuses to hand over any others. He also agrees to back Jim as president of the Policeman’s Union instead of Flass. In private, Jim gives Harvey his file. Harvey warns him to be careful what bad things he does in order to accomplish good, and warns him about the favor he owes Oswald.

The show reveals that Oswald and the elderly couple from the farmhouse had a deal, and he’s supposed to help them escape Falcone’s wrath. When Oswald tells the couple he could only get them one ticket out of Gotham, the old woman murders her husband to ensure she’s the one who gets the ticket. When she tries to claim it, however, Oswald reveals there is no ticket; he was merely trying to goad her into killing her husband so he could finish her off with the remaining bullet in the rifle.

Now that Flass is back, Eddie tries to warn Kristen about what a bad man he is and that dating him again isn’t a good idea. But she tells him not to worry because she’s realized there are far better men in the world. Thinking she’s referring to him, Eddie approaches her later to ask her out, and instead meets her boyfriend Tom. Tom, it turns out, likes riddles just like he does, and condescendingly compliments Eddie’s talent for them after a challenge.

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At the hospital, Alfred is recovering well. Jim comes to ask questions; but Alfred doesn’t want his old friend to get in trouble, and says he couldn’t see the man who stabbed him. After Jim goes, Alfred attempts leaving the hospital early so he can investigate what’s going on with the friend who betrayed him. But Bruce orders him to stay where he is.

Soon, Cat visits them at the hospital, and comforts Bruce.

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Bruce tells her that Alfred’s been stabbed, and he believes it has something to do with his meeting with the board at Wayne Enterprises. He thinks Reggie was working for them, and that he’s the one who stole some of his personal files that are now missing. When Bruce reveals he wants to track Reggie down, Cat says it’s not wise for him to go alone. She offers to help him, but Bruce refuses, saying he doesn’t want to risk anyone but himself.

Meanwhile, Fish Mooney awakes to find herself face-to-face with Dr. Dulmacher. This doctor, also known as the Dollmaker, reveals that he likes to switch people’s body parts, make alterations, all in an experiment to see how much it takes to change the essence of a person. Despite the sinister nature of his hobby, he appears very friendly and kind to Fish. She discovers he has even performed a surgery on her, replacing the eye she crushed. It’s a perfect match, he says, except for the color.

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Fish asks that he make her his right-hand woman. When Dr. Dulmacher seems skeptical of this idea, she reminds him how far she’s gotten just as a captive, and how much more she could do if on his side. The Dollmaker decides to test her —  to send her back to the basement, so that she will give back the guard and prove whether or not she can use her influence over the prisoners to make them give up their bodies for his use. Before letting her go, the doctor demonstrates what happens to those who fail him by showing her the fate of his manager, whose head has now been placed on a woman’s body.

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Fish returns to the basement to find people doubting her loyalty, and Kelly standing up for her. She makes them let the guard go, and allows the other guards to take a few people to be used for parts —   including Kelly. The prisoners are shocked at this, but  Fish says she promised from the beginning that some of them would die and her promise remains the same.

Once Fish has done this, Dr. Dulmacher congratulates her on completing her task, and promotes her to upper management. Looking out the window, Fish discovers they are on an island, from which there is no escape.

Final Thoughts: 

This episode contained many interesting elements. I loved seeing Jim and Oswald work together. I can’t help wondering what will happen when Falcone inevitably finds out that Oswald betrayed him. Although, I have to admit my favorite part was between Oswald and the bird-killer, Mirriam Loeb. I also loved the little nod to Oswald and Gertrud’s relationship in one scene.

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It was nice to see Harvey Dent again, though he had his suspicious moments as always. Why was he so anxious to find out what Loeb has on Harvey Bullock? And why is he one of the few people (if not the only person) that Loeb isn’t blackmailing?

Now that Fish has become the official assistant to the Dollmaker, I wonder if that will work for her or against her. Will she use the doctor’s body-swapping skills to finally get revenge on Oswald (possibly by altering someone close to him)? Or will she end up being the one physically altered beyond repair?

I also found it interesting that Fish now has unmatching colored eyes. It reminds me of a villain from the Batman comics named Duela Dent. Duela also had non-matching eye colors. She also, incidentally, worked with the Dollmaker for a time. Is this connection purposeful on the part of the showrunners?

What’s to Come: 

News for the show has been very slow lately since we’ve come to a fairly large break from new episodes. However, we have been given a small glimpse at what’s coming. Large spoilers for future episodes to follow.

Lucius Fox will be coming to Gotham, played by 12 Years a Slave actor Chris Chalk.

Spy cameras have gotten footage of a scene depicting Eddie killing someone. Who it is he kills isn’t yet known, though many suspect it to be Tom, Kristen’s new boyfriend.

A casting call has also gone out for singles, as well as real life couples, to play prostitutes and other members of a brothel. So apparently a brothel will be the setting for some future Gotham scene.

And finally, the biggest news of all. Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed that she is leaving the show. One way or another, this season’s grand finale will see the end of Fish Mooney.

In the meantime, Gotham has officially gone on hiatus. The show will return April 13th, and Gotham Recaps will begin again on April 19th. See you then, Gothamites!

Your Gotham Girl is back with an all new recap! Spoilers ahead. And, as always, we’d like to remind readers that Gotham contains adult content and viewer discretion is advised.

Alfred’s old military buddy, Reggie, shows up at the manor, hard on his luck after struggling with alcohol. Bruce insists he stay with them a few days.

Reggie finds out Bruce is training. He gives him some tips on how to fight —  not according to the rules of boxing like Alfred teaches, but the ruthless ways of fighting one meets on the streets. Alfred sees them and puts a stop to it. Reggie apologizes in case he overstepped a boundary, and says it’s obvious how much Alfred has helped the boy. Alfred says Bruce is the one who helped him.

Butch takes out his father’s special wine, and drinks are shared as Reggie tells stories. All are enjoying themselves until the stories turn to the war. Alfred, ashamed of his actions during his time in the military, ends the discussion and says it’s time for bed.

In the night, Alfred catches Reggie stealing some of their belongings. He expresses his disappointment in his friend, and tells him all he had to have done is ask for help. Reggie says he’s in deep trouble; and when Alfred tries to make him put the stuff back, Reggie stabs him. As Reggie escapes the manor, Bruce finds the butler out cold and bleeding on the floor, and calls an ambulance. Jim gets a call alerting him to the situation and joins them at the hospital. Bruce, who is shaken by the attack, turns to Jim for comfort.

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Reggie, it turns out, was hired by the board at Wayne’s Enterprises. While at the manor, he took pictures of Bruce’s notes, to find out all he knows about the board’s actions. He tells them that, since Alfred is in the hospital, now is the time to make a move on Bruce.

Barbara, drunk and depressed, distracts herself by trying to help Cat and Ivy. She gives them free clothes and tells Cat she’s a beautiful woman. When Cat doesn’t believe her, she takes her to the mirror and tells her beauty is something she can use as a weapon to get herself further in life. Cat seems skeptical when she considers who this advice is coming from.

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Meanwhile, Oswald’s club is still doing badly. The comedian he hired is booed off the stage, and a problem arises when his employees inform him they have run out of alcohol. Not only that, Maroni owns most of the alcohol in Gotham, and the rest is owned by people he has under his thumb. Since Maroni hates Oswald with a passion, he won’t let him obtain any drinks for the club. Oswald is about to steal alcohol from some of Maroni’s men, when the cops come and confiscate it instead. It turns out the “cops” are actually Butch’s men wearing police uniforms. Butch had thought of a much better plan than Oswald did, and he gives the confiscated alcohol to his new boss.

Oswald is still suspicious of Butch, but Butch assures him the suspicion is unnecessary. He says that if the club tanks, Falcone won’t trust either of them anymore. Besides, Butch says, he’s done being a sidekick. Oswald claims to miss Fish Mooney, and asks if Butch does too.

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Surprisingly, Butch answers bitterly that Fish got what she deserved.

Fish, meanwhile, is going upstairs to meet the manager. She discovers that the manager is really only the assistant to the owner, Dr. Dulmacher. She refuses to talk to the assistant, insisting that she talk to Dr. Dulmacher herself. She says no one will leave the basement until he sits with her and negotiates terms. The manager offers her a shower and new clothes, telling her to freshen up, and they’ll talk again afterwards. Fish does so. When she returns, she asks the manager why they are stealing body parts from living people. He says the parts are used for their clients, as well as Dulmacher’s personal projects. As they talk, the manager begins admiring her eyes. Finally, he gives her a choice: either he kills her and all the people in the basement (all of whom are easily replaced with other captives), or he takes her eyes and leaves her to fend for herself blindly in the basement.

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Not wanting to let him have the upper hand or take advantage of her, Fish takes a spoon and gouges out her own eye, crushing it on the ground with her shoe.

On his way to a bank robbery, Floyd, the lead member of a gang, decides to don a red hood. It seems to give him a new confidence, and he takes charge of the robbery with energy. A guard close by attempts to shoot him, but every bullet misses.

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When the cops come and have him and his gang cornered, the gang throws the money out at people on the street, using the distraction to help them escape. The next day, newspapers everywhere tell the story of what they’re now calling the “Red Hood Gang”, comparing them to Robin Hood because of their “charity” to the people on the street. Floyd is thrilled by their new title. He believes the hood is a symbol of good luck. However, one of the other members of the gang, Destro, decides he wants to wear the hood himself. He murders Floyd and takes the hood, becoming the gang’s new leader.

Jim and Harvey are placed on the case. They discover the gang didn’t go for any of the vaults, but just took what was in the registers. They also learn the gang was in and out of the bank in under two minutes. A worker at bank reports that there was a smoke bomb let off in the bank recently, which they had previously dismissed as a prank. Jim asks for surveillance footage of the incident. While watching the footage, they see Floyd let off the smoke bomb, trigger the alarm, and time the police response in order to see how much time they would have for a robbery later. They also notice Floyd is wearing a work shirt for Kleg’s Auto. The two detectives visit Kleg’s Auto, only to find Floyd’s dead body in the refrigerator.

Destro, as the second Red Hood, leads his gang in another robbery. Unfortunately, he isn’t nearly as competent as his predecessor. At the pleadings of the patrons inside the bank, the gang again releases some of the stolen money into the air. With so much money being given away, none of the Gotham citizens want the Red Hood Gang to be caught. Jim also grimly realizes that, since all it takes is a red hood in order to adopt the persona, the Red Hood is a figure that may never die

A witness comes to the station who claims to have seen the face of the second Red Hood. After narrowing suspects down based on his description, the witness picks Destro out of a line-up. They let Destro go, but watch him secretly from their car, hoping he’ll lead them to the rest of the gang. Destro goes to his apartment, where another member of the gang is waiting for him. He’s ransacked the apartment looking for the hood, and demands Destro give it to him so he can use it to impress his girlfriend. Destro refuses, and the gang member shoots him. At the sound of the gunshot, Jim and Harvey run into the apartment. Jim calls an ambulance. They also find rejection letters from multiple banks, denying Destro a loan. All of them except one are banks the gang has robbed. Jim and Harvey realize the remaining bank must be the gang’s next target.

Jim and Harvey catch up with the gang as the third Red Hood is about to lead them in the robbery. The detectives tell them to drop their weapons; but instead, the Red Hood starts firing at them. A shootout ensues, in which all of the men in the gang are killed. The red hood drops to the ground. Later, it is picked up and put on by a child on the street.

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Final Thoughts: 

Besides a couple of surprises involving Alfred and Fish, not much happened in this episode. Though, after meeting Jerome last week, this week introduced to a few more possible Jokers.

In the comics, The Joker is sometimes presented as a failed comedian, like the one we saw in Oswald’s club. The Joker is also known for once adopting the Red Hood persona. Almost all of the members of the Red Hood Gang in this episode had something of a Joker-ish personality. But they were all quickly proven to be red herrings as they were killed off one by one. At the end, however, we see the red hood picked up by a child on the street. Could he actually be the real Joker? We can’t know for sure. But my money is still on Jerome being the real deal. And it’s not (I hope) just wishful thinking. We’ve seen plenty of possible Jokers on the show so far, but none were advertised as much as Jerome was. The showrunners definitely want him to stick out in our minds. Although... is that because he’s the genuine article, or because the showrunners are trying to trick us?

It was interesting to see more of Barbara and the young girls together. Cat might have shrugged off Barbara’s advice about using beauty as a weapon, but it clearly will have some effect on her later in life. No matter how we feel about Barbara, it looks like she had a hand in shaping the future Catwoman persona.

I am also very intrigued by Butch’s behavior.

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Last time we saw him and Fish together, he seemed to be absolutely in love with her. Now he says “she got what she deserved”? What exactly did Victor Zsasz do to him to change his alliances so much? Or is it really just a ploy to trick Oswald?

What’s To Come: 

It looks like it will be some time before we have any more news on future episodes. Rumor is we have one more episode to enjoy before the show goes on a short hiatus. Once Gotham returns a few weeks later, we’ll have three more episodes before the season’s grand finale is revealed.

It’s time for another Gotham recap! This week’s episode introduces a very important and controversial character. Let’s delve in! Spoilers ahead. And, as always, we would like to remind readers that Gotham contains adult content and viewer discretion is advised. Trigger warning for blood, relationship abuse, and sexism.

Bruce is planning a meeting with the board at Wayne Enterprises to ask questions about things that have him suspicious. Alfred doesn’t think this is at all a good idea and thinks it could get them both killed, but Bruce is determined. During the meeting, he tells the board he’s suspicious about both WellZyn and underworld involvement in the company. The board members assure him in condescending tones that there’s nothing to worry about, but they say they’ll look into it. They also remind him that, among all these serious accusations, he has not offered any proof. Bruce says he hasn’t told them everything he knows. When they press him on this, he refuses to tell them anymore, but reveals he intends to raise questions at the next shareholders meeting with a view of possible legal action. He tells them that, if he was old enough, he would be ensuring the company was run honestly. As he leaves, the board members don‘t look at all pleased.

Meanwhile, it looks like however clever and creative Oswald is in manipulating others to obtain power, that cleverness and creativity apparently does not extend to entertaining guests or running a club. He’s turned Fish’s old club into quite a gloomy, unpopular place. Oswald doesn’t seem to notice this problem at first; he continues to let his mother give performances, as he looks proudly on, oblivious to the dwindling number of guests.

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And attendance only gets more scarce after he murders a man for booing his mother’s singing.

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Soon Victor Zsasz pays a visit to the club, and Oswald is horrified to see he has brought Butch along with him. Zsasz seems to enjoy Oswald’s fear, but assures him it isn’t necessary. Since business at the club is doing so badly, Falcone ordered that Butch be brought in to help. After all, Butch has years of experience working a club after being in Fish Mooney’s service. Oswald is doubtful about this plan, as he knows Butch is loyal to Fish. But after a week of being tortured by Zsasz, Butch seems mechanically obedient, almost as if he’s in some kind of trance. He obeys every order Oswald gives him, and Victor Zsasz assures him there will be no problems.

Jim and Lee’s date at the circus becomes a police investigation when the performance suddenly erupts into an on-stage brawl. Jim intervenes and tries to get to the bottom of what started it all, but doesn’t get much cooperation. Lee, on the other hand, gets an earful of information as she bandages up two of the performers. The performers are John Grayson and Mary Lloyd (the future parents of Batman’s sidekick Robin), who were once in love, but have now rejoined the feud that‘s gone on between their families for about a century. They tell Lee the brawl was started when Mary’s relative Owen punched John’s relative Alphonse, and the reason for the fight was that both men are in love with the circus’s snakedancer, Lila. Lee meets back up with Jim, who apologizes for their date being ruined. She tells him not to worry about it because she finds the whole thing exciting. She also fills him in on what the two performers told her. Jim is impressed by her ability to get information faster than him, and they go to question Lila the snakedancer.

At her trailer, they find Lila’s son Jerome.

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But Lila herself is nowhere to be found. The circus ringleader tells Jim that Lila is known to be something of a party girl and often disappears to go entertain men. Jerome seems uncomfortable with them discussing his mother’s sex life; and also points out it’s not a good explanation for her disappearance anyway, as she has left behind her hat and handbag — things she never leaves without. Lila’s snake Sheba seems agitated; and Jim orders it be let loose, hoping the snake will lead them to Lila’s whereabouts.

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It leads them to a cart where, under a tarp, Lila’s dead body has been placed. As Jerome cries over his dead mother, the ringleader reveals he was the one who placed the body there. He shows Jim where he originally found the body, outside the circus. The reason he didn’t report it, he says, is because the circus troop prefers to settle matters like this among themselves, rather than involve the police.

Despite the ringleader’s wishes, Jim declares an official GCPD murder investigation. At the station, Eddie goes to report his findings to Essen, and becomes annoyed when Lee talks over him and reports the findings herself instead. She reveals that Lila was murdered using a hatchet.

All the circus performers are brought in for questioning. Each family continuously accuses the other for the murder, while Owen Lloyd and Alphonse Grayson continue to fight over which of them Lila would have picked. Jim locks Owen and Alphonse in a cell together, and encourages the other performers to put this feud aside once and for all.

A distraught Jerome is brought to the station, and Jim tries to get information out of him about his mother. He talks awhile about how perfect a mother she was, and how he loves and misses her. Jim asks if he has any other family members, and he says the circus is the only family he’s got. He asks if Lila had any enemies, and he says no. Jerome says that, while she didn’t have any official boyfriends either, she had a very long list of lovers. These included Alphonse Grayson and Owen Lloyd, but he is unable to name any others. Jim asks Jerome how he felt about his mother sleeping with so many men, and he says he was fine with it. He says his mother’s sex life was, after all, what brought him into the world in the first place.

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Later, a blind man comes to the station with his child aid, and seems to know who Jim and Lee are without asking. His name is Paul Cicero, and he is a psychic at the circus, as well as an old friend of Lila's. He claims to have received a message from her from beyond the grave, which says, “The servant of the devil lies in the garden of the iron sisters.” Jim dismisses him as a publicity ploy, and Lee gets angry at Jim for being too closed-minded. That night, when Jim and Lee are in the middle of a dinner date, Lee believes she has figured out the message. She thinks “the garden of the iron sisters” must refer to the park under Arkham Bridge. After convincing the reluctant Jim to take her to the park immediately, they find an axe on the ground with initials carved into it. The initials are that of the Hellfire Club, a satanic cult.

Despite the message leading them to the murder weapon, Jim is still skeptical about Cicero being a genuine psychic. Soon, both Jim and Lee are angry at each other. Jim is mad at her for interrupting their date, and getting involved in police work which, Jim says, isn’t work for a lady. Lee is mad at him for being closed-minded about psychics, and for his hypocritical attitude toward women.

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Both admit they have things about themselves they need to work on, and apologize to each other. Suddenly, Jim gets a theory about the case involving Cicero and Jerome. He orders that they be brought in to the station; and to make things up to Lee, he lets her sit in on the questioning.

Jim tells Cicero he doesn’t buy the psychic story. And the only other way Cicero could have known the murder weapon was in the garden was if he put it there himself, or had someone else place it there. Jim believes that Cicero is trying to frame the Hellfire Club for Lila’s murder in order to protect the real killer. The real killer, Jim suspects, is Lila’s own son Jerome, who he also believes to secretly be Cicero’s son.

Jerome denies all of this. He says that of course he would never kill his own mother. He denies that Cicero could be his father as well, as his father was a man named Sven Carlson, a sea captain who died at sea. When asked, however, Jerome is unable to provide the name of the ship his father died in, claiming his mother never told him. When Jim suggests a blood test to settle the matter, Cicero comes clean, admitting he is Jerome’s father. This revelation seems to take Jerome by surprise. It turns out Lila was too ashamed of Cicero to admit he was the real father, and instead invented stories about a sea captain to tell Jerome instead, so that the boy could feel more proud of his father. As Cicero explains this, Jerome refuses to believe any of it. Cicero points out that, after what Jerome did — murdering his own mother in cold blood  — he wouldn’t have helped him unless he was his father.

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At that moment, Jerome snaps. He starts laughing, saying this is a very funny joke his mother has pulled on him, and that she finally got him in the end. Jim asks why he killed Lila, and Jerome says it was because he felt she had no right to boss him around when she lived such a promiscuous lifestyle. He begins angrily shouting slurs against his mother and laughing maniacally.

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Jim and Lee are both disturbed after witnessing Jerome’s unsettling outburst. However, Lee says she also found it thrilling, likening it to looking down a deep, dark tunnel. Jim is impressed by her ability to witness such things without being troubled by them, and tells her she’s a very unusual woman.

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Jim and Lee spend their first night together (which Harvey, to Jim’s chagrin, guesses the next day).

The next morning, John Grayson and Mary Lloyd visit the station. They reveal that they’ve gotten engaged, and thank Jim for encouraging them to put the feud aside. John says, when they have a son, they’ll name him after Jim; but Mary isn’t too sure about that decision.

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Barbara finally goes home to her apartment, only to catch Cat and Ivy there. She asks where Jim is, and Cat says he dropped off his copy of the apartment keys the week before. Barbara realizes this means she and Jim are officially over. She doesn’t seem to mind that Cat and Ivy are there, and tries to cheer herself up by hanging out with them. Barbara begins formulating a plan to get Jim back. She tries to figure out what to wear when she goes to see him, getting advice from the two girls. Cat says to dress in a way that makes her look like she’s meeting some other guy. Once she’s chosen an outfit, she heads to the station, only to walk in on Jim and Lee kissing. She leaves angrily.

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Fish and the other prisoners taken by the pirates watch as, one by one, they are taken out of the prison and then brought back with missing body parts. Apparently, whoever is holding them captive is using them for spare parts. Fish, meanwhile, has succeeded in wrapping all the prisoners around her finger. She has become a sort of spiritual leader among them, giving encouraging speeches and leading meditations, until all the prisoners have developed a religious loyalty to her.

One of the men holding them captive, Thomas Schmidt, comes down and orders a prisoner to come forward to be used for parts. Fish interferes. Since he needs them alive in order to use them for parts, Fish threatens to kill the prisoner unless Schmidt give in to her demands.  She then names off a list of supplies needed for the prisoners’ comfort and survival.

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Thomas Schmidt refuses; and the prisoner gives himself up as a martyr, being voluntarily beaten to death by the other prisoners under Fish’s command. At this, Schmidt says Fish will need to be taken up to see the manager. The other prisoners come to Fish’s protection as she refuses to go with him. Fish says the only way she’ll go up to see the manager is if Schmidt stays behind and leaves himself to the mercy of her friends. Concerned, Schmidt goes back up to discuss things with the manager. Once the prisoners are left to themselves, Fish turns to the dead body and makes a great show of honoring him.

When Thomas Schmidt returns, he reveals that the manager is forcing him to accept Fish’s offer. He stays behind with the threatening-looking prisoners, and Fish leaves the prison to meet with the mysterious manager.

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Final Thoughts: 

This episode was another mixed bag for me. On one hand, the episode had many problems. The fact that Jim confronted Cicero and Jerome with absolutely no proof of their guilt and still got confessions out of both of them, and the fact that Fish was able to manipulate Schmidt so well despite the fact that he and his men had rifles while she and the prisoners only had a knife and their fists, all served to only make the story more unrealistic. Some of the acting seemed off to me as well, especially Mary Lloyd and some of the other circus performers. On the other hand, the episode had some great character and relationship development between Jim and Lee. It dealt with the issue of misogyny well, using multiple characters, both villains and heroes. And it also introduced a character I was particularly impressed by — Jerome, the boy rumored to one day become the Joker.

The actor who plays Jerome, Cameron Monaghan, is amazing. The quick switches between anger and laughter, both shot through with insanity, was played to perfection.

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I have to stress, even more than I did last week, that I really want this character to be the Joker. Even if they do introduce more possible Jokers and red herrings, Jerome needs to be the genuine article in the end. There’s just no one better for the role. Despite his age and short amount of screen time, I already like his performance as much as I did Heath Ledger’s in The Dark Knight. It’s just brilliant, and I really hope we get to see him on the show again soon. What’s more, I really hope Season Two is devoted to his character, just as this season was devoted to Penguin’s.

The showrunners have said in a recent interview that this was definitely the episode that introduces the Joker’s storyline, though they refused to confirm if Jerome was really the Joker. This has caused some fans to question if he really will become the infamous villain, and wonder if perhaps this episode introduced the Joker in a different way. Some people have wondered if Cicero’s child aid might turn out to be the Joker, or even Butch now that Zsasz’s torture has allegedly made him a new man. Only time will tell, but I really hope Jerome turns out to be the genuine article in the end. Cameron Monaghan’s talent is just to good to waste on a misdirection.

Not everyone feels the way I do. In fact, some viewers say they would rather not have Jerome be the Joker, as we know too much about Jerome already. The Joker, after all, is meant to be a villain shrouded in mystery. But I would argue that the mystery is still there. Although we meet Jerome, the father he didn't know he had, and get a glimpse of his murdered mother, we still know very little about him. He already has a great deal of insanity hidden inside him, and we don’t see what caused him to originally go off the deep end. There are plenty of questions left to explore or leave to the imagination. Jerome has all the makings for a mysterious and interesting origin story. It might be a different origin story than the one presented in the famous comic, The Killing Joke. But the Joker has had many different origin stories throughout the years. This gives the showrunners a good range of freedom when it comes to portraying a young Joker, and I think Jerome’s story makes for a fascinating direction.

Some viewers have also questioned the showrunners’ choice in giving Jerome’s character such a misogynistic angle — having him be so disgusted by his mother’s sexuality that he murders her. But actually, this is not too different from how the Joker has been portrayed in other media. Take, for example, Batman: The Animated Series, in which the character Harley Quinn was introduced to the Batman canon.

Harley becomes the Joker’s “girlfriend” of sorts, though he is mainly interested in using and abusing her. Several times, Harley Quinn attempts to earn the Joker’s attention and affection by appearing sexually provocative around him. But the Joker’s reaction to this is typically either apathy or disgust. He beats her often, and sometimes even attempts to kill her. He does not seem to hold a very favorable view of female sexuality. And since the showrunners have promised to introduce Harley Quinn in a later season of Gotham, the feelings about his mother that Jerome expresses in this episode provides a great context for that eventual relationship.

(On a side note, I also have to point out that — since his name is Jerome — if he meets Harley earlier on the show than he does in the comics, he won’t have to adopt the Joker persona for her to start calling him “Mistah Jay” as she is so well-known for doing.)

Barbara was a complete mess in this episode, even more so than usual. What was the point of dressing up like she’s going out to meet another man if she then plans to head straight to the GCPD? There’s no way to casually run into your ex-boyfriend if you do so by going to the locker room at his workplace. Not to mention the fact that getting fashion advice from street urchins probably isn’t the smartest idea either.

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Nothing about Barbara makes any sense at all, and it’s kind of hilarious. It seems almost as if the writers have completely given up on her  — like they came to terms with the fact that most viewers hate her, and decided to just embrace it rather than fix it. It’s gotten to the point that, instead of dreading her presence on the show, I actually enjoy hating on her every week.

I loved the scene where Oswald kills a guest for insulting his mom. That’s exactly the sort of scene we needed. In the last episode we had with her, we saw Gertrud show her love toward her son. But Oswald seemed nothing but annoyed by her. We needed to see some sign of devotion on his side this time. And this was a perfect way of showing that, while still keeping a disturbing edge.

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Also, surprisingly, his mother is still alive at this point in the show! I didn’t think the showrunners would keep her around this long, but I’m certainly glad they have. Now I’m thinking that, if she is going to be killed off, it will probably be in the season finale. Most likely to fuel some change in Oswald’s character that will make audiences want to tune in next season. Or perhaps she won’t be killed off at all. Is it too much to hope that we’ll get to see her in Season Two?

I also love the fact that Oswald and Victor Zsasz hate each other so much. Though, I do wonder where that animosity comes from. Is it simply because they both want to become Falcone’s top man?

I’m also curious about Butch. I can’t help but believe he must be faking, no matter what torture he went through from Zsasz. This must be some ploy to infiltrate Oswald’s club and win it back for Fish. Unless the theories are right about him somehow being the Joker, I have a hard time swallowing the idea that Butch is actually brainwashed. And from the look of the preview, it appears Oswald is still suspicious as well, and wants to test and question him.

What’s to Come: 

Not much news has been released since last week about the future of the show. We know that there are six episodes left of this season, including the finale. We know that the next episode will feature the Red Hood gang, and a later episode will feature a villain known as the Ogre.

Some photos have been released of an upcoming episode where Oswald is being held at gunpoint by a woman in what appears to be a small country home, and Jim is by his side for some reason.

As mentioned before, we will meet an old friend of Alfred’s, watch Barbara and Cat become friends, and possibly witness a meeting between Oswald and Bruce.

Harvey Dent will be returning to the show soon. And, as previews have shown, members of the board at Wayne Enterprises will be going after Bruce. It appears some harm will befall Alfred because of this (I wonder if this also has something to do with Alfred’s reunion with his old friend?)

And lastly, Fish will come face to face with the manager, Dr. Dulmacher. Also known as The Dollmaker.