Hello Gothamites! We’ve got quite the trippy episode for you all, most of it centered around Jim Gordon and his demons, but before we get into that I need a show of hands: Who here ships Nygmobblepot? I love the idea of these two in a relationship. For those that aren’t aware of their rather … unconventional ship name, Edward and Oswald’s friendship is getting a little heated. Over the course of 2 seasons, their relationship developed so naturally that, as many of you know, Oswald admitted his feelings for Edward. Mostly to himself, but I digress. That being said, I ADORED Ms. Kringle, and while I’m apprehensive of Isabella, Edward seems to be happy and that’s kind of all I care about. Not to mention how much I love that they found a way to bring Chelsea Spack back to Gotham.
More on that love triangle in a moment, because before I get too deep into this, I’d like to discuss ANOTHER relationship blossoming within the Gotham City Limits: BatCat. Bruce Wayne, having confessed his feelings to Selina Kyle, apparently had quite the date planned for them. He cooked dinner, baked a cake, and was practically bouncing out of his batwings with excitement. But it seemed Bruce Wayne’s happiness might be short lived, as Miss Kyle looked to have stood him up. She arrives seemingly a few hours late, and a very hurt Bruce tells her that if they’re going to continue to do whatever it is that they’re doing, they HAVE to be open and honest. Selina admits that she was scared, that she’s never really done this before, and Bruce admits that he’s scared too.
Now back to Nygmobblepot. Oswald is vary obviously wary of this Kristen Kringle Look-A-Like, and decides to visit her at the library – where she works. He, in a fit of jealousy “accidentally lets it slip” that Edward was in Arkham for the murder of his old girlfriend. However, Oswald’s sabotage plans are foiled when, on their date, Edward admits to Isabella his dark past. He hadn’t intended on telling her, but decided being honest was better for whatever was blossoming between them. Isabella confesses that she’d been reading up on Edward and knew everything. He inquires as to whether she’s scared or not, to which she responds that she is, but that’s sort of what love feels like. Oswald walks in on them kissing and dejectedly goes to his bedroom to sulk. (A certain cheating penguin documentary comes to mind at this point.)
On the other side of the law, Jim Gordon is sitting anxiously by Valerie Vale’s bed, waiting for her to wake up. She alerts Jim that she’s awake by cracking a joke and demands a shot of whiskey. Unfortunately, he didn’t think to bring any along, but things get serious when Jim apologizes and tells Vale that he didn’t mean for her to get hurt. She responds by saying Jim chose to kill Lee because he knew that Tech would do the opposite and shoot Vale instead. Jim doesn’t deny it and leaves Valerie in tears. Seriously though…dick move, Jim.
On his way out of her room, he gets called to the City Morgue. It seems Jervis Tetch has been a busy boy! He first met with what I can only assume is an apothecary to acquire something that will make Alice’s blood stronger and more effective. As he sets to leave, he spots a powerful hallucinogenic named “The Red Queen.” The apothecary explains that one small dose of the vibrant red powder will send the user into such a trip that the end result is a babbling shell of their former selves. Jervis tests the powder on the apothecary, and please with the results, proceeds with his evening plans. He intends on taking out the most powerful citizens in Gotham in one fell swoop. To do so, he’ll need Alice’s blood and the ball that the Mayor and other high society beings will be at. To acquire Alice’s blood, he breaks into the morgue and steals her frozen body away.
In the aftermath of the…theft? We’ll call it a theft. In the aftermath, Jim arrives at the crime scene with the intent to hunt Tetch down himself, bu Captain Barnes forces him to leave without answers. Bullock pulls Jim aside and tells him to either take up the badge again or stop being a cop, then asks Gordon what he’s so afraid of.
Meanwhile, Lee tells Mario (her fiance) everything that happened at Tetch’s tea party, right up to the point where Jim tells Jervis to kill her. Mario flips out and she tries to explain that Jim knew Jervis WOULDN’T kill her, Mario asks how she could possibly know that, but Jim accidentally interrupts the conversation. Mario storms off and Jim and Lee have a discussion. He tells her what Harvey said about him being afraid, and tells her he’s just there to see Vale. She tries to get him to admit that he chose her over Vale, but he vehemently denies it, and she responds by saying Harvey is right: he is scared.
As Jim makes his way toward Vale’s room, he’s lured to an unoccupied wing of the hospital by the appearance of Tetch. Jervis manages to get Jim to inhale some of The Red Queen powder, which sends Jim into an almost comatose fit of hallucinations, which we will get to in a moment. In his lair, Jervis has Alice’s lifeless body dangling upside down, and he drains her blood into a handful of vials. He gathers his things and heads to the area where he’ll conduct his grand finale.
Back at the GCPD, Barnes and Bullock question the guard who was supposed to be on duty at the morgue but allegedly called in. Barnes loses his temper and starts choking the suspect, before slamming his head onto the table. Terrified, the guard admits that he gave his key to Jervis and that they drove away in a catering truck. Barnes correctly deduces that the high society ball is where Jervis is going to attack, and they begin the preparations to send units to the ball. Meanwhile at the Ball, Jervis is holding everyone, including Mayor Cobblepot, hostage. He demands that they drink the wine (which he had tainted with a single drop of Alice’s amplified blood.), and when Oswald asks what will happen if they refuse, Jervis says he’ll kill them. Each of the guests hesitantly starts lifting the wine glass to their lips, Oswald included, when Barnes and the rest of the GCPD burst in and stop Tetch from his master plan. Barnes tackles Tetch to the ground and starts punching him, but when his eyes change, Jervis spots it and begins cackling.
On the floor of a deserted hospital room, Jim suffers an interesting string of hallucinations. They’re mandated, oddly enough, by Barbara. She’s the controller of an elevator, and each floor is a different demon that Jim has to face. The first of the hallucinations brings Jim Gordon into the GCPD. There are bodies strewn all over the floor, and Bruce Wayne is dressed in all black. Jim tries to reason with him, but Bruce brings up a gun, pulls a mask that looks like Jim’s face over his own, and shoots Jim in the chest. Jim falls over the second floor railing and….lands back in the elevator. He and Barbara exchange quips before she brings him to the next floor. She comments that she “has mixed feelings about this floor,” and Jim hesitantly steps into the darkness.
This hallucination is…probably the most heartbreaking for fans. He arrives in an apartment where he’s greeted by two children. His children. He’s next greeted by his adoring wife, Lee, and it’s honestly the happiest I’ve seen Jim in ages. They sit down to dinner, but much to Jim’s chagrin, each of them disappears one by one until he’s alone and surrounded by cobwebs. Back to the elevator he went, where he snaps on Barbara and demands that she return him to that dream. She tells him she can’t and moves on to the next floor.
The final hallucination leaves Jim with a new resolve about his own life, and a look into his life that fans hadn’t yet seen. We finally get to see the face behind the legend, Jim Gordon’s father. They get into a car and drive for a while, where Jim confesses his confusion, his troubles, and tells him he needs his help.His father gives him advice and tells him that the answer Jim seeks is inscribed on his ring.
A bright white light appears and Jim is brought back to the real world. Mario is hovering over Jim and tells him that, had they not discovered him sooner, Jim would be dead. He thanks Mario for his help and eventually goes back to his apartment. He finds the ring among his father’s belongings and reads what’s engraved (Translated from Latin): “While We Breathe We Shall Defend.” The hallucination and his father’s ring gives Gordon the push he needed to rejoin the GCPD, something Captain Barnes readily accepts. At the end of the episode, we’re given the opportunity to see Kathryn, the woman who’s apparently been running the Court of Owls, and the same woman who convinced Bruce to cease his investigations, discussing the plans for the city with a strange man sitting in the shadows. The plot twist to this? He’s wearing the very ring that Jim’s father wore. Is this Jim Gordon’s father? Or was Gordon’s father involved with some very dangerous people? I guess we’ll have to find out on the next Gotham. Tune in every Monday! Thanks for reading!
