#Oswald Cobblepot is an actual penguin and Jim Gordon is the only one that notices

[zer0expektation]

my favorite flavor of au are the ones where one thing is different and doesnt really change anything except only one (1) character notices and finds it strange:

character a is/does (blank) and character b is the only one that notices

or

(blank) happens and character a is the only one that sees/hears/notices it

[anuschkalova]

Simply and Sanely PART 8 (Jeremiah x Reader)

A/N: I can’t believe I actually did it, but here it is: chapter 8! 🎉 I’m sorry for the wait. As I was writing this part, I realized how much I’ve missed this series and writing in general. I’m sad that Gotham is over, but I rewatched some episodes and fell in love again. Warning: this chapter is really long! So grab a drink and some snacks, get cozy and enjoy!  Also: If you want to support me, I’ll be more than grateful for a cup of coffee!  https://ko-fi.com/anniartheart Thank you!❤️

Summary: Y/N gets in trouble and Jeremiah helps her. But little does she know that he drags her into more trouble, making Y/N a part of his plans. Forcing her to enter the dangerous life of Gotham’s underworld.

Pairing: Jeremiah Valeska x Reader Word count: 4,693 Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 🖤Masterlist🖤

Previously:

„Hi!“ He waved with his gun and wore a devious grin. „I’m Victor Zsasz and I’m here to pick you up. The Penguin wants to talk to you.“

__

The air was burning in your lungs. Every breath was agony, but the pain was evidence of your liveliness, so you gladly endured it.  Still coughing, you gathered up the little strength that was left in your trembling body and sat up. You raised your head to look at the black dressed man. 

„Alright. Take me to him“, you agreed. Victor titled his head a little, a deep frown on his face. It was then that you noticed his missing eyebrows.

„Well, I was hoping you’d make a fuss. That was too easy“, he almost complained and you mirrored his confusion. „Why?“, you asked.

He casually pointed with his gun towards you. „Wanted to shoot your knee. You know, the pretty ones scream the most.“  Your hand, that had just started to carefully rub your bruised neck, went abruptly still. The familiar craziness in his dark eyes sent shivers down your spine.  „Is everyone in this god damn city crazy?“, you mumbled to yourself and Victor grinned. 

„Welcome to Gotham, sweet cheeks.“

You just glanced up at the man, too exhausted to be either upset or scared. But you were concerned: the gun, which Selina had given you for protection, was now laying close to Mr. Ricci’s body. 

You doubted for Victor’s approval to take the weapon along to Oswald’s meeting, so you had to come up with something. Bending over the dead man, you searched his pockets for anything of value. While you put his wallet and golden rings into your clutch, Victor whistled to express his surprise, as well as admiration.  „Tough litte thing. I like you.“ You heard the dull steps of his heavy boots getting closer. Calmly, you snatched the gun and stored it away before the steps stopped behind you.

„Time to go“, he said. 

__

The GCPD Headquarters resembled a sinking ship. There was utter chaos; swarms of equipped police officers rushed out of the building, the telephones kept ringing while short-staffed officers had to deal with worried citizens. One by one, they stormed into the Headquarters and demanded answers.

„Who’s responsible for that?!“ „Are we safe?!“ „Where’s James Gordon? What is he going to do?!“

„There he is!“, someone yelled and pointed up to the first floor. Gordon, who had just ended a phone call with Gotham’s major, stepped out of his office. He clenched his jaw at the sight of the furious mob and walked down the stairs.

„Please, do not panic“, Gordon said and raised both hands calmingly, but it didn’t work. Angry faces stared back at him and someone snorted loudly. 

„Not panic? Someone, god knows who, blew up the library and we are supposed to not panic?!“

„I understand you…“, Gordon reassured, „… and we do everything in our power to put the bomber under arrest. As for now, there’s no need for an evacuation. Avoiding public spots and staying home is the safest option.“

Finally, his words seemed to make an impact as people gradually fell silent. Gordon sighed impalpably and waited patiently for further questions - when all of a sudden, he spotted Selina’s face.

The teenage girl barged her way through the crowds, until she reached the front row.  „Selina? What are you doing here?“, the commissioner asked, clearly confused.

„I need to talk to you!“, she urged and came to a stand next to Gordon, who frowned. 

„If it’s because of the explosion, then…-“ 

„It has to do with a friend of mine!“, Selina interrupted him. Judging by her tensed expression, the situation seemed rather serious, so Gordon put a hand on her back and took a few steps away from the people.

„What’s your friend’s name?“ 

„Y/N“, she replied, quick like a shot and Gordon thought he had misheard her. Due to the babel of voices and ringtones, it was not far-fetched and so Gordon asked again: „Your friend’s name is Y/N? Y/L/N?“

Now it was Selina’s turn to frown. „You know her?“

„I talked to her, yes. What is the matter?“

Even though Selina was clearly confused, she wasted no time. „Penguin is looking for her. I don’t know what’s going on, but she’s also involved with this maniac Jeremiah. I saw them having dinner, she asked me for a gun and I gave her one and-“ The more Selina revealed, the more absent Gordon became. He turned away from the girl as his thoughts spun over in his mind. 

„Hey!“, Selina called and followed him. „Did you listen to me? Y/N is in serious trouble and we need to help her! Now!“

Luckily, Harvey Bullock walked over to Gordon with a file in his hand and the commissioner intercepted his partner by grabbing the man’s shoulder. „We have to see Oswald. Y/N is more involved than we thought“, Jim informed him, his serious gaze put a frown on Harvey’s face. „The wonderland-lady?“ The detail got Selina’s attention and she pushed herself between the two police officers, making her presence hard to ignore.

„Okay, what’s going on here? Why did you talk to Y/N?“, she demanded. Selina’s almond-shaped eyes stared at Gordon expectantly and the GCPD captain, who was familiar with her stubbornness, sighed. 

„Spit it out!“

„She was a witness of a crime scene that involved Jeremiah“, Gordon explained harsher than intended, but Selina didn’t care. The new information left her stunned and a loud snort escaped her lips as she shook her head. 

„Wait, so… you knew that she had made contact with that maniac and you did what: nothing?!“

„Selina…“, Gordon tried to allay the upset teenage girl, but failed. Selina just raised her hands to hush him and backed out. „I thought your job was to protect people!“, she exclaimed. Wild flames of anger were roaring deep inside of her, turning her blood into lava. If this green-eyed lunatic laid a finger on you, god have mercy, she would stab him to death.

„Selina, wait!“ Gordon’s attempt to stop her fell on deaf ears. He had no other choice than to watch Selina disappear into the crowd, probably about to do something rash.

„Did she just criticize our way of working?“, Bullock asked offended, but Gordon gritted his teeth and quickly grabbed a pack of ammunition from a colleague’s table.

„Let’s go.“ 

__

The sharp echo of your heels was the only sound as you walked the dimmed hallway of Oswald’s underground fortress. Your inner tension grew with every step you took and turned minutes into hours. Now and then, you glimpsed at Victor who kept staring straight forward and you couldn’t help but look at his arm. After he’d shot Mr. Ricci, the hitman had guided you to a car and hardly inside the vehicle, he cut himself with a razor. The sight of the many scars on his arm left you shocked until now. You gulped at the memory. 

Suddenly, you heard an awful scream coming from inside at the back and you jumped around - but no one was there. Again, another loud scream rang out from the distance and Victor flashed a smile that revealed his sharp teeth. 

„Unfortunately, we can’t join this party.“ His gloved hand found the small of your back, but you refused to walk. Were they going to torture you as well?  The possibility evoked waves of anxiety and in a moment, you were paralyzed with fear. 

„Move“, Victor growled as he pushed you forward. „Please“, you breathed, searching for any sympathy in his dark eyes, a glint of hope - but despite the dangerous sparkle in his intense stare, there was nothing but evil nature.

„Please, what? You finally wanna get shot in the knee?“, he asked in anticipation. 

Your eyes widened and before you could react, Victor’s firm grip picked you up and put your body over his shoulder. A squeal escaped your throat while you clung to the black fabric of his blazer for support. 

„See, I like you better this way. It’s more fun.“ He started to whistle as he carried you further into the never-ending tunnel, ignoring your protests. After a while, you resigned and waited for Victor to stop and when he did, you looked up. 

„Final destination, sweet cheeks“, he announced and before he put you down, Victor lightly slapped your backside which caused you to flinch.  As soon as your feet touched the ground, another voice caught your attention. 

„Ah! My guest of honor has arrived!“ A rather short man, dressed in a grey stripped morning suit, approached you. He limped across the spacious room, using a walking stick in the process. 

„I’m Oswald Cobblepot. Pleasure to meet you!“ You hesitantly took his outstretched hand and he enthusiastically shook it. 

„Y/N L/N.“

Judging by his cheerful smile, he was indeed very pleased to see you and it increased your chance of survival. 

„Please“, Oswald gestured you to enter. While he hobbled back to his seat near the fireplace, you briefly glanced at Victor’s military figure who stood guard next to the door. Somehow, your gut told you to keep an eye on him and when he cheekily winked at you, you followed Oswald by going through the open double-door. 

Two freshly poured glasses of wine awaited you at the long table. The furniture, with its many chairs on both sides, reminded you of a centipede. 

„Miss Y/N, there are two things that you need to know about me…“, the black-haired criminal began, handing you one glass and you listened. He seated himself on the pretentious arm chair and took a sip as he waited for you to do the same. 

„You see, I’m a very impatient man with a temper who never beats around the bush“, Oswald clarified and that’s when you noticed that his excessive smile didn’t reach his eyes. 

He seemed to wait. „I understand“, you eventually said, nodding.

„That being said…“, he leaned closer, elbows on the table as his glance bored into yours, „… I want to know where Jeremiah Valeska is.“

Jeremiah Valeska. This goddamn name. It was his fault for dragging you into this world of chaos and death. Whatever power game these two were playing, and considering the recent events, one thing was for sure: it wouldn’t end in your favor.  Your only option was to get out of this, as soon as possible, and in order to achieve that you had to play your cards right…

>>I want your pretty lips to be sealed.<< That’s what he said. The last time you’d ignored his instruction, Jeremiah blew up a library. So what should you do? Oswald sensed your inner conflict and all it took from him to get your attention back was to slam his glass on the table. 

„Impatient“, he reminded you. His arm chair screeched as he stood up, slowly wandering behind you. 

„I’m tired, extremely tired of getting excuses instead of answers“, he said and took your hand in his, caressing your fingers with his thumb. „And this is not personal, I reassure you, but I will torn out your fingernails, one by one if you remain silent!“

„Ah!“, you gasped at his sudden tight grip that painfully squeezed your fingers.  

„Talk, woman!“

Then, an idea popped up in your mind. It was a risky move, but you gave it a whirl.

„I know where Martin is!“

„What?“ Oswald let go of your hand. He yanked your stool to the side so that you were facing him.

„What did you say?!“, he asked again, his whole face strained and a look of complete bewilderment in his eyes. Jackpot.

Leaning closer, you felt your heart racing. At last, the sweet hope of freedom seemed within your reach and you pulled yourself together to keep a cool head.

„Mr. Cobblepot, the only thing you need to know about me is my honesty…“ Oswald hung on your every word; with every fiber of his body, he was ready to believe you. Naturally, Oswald was being torn from his trance as your hands cupped his. 

„I want Martin to be safe and sound. He’s just an innocent child that shouldn’t experience such horrific things.“

„So he’s okay? He’s alive?“

You nodded. „Yes. Physically, he’s in best health.“

„Oh, thank god!“, Oswald gasped out in relief, his shoulders visibly dropping. Poor man, he had been subjected to uncertainty for far too long. 

„He…- Jeremiah… brought me to his hideout, a bunker, where he holds Martin hostage. Please trust me when I say that an unfortunate event made our paths cross. I’m just a pawn in a rigged game, like Martin.“

Lips pressed into a thin line, Oswald tried to regain his composure, but there was something else. His icy blue eyes studied you intensely, it wasn’t as extreme as Jeremiah’s stare, but equally unpleasant. 

„The dart of an eye, tensing of forehead… the littlest thing can say a lot“, he remarked, pulling his hand out of your grip. He silently continued his observation and you put a brave face on - after all, you were telling the truth and your confident aura made Oswald chuckle.  The chuckle, however, soon turned into laughter which left you clueless. And in a swift movement, Oswald slammed his palm on the table and the laughter stopped. You almost jumped up from your seat.

„Excellent!“, he cheered. „I’m pleased to see that you’re not lying! So, I assume you’ll help us?“

You bit your lower lip. „I’m going to show you the bunker, yes. But on one condition.“

Oswald’s knowing smile encouraged you to keep talking. 

„I want protection for me and my sister. After all, Jeremiah won’t be pleased to have me helping you“, you said and the man pursed his lips. 

„Fine! If there’s nothi…-“ 

A storm of gunshots interrupted Oswald mid-sentence and he turned to Victor, alarmed. The bald killer, who already held two guns in each hand, stepped back to cover you and his boss. Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway and a group of armored men entered the room.

„Oswald Cobblepot“, one of them addressed the Penguin as he raised his hand, holding a document. 

„We’re here on behalf of Mr. Ricci. You didn’t pay on time, so we’re going to confiscate your toys.“ Mr. Ricci is dead, you thought smugly and glanced up at Victor.

Without wasting time, the men aimed for the room in the back, stowing away all kinds of weapons and ammunition in bags and suitcases. 

In a matter of minutes, the group of 20 had emptied half of the room’s stock. 

„What?! That’s ridiculous! I’ve already made payments!“, Oswald explained, more than upset. He limped to the leader of the group, the one with the document and ripped the piece of paper from his hand. 

„Wait, that’s the payment for next month. Today’s the 5th!“

„Change of deadline“, the man simply replied with a shrug. „According to the document, the payment was due on the 3rd. That’s why we’ll keep your stuff for three days, like the general terms and conditions says and oh, look: that’s your signature down there. So quit the whining.“ Of course it was fake, but it didn’t stop the pillaging. Oswald was helpless, but then he rushed towards you.

„You!“, he yelled. „You knew about it!“, he pulled at your hair, forcing your body to stand up. 

„No! I have nothing to do with this, I swear!“ He scoffed.

„Oh, I know about your little diner date! What kind of deal did this maniac do with Mr. Ricci?!“ He pulled again, twirling your hair around his hand to get a firmer grip.

„I don’t know!“

„Liar!“

„I’m not! I was sent to the car! I have no idea what they talked about!“, you asserted desperately. Tears were streaming down your face as the burning sensation on your scalp became unbearable. Oswald looked at Victor and he nodded, confirming your story.

„Whatever!“, the criminal spat, pushing you against Victor who caught you. 

„There’s no time to lose! Get me together a good bunch of men, Victor! We’ll put an end to this circus.“

__

You fumbled with your hands nervously as you scanned the passing buildings. The car, a silver-painted rust bucket, drove the familiar route to your apartment. Oswald Cobblepot, Victor Zsasz and a murky-looking guy behind the wheel were also inside the vehicle. While Oswald occupied the front row, you tried your best to ignore the hitman next to you - but you could feel his eyes on you. 

To your surprise, you were able to persuade Oswald in seeing your sister before you’d head to the bunker. 

Repeatedly, you were looking behind you, but despite two more cars of Oswald’d men, there wasn’t anything suspicious. No Jeremiah.

„Relax. Your are in good hands“, Victor ensured, smirking like the mad-man he was.  After fifteen minutes, you’d arrived. 

„Hurry up“, Oswald commanded and you nodded, running across the street. 

While climbing the stairs five floors up to your apartment, you used the time to rethink your plan. 

First of all, you would guide Oswald and his men to the bunker in the forest - that was the easiest part. The real challenge was to get them inside. Okay, think. How will you do this? There were cameras outside the bunker, so there was no point in sneaking in as Jeremiah would detect your group.

Therefore, it had to be you. He’d certainly open the door for you and once inside, you had to shut down the alarm and monitoring system. So far, so good.  Then, you’d unlock the door for Oswald and provided with a map of the labyrinth that you’d sketch, they should be able to find Martin. After that, it was a race against time to get out alive. Your heartbeat quickened as your imagination went further, thinking about the last and final part of your plan. The second Martin was free, safe and sound in the woods, you would face Jeremiah and…-

Just when you arrived on the fifth floor, keys ready in your hands, you paused at the sight of your door. It was open. In the blink of an eye, millions of horror scenarios flooded your mind and they all included your beloved sister. No, no, no. Please, god. I beg you.

You grabbed the gun in your bag by instinct as you tiptoed closer, carefully listening for any noises inside your apartment, but it was dead silent. 

Taking a deep breath, you slowly sneaked in your dark hallway and got an overview. Everything seemed to be on its place, there weren’t any hints for a break-in. But even though you couldn’t see anything suspicious, you could definitely smell it. 

The intruder had left an obtrusive scent, a strong cologne that laid in the air, telling you that you were not alone. Of course, you were going to inspect your sister’s room above all. 

Your heart was painfully hammering against your chest, so much that you were afraid it could explode at any second. But it wasn’t fear that pumped the blood through your veins, no. It was pure anger. Whoever dared to break into your home and possibly harm your sister - hell would be salvation after you were done with that bastard.

One last step, and you were just two feet away from your sister’s room. You bent slightly forward to sneak a peek and immediately regretted it as the old wooden floor creaked under your weight. „Fuck!“, you hissed and saw a shadow move through the tiny crack of the door. Without losing more time, you bursted into the room. „Hands up or I’ll shoot!“, you yelled, holding the gun with straightened arms in front of you. 

The intruder, a man that stood on the other side of the room, turned out to be none other than Jeremiah Valeska.  Dressed in a dark purple suit and shiny black shoes, he titled his head to stroke his sleek hair. 

„Is that how you welcome guests, my dear?“, he criticized while readjusting his tie. 

„What are you doing here?“ The disapproval in your voice and the fact that you didn’t lower your gun made one of his curved eyebrows perk up. 

„Paying you a visit. Isn’t it obvious?“ 

You followed his gaze and spotted the fresh flowers on the nightstand - a bunch of beautiful white lilies. 

„Looks more like housebreaking“, you corrected him, checking on your sister. She seemed fine, the machines worked and the monitor showed normal levels.

„What a pity…“, Jeremiah spoke in his monotone voice. „She looks like Sleeping Beauty, waiting for her prince charming to kiss her awake and not like… brain-dead.“

„Shut up“, you growled through gritted teeth and Jeremiah quietly clicked his tongue.

„My apologies.“

For several minutes, darkness and silence reigned. While you had him in your sights, gun still in your hand, Jeremiah kept a close eye on you as well - his face moving like a sculpture carved out of stone. So, secretly giving up on reading him, you focused on the rhythmical beeping of the life-saving machine. The sound reminded you of a clock whose beeping declared every passed second. 

„So“, Jeremiah said, walking with long steps ahead to pause in front of you. Even though you owned a gun, his piercing green eyes never failed to create an uneasiness. His all-knowing glance made you aware of the fact that you were like an open book to him - he read line by line, every detail and every secret. The longer he stared at you, the more nervous you became. And when he spoke again, it was the final straw.

„Tell me… How was your evening with Mr. Ricci?“ 

The man’s name alone triggered you immensely and forced you to relive the terrifying moment. Anger, fear, helplessness and panic - the cocktail of emotions clouded your mind.

„You son of a bitch!“ Without thinking twice, you’d raised your hand and slapped him, so hard that the sharp smack teared the air in half. 

„Who do you think you are?! That pervert degraded me, almost killed me! I am not your fucking property, you psycho!“ Your voice was shaking. And so was your body. 

You glared at Jeremiah’s profile; the impact had turned his head; and watched as he carefully touched his cheek. 

„Now, now. How ungrateful“, he whispered and in the next breath, you were slammed against the wall. You didn’t know when, but Jeremiah had deprived you of the gun, pressing now his forearm against your chest to keep you in place. It hurt. 

„It’s astonishing how you keep forgetting that I’ve saved your life.“ His other hand gripped your chin, his thump resting on your lower lip. 

„Instead of those ugly words, I was expecting to hear expressions of gratitude. Mr. Ricci was a gift from me, after all.“

„A gift?“

„Yes“, he hissed, leaning closer until his warm breath collided with your heated skin. „Don’t presume I didn’t notice your little exchange in the bathroom. I’m not stupid, my dear.“

You squirmed, but Jeremiah wouldn’t let go. His thumb started to caress your trembling lip and it made you freeze in place.

„Mr. Ricci was the perfect candidate.“

„The perfect candidate for what?“, you asked and he grinned. 

„The perfect candidate to be your first victim.“ Suddenly, all the anger was gone and had been replaced by disbelief. What did he say?

„Oh, please“, Jeremiah half-heartedly moaned and rolled his eyes, „Don’t play the good girl.  Of course you were going to use the gun and I wanted to give you the opportunity.“

„And why would I thank you?“ All he said made no sense, if anything - it only proved his madness. He purposely put you in this dangerous situation, just so that you were forced to kill Mr. Ricci. 

„You see, Y/N, killing a person is a life-changing experience. It gives you power.“ Your puzzled and disturbed look seemed to amuse him. 

„But you didn’t, did you?“

„No“, you confessed and were unsure whether you should feel proud or guilty. However, it worried you that Jeremiah already knew the answer and you wondered: how much more did he know? 

Then, he suddenly pulled back his arms and you staggered. 

„What a pity“, he mumbled, sounding like a disappointed father. Jeremiah walked to the window and shoved the curtains a little aside to look at the street.

„I see that you’ve made the acquaintance of Oswald“, he commented casually and you detected a hint of satisfaction. Shit, there went your plan. 

But why didn’t he seem angry or bothered? After all, he’d told you to lie about Martin and yet again, you didn’t obey him. 

Every muscle in your body tensed and you awaited an explosion somewhere in the city. 

„I guess it can’t be helped then.“ 

Your eyes were locked on the ground as you listened to Jeremiah’s footsteps, coming closer and closer. If he wasn’t going to set a bomb, then…

Automatically, you stepped in front of your sister’s bed and met the criminal. He was towering over you, radiating an aura of arrogance and craziness. When he raised the gun, you were ready to beg.

„Guide them to the bunker. I’ll be waiting for you“, he said and put the weapon in your hand. You couldn’t believe it. It took you a moment to realize that you and your sister were still alive and after you’d regained your composure, you turned around to face Jeremiah.

He stood next to the bed and observed the sleeping girl. 

„I’m impressed“, he admitted and you frowned. „It’s heart-warming how much you care for her. My brother never did. He was turning my childhood into a living nightmare.“

Unsure how to react, you decided to just listen, but Jeremiah straightened his back and pulled at his jacket.

„I’ll see you then. Don’t dawdle. We have a long night ahead of us“, he told you and left the room. You held your breath to hear the click of the closing apartment door and when it did, you collapsed on the ground. 

„Thank god“, you whispered at the verge of tears. Crawling next to the bed, you grabbed your sister’s warm hand and squeezed it. She was alive. 

Even though you were more than relieved, you knew that it wasn’t over yet. As Jeremiah that: the night was long and Martin was still trapped in the bunker. 

You stood up, kissed your sister goodbye and rushed out of the apartment. Oswald was still waiting and you didn’t want to waist anymore time. Pull yourself together, you can do it! You stepped out into the cold night and headed for the silver car. Whatever Jeremiah had in mind, you needed to outsmart him. For Martin’s sake. 

„Y/N!“, a familiar voice called and you turned your head. James Gordon got out of his car, one hand lurking on the gun by his hip while he approached you. 

You came to a halt in the middle of the street, not sure what to do. 

„Don’t!“, you warned the GCPD captain, but he ignored it. He kept walking. 

„Listen! No matter what’s going on, I will help you! You need to trust me, Y/N!“

„Hi, Jim!“ Victor’s upper body popped out of the silver car’s window. He held two guns that aimed for the GCPD officer as a devious grin decorated his features. 

„Bye, Jim!“ Countless shots aimed for Gordon; the defeating noise made you cower and closing your eyes. A scream echoed and you flinched. Did Victor shot a woman? 

It was hard to think probably amongst that hailstorm of flying bullets, but you noted that it had been your scream. 

Concerned about the officer, you opened your eyes again and a dazzling light blinded you. One, two, three seconds was the amount of time your brain needed to process the situation - a truck sped towards you. Your heart stopped beating.

To be continued…

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 🖤Masterlist🖤

Tag-List: (Please let me know if you want to be added)

@riddlersriddlet @lilith-shachath @manicmaven @crazydcchick @malectrash8714 @moonlit-mornings-blog @melli-1808 @nikkipaigesalinas @ohyesmarvel @subtlemalice @fraxxavier @miahworshippe @fand0msgal0re @nanuks-hell-hole @lonely-entity @hadidcrew @selmeuuh​ @vixenbarbie​ @hexqueensupreme​ @p3nny4urth0ught5​ @valeskasecco @marvelmayo​

[gothamslimpestwrist]

s1e2 selina kyle

killcount:

“doug” the childsnatcher: “soldier” (homeless guy)

oswald cobblepot: douchebag college bro from the car, probably the other douchebag college bro as well.

jim gordon: quillan’s janitor

“patti” the childsnatcher: cat scratch fever dude w/ no eyes

episode total: 5 total count: 12

the dark knight rises: shit is clearly fucked in gotham. crime families are ruling the city, yes, but honestly that’s the least of it; look at the police force. we see that bo, the first responder, is late to the scene of the crime because he takes protection money from a local restaurant & gave them first priority (in other words, he’s a crooked bitch demanding a racket, AND it gets in the way of him actually doing his job). the cops are pretty much, explicitly, just an extension of the mob at this point. 

interestingly, we also see the start of an exploration of the wayne’s corruption; falcone refers to “the wayne empire,” mirroring the way they talk about the crime families And Also setting the waynes up as, like, a picture of the wealthy elite taken to a whole ‘nother level. gotham is the last modern vestige of the city state--and that is the wayne empire. who takes the crown now that the emperor and empress are dead? 

in OTHER news, the waynes really fucked bruce over. the murder itself was the lynching pin, causing him to jump over the fucking edge, so to speak, but he is Just A Little Boy! he is so troubled! he’s self harming and alfred yells at him and HITS HIM for being stupid, he’s listening to loud music and drawing fucked up shit, he’s both burned himself and is apparently cutting, and alfred, seeing all of this, refuses to get the boy who saw his parents shot a therapist, because the waynes told him to essentially let bruce raise himself. “the children are thoroughbreds,” basically. 

quoth barbara (thinking about essen shushing the child snatcher case in fear of bad press): “i can’t believe the system is so corrupt.” quoth jim (thinking about how he was yelled at for not beating a perp, thinking about the cop/mob connection that demanded he kill a man to prove his loyalty, thinking...): “you have no idea.” 

oh! and jim tells bruce the kids need more than money to keep them safe.

sliding scale of barbara kean’s sanity: she seems to be doing alright, but she’s troubled by jim’s troubles. also, this episode sets up some shit that will lead to irreparable damage later on; jim, even when he’s telling her things, isn’t telling her everything. she knows it. she hates it. he specifically hasn’t told her about oswald, which gives her reason to believe he’s a murderer pretty soon. plus, what she does w/ the information he does give her about his work (go straight to the press) gives him immediate reason to start trusting her less... and so they spiral.

sliding scale of ed nygma’s sanity: he’s a little bit more of a lurker this episode. creeps outside the captain’s office until someone notices him, lingers inside until everyone in the room makes it obvious he’s not welcome. he’s trying his best, but he’s not... very... “well liked,” shall we say.

continuity: montoya and allen are looking into the murder of oswald cobblepot. he was their snitch, after all. so that’s problems... many things are subtly set up in this episode: falcone and fish discuss maroni and his anticipated power play (adding another piece to the political chessboard of this season), the atp drug the child snatchers use is established to have been developed for arkham asylum, which is also established to have been closed for the past 15 years AND to have recently been in the works for a reopening, specifically by thomas and martha wayne. and that’s all just offhanded discussion. also related to the atp, when ed is listing the only three places that still stock it, it’s quillan pharma, drakatech (?)... and welzyn, which isn’t relevant at all to THIS episode (quillan’s the one dealing with the childsnatchers) but WILL become relevant to everyone in a few episodes, when welzyn manufactures viper. oh, and naturally the identity of the man the childsnatchers are working for: the dollmaker. hm!! on a lighter note, harvey’s ex-white knight tendencies that we explore in spirit of the goat are foreshadowed here; essen accuses him of leaking the child snatchers story to the press, w/ the reasoning that he’d done it before. after jim & barbara established that it was the right thing to do....

parallels: jim & selina meet in this episode. they are... The Same™. (look, i’ll come back to it later, but even tho my parallel in the pilot was btwn selina and oswald, and even tho they’re the two that are the villain counterparts to our heroes, jim and SELINA are the matched set.) also, this is the episode where fish expresses the wish that penguin wasn’t dead (because she wants him to suffer), but also she tells jim & harvey that she knew it was a mistake to order them killed as soon as she did it. so that means something? 

neither here nor there, but gertrud tells montoya & allen how elegant and well dressed oswald is, and bruce comments on the orphans’ scruffy appearances and buys them new clothes... we love a dandy, i guess.

characterization: we meet some irrelevant street kids that selina knew; zeb, smoke, and mackey (corey in the house). i’m basically using the characterization tab as fanfic reference so i might as well record that.

lazlo, fish’s lover, is relevant, in that falcone beats him to get to her. it definitely does affect her, though she says she only keeps him around for exercise. maybe more b/c of falcone’s threat and the fear of what it implies, though. 

and gertrud! ozzie’s mom. everyone connected to oswald, even outside (maybe even especially outside) of his mob connections, is a little twisted. she’s no different; she’s clearly a bit out of her head, she mistrusts the police (which i guess we’re supposed to think is suss, though really...Fair and Just), she’s got that almost creepy codependency with oswald while not really knowing what’s going on there. (other examples: elijah, oswald’s gothic horror father, martin, oswald’s lowkey homicidal son, edward, oswald’s fascist dog, jim, oswald’s corrupt boyfriend...) she also seems to think oswald has run off with some painted lady (actually, she says painted slut), which might be indicative of her experiences w/ van dahl and some unstable jealousy more than it is of oswald, who’s... you know. 

in other news, jim is all over the map here. he stops harvey beating mackey (and later, quillan, after they’ve already gotten info out of him) and protests that they should leak the story to the press, but he also seems content to keep his mouth shut until barbara takes doing good upon herself. he adapts to the mob shit pretty quick, but expresses disgust w/ the corruption in the system. he gets off on the wrong foot w/ mayor james because he disagrees with locking up the kids w/o a trial, but he doesn’t... step in... either. we see this willingness to compromise and bend the knee that means he’ll never be the hero gotham deserves. 

also, not to be a jim apologist on main or anything (ha, ha), but he’s just so... brainwashed. all this, & he still tells alfred that being a cop, which has thus far caused him nothing but pain & misery, is the “best job in the world.” because he thinks he’s helping people. (and he likes getting to feel like a hero... so where do the misguided good intentions stop and the selfish motives begin?) he also kills a man for the first time on screen this episode because for all its examinations of dirty cops... gotham is still, at the end of the day, Copaganda. in an actual moment of me drinking I Love Jim Gordon juice, jim is the one who advocates for bruce going to therapy, and tries to convince him to go personally, even when jim himself is too emotionally stunted for it to help him. 

also, backstory: harvey pegs his love life, saying, “high school sweetheart, then a bunch of hoes (read: eduardo dorrance) overseas only made you sad... and then there’s barbara.” he also calls jim a monkey riding a race horse; jim’s face is really good @ that. i misinterpreted the line about high school sweethearts back in the day to mean that barb was jim’s highschool sweetheart. this is on account of auditory processing disorder and also general dumbassery. anyway, the point is that jim is a boring, predictable bitch! whom i love.

...in terms of characterization from the episode that i don’t agree with, i can’t really see oswald writing all the shit that they had on his conspiracy board, lmfao. “crybaby brucie,” “gordon=STOOGE,” & so forth. i pretend i do not see it.

[lestatwillneverhurtyou]

Confessions

Rating: T (slightly suggestive but mostly fluffy sweetness)

Pairing: Nygmobblepot (Oswald x Edward)

Summary: Born of a desperate desire to FIX IT after first watching the scene where Isabella is introduced. A different way things could’ve played out.

Betaed by the awesome @artemis099 ! 🖤 :D

Read on ao3 if you prefer

Ed doesn’t believe in signs. They’re illogical, fictions people tell themselves to feel better about how out of control life can be. Ed doesn’t believe in signs, but when he sees Miss Kringle in the liquor store, he thinks maybe he should start.

“Kristen?” He stares in shock for a moment. She looks odd. Her hair is styled differently, blonde instead of that gorgeous red, but he’d know her face anywhere.

With a sweet smile, she corrects him, “I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else.”

“You look like someone I used to know,” he says, still reeling with shock. How can it be possible? Could she be one of Strange’s monsters? Why? Why bring her back? What purpose could she serve?

“Are you feeling alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she frowns, brow wrinkling with concern.

“I’m fine, just a little shook up. And there’s no such thing as ghosts,” he replies.

“I’m Isabella, what’s your name?” she holds out her hand for him to shake.

“Edward, Edward Nygma,” he shakes her hand with a frown.

“Pleased to meet you,” she smiles, “so what are you drinking today?”

“Wine,” he shakes himself out of it, suddenly remembering what he was doing, “I’m having dinner with a friend.”

“That’s always nice, who’s your friend?”

“Oswald,” he smiles, “Oswald Cobblepot.”

“The mayor?”

“Yes, he’s a good friend of mine”

“You must be pretty important,” she smiles, “he’s lucky to have a friend like you”

“I’m the lucky one, really. He’s helped me through a lot. He told me he had something important to tell me at dinner,” he frowns lost in thought, “I wonder what it could be?”

What did Oswald have to tell him? He’d been acting rather off all day. It’s not like him to forget his words, could he be hiding something? Then why would he tell him now? That doesn’t make sense. It can’t be bad, Oswald looked...happy, actually. Happier than Ed’s seen him in a while. He’s really taking to his new job as mayor.

Ed smiles, remembering the way Oswald looked at him after he’d won the election. Like he’d never really seen him before. The soft, disbelieving way he said love when he solved Ed’s riddle. Of course the people loved him, why shouldn’t they? Oswald is wonderful, and he truly loves the city. There’s no better candidate for mayor.

Wait. Love! Could that be what this is about? Could Oswald have feelings for him?

“Well, you mustn’t be late! It won’t do to keep a friend waiting. And you won’t find out standing here.”

“Y-yeah, better not. Nice meeting you!” Ed hurriedly paid for the wine and headed out the door.

Oswald can’t have feelings for me, he decides. He would’ve noticed! How could he not notice something that important? We’re friends! We live together! Work together! I see him every day! Oh, Ed pauses.

Do I have feelings for him? Ed stops in his tracks to consider Oswald. He is rather handsome, and if Ed’s being honest with himself, he has admired him for some time. Long before he found him in the woods. Even in that first meeting at the GCPD, he’d immediately been drawn to him. Oswald radiates power and charisma from every pore. The way he waltzed into the GCPD like he owned the place, like he didn’t care at all that he was supposed to be dead. And then, in the woods, he looked like a wounded bird. A poor little bird in need of care. His mother’s death, he’d seen Oswald through it hadn’t he? Even that idiot Jim Gordon had thought he was talking to Miss Kringle when he’d been on the phone with Oz. But, love? Sure they’d formed a wonderful friendship, but he’d never even considered another man that way…

Ah but that’s not true is it. His over dramatic alter ego decides to cut in.

Shut up, that was nothing. A mistake. He was just a distraction. A curiosity is all. I never really felt anything for him.

That’s not what you thought when you had his tongue down your throat. I remember a lot of “uhhh’s” and “please more!”

Mind your business. Besides, Oswald is different.

You ARE my business. My body too, remember? I don’t even see why we’re standing here debating this, Eddie. You want him and so do I. Oh think of how magical it would be! We can accomplish so much together! Real partners in crime. Unlike that goody goody Miss Kringle you had before. She could never accept us like Ozzie does. Never UNDERSTAND us. You just said so yourself. He’s different. Remember how much fun we had together with Mr. Leonard? How pretty Oswald looked with blood dripping down his face? The barely concealed RAGE, the malice in his eyes when he’s plotting revenge. The schemes he comes up with. That murderous penguin was made for us, Eddie. Don’t deny it. You know you can’t lie to me.

We don’t even know that’s what Oswald wants to tell us. For all we know it’s about work. Important business to discuss.

Oh it’s very important business indeed. I wanna hear that little birdy SING.

Ed blushed at the graphic images his alter ego had created. Maybe we should just get home, he thinks to himself finally beginning to walk again.

As he walks through the door he’s greeted with darkness. Nothing but the soft flicker of candles. The air smells heavenly, Olga’s really outdone herself, he thinks. When he reaches the dining room he stops dead. Oswald has never looked so…

Beautiful, his alter ego helpfully supplies.

Oswald hasn’t noticed him yet, he’s busy nervously rearranging the cutlery on the table, muttering to himself.

Practicing? Ed wonders.

“Hello, Oswald. I brought your favorite.” He smiles, holding up the expensive wine.

“Ed! I was starting to worry,” Oswald’s face lights up, mouth curling into a soft smile. The candles make his already bright eyes look almost inhuman.

Ed’s worries start to fade as he slips into his usual seat and Oswald summons Olga to bring their dinner.

“Ed, there comes a time in every man's life when he must make a choice. To be brave and go after what he wants or to be a coward, and never know what could’ve been. I am not a coward, Edward Nygma.”

Ed watched, intrigued by Oswald’s speech. He could tell he was shaking, stumbling over his words a bit. He was having trouble looking in Ed’s eyes and even...is he blushing?

Well isn’t that a pretty sight?

“I’ve been trying to tell you all day. I must confess I don’t have much experience with this sort of thing. It frightens me a little. But, my mother always told me ‘Life only gives you one true love, Oswald. When you find it, you must run to it.’ What I’m trying to say is, I love you, Ed.” He finishes his speech, finally looking up at Ed nervously.

Well, that was-

Certainly something. He must’ve worked hard on that.

...

Say something back you idiot!

...

Any time now.

Oswald begins to look panicked, fear and disappointment shining in his eyes, he starts to ramble, “if you don’t feel the same, that’s okay! I mean of course we can still be friends if-”

Do something you moron!

“I’m needed to live but you can never hold me

I can be shattered in an instant

Taken, without consent

But given, I’m the most precious gift of all

What am I?”

“A heart!” Oswald smiles, looking up at Ed with a sigh of relief.

Ed was out of his chair in an instant, gently caressing Oswald’s face before their lips met.

He tastes even better than I imagined.

For once, I agree.

Oswald wrapped his hands in Ed’s hair, deepening their kiss with a moan.

Ed gasped, nipping at his lips teasingly.

They pressed their foreheads together as they broke apart, gasping for air.

“What does this mean for us now?” Oswald asked, blue eyes meeting brown.

“I think it means we’re real partners in crime now.” Ed grinned, laughing at his own stupid pun.

Oswald stared at him in disbelief before shaking his head. “What have I gotten myself into?”

[thegreenfairy13]

Bird Catcher -  Part 1 - The Long Night

Written for an amazing writer and wonderful person @justsimplymeagain in the spirit of the Gobblepot Valentines event. This 2 to 3 part fic will eventually (tomorrow to be precise) end up on my Ao3-account. It’s just some fluff. Not an ounce of angst (hooray!)

This is going to be a very long night, Jim thinks, looking around the empty precinct. It’s already past midnight and with the snow-storm raging outside, only a few dim lights burning, and the ancient radio croaking out a Johnny Cash song, the detective feels like he could very well be on another planet.

The other cops are all at home. Even Harvey decided to spend a night like this rather in the safety of his own home than at the GCPD. Besides, nobody in their right would commit a crime tonight anyway. Which doesn’t mean Jim is alone at the department.

Heaving a sigh, Jim tentatively places another file on top of his never decreasing pile of workload. Rubbing his red-rimmed eyes, he looks over to the holding cells. He’s got a flightless, limping bird trapped in there.

The Penguin, infamous mob-boss, scowls viciously at the detective. His hands are clasped around the bars as he bares his teeth with a spiteful snarl. Oswald Cobblepot rather reminds Jim of a ghoul or a leprechaun than of those cute, waddling birds.

“Release me at once!” he hisses furiously when the detective ignores him.

Turning his attention back to his files and Johnny Cash, Jim tries getting some actual work done.  

“I’ve got rights!” the slim mobster growls, rattling at the bars to no avail.

Humming in agreement, Jim turns a page. He’s not going to rise to the bait or letting himself get dragged into an argument with the mobster. He’s got hardly any chance to win it anyway.

“This is frankly ridiculous!” Oswald carries on, working himself up to what will soon certainly be an impressive fit of rage. “You can’t lock me up just for carrying my cane around with me. I need it to walk.”

“Really?” Jim drawls, finally snapping. “You need a sword hidden in a cane to walk properly? In a weapon-free zone? Opposite a kindergarten? I shouldn’t think so,” he finishes, hiding behind the folders again.

“Who in their right mind would walk the streets of Gotham unarmed let alone establish a weapon-free zone?! Besides I wasn’t using the blade, I was just passing by!”

“Oswald, considering your record I could have carted you off to Blackgate. Show some gratitude,” Jim growls. “Even your lawyer said 6 hours in the GCPD holding-cell are a goddamn present.”

“Six hours in your presence are anything but,” the mobster bites back, collapsing on the thin mattress. “Arresting me for such a bagatelle should be considered despotism.”

“Four hours and twenty-five minutes left, Penguin,” Jim answers sardonically. “Get some sleep. You look like you need a rest,” he adds mischievously.

“On top of your audacity, you expect me to get bitten by bedbugs! I am almost certain this sub third world country standard of the GCPD cells is a direct violation of the human rights convention.”

“Apologies.” Jim doesn’t sound the least bit sorry.

“Jim Gordon release me at once! I have places to be,” he shrieks, now completely losing his patience but the detective still won’t budge.

“No,” the other man retorts decidedly.

Clenching his fist, the criminal hits the wall. “James Gordon, I’m going to turn these four hours into the longest of your life!”

Giving the raging criminal a bored shrug, Jim dives back into his papers. “Challenge accepted,” he mutters disinterestedly and the man in the cell slumps against the wall.

As expected, Oswald’s defeat is a short-lived one. It doesn’t take long before the kingpin starts pacing his cell, dragging his bad leg behind for show, and eliciting small, high-pitched, and entirely false noises of pain.

In return, Jim simply turns up the volume on the radio forcing Oswald to change tactics. When the captured bird throws a glance over his shoulder at the detective, eyes blazing in three different shades of violet from fury, the detective can hardly suppress the amused chuckle about to escape his throat.

Jim might be reluctant to admit it, yet over the years he has become quite fond of the smart criminal. And despite everything he has done, the gangster’s skewed moral compass is not so very far off from his own anymore. Besides, Oswald has saved their city one or two times.

The Penguin is a contradiction. On the one hand, he’s the compassionate, adorable son of Gertrude Kapelput, on the other hand, one of Gotham’s most unpredictable and bloodthirsty kingpins. When Jim arrested him tonight, he had been on his way to take down another possible opponent.

It’s a sign of Gordon’s own crumbling integrity he hasn’t waited until he’d catch the Penguin red-handed.

So when the gangster opens his mouth again, Jim expects the worst. Bracing himself for a tirade, he ducks his head. Yet, Oswald does nothing Jim would have expected. Ever. Instead of going into some lecture, he simply starts singing along to the song on the radio. Very loudly.

Pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation, Jim continues working. It’s not like Oswald would be bothering him. Quite the contrary - the criminal has an astonishingly beautiful voice. And so the entertainment programme carries on for some time until Oswald suddenly stops.

Jim blinks. Oswald glares.

The detective waits another five seconds before addressing the gangster. “Why did you stop?”

“Why didn’t you make me?” Oswald asks, raising his chin defiantly.

“I’m sorry. Was I supposed to?”

The mobster sucks in an outraged breath. “Well, you weren’t supposed to enjoy it.”

“Well, I did,” Jim retorts cheerfully. “You have quite a lovely voice,” he adds, throwing the gangster off guard. “You should rather go by oscine,” he adds, turning his back on him.

“You can’t just sit there and ignore me,” Oswald snaps back once he found his composure again.

“Can. Will. Doing.”

“I’m cold,” the criminal whines then and Jim seriously wonders if he caught a criminal tonight or some three-year-old.

“Then continue pacing. Do some yoga or one-legged knee bends. I frankly don’t care,” Jim hisses, starting to chew his pencil venomously.

“You can’t just lock me up and leave me to rot again! It’s freezing in here, I don’t have water and there’s neither a toilet. Once upon a time, you did believe criminals had rights, too!” Oswald screeches, gesturing for Jim to notice the miserable state of the cell.

It’s useless, Jim then decides. Getting up and walking towards the kitchen he heaves another sigh. It seems this night consists of a solid headache and heavy breathing. If he wants to get through this, he needs another cup of coffee. Or a well-aimed hit to the head.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

It’s not guilt, absolutely not, nor his bad conscience about Arkham. No, sir. Jim is just trying to be decent when walking into the locker room, searching for an old blanket he keeps around in case the never properly working GCPD heating system fails completely. It’s just an especially cold night, and if it helps Oswald to shut up for at least five minutes, it’s worth it.

“Here,” he says gruffly once he’s back, shoving the attrited grey thing through the bars.

Oswald takes the blanket from his hands with an expression of disgust written all over his face, careful not to touch an ounce of the detective’s skin.

“When was the last time this germ-infested piece of fabric saw the inside of a washing machine?” he demands to know, picking it up with disdain.

“Probably October,” Jim retorts. “Haven’t used it since.”

“You use the inmates' blankets?” Oswald asks skeptically, cocking his head slightly. And doesn’t that small gesture truly make him look like a bird?

The detective snorts. “No. That’s my own. I keep it here in case the heating is broken,” he elaborates, walking back to his desk again.

Jim’s plan had been working as the gangster is truly speechless for the following minutes. It suits him - just standing there and looking nice in his three-piece suits, gaping like the songbird he is. But eventually, the petulant criminal expresses another wish.

When the detective rises from him his seat to finally get that cup of coffee, Oswald cranes his scrawny neck.

“Jim?” the little tyrant starts tentatively.

“Yes, Oswald?” the detective answers, inwardly slowly counting to ten.

“I’m thirsty.”

Of course, he is.

“There’s water in the cell.”

“The tap isn’t working.”

Cursing under his breath,  Jim storms off into the kitchen. Oh yes, this night is going to be a long one.

[scaryscarecrows]

Old Ghosts

Takes place during that period where Penguin is presumed dead (and Jim, you should know better by now, c'mon).

Jim thinks back to the first time he ever laid eyes on Oswald Cobblepot, crammed into the trunk of a car with a busted leg and a bloody nose and the whinging, pathetic voice begging for mercy.

He had no idea what he was getting into, at the time. He’d done the right thing. Hadn’t he?

Sometimes he wonders about that, then feels slimy and guilty for it, but Oswald brought fire and death to Gotham when he came back, and maybe that could have been avoided.

And now they’re saying he’s dead. Which, yeah, probably, because Nygma’s actually broken up about it, but…Jim has to wonder. A little. The man is a stubborn little shit, after all, and Jim has trouble believing that he’d let something so common as a gunshot wound take him down.

That’s not wishful thinking. It’s not. It’s the byproduct of seeing Oswald pop up time and time again, even after he should have been fish food or roadkill or whatever. Jim sometimes wonders if he’s an actual zombie. Maybe he only says he has a ruined knee, to hide the shambling zombie-gait.

Okay, that might be the booze throwing out conspiracy theories, but still. The past couple of years have made Jim a lot more open-minded than he used to be.

He’s sitting in his apartment, listening to an ambulance speed by and watching the rain pound against the windows, when he’s struck by the ridiculous urge to go to the club. He’s not sure it’s even there, anymore, but he wants to go…see. Just see.

No. No, it’s pouring rain, it’s late, he doesn’t want to go.

…

God dammit.

He drags himself up and hunts up shoes. This is ridiculous, he doesn’t want to go, he doesn’t need to go, Oswald is dead and the club’s probably closed up or in new hands or whatever, why is he going?

Who knows. But he’s dressed now, and halfway out the door.

God. Dammit.

* * *

The club is still there. Jim’s surprised, a little. What with the mayor business and all…who knows. It’s busy, even, and he’s tempted to just turn around and go home. He doesn’t know why he came here. He needs nothing. Oswald’s not here. If Nygma’s to be believed (and Jim’s never known him to lie), he’s at the bottom of the river.

Never mind that a drag didn’t turn him up.

Never mind that he didn’t wash up, either.

He’s not here.

But Jim goes in anyway, feeling decidedly out of place and hoping nobody notices him.

He’s not so lucky.

That woman Oswald hired, the blonde one that Jim saw once or twice on a streetcorner before she started appearing at her boss’s shoulder, spots him almost immediately. She waves, slips out from behind the bar, and saunters over to him.

“Gordon!” She grins and Jim’s half-expecting her to say, boss’s upstairs, lemme go tell him you’re here. But she doesn’t. “Haven’t see you around in a while.”

“Miss Marquis.” He forces a smile, knows it’s a failure. “How’s things?”

“Busy.” She gestures to the room at large. “You look…well.”

That’s a lie, but a nice one all the same.

“Thanks. You too.”

She does look well, though how much of that is ‘I’m at work, gotta look perfect’ is up for debate.

“Come on in, I’ll getcha a drink. Y’know, for old times?”

“No, I really don’t-”

“Just one? On the house?”

For a second he hears another voice, tinged with hope, saying, Oh, go on, Jim, you’re not on duty. Just a drink with an old friend?

Dammit. Even dead, the little bastard’s still got persuasion down to a science.

“Just one.” he says firmly, ignores the easy smile he gets in return.

“C’mon, you get the good seat.”

‘The good seat’ turns out to be one a little ways out of the main crowd, with a decent view of the room. It hasn’t changed since the last time he’d been in here, in the middle of the day-flattering lighting, fabric that looks, at least, like it costs more than his apartment, the grand piano seated up on stage. No one’s playing now, but he’s seen Dove play before. Oswald, too, but him only the once.

He’s a little surprised Nygma’s not here, either just because or to blow the place sky-high. Not that he’s complaining-they haven’t seen him for weeks. Oh, they’ve seen his handiwork, and poor Lucius is beginning to tire, but of the man himself, there’s nothing. Not even security footage.

Jim almost longs for the garden-variety serial killer, the kind that grabs people off the street because they look like an ex-girlfriend or whatever. Even a cannibal wouldn’t be that bad.

He’s sipping at his whiskey. S’good stuff-Oswald would have had a heart attack if his employees had ordered anything less. Or killed the one responsible. He might even rise from his grave (wherever that is) to do it.

Really, the image of a ghostly Penguin prowling around his club, bitching at his staff, is hilarious. And not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

“Enjoying yourself?”

Jim is not so proud to deny choking on his drink.

“You’re dead!” he hisses, attempting to dislodge bitter drops of alcohol from his throat as he twists around to look at the man sitting next to him.

Oswald looks incredibly unamused. He also looks fairly unharmed-a little thinner than Jim had seen him last, but that’s all.

“Really, Jim, I expected better from you. I have been sitting here for five minutes already.”

Jim counts to ten-it’s his only defense. Strangling the stubborn little bastard will result in his either being stabbed or beaten to a bloody pulp by security. But it’s tempting, it’s really, really tempting.

“How.” he finally spits out. “You are supposed to be at the bottom of Gotham bay.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” comes the snide response, and Jim counts to ten again. “That option was disagreeable to me.”

And there it is. The magical explanation for everything Oswald-related.

“Really.”

“I had unfinished business.” Oswald’s smile is as sharp and brittle as broken glass, and Jim wonders what exactly happened between him and Nygma. Maybe he doesn’t want to know. “But never mind me. You look terrible.”

At least Dove was nice enough to lie. That was appreciated.

“Been busy.”

“The Riddler giving you trouble?”

“A bit.” If he punches him in the face, can he say he thought he’d had too much to drink and was hallucinating? Will that fly? “What are you doing here?”

“Business.” comes the flippant reply, and Jim really doesn’t want to know. “I figured, I’m dead, I may as well get some work done.”

“You are the mayor, you need to-”

“Boss?” Dove sidles up and dammit, she’s the one who ratted him out, isn’t she? “We got a blip.”

Oswald’s smile turns decidedly feral and he slides off the bar stool, cane in hand.

“Excellent. Well, it was nice to see you, old friend. Don’t be a stranger!”

“Wait. Wait a minute-”

But he’s vanished in the crowd and Jim’s left with a half-empty glass and no idea whether he was here at all.

THE END

[inappropriatefangirlneeds]

Gotham s5ep5 “ Pena Dura” Personal Review

“Your chance to be a part of this mission”    Warning spoilers below

HARVEY BULLOCK Wow they really put him in the spotlight. First JIM GORDON´s praise. “What you are is the best cop that I know.” If Nygma outsmarts them he wants him to take over. “I need your help, buddy.”. Then he actually listens to Bullock when he doesn´t want to be side lined. Although, I suspect that if it would have been physically possible for Jim Gordon to arrest Oswald Cobblepot he would have done it himself.  Then Harvey gets a moment with BRUCE WAYNE. Bruce is looking for Jim and Harvey is like “Sorry, kid, it's just me.” But in this episode Harvey matters and they have a moment before Bruce batdissapears on him before he can finish his sentence. “I see people losing their will to do good. People I love. What if we don't make it out of this?”  “Because the little things mater. Act by act, deed by deed, it means something. Even if no one notices or cares.” Harvey talks about paperwork (and wow did he basically address my question from last week, he indeed did, partly  .. ) but it´s paperwork that matters and keeps you sane. BRUCE WAYNE / JIM GORDON  & HOPE Haven just blew up but it seems Bruce is much more occupied with SELINA KYLE´s case. Granted there is more personal investment and that issue of him feeling guilty because Jeremiah targeted her about him but it´s an interesting notion to have Bruce to struggle with hope over a more personal matter. While Jim Gordon had his “hope struggle” moments last week over Haven and missing support from the Government. Seems that Eduardo Dorrance might bring a more personal twist to it.  ACCESSORY TO MURDER Selina Kyle & Bruce Wayne Bruce Wayne compares Selina killing Jeremiah to him killing Ra´s al Ghul but Alfred Pennyworth begs to differ: Selina and Bruce are not the same. On is murder and one is not: “Jeremiah made Selina a murderer. Just like Ra's made me a murderer.” “Ra's goaded you into stabbing him, Master Bruce. He used you as an instrument. You're no murderer.”  I´m not here to judge on that but I judge a tremendous neglect in the writing here: Does anyone remember REGINALD REGGIE PAYNE, the guy that arguably threatened Selina and Bruce, the guy where Bruce made a move to push him out of the window and Selina actually did it, claimed not to do regret it and that she would do it again. This would be such a great argument for Alfred´s point. Moreover Alfred has a personal reason to remember the death of someone he had a personal relationship with. One would think, he might bring that up. It´s not like he was ever holding back on things when it came down to discrediting Selina Kyle. Granted they had their nice moments but it seems his first unfavourable impression and judgement still holds.  Alfred Pennyworth is the first one that brings up the instrumentation of a person for murder. Which comes up with various terms again and again: Instrument/ murderous puppet/ being controlled remotely / tool / killing machine. With EDUARDO DORRANCE I think we lack a specific work but his just following orders credo makes him basically a tool for killing as well.  Edward Nygma  tries to figure out why he blew up Haven. He himself his first station then the electricity grants him a flashback that leads him to Oswald Cobblepot (“How could you? You have made me into some murderous puppet.” ) which gets him on his path to Hugo Strange.  Both SELINA KYLE & Edward Nygma have an element of control. Despite Bruce´s repeated claims that Ivy´s medicine changed Selina and she is not herself it´s unclear if or how much this is true. Also Bruce knows he didn´t want to kill Ra´s however with Selina we´ve not that much insight (with the possibility of the plant altering her) and only the modus operandi to judge.  EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER SO WELL * Bruce Wayne & Selina Kyle. “You're no murderer.” “But Selina is.” “You're not the same. She did what she did with open eyes, and you got to learn to respect that, son.” “You're wrong about her, Alfred.”  It´s about the murder, but it is about so much more: “It wasn't your fault. You were just a scared kid.”  The savvy Gothamite knows: Ah Bruce is talking about himself, that´s what he feels guilty about. Selina Kyle promptly picks up the notion. “No. You were the scared kid. We are not the same, Bruce. I didn't do anything because I wasn't willing to risk my neck for someone else because I didn't care. That's who I was and that's who I am.” (Goes on to say she loves "Psycho" by Grim Streaker) I´d say still sounds like case of scared kid, and if it´s just on the basis that they were kids. * Someone do a good paralells meta for 4x12 when Bruce was the one drinking at the Sirens and Selina went in being like “That´s not you”.   * Oh there would just be a lot of quotes that deal with responsibilities and No1 but I´m lazy * Jim Gordon knows himself, that´s why he sent Harvey Bullock to go after Penguin.  * Then we have Jim Gordon acknowledging that Edward Nymga had him framed and more than on his toes. “We're going after Nygma. He's ten steps ahead. This thing goes sideways, you're gonna have to take over.” He should have known him better though or he would have noticed that suspicious arm reaching for the book.  * Edward Nygma  while struggling with what his body does still has a remarkably good grasp on who he is. For him it is clear:  “You're not a murderer, Ed. Except Kristen Kringle. And Officer Dougherty.” Well not that kind of murderer. Good except that issue where is list is like a couple names short. This is repeated when he appeals to  JIM GORDON  “You know me, Jim. The people that I have hurt, they hurt me first.” [I wonder if Ed appealing to the emotional side of things is meant to echo Jim´s “what happened to you” approach in 2x17 ] With BARBARA KEAN Edward´s focus is less on the motive and emotional part it´s about intellect and modus operandi: “Barbara! Am I dumb? In all the years of plotting and the betrayals between us, have you ever ever known me to do something as idiotically brutal as shoot a rocket into a building full of innocent people?”   All of them eventually have to believe that Edward was innocent because they know him.  * Jim Gordon & Eduardo Dorrance  So we finally get some more on Jim “a war hero” Gordon´s military background, which is great but idk I can´t quite make anything of what they gave us. “We hated each other in boot.” “Jim disapproved of my ops tempo.” “Yeah, 'cause you only had one speed: too fast.” “Took me a while to realize he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Just being careful.” “Well, Jim's taught me a thing or two - about being careful.”  That HARVEY BULLOCK says that could provide some great meta if I wasn´t too lazy to properly look into the line of his old partner DIX in  DIX 1x06:   “He's a loose cannon. He thinks he's a white knight, jumping into the breach like some idiot in the movies” First it´s trust and old friendship with EDUDARDO and JIM: “I trust you know what you're doing.” “We do what we have to do, right?” But soon Jim and Eduardo are opposite forces: “After all this, you'd kill me for some bureaucrat?” “Mission comes first. You taught me that.”  This really makes me wonder what Jim did that Eduardo says this!!  Also SEASON 1 Backflash: “You know I hate this spook crap. I don't ask questions; I follow orders.” “Walker wants you to put a bullet in his brain.” “Call it proof of loyalty. It's what she needs from you before she can move forward with final relief plans.” “Jim, ours is not to reason why. And this is your chance to be a part of this mission. So please. You pull the trigger on him, or I pull the trigger on you.” * It mirrors the Jim and Harvey contrast with Harvey being the one talking about questions above his paycheck but after everything Harvey still follows Jim´s disruptive tendencies. It´s about personal responsibility, control, and in Jim and Eduardo´s case we could get some take on the "Nuremberg defense" issue.   * It mirrors the situation with Oswald Cobblepot. Once more an established order tells Jim Gordon to shoot a man, that´s not technically innocent but didn´t commit the crime in question. And once more Jim doesn´t kill but this time he doesn´t get to claim his loyalties lie with the established order.  [For a moment Jim contemplated just shooting Ed because look at what happened with Oswald, he just can´t have another relationship like that] * I wonder if we will get some flack for Jim´s decision to honour integrity over supplies? Just briefly, before it is revealed how it was actually and not only morally the right thing.  FRIENDSHIP Oswald  & Jim  Oswald Cobblepot still tries to count on Jim Gordon.  “Harvey, you're not thinking clearly. Maybe call your boss, see what he thinks.” But Jim isn´t there because he made a decision to not be there.  Oswald´s line of having had only two friends from which one he shot is sad. And I don´t know but after all the “friend” and “favour” stuff between them the “no friends” statement from Jim really hurt: “You know, they say you can judge a man by his friends.” “This from a man who has no friends.”  But at least their dynamic still works, once you get them together and disturbing forces out of the way they still run smooth for the sake of Gotham  “You're protecting a mass murderer. Don't look to me for sympathy.” “Fine. But not with that meathead around.”  Edward Nygma & Oswald Cobblpeot * “Ed, what have you done?” First of all the delivery of the line killed me! Which is not even an exaggeration. * “Of everything that you have put me through, this this is the most cruel.” This was almost as impressive and heart wrenching. * Also I´m just going to put the words down there. How, how did they sound so much like vows?! Oswald just touching his lips, putting his hands in front of them covering his mouth before he can muster so speak further. Oswald later walking right up to Edward pressing the gun into his heart. Could anyone deal with this?!  (Also what is so fundamentally wrong with me that this kind of totally is what I want, like that´s what I´d ask for in any friend or relationship, and on the one hand it´s like just a very basic just knowing and acknowledging each other but also this trust that should be as basic but just really isn´t and oh idk that was just a really special scene.) “What was I supposed to do? Let you die? After Butch, you were my only friend.”  “You shot Butch!” “Which is why I needed you! Edward Nygma, if I wanted you to suffer, I would never do it in some backhanded way.” “If you and I are ever at odds again, you will know, without a doubt, that I am your enemy. I promise you that as a friend.” And then Edward followed up with a “yes I do” and his own vows.  “I might have killed you, Oswald. And if that day comes I swear to you I will stare you in the eye as I stab you in the heart.” * Then a BETRAYAL? And then right away Oswald tells Edward to stay where he is because he´s going to be save while telling his men to get Nygma. Why did you have to break up that wonderful moment so quickly? Self preservation is a wonderful thing but not on the expense of those feelz. Quick, someone meta/fanfic this “betrayal” into something more palatable. Something like, Oswald only said that because he knew Edward would know to disappear at once, they just know each other ~that~ well, okay that´s better, a super thin argument but I´m fine.    * Oswald in this context saying “They want him, not me.” (*)  is so wrong because no honey, you are a double now a TWOFER, as Eduardo phrased it. With one raid they´d get Ed and Os. They are inseparable now.  * This is why they now both looked into the barrel of Jim´s gun while Jim gets told to kill them for loyalty reasons. * This is also why they both had the exact same approach to Jim Gordon this time. Jim Gordon is NOT GOOD CHANCES: Edward: “Once words gets out that you're responsible for Haven, you'll have a target on your back.” “I'll take my chances.” Oswald: “Even if I were to let you go, sooner or later, the Army's gonna come for you. Things are changing in Gotham.” “I'll take my chances.”  * “But first, did you name your dog after me?” How didn´t we get a reaction to EDWARD NYGMA´s question. I get it the whole mass murderer question but I´d like an answer to that one too, especially since they threw in that other JoJo dog business. Honestly I was not living that electrocution scene. (And it´s not only about the fact that Sofia and her dentist made him look much prettier.) but the  “You anthropomorphizing nincompoop. Dogs can't smile.”  sold me on it. It was worth it. Also Edward pretending he doesn´t want to be shocked again when this is going to be his escape and getting them to ignite the fuel was a good one “Please. Shoot me, stab me, anything but another jolt.” * Another marvellous line from Barbara Kean: “I am going to cut your face into a jigsaw puzzle and watch you try and put it back together again.”   * HUGO STRANGE is back and promptly sends a corpse sliding and then wipes hands. Icky. So those lined up hanging body bags had me distracted so I didn´t pay enough attention on the one that Edward Nygma would jump out of. However I think this made me suspicious enough to not trust the “I will write it down. That way, if I'm ever confronted, I can honestly say that I never told you.” Like usually I´d agree, that´s a good plan, makes sense but ha not this time. Love that they kind of paralleled this with Edward reaching for the book in front of Jim and Eduardo. Is that even a proper parallel?  * EDWARD NYGMA tries to control the script  “Let's skip the part where you deny making me into a killing machine.” He wants to get to the point. When Strange starts with a nebulous “I may have tinkered a little with your grey matter.” Edward is like: “Would you just …”  and Strange complies with an answer: “I put a chip in your brain.” “It allows you to be able to be controlled remotely.”  * I am wondering if Hugo Strange really didn´t know about the alter ego situation? It could be right? Either his situation was the reason why the chip worked (which negates my other question below) or maybe this will be the thing that makes Edward overcome his issue? Maybe the other side will surface again and they both got a common enemy: The chip and they unify over that task. THEORY?  * Also the fandom has been all about all the Eds and Nygmas and used various name variations and now the show comments on this and it´s not helpful at all? “You did something to access the Ed Nygma side of my personality.” “But you're Ed Nygma.” “I'm also the Riddler!” Is he thinking of himself as (an occasionally riddling) Edward right now?  * “I developed a tool.”  “A tool? How dare you?”   Haha, he sounded SO offended. * Quick question, why did remote controlled Edward go through the corpse tunnel, was his perception working while he was switched off and did he see Jim escape through it?  PLACES AND THINGS * Can we talk about how pretty the first place of that RPG selling guy ( Gerry Grekov) was. So pretty! Guy got peacock feathers in it.  * What was that movie he was watching? * The floor is Lava! The Edward Jim scene was gorgeous.  * As we established Jim knows Edward he just doesn´t know him well enough to pay attention to that arm that grew longer and longer to reach the right book. Like seriously Jim how could you miss this, even I was on my toes dying to know what he would do. And he boobytrapped the library. Marvellous! The chess riddle with the movements and the books. Marvellous! More please. The shots were really pretty too.  * Apart from Edward´s arm growing longer and longer we got his long legged self running over the cushions. Marvellous!

JEREMIAH VALESKA “Verisimilitude trumps precaution, you see.” “That bullet is making you sentimental.” * So the present is some resurrection. How did they reverse all the decay. Is it the same bodies. Magic, Science.  Also am I paranoid or might there be some connection to Hugo Strange´s “The last body you procured for me was gangrenous. Completely unsuitable.” line. Unsuitable doesn´t mean unusable. * Jeremiah knew Mr. Wayne, didn´t he. I´m too lazy to look things up but there was a connection. Is he also doing this for himself. Family reunion cause he never had a (good) one?  * Sorry but EDUARDO DORRANCE is boring, get on the program Gotham doesn´t do boring. Clearly Eduardo Flamingo was the superior Eduardo. * “I'm gonna wring this nerd's neck.” Careful Eduardo, this other nerd is just in the progress of saving your life.  * “You left the Army for this city?” You know, I keep saying that people would probably better be off just getting the hell out of there but the reaction to this line showed me I´m as stupid. I mean not that it´s something new all the bathtubs alone had sold me. And army, army instead of riddles like that and freedom to wear leather, pink hair, how´s that even considered competition. * THERESA WALKER why did she need Edward Nygma? If they had a public trial, execution then yes but Eduardo didn´t seem to be concerned about getting him alive, they could have just sent in some random guy? They got all those military people in now I´m sure they could have done less before and it´s probably less effort than commissioning a human drone? * “We need shock and awe.” “Shock and awe is my default.” I wonder if this was foreshadowing because after all the Haven thing could fall under that strategy. They only sent in military after this devastating and shocking destruction. OSWALD COBBLEPOT BEING HIMSELF AGAIN? “Edward, I believe the time has come for a change of scenery.” What is Oswald Cobblepot up to?! What did he store down there, what are his plans? He didn´t seem to be too worried about the military. He must have some kind of plan? Also the “Please. An invasion is tanks, infantry. These are scouts.” line gives me hope that he is prepared.  (*) On the other hand him thinking the military would not go after him too, only Edward, while he was “on top of” the list seems to point into a different direction.  Also someone any (head)canons on Oswald Cobblepot and knowledge about military, has he been ever connected to military terms? He´s been in Jim Gordon´s soldier vision/dream thingie, I don´t know why this line stuck so much with me, but the dismissive patronizing smug deliver was marvellous.

[theabominableblogger]

Rewatching “Gotham” S3E13

Cue all the “Face/Off” jokes for this arc.  All of them.

The rest of these reaction posts I’ll be uploading are not chronological order.  They’re like that because A) college and B) more college.

My sister watched it with me (as well as the other episodes left in my epic “Gotham” reaction series) so my comments will be in bold, and hers will be in regular font.  Author’s notes courtesy of me will be bolded and italicized. 

AN:   I managed to record our reactions to this episode and hopefully I can transcribe what I said into this post. 

*both immediately start fawning over Smol Bruce in the Netflix thumbnail*

“Previously on Gotham...”  Some bullshit.

SOME BS!

“What you call sanity... it’s just a prison in your minds.”  That is such an edgelord line, Oh my God!

*snaps fingers along with "Papa Oom Mow Mow” by Gary Glitter*

Why are they sampling “Elvira”?

AN:  “Elvira” by the Oak Ridge Boys actually sampled this song.  This version of the song is a cover and the original is by the Beach Boys.

“Three nines, and joker’s wild.”  *rolls eyes*

*sarcastically*  Geez, I wonder whose episode it is...

*laughs*

[Dwight appears]  *in best Christian Bale Batman voice*  Schmiff!  Thomas Schmiff!  He’s a paranoid schizophrenic from Arkham!

*starts mouthing along with song*

What just happened? 

They had to get in.

Yeah, I know, but how did that guy suddenly switch over to their side?

He was working for them the whole time.

OK.

*Dwight starts maniacally laughing once he finds Jerome’s body*  Oh damn... that’s a damn good laugh.

That is a really good laugh

*jams along with opening theme*

Does it open up with them stealing the body?  That better be where it opens up.

Yeah, it’s when they steal the body.

*smiles*

*Jim and Harvey find the empty vessel covered with the symbol*  Oh what the shit...

That's their little cult symbol.  Which has been popping up since a few episodes after Jerome’s death in S2, and you see that everywhere and you go “Wait a minute!”

*smiles when Lucius appears*

Is he security for Arkham or what?

No, he’s R & E.  Yeah, he still works for Wayne-

Ohhh OK...

-but he's like back up for Lee at the GCPD.

Oh OK.

And I’m like “Wait?  You’re also an ME?”  Everybody can be an ME in this show!

Everybody’s got like 15 different conflicts of interest on this show.

I know.

Nobody should be allowed to investigate anything.

*chuckles*

Where the hell are we?

That’s Wayne Manor.

I know that actor [who plays Cole] somewhere!  I know that voice!

I don’t know that actor.

AN:  He’s played by P.J. Marshall, who was in “Luke Cage” and was the cop that always got on Kit Darling in the first half or so of “American Horror Story:  Freak Show”

Alfred looks like he’s ready to punch a bitch.  *laughs*

He looks like he’s about to lay that guy the hell out.

I know.

And they established in the last episode that they [Bruce and Alfred] really like Selina and her mom coming back together.

Ohhh OK.

“Oh, no, no, no, no, no.  I [Cole] would never hurt a woman.”  *both give a dubious look*

“However, I [Cole] would feel justified in giving the police enough evidence so that your little girlfriend [Selina] could only talk to her mama every other Thursday through a screen for the next 40 years.”  Go to hell, dude.

*whispers*  He’s [Bruce] so much Batman!

“So, you [Bruce] give Maria the money, she gives it to me; I’m [Cole] out of your lives.  Cash, obviously.”  The only thing you’re owed, dude, is a bullet between the eyes.

Now see, look at this pose [of Bruce thinking in his chair].  Look at that pose.  Oh my gosh, that’s a Michael Keaton pose!

That is!

Oh my gosh...

“He [the cult follower Jim and Harvey arrested] should have been taken to a hospital.”  Oh yeah, and Jim and Lee are like *imitates two cats fighting each other while aggressively clashing hands together*

Why wasn’t he taken to a hospital?!?

“James Gordon.  The James Gordon.... wow.  It’s actually you.”  You sure know how to pick ‘em, Dwight.

Y’know, these extras playing the cult members must be having the time of their lives.  It’s like “Yeah!  We get to wear crazy hair and outfits!“

Oh yeah.  They’re gonna be like chewing the scenery within an inch of its life.

Oh yeah!

Look at that dude’s crazy eyes though!

I know!  He could have played Renfield in “Dracula”

I know.

*Dwight sets up his workshop with another cult member*  Looks like Rufio fell on hard times.

*Dwight strokes Jerome’s cheek*  Don’t do thaaattt....

Ohhhh my God.... LIFE!  LIFE, DO YOU HEAR ME?!?  GIVE MY CREATION LIFE!

LIIIIIIFFFFEEEEEE!!!

*both laugh*

*Dwight laughs*  Maniacal laugh... maniacal laugh...

GOD HE’S [Dwight] JUST HAVING SO MUCH FUN!  *laughs*

You know they’re getting paid like really well.

Oh I’m sure!

“’Unsurprisingly, there have already been calls "for the mayor's resignation. "The clearly disturbed Mayor Cobblepot-’”  ‘Clearly disturbed?’  HOW LONG did it take you to realize that?

“Mayor Crumblepot.”  *stifles a laugh*

“Is Ed here?”  *rolls eyes*

“Who cares what people think of the mayor?  The city runs itself.”  *chuckles*

You’re a dumbass!

“[Oswald] So get up, take a shower, do that disco vampire thing thing with your hair.”  *both crack up*

“[Barbara] Why are you helping me?”  Because you’re a walking garbage fire, Oswald, who needs all the help you can get.

*laughs*  Yes!

Get your priorities in order, Oswald.

*claps hands*  Duuuuuudde....

His [Bruce] voice is so deep and he’s such a smol bab!

I knowww!  I don’t know how old David is when they filmed this.  I think he’s like 16 or 17.

He’s a smol bab!

“Maybe they [the cult symbols] were here the whole time and we just didn’t notice..”   That’s probably a safe bet.

I’m pretty sure that’s the No Man’s Land map that they’re [Lucius is] using.

Niicee...

“That amount-”  “Would cause a power surge in the electric grid.”  “...I [Harvey] was about to say that would cause a power surge in the electric grid...”  *chuckles*

*chuckles*  Sure you were, Harvey.

“I’ll just... stay here... if that’s OK.”  Lucius, you’re amazing.

Feels like he’s the only person right now at the GCPD, besides Harvey, who has any common sense.

He’s great! 

Because I’m starting to really question what kind of goblins are currently inhabiting James Gordon’s brain.

It’s Season 3, I’m sure there’s a lot.

“Try turning it on and off.”  “I [Dwight] did!  3 times.”  *both laugh*

He’s the IT guy.

*laughs*  Have you tried turning it on and off again?

*pauses when Dwight electrocutes a guy for interrupting him*

Jesus God!  Was that a cattle prod?!?  What was that?!?

I don’t know.  Cattle prods are long and skinny though.

The hell was that?!?

They’re kinda like a fly swatter.

*Dwight starts cutting off Jerome’s face*  :[

Aauuuugghhh... nooooooooooo, we’re not doing this.

The production design and set for this [Dwight’s lab] is pretty cool, I gotta say.

Uh, somebody put that wire out before it sets fire to the whole place.

Oh please God!

“Holy smokes, is that Jerome?“  No, it’s Jeremiah.  *laughs*

Yeah, and they took his face...

*in unison*  Off!

*both laugh*

‘Cause they wanted to take his face...

*in unison*  Off!

*both laugh*

I couldn’t not, I’m sorry!

“Brothers and sisters, I [Dwight] promised you Jerome would return...”  *sing songs*  And I brought you his faaaccee!!

But it’s...

*in unison*  Off!

*both freaking lose it*

“The Prophet is here.”  But it’s just his face!

[breathing unsteadily]  *thumbs up*  Great.

“We are all... Jerome.”  Don’t think that’s gonna be good enough.

*The crowd takes to calling themselves Jerome*  Oh, OK.

“You’re Jerome.  And you...”  *laughs*  And you’re Jerome!  And you’re Jerome!  And you’re Jerome!

Oh, c’mon!  They were going for the obvious “I am Spartacus.”

WE ARE JEROME!  We are Jerome and so’s my wife!

OK, that actually worked better than I thought.

If he [Jerome] just gets straight off that [Lee’s] examination table, I am gonna flip shit!

:]

*points and yells excitedly when Jerome’s hand twitches*

“So, let’s find out who the traitor is, shall we?”  Jesus God...

“Good bluff.”  “Thank you, sir.”  That was awesome!

*softly*  I know...

And that was a bluff?!?

Yeah, there’s moments like that where it’s like “Man, Jim!  You’re a badass!” 

*chuckles*

*both chuckle when Barbara dramatically puts a hand to her chest*

“They don’t respect you, Oswald.  In fact, you probably want to kill Tommy Bones and the Duke.  Just clean house.”  *chuckles*

*both start to giggle when Oswald does*

“[Barbara] Do you really think I [Oswald] would be so easy to manipulate?”  YES!

YES!

YES!

YES YOU WERE!

YES!

You are not nearly as clever as you think you are, Oswald!  You are the Cersei Lannister of Gotham City!  You were down on the count for God knows how long.

For like an episode.

A lot happens in an episode!

True.  In the span of like 5 minutes probably.  I dunno, maybe like 10 or 15.

*shakes head*

“Your day is done, freak.”  *raises eyebrows in surprise*

“Then Nygma dies.”  “What?!?”  “Walk away quiet.  Maybe we’ll send him back in one piece.  We’ll even let you [Oswald] keep being mayor.”  *shakes head*  Hey look, you are that easy to manipulate.

Can we like take a shot every time Penguin goes into rage spitting mode?

Yeaaahhhh!!

Oh my gosh.  Take a shot!

See, Barbara just played you [Oswald] like a freaking fiddle, dude.

I’m sorry... the schadenfraude of it all.

*both end up discussing the correct pronunciation of ‘schadenfraude’

*mutters*  Freaking Germans...

*laughs*

I’m German [descent], I can make fun of myself.

He’s [the mole] doing a Batman voice.

“No one ever stops being a cop.  You [the mole] were here when Jerome and the Maniax attacked.”  ‘Maniax?’  That’s what they’re calling themselves?

Well, Jerome and his little group [in the beginning of S2] were like *in best Jerome voice*  “We’re the Maniax!” and whatever.

‘Maniax,’ with an X.  Because edgy.

No one can spell!

*Jim decides to switch from good cop to bad cop on the mole*  Oooh!

*Jim punches the mole across the face*  Jesus God!

*both freeze in shock when Harvey takes over for punching*

OH MY GOD, Jim’s just like *puts hands on head*  “Oh my God...”

I don’t think you’re allowed to do thaaat...

I mean, they bring it up in the show.  There’s certain interrogation laws that you have to follow.

Yeah, manhandling a suspect is a no-no!

“Damn...”  Damn instead.

She’s [Lee] like “Yeah, whatever.”  STONE COLD!

“[Jim] Don’t touch me [Lee]!”  *so done*

“Really?  Did I [Lee] not just see Harvey punch him in the face?”  *finger guns at screen in agreement*

“[Jim] You brought a wounded suspect into the precinct instead of taking him to the hospital, because you wanted to interrogate him.”  *claps hands with each word*  GO OFF, LEE!

Yes!

“Look, you [Lee] want to blame me [Jim] for Mario’s death, that’s fine.”  *so done*

“But don’t let your hatred of me turn you into something you’re not.”  And plus the funeral for Mario was a few days ago.

*claps hands with each word*  It’s way too soon!  It’s way too soon for her to be back at work!

I’m like “Lee, no!”

*sings*  Take a break!

Like I said, all of her character development comes from people screwing her over.

I know!

“[Jim] Don’t ever touch me [Lee] again or tell me what to do.”  You know, it’s your fault, Jim.  This is entirely your fault.

Yeah. It is.

“We’ve got a show to do, people!  And, as you know, the show must go on.”  *starts singing “The Show Must Go On” from “Moulin Rouge”*

*Jerome surprises Lee from behind the door*  Oh Jesus.

It’s allliiiiivveeee!!

“Hey, maybe you’re [Jerome] dreaming.  Try shooting yourself.”  Pfftt!

“Nah!”  *both chuckle*

*mouths along with Jerome saying “Lunatics AND idiots?”*

“You know, I [Jerome] was just reborn.  Last year was nothing but darkness... as far as the eye could see.”  *softly*  God, you’re so edgy.

“Hey, did you and I ever, uh...”  *slightly disgusted, trying not to laugh*

*scoffs in hilarity*  Did he just use the gun-

Yeah, yeah he did.  *ends up giggling anyway*

Oh my God...

AN:  And it was totally improvised at the moment by Cameron.  Because OF COURSE HE DID.

AN:  Hi, welcome to my blog, where we have to keep kinkshaming Cameron Monaghan.

*both make loud disgusted noises when Jerome tries licking Lee*

“How’s it going between you [Lee] and Jimbo?”  It’s not.

“Oh that’s a shame.  I really liked you guys.”  *giggles into her sleeve*

Jerome shipped it.

*absolutely cracks up at Jerome’s reaction when Lee tells him about Jim killing Mario on her wedding night*

He’s like “Whhaat?!?”

Oh my God....

“I see your point.”  *scoffs in hilarity*

“Theo Galavan’s dead.”  *sighs*  For how long?

“Ohhhhh.... who beat me to it?”  “W-Which time?”  *giggles*

Oh just wait until you get into the regular Batman canon.  Death is gonna be about as permanent as a hiatus.

It always looked like it has rained in this city!

They should shoot in Seattle for now on.

Didn’t I tell you [Cole] to go to hell the last time, dude?

“Hey.... smile!”  No.

No!  Bullshit.

No.

“Selina!  Please... don’t.”  Yes.  Do!

*cracks up when the cult members write down Dwight’s speech on giant note cards for him to use*

“The cult will never follow you, Dwight.  I [Jim] saw you... at the theater?  You don’t have what it takes!”  Oh.  Really?

“Well, for the record, you’re doing one thing Jerome never did:  boring me.”  *both lean back in shock*

Whoooooooooo hooo hoooooo!!

Daaammn!  That was pretty great.

Ohhh my God!

See, James, when you’re not being a complete dumbass-

He’s amazing!  He’s great!

“We’ve [Barbara and Tabitha] got Option A:  appeal to their reason, convince them we alone can protect them from Penguin-”  “Seems unlikely.  They are men.”  Pfft!

*both crack up when “Ave Maria” starts playing when Tabitha guns down all the other gang leaders*

“Yeah, yeah, Option B.”  *chuckles*

*Dwight goes on air with Jerome’s face on*  That’s creepy as shit!

That is really creepy, just the [gesture Dwight did when he corrected himself]

“Look at that.  No charisma, no stage presence.”  I dunno, he’s [Dwight] doing pretty well.

*laughs reading the news bulletin bars on the TV being changed to ‘HahAhaHAhaHA’*

Oh my God!

Jesus God, where are all those wires attached to?!?

I don’t know...

If he [Jim] shoots his [Dwight’s] ass on live television, that would be the most karmic thing...

*Jim and the Strike Force infiltrate the studio*  Oh my God!

*Jim tackles Dwight to the ground*  Boom!  Hoo hoo!

That was a great quick panning shot.

Niiice...

*in dramatic voice*  Meanwhile at W Manor...

*raises eyebrows in shock when Selina tries to goad Bruce into fighting her*

“You know, the only reason she [Maria] came back to Gotham, the only reason she tracked me [Selina] down... was you [Bruce].”  Here’s my question:  how did she know her daughter and Bruce were a thing?

Yeah, that doesn’t add up.

How did that happen?  How did she figure that out?

*laughs at all the fans telling Dwight they love him*

This actor is having the time of his life.

Oh, he totally is.

“Where’s Dwight?”  “I saw a uni walking him that way.”  Ohhhh...

*Jim and Harvey find a dead cop*  Ohhh what is that [sticking out of the dead cop’s chest]?!?

Oh my God!

What is that?!?!?

*both yell and reel back in horror when Jerome starts stapling his face back on*

And that’s a prosthetic.

Jesus God.

And he [Jerome] actually sounds different from the first time we saw him because Theo stabbed him in the neck [in S2] and it hit his vocal cords.

Yeeeppp...

“Say... you’re not mad, are you?”  “Mad?  What could I [Jerome] possibly be mad about?”  “Y’know, the whole... cutting off your face...”  Pfft!

“Oswald?”  *leans back in surprise*

*Oswald loses contact with Ed*  Ed’s probably like “Hell yeah!” and snaps the phone.

*chuckles*

“Kane Chemicals!  Let’s go!  Move!”  You are walking right into a trap, Oswald.

“Hi.  Some you you may know... I died.”  *scoffs in hilarity*

“Tonight, Gotham, in the darkness... there are no rules.”  You keep pulling out these edgelord lines!  I know you can do better than that, dude.

“I [Jerome] don’t forgive you [Dwight] for my face.”  *tries to stifle a laugh*

“We need a bird [chopper] to go now!”  You guys aren’t gonna make it!  You’re not gonna make it!

*pops hand toward screen when the power plant blows*

*All the power goes*  Ohhhhhh schnap.

Oh shit!

*Closing title pops up*  Ohhh hoo hoo....

*reels back in surprise*  OK...

OK...

ONTO THE NEXT EPISODE!

[gothamiteneko]

*sighs* … Ok, i´m not very “talkative” beyond just letting my feels run wild and freely in the tags of every post i reblog here cuz I love the fandom and it´s people but i´m an introvert who prefers keep lowkey almost all the time but loves fangirling anyway BUT i feel i need take this out of my system, after watching the last episode of Gotham (S4, Ep13… just in case lol) and of course, after scrolling my dash that almost was filled entirely with gifsets, theories, text post and everything, about said episode…

WARNING, SPOILERS BELOW…

First of all: WHAT AN EPISODE MY DEAR GOSH, it was really exciting and all (details below) but the main thing I personally care the most is that after being starved cuz the absolute absence of the very necessary Oswald Cobblepot dose the last episode, i´m so glad we had this episode almost dedicated exclusively to him and his arc in Arkham (and his interaction with Jerome), that´s the only thing I personally was asking for this episode in general, so thanks a lot Gotham.

And now…

+ Ivy being her new Poison Ivy persona… is really cool to see her finally being all menacing the way only she knows how to, who would think plants could be that scary in the correct (incorrect?) hands… and just for the record, I like Poison Ivy now but i`ll forever gonna miss Maggie´s Ivy

+ Selina is just being Selina and that´s perfect, just go girl.

+Lucius was really funny. Sorry but he was and I like him like this as much as I like him being the most centered and sane character in the whole city, so done with everyone´s nonsense but feeling sorry for them and kindly telling them they need help instead of just yell and punch their faces away from his sight.

+ Jim Gordon… ah Jim… in fact I feel sorry for him, is really hard to be the Captain of the GCPD (well, is hard to live in Gotham anyway) and I know he´s being a douche since some episodes by now (I won`t count how many, the point is for his stubborn and capricious attitude) and just cuz his very misguided “boyscout morality” as Ozzy well said to him… but again, he lives in Gotham and that means madness, and I find interesting how he still can deal with that, resisting to go down and to be completely consumed by the corruption and crazyness the city apparently tries to drag everyone… is not an excuse for what he is doing to everyone who ever cared for him (AKA Lee…. And Harvey Bullock, the only true best friend he still has -Harvey is a saint and deserves better btw-) and of course, to Ozzy (i´m still upset with Jim cuz of that on this season… and a bit cuz the whole Galavan plot that put Os into Arkham the first time) …. but I understand why he is being like this… that´s why he appreciates Batsy very much in the future, he kinda gives him a bit of weight release over his shoulders… but that´s another story lol.

+ Speaking of Bat…Bruce I mean, I liked that self-discovery trip he did (forcefully, but ok) cuz it shows how he didn´t just woke up one morning and happily decided he was going to become a Bat-suited vigilante. Again, he lives in Gotham, so he struggled first with the darkness (that includes being a douche with Alfred… another saint and warrior who deserves better) and pain that he was facing since the death of his parents. He´s being lost for a long time so now is the perfect moment to change that, to embrace his fears and conquer them. And as Jim told him, he must trust the people who care about him………. and of course, I just can´t with the easter eggs of Jim with the legendary mustache and Oswald with that SO ICONIC comic´s Penguin outfit, I just can´t with that #Nerdgasm  (also the fact of Os gloves being greeeeen)

And NOW… the main target that made me write this (this will be long but I just need release it or i´ll implode):

+About Oswald´s arc in Arkham…

-          Omgggg…. I´m like, a person who gets really excited every time I see my favs in a show/book/movie/whatever, going into something, good or bad, and i´m perfectly ok and not ashamed with being full of feels when is related to fandom stuff, but now… dude, I went really emotional, I mean, I cried for real while watching my poor birb suffering like that, so vulnerable and lost and actually crying cuz he can´t handle it anymore (when his voice burst into tears on that table in front of the inmates… man, I think my heart broke in pieces once and once again with every tear he made me share with that simple thing… I needed stop the video so many times through those moments, just cuz I was -?- drowning in feels)… or when he was being bullied by Jerome, omg, Ozzy was so terrified after that… I feel I could cry just remembering that… damn it, I just wanted hug him and taking him away from everyone to protect him forever, omg.

-          I´m not blaming nor justifying Jerome, but he´s a psychopath and he is in fact such an awesome character, so he was doing what he knows and likes more: having fun by his own twisted way… the problem in this case is with who he was doing that… and even with that, I think Oswald can thank him (maybe just a bit) for bringing his murder instincts back to the game, cuz he´ll surely need them later.

-          The best of this episode so far (for me)… Ed visiting Oswald (and everything what follows after that)… obviously there seems Ed was just being annoying and gloating, as he said himself, cuz he now hates or at least has not a bit of respect for The Penguin after all he did to Ed, but even Ozzy knows the new dummy boy Ed wasn´t there just cuz of that (i´m amused and make me smile the fact that Os knows Ed better than Ed himself, the birb is clever and i´m proud of him). Apparently –just my opinion- The Riddler/dark! Ed took control from the narrows to the gates of Arkham, then let Ed think he was there for a “harmless” reason but The Riddler had already made his move (Ed –nor Oswald- didn´t even noticed that he made and took out an origami Penguin while he was talking… just like happened when Ozzy didn´t notice that on that first episode of S3 –the parallels there, omg, I can´t-). And i´m so so happy that Ozzy could smile -maybe for the first time since he was in that hell-, like his entire life was being enlightened by a warm caress of hope. 

-          Of course, I must say it was really awesome how providential this visit became to the dear Ozzy, cuz after that note written into the origami penguin (still can´t with that) Oswald regained a purpose to live and fight to survive in Arkham until he finally can escape/be rescued by his boyfriend Ed or rather, the Riddler-Ed…or … uhm… well, Ozzy´s Ed. Oswald was even much more in calm –but still being careful- around Jerome, after Ed´s visit.

Finally… i´m so excited to know that how that headcanon of The Riddler/dark! Ed actually being in love with Oswald is becoming kinda canon now (maybe not, but I can dream)…

BECAUSE, maybe The Riddler just need Oswald to help him escape from “the new” passive Ed´s control, cuz The Penguin is the only one who knows the key to do that, since he knows Ed very well and was his former mentor/ally/friend (Oswald is the only one –fact- that is totally ok with how Ed truly is, he just let him be without judging but helping him to improve… and that is mutual btw… so again, Oswald is right, there is not Ed Nygma -the one Os helped to grow- without The Penguin and The Riddler is so aware of that)…

…BUT, as much as The Riddler is the dark side of Ed and is selfish and extra and cunning and etc, I believe he loves Oswald too, in a very twisted way perhaps, cuz Ozzy is JUST LIKE THE RIDDLER and the Riddler loves himself that much and loves being mirrored in someone on his same level, someone who he finds worth of that title.

My…this episode was full of feels and great scenes… I can´t wait for the rest of the season

[akingofgotham]

3. Eǫᴜᴀʟ [ɴʏɢᴍᴀ & ᴄᴏʙʙʟᴇᴘᴏᴛ] ↳ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ʙʏ #Sᴋʏᴇ

Oswald Cobblepot, a being seemingly constructed purely of mischievous schemes and quiet, sadistic glee actually appeared quite troubled when he awoke that morning. A memory of last night immediately popped into his head along with the pounding of a migraine. Looking beside him only to feel slightly disappointed that Edward Nygma had left so early for work. However, a small, clever and deceptively boyish smile appeared across his face when he noticed a handwritten letter from said Edward Nygma. Before he began to read the letter, jarring and unwelcome thoughts of last night sent obscene images bloomed in his mind. He sat waiting for the nausea to roll through his stomach. But.. It never did. Oswald positioned himself on the edge of the bed when he opened the letter. Mr. Penguin, I'm awfully apologetic for last night. I woke up extra early and made breakfast for you. It's in the fridge. Sincerely, Ed Nygma P.S— the answer to the riddle yesterday evening was love. Oswald was sitting in disbelief as he felt a heat rise to his cheeks. Why am I blushing like a schoolgirl? Shaking his head, he stood and shuffled into the bathroom. My hair looks like shit. Was the instant reaction he had as he peered into the mirror. It took him what felt like an hour trying to fix and adjust his appearance when his stomach growled. After sitting down and enjoying breakfast, Oswald retrieved his phone from where he left it on the sofa last night. Waiting impatiently for the device to power on, he frowned when seeing no new notifications from Ed. However there was a swarm of alerts from Jim Gordon. Things along such lines as: Jim: Where the fuck are you? Jim: I've been by the restaurant four times this week. No one's knows where you are. It's urgent. Jim: This is getting ridiculous. Jim: If you don't answer your fucking phone so help me God. Jim: If you turn up dead I'm going to be pissed. Jim: Hello? Lifting a slender eyebrow, Oswald plopped down onto the sofa as he grinned to himself. Although he couldn't help the curiosity overwhelming him about the urgency, he left the messages unanswered. Oswald yawned as he curled up on the couch, wiggling his toes between the cushions. Having sent a message to Ed thanking him for breakfast, he skimmed through those message Jim had sent him. Against his better judgement, his thumb hovered over the call button. I should let him know I'm not dead at least. Oswald concluded. Simply put of consideration. Listing to the dial tone for no more than a few seconds, Jim’s voice frantically came through the receiver. “Where the fuck have you been?” “How impolite, detective.” A wide boyish smirk lit Cobblepot's entire being. The sound of passing cars was faintly heard in the background. “Have you been missing me~?” “Get your head out of the dirt. The entire GCPD is looking for you. And the mere thought to include me in your whereabouts must have slipped your mind?” “Oh, calm down. No worries, detective, I am perfectly safe. Not a scratch on me minus the gun wound your bullet left through my shoulder.” Oswald hissed unhappily, tracing a delicate finger across the healing injury. “However, there are no hard feelings. I'll just expect a small favor sometime in the nearby future.” “I already told you, Penguin, no more favors or deals or bargains.” Oswald rolled his eyes, completely unamused by Jim’s hard toned voice. “As you wish. But mark my words, James, you will need my help and when you do.. Consider it not an option.” Jim was silent for a long minute before, “Where are you?” An unrecognizable emotion muddled his words. “That's none of your concern.” Another gap of quietness. “Would you meet me at my place later tonight?” “Oh? What for? So you can play the role of good cop and have me arrested? I don't trust you, Jim. It's a shame.. Tsk.” “Why is that?” Jim growled through gritted teeth. “Must I explain myself?” Oswald huffed, annoyed. "Your recent actions towards me have shown none other than disloyalty.” “I gotta go. I'll call you later so you better keep your phone close.” ‘Who are you on the phone with? Your boyfriend?’ Came Harvey Bullock’s voice not to far off in the distance. “No, it was Lee—” Were the last words Oswald heard before Jim hung up the phone. — Oswald woke from an unexpected nap on the couch with a slight headache and feeling of grogginess. When did it start raining? He asked himself, sitting up and peering out the large windows. What time is it? Scrambling, the young man scooped his phone up off the floor and glared into the brightness. It was only 2:26 P.M., but why hasn't he heard from Ed? Ed always replied to him, at least once. I should call him. Oswald bit at his bottom lip in contemplation. Well… I'll try sending one more message. Then I'll call if he doesn't get back to him within the next hour. He nodded to himself as he quickly typed up another message and sent it to Ed. — Edward Nygma was digging through file after file with stoic look across his face. The chief had requested a specific file from years ago. What for? Ed didn't bother to ask, just obey. Unfortunately, his phone was left forgotten about I. His desk in the other room and was completely unaware of Penguin’s attempts to contact him. “Dammit.” Ed growled beneath his breath as he pushed the file cabinet closed. Due to the events of last night left his brain muddled. “Eddie..” Came a voice all too familiar. Harvey Bullock quietly closes the door behind him, lazy brown hues meeting hazel from across the room. “You look like a damsel in distress.” The older man chuckled; Ed sat on the floor with piles and stacks of files surrounding him, a specific look of frustration on his usual cheery features. “Wanna get lunch?” Asked Harvey as he manoeuvres through the mess in attempt to get closer to Ed. “I don't have time for that. My apologies if I am unavailable to take the several 'lunch’ breaks you and Detective Gordon vanish on.” Agitation was thick in Nygma’s voice as he shuffled through papers, nudging his glasses as he felt them sliding down his nose. “I'll stay and help ya out then. As boring as this shit seems to be..” Harvey truly was a good man even though he was to coward to express his liking for Edward in the presence of another. A heavy sigh released itself, unwanted, as hazel hues darted up to Harvey’s mocha browns. “Oh!” Harvey, having just remembered something seemingly important, dug through the pockets of his leather jacket to pull out a crinkled piece of paper. “I have a riddle for you.” Glancing up from the small paper, Harvey grinned down at Edward. This, as Harvey must have known, caught Nygma’s attention as he tilted his head in wonder. God, I feel so fucking stupid. The detective thought to himself as he returned his glance to the paper in hand. “Uh.. What God never sees..” A nervous glance to make sure Edward was listening. Which he was.. Keenly. “What a king.. Seldom sees.. And what I see before me.” Edward Nygma caught himself grinning as he looked up at Harvey who was trying his best to connect with him. “An equal.” The brunette answered, the look on his face softening. Perhaps taking a break would settle his frantic nerves. “Why don't we call it quits for the day?" Harvey suggested as he offered a hand to help Ed up off the floor. “I'll meet ya out at my car.” Nygma watched as Detective Bullock fled the file room and smiled menacingly to himself at the thought of leaving work early. Never in his history of being in forensics has he departed voluntarily before nine. Thus said, he returned to his office and shrugged off his white lab coat, draping over his computer chair. A bright purple blink in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Oswald had taken his phone and customized his entire contact information. There were three unread messages in which Nygma replied stating he was off to lunch with Detective Bullock and he would return home a bit earlier. — Infuriated by the message he had received from Edward Nygma, Oswald pouted as he vigorously threw his phone onto the coffee table. How dare he pull that highschool bullshit with me last night. Furious, Oswald gathered his legs up onto the sofa. Time ticked by slowly. Every second felt like a minute. I thought Harvey loathed the mere idea of being in the same room as Ed let alone taking him to lunch.

[sure-as-eggs]

Ed stuck in Arkham post-Season Two:

He doesn’t eat because he’s not hungry. Because he can choose not to. Because the food is abhorrent. Because he wants to know what will happen. Because it would be easier to die.

What’s the right answer?

It’s been a long time since anyone has talked to him. Possibly more than a week: he’s been counting floor tiles but not days.

(One hundred eighty five and a quarter bricks in the walls, two thousand eighteen and a half diamond-shaped holes in the security grating, four thousand three hundred twenty seven stitches in the mattress. It’s too hard to check the thread count of the blanket by the dim light of the window, so he doesn’t use it, leaves it balled up in the far corner no matter how cold the room gets.

Statistically speaking, it’s easier to concentrate at lower temperatures. He’s sure he read that somewhere.)

His head aches. He complains about it to the guards who shove pre-packaged meals through the slot. He fakes a crying fit to gain sympathy, and it’s disturbingly effective; he can’t calm himself down again. A uniformed woman tells him that he can cry all he wants, but as a high-risk escapee, he’ll be confined to his cell until restructuring is complete and security procedures are back in place.

They’ve secured him quite effectively already. He has nothing to do. Nothing to think about.

Just the basement.

Inhuman sounds issuing from near-human mouths, scar tissue and dead eyes sewn together in a mockery of every natural law. There had been a man down there who had called out to him, he’s almost certain. Or maybe he’s imagining things again. It would be such a relief to believe that.

He lays in an empty cell on a plastic mattress, staring at the ceiling and listening to the cacophony of his fellow prisoners failing to cope.

He tries reason. Threats. Begging. He cries again, without planning for it.

Nobody pays him any attention.

Something happened to Hugo Strange. That’s all he knows. That is the fullest extent of what he can surmise.

Jim Gordon hauled him out of his cell to the brain-melting symphony of alarms, demanded upon pain of death that he open the secret elevator, and then the next thing he knew he was waking up back in lockdown with a painful contusion on the back of his head.

Who runs Wayne Enterprises? He doesn’t know.

It’s not his fault that his hands are shaking. He’s always flinched at unexpected sounds, and it’s such a fine line to cross before flinching at imaginary ones.

He knows he shouldn’t legitimize hallucinations, but he yells back anyway, screaming at himself until his throat feels raw and his voice comes in strangled whispers. Nothing fits here, the riddles he whispers to himself can’t make sense of their own answers. At least he can answer himself.

He slams his fist against the infuriatingly inoffensive off-white wall, but only out of anxiety and frustration, not because he’s actually out of his mind like the man across the hall who howls and beats against the door for senseless reasons. When his knuckles split, he smears a bloody question mark into the eggshell paint.

He knows he’s slipping.

What is he supposed to do?

(What do you do with a dead chemist?

Barium.)

Is this how Penguin felt? Alone and helpless and unreal? What had they done to him? Did they take him to the basement?

Jim Gordon had said Penguin didn’t turn him in. He doubts that now more than ever. What would’t he say to get out of here? What wouldn’t he say to keep from ever coming back?

He dreams of Miss Kringle and wakes up sobbing. He sings Penguin’s song to calm himself down.

My mother looks over me.

Looks over. Overlooks.

Semantics.

He could die in here and nobody would ever notice.

When one of the guards finally opens the door, it’s such a shock that he recoils, scrambles backwards to brace himself against a solid wall.

It takes too long to understand what’s happening. He’s led down a hallway, and realizes that he recognizes signs, door numbers. It’s all just as he left it; he’d mapped everything out in his mind back when he found his way underground.

How long has it been? What’s wrong with him? Who could possibly want to see him?

He has no prediction, that’s what’s terrifying. Miss Kringle is dead. He might as well be. His mind is white noise as he’s pushed into the visitor’s room, pleading eyes and a severed hand, the hydrolyzed remains of Officer Dougherty circling down the laboratory basin.

Four, now. One-two-three he’d told Penguin, and then the police officer. Four. Not just three.

He can’t make the world stabilize enough to get his bearings. Anyone could be waiting for him in here, anything could happen and there’s nothing he can do about it, his heart is pounding and his head hurts and he feels like he might pass out.

The guard gestures forward, reminding him that Arkham has a limited time allotment for guests.

He holds his breath and looks up.

“Ed,” Penguin says warmly.

Just like that, out loud. Ed’s name.

This is probably real. There’s nobody else in the room. Why would the guard have brought him here if the visitor was a hallucination? Stupid, that’s stupid. It has to be real.

Oswald Cobblepot stands up from his place at the visitor’s table and smiles, adjusting his jacket like they’re meeting at a classy dinner party.

In all likelihood, Ed had meant to help him. Would have gone after him at the first opportunity, found him, saved him. Brought him home and kept him warm and protected until he felt like himself again.

Surely he would have. Surely he never would have thrown Penguin back onto Gotham’s unforgiving streets.

Who would abandon someone they cared about after an experience like Arkham?

Ed remains motionless as Penguin crosses the room. He appreciates the irregular gait, the syncopated rhythm so reassuringly distinctive. Penguin lays a concerned hand on his arm and notes that Ed has lost weight.

There could be any number of reasons for this, triumph or revenge or manipulation, far-off figures in Italian suits, Ed’s unraveling providing the necessary threads to navigate Gotham’s maze.

Is it a worthwhile gamble?

Ed doesn’t care, anymore.

“I visited your mother’s grave. I brought sword lilies.” Ed is talking too fast. How fast do people talk? “Gladioli aren’t true lilies of course, not taxonomically speaking, but I thought they fulfilled the spirit of your request.”

Penguin guides him forward to sit, smiling all the while. “They were beautiful,” he says softly. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Ed attempts to smile back, to exhibit conversational competence if nothing else, but falls just short.

It doesn’t seem to bother Penguin. “I heard how it all happened,” he says. His voice and expression are too serious to be mocking, which means Jim Gordon had been telling the truth; Penguin isn’t here to gloat. Instead, he reaches forward with one hand, resting it atop the table. “If I’d been there…”

There are at least two ways to interpret that. Threat or consolation? Does Penguin regret not being there to prevent a friend’s collapse, or not being there to relish a heartless narcissist's downfall? Ed can’t tell. The time they shared has to count for something. But so does the sound of Ed slamming the door. 

“You’re here now,” Ed says, managing not to glance back at the guard monitoring their conversation.

Penguin reaches an inch further, just enough to tip himself forward, to fully commit his posture. “Who better to help you through this than Arkham’s biggest success story? Do you remember the last time you saw me, Ed?”

Ed does. Oh, he does. He’d do it all over again, given the chance.

“Look at me now,” Penguin says.

Ed tries.

He tries to let go of however long he’s spent in Arkham, tries to find some objectivity, to look up and analyze Penguin the way he’d once spent hours doing in his apartment.

It feels like so long ago.

Penguin had been unmistakable, untouchable, just a breath too real to truly understand. Even bandaged and wearing Ed’s pajamas, there had been an icy glint in his eyes that had defied all sympathy. He had been lonely and harrowing, almost omniscient, and Ed still remembers the physical ache he’d suffered watching him in the vulnerability of sleep.

That’s why it had been so hard to meet Penguin’s eyes again afterward, to see him lukewarm and helpless in the waking world.

It hadn’t been right. Arkham wasn't right. This place could hurt you in ways nobody should ever be hurt, could unmake you and leave you stripped utterly bare.

Maybe it’s useless. Maybe the only thing Ed can do is tell Penguin to run, the way Penguin once told him to forget and not look back. Who knows whether either of them will survive? Who cares? He’ll be vivisected in an underground lab or starve while counting bricks and Penguin will bleed out at the wrong end of a mobster’s gun and maybe they’ll meet again in hell someday; Ed is willing to look forward to that.

But Penguin doesn’t let him retreat. He closes the final few inches, brushes his cool fingertips against the back of Ed’s hand. His smile is sharp and bright, a crack in the ice. “Look at me, Ed.”

Ed shivers.

Penguin looks at him with triumph, with tender understanding. “Completely rehabilitated,” he says.

Ed notices his own sheen of tears in the same instant he realizes he’s stopped breathing.

Penguin made it out.

He came back for Ed.

Maybe it’s not over quite yet.

[sueboohscorner]

Season 4 premiere of #Gotham is here! Review, Rate, Spoilers. Episode one "Pax Penguina"

Greetings and salutations my fellow Gothamites. Yes, it is that wonderful time of year once again; the time for a new season, new characters, and new hero in the making that the city of Gotham truly deserves. A Dark Knight. (See how I added the tagline there?)

A strange system of unionized crime, an exciting new club in town, a Riddler-sicle, some alleyway butt-kicking, and an answer to the question that has been buzzing around for three years: “What the heck happened to Jonathan Crane?”

Season four of Gotham, episode one. Here we go.

And right off the bat, (pun not intended at first, but now that I think about it, pun totally intended), we see a masked figure save a family from some thugs with some good old-fashioned fisticuffs. Who was that masked figure you might ask? Why, it’s Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) dabbling in some vigilantism (and doing a pretty good job so far, I might add). After the skirmish, Bruce discovers that the thugs possessed a license with a very familiar umbrella-shaped stamp on it.

Elsewhere, without Bruce’s knowledge, Ra’s al Ghul (Alexander Siddig) observes Bruce’s escalades like a mentor watches a student or how a father watches his own son.  

            We then see a wedding in progress. Everyone’s having fun, they’re happy, the band pulls a proper Rick Rolling, and a good time is being had by all. But since this is Gotham City, the celebration is cut off, of course, by some hicks in masks and armed to the teeth. You know the drill, they demand cash, phones, jewelry, valuables and nobody gets hurt. You know how you do.

            A whistle rings through the hall; almost like a signal. Everyone turns their heads to see…. Victor Zsasz (Anthony Carrigan)! Man, I’ve missed him!

            He, in his own way, politely informed the gunmen that in order to commit a crime in Gotham, you gotta have a license; and the only way to get a license is to ask the Penguin and give him a good cut of the earnings. As long as you have those licenses, you can commit a crime without being arrested or persecuted by the police. The leader of the hicks, Merton (Michael Buscemi), says hell to the no on that offer. In return, Zsasz shoots his finger clean off, causing the hicks to run along. The bride and groom thank Victor for saving their wedding from the thugs….only to be bombarded by other thugs that do have a license.

What did you expect? It’s Gotham.

            Meanwhile, in a creepy, dimly lit, congressional looking room, the new Mayor and commissioner of Gotham are having a meeting with the former mayor and now full-time Kingpin Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor). And, basically, since Penguin has organized and unionized crime, the crime rate has been cut by 57%. A historic low for the city of Gotham. Mayor Burke (Larry Pine) is all-in-all “thankful” for Penguin’s um…”contributions” to help keep the city safe, but he is still hesitant about the new licensed criminals’ system. With a somewhat calm exterior and a smile, Penguin insists on how exactly the hordes of criminals that once prowled the streets of Gotham…

            First, he hunted them down, then he-

Okay, okay fine. Use your imagination. The point is: Oswald Cobblepot mad Gotham City safer. However, Gotham will ALWAYS have crime. And all that he’s asking from Mayor Burke is to have crime be put in the hands of professionals. A simple deal with simple terms….well, yeah, I mean, Penguin does get a sweet profit from it; but being the expert negotiator he is, Mayor Burke and the commissioner get a little percentage of the profits themselves.

Unionized crime, no press, no police interference, and a piece of the pie for everyone. God bless America.

            We finally see Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) make an appearance as he takes a visit to a bar for his coffee. Unfortunately, Jim stumbled upon a random thug robbing the bartender at gunpoint. Jim gets ready to do his GCPD thing when the thug tells him that he has a license…….needless to say, Jim Gordon does not give a single rat’s ass and arrests the fool. Ah, good old Jim. Good to be back.

            At Wayne Manor, Alfred (Sean Pertwee) confronts Bruce about his late night activities. While Bruce informs Alfred that he intends to stop Penguin’s new crime syndicate. Such a busy boy Master B is.

            Remember those hicks at the wedding? We see Merton and his partner Grady (Michael Maize) take a stroll down to Arkham Asylum to visit a certain patient. A certain patient that we have not seen in three years or so: Jonathan Crane (Charlie Tahan).

(It’s been so long!)

            In his years of confinement, the effects of the fear toxin, created by his whack-a-doo father, are still well within Jonathan’s system; causing him to live with his mind being in a constant state of fear which had left Jonathan traumatized and with a self-made, imagined “Boogeyman” scarecrow-like being that haunts him.  Merton and Grady bribe the Warden of Arkham (Damian Young) to let them take Jonathan Crane with them. They drag him out of his cell and close up to see a drawing that Jonathan had been scribbling on the floor almost obsessively.

            They take Jonathan back to his home and uncover more of his father’s experimental drugs for the fear toxin. With the use of an actual scarecrow, Merton and Grady force Jonathan to make more of the toxin, which they have weaponized and use it to rob a bank on live television to show that Penguin a lesson.

            While investigating the crime scene, Jim notices that the method the hick thugs used was very similar to Gerald Crane’s fear toxin and informs his partner in crime Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue). From this, they deduce that Merton must have forced Jonathan to reveal the fear toxin formula.

            Jim and Harvey pay a visit to the Warden at Arkham Asylum, which wasn’t exactly very fruitful. So, they go to Grady’s apartment. Unfortunately for them, he and Merton were waiting for them. The head hick Merton explains that they want to send a message to Penguin about him and his licenses.

            Elsewhere, we see Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) walking alone at night in an alley. Since this is Gotham, a bunch of muggers take notice and surround her.

But guess what? Selina was hoping they would do that and then she pulled out that whip and when ALL KINDS of proto-Catwoman on them! One guy tries to get up and attack Selina from behind when Tabitha Galavan (Jessica Lucas) and knocks him right upside the head. This was a teaching moment for Tabitha to give to Selina. Never turn your back on a guy unless you know for sure that he’s down. And a lesson learned means pizza for Selina and Tabby.

            After bringing a box of pepperoni-covered goodness back to their apartment, Tabitha and Selina see that Victor Zsasz has been waiting for them. Though he did not come with violent intentions, Victor did come with a request: that Tabitha and Selina should come over to Penguin, get a license, and let a lot of vicious and scaring bygones be vicious and scaring bygones. Selina full-heartedly agrees with the promise of more power, money, and a better place to live. Having her pride, Tabitha refuses.

            At the not-yet-opened Iceberg Lounge, Oswald Cobblepot gives a statement to inaugurate his new club. A club to see and be seen. The conference of reporters inquire about the new licenses and crime in the city. Oswald gives a rousing statement about how Caesar Augustus once had a period of calm with rarely any violent acts of crime or aggression. He called it “Pax Romana”. Cobblepot goes on to state that without the GCPD getting in the way, this could possibly be known as his “Pax Penguina.”

            Oswald then reveals his most “interesting” centerpiece: Edward Nygma, the Riddler himself (Corey Michael Smith) completely frozen solid.

            (Eh, I’ve already made like a ton of ice puns….)

            Making use of the advice that Bruce gave him, Jim Gordon marches into the club and informs Penguin that the gang of hicks (look, I know they probably have a better name than that, but once you watch the episode, you’d call them the same thing) are coming after Penguin with fear toxin. Jim’s threat and antagonizing goads Oswald into wanting to catch the gang of hicks for himself.

            Opening night of the Iceberg Lounge is going splendidly. The sights, lights, sounds, music, the mingling, the top-drawer of Gotham’s society attending, and the apropos ice-themed décor makes it look like a gathering of Gatsbys. Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth are even in attending too. However, Bruce has more of a hidden agenda to be there than just to make an appearance as a Wayne. He means to uncover any information he can get about Penguin’s new licenses for legal crime. Bruce and Oswald have a conversation underlined with so much more that what is being said. Very Batman, I might add.

Without realizing it completely, Oswald reveals that he is working with a man that has a list of people with licenses. Bruce intends to make his move until he sees Selina Kyle from across the room.

            Ignoring Bruce and focusing on her true intention, Selina talks to Victor Zsasz about agreeing to get a license. Victor implies that the deal was meant for her and her babysitter, Tabitha. Coincidentally, Tabitha shows up behind Selina and agrees to get a license from Penguin.

            Meanwhile, the gang of hicks decide to attack Penguin at his inauguration. With Jonathan have made more of the fear toxin, they take the scarecrow, throw it in a closet and Jonathan along with it, locking the door.

            In his fear-induced hallucination, Jonathan sees the scarecrow come to life once again and comes toward him. Trying with all of his might, with his primal screams of terror, and plead after plead to let him out of the closet, Jonathan is completely alone, completely trapped with his personal boogeyman.

            Jonathan falls to the ground, cowering, whimpering, and shaking. His hallucination calls out to him, “Jonathan….Jonathan….Jonathan…

JONATHAN!”

            Back at the Lounge, or more likely, outside the Lounge, Bruce meets up with Selina who is walking along the rooftop.

            The conversation that commences between them, how can I put it? It’s probably one of the most Batman talking to Catwoman and Selina Kyle talking back to Bruce Wayne thing I have ever seen.

            Bruce apologizes for snapping at Selina the way he did back at the hospital. Selina plays coy and insists that she can’t hear him unless he comes to the edge of the roof with her. Bruce walks along the ledge with no problem, which impresses Selina. The reunion of star-crossed vigilantes is interrupted by Alfred who informs Bruce that there is a situation building inside.

            The gang of hicks, you know, as AMAZINGLY SUBTLE AS THEY ARE, managed to get caught by Penguin and Zsasz and are brought out in the party as an example of criminals without licenses. How if the GCPD and people like the hicks continue, no one is safe. Bruce steps up to Penguin and asks what he plans to do with those criminals. With a quick tilt of the head and a smile, Oswald insures that he has nothing to be concerned with regarding that particular subject.

This angers the already scorned Ivy Pepper (Maggie Geha) and she sneaks off to find the main power switch and shut the party down.

            The sudden blackout causes people to panic and, using that panic to their advantage, the gang of hicks sprays Oswald Cobblepot with the fear toxin, causing him to hallucinate a monstrous version of Edward Nygma coming back to life.

            Honestly, when I first saw the image of hallucination Edward, it kinda reminded me of those reptile-like people you see in those Believe It Or Not books.

            With Jim, Bullock, Alfred, and Zsasz trying to find and fight the hicks, Grady manages to get away. A quivering and distraught Oswald is left grasping onto Jim Gordon, suffering the devastating effects of the fear toxin.  

            The next night, in full mask and overcoat, Bruce manages to get the list of other criminals with licenses. (Also, in a very Batman-like way). On a rooftop, Bruce accidentally comes upon a robbery in progress. As he leans in closer on the window overlooking the scene, the structure breaks and Bruce falls into the building. In a hurry, the burglars leave. Sirens can be seen and heard from the outside, leaving Bruce being caught without his mask.

            Back at the Crane House, Grady to get more of the fear toxin from Jonathan. He goes to the closet and calls out for him, “Jonathan! Hey, Crane!”

            Only a distorted voice answers back.

“Jonathan Crane isn’t here anymore.”

            Grady adjusts his eyes to the horror, the creature inside the closet where Jonathan Crane once was. A hemp-like material stretched, wrapped, and sewed around him like skin. Spikes of straw seeping out of his body. Two dark circles with a glowing white hue stare straight at Grady.

“IT’S JUST THE SCARECROW!”

             PHEW! There was a lot stuff going on in this premiere!

First off: it was a very well shot episode and a very, VERY well written episode. Even though, with some episodes, when Gotham puts so much in an episode, it does feel rushed and too busy. This episode did not. Yes, there was lot going on, but the pacing of both the dialogue and action was very well done.

THINGS I LIKED:

I think I can speak for the majority for the Gotham audience when I say,

“Yes! Victor Zsasz! Yes!”

Anthony Carrigan brings so much weight to a character in the Batman comics that isn’t very well known. I absolutely love Carrigan’s approach to Zsasz. His brand of crazy and psychotic reality is very evident in his speech, his movement; Do not misunderstand, the character of Zsasz in both Gotham and in the comics is as insane and threatening, but in Gotham, this Zsasz doesn’t need to go full crazy with his tally marks and constant need for liberation. Carrigan plays at Victor Zsasz’s madness like he had a mesh lid on it. He doesn’t just bombard the audience with crazy all the time, but now and again, the sadistic killer seeps through and you can tell that Anthony Carrigan is loving every minute of it and so are we.

I would like to see more scars on Zsasz, or have them continue some focus on the tally marks on his body like they did in the first season. I think it would be cool if we could intermittently see more and more tallies accumulate.

I love what they did with Jonathan Crane and I love what Charlie Tahan did with him too.  Well done. And I’m not just saying this cause Scarecrow is one of my top ten favorite Batman villains. His transformation into the Scarecrow, I really liked too. His fear, his hallucination, his own boogeyman completely consumed what was left of Jonathan Crane. When he said “Jonathan Crane isn’t here anymore”, he actually means it. I have got to give major props to the writers for doing so much and doing it so well with Jonathan in just ONE episode. I can’t wait to see what Scarecrow has up his newly parchment sleeve.

It is so nice and refreshing to see Oswald Cobblepot go back to being a crime boss and back to being the Penguin. Creating a system of unionized crime that is legal in a way that actually makes sense, getting the Mayor of Gotham and the commissioner of the police department to agree to this system, take a part in it, and look the other way, stealing the Sirens’ Club and making it his infamous Iceberg Lounge, parading his defeat of the Riddler and making it seem like he’s helping a friend with a rare brain disease (freaking hilarious by the way. He just had that story teed up and ready to go), cutting down the crime rate by 57%, and doing all this while keeping a smile on his face and having an answer and response for anything that comes his way.

 I also enjoyed his little moment of vulnerability as he had a private talk with himself and the green popsicle. “Which one of us is really frozen?” Quite the ponder.

Of course, seeing Bruce getting more comfortable in being a vigilante, but not quite Batman yet, is always a treat. I spazzed out like such a nerd during his talk with Jim Gordon and how he left the conversation before it was over. Just the whole conversation was such a Gordon/Batman moment.

I did like the conversation between Bruce and Selina. It was very coy and it had such undertone to it.

Basically any moment with Harvey Bullock is awesome.

THINGS I DID NOT LIKE:

If I had a dollar for every time Selina had the attitude of “You don’t know anything about me”, I could afford to go see IT in theaters as much as I damn well please.

Those hicks…….seriously?

As a member of the awesome group called Gotham Addicts, (look them up on Facebook and Twitter, they’re awesome) I asked some good friends of mine in that group to give their take on the episode. And boy, oh, boy, do they have thoughts. They have thoughts, opinions, likes, dislikes, and theories. Check out what these awesome peeps had to say about the episode and on things even I didn’t notice:

“Predictions for Penguin...I feel he will be the one to thaw out Ed. The fear gas will drive him to it to possibly make the scary Ed go away. He might free him. He's the only one who knows how; through Victor Freis. I also feel the fear gas will be used on Bruce, which will be leading to his "BAT" moment and making him Batman.

The show moved at a nice pace. Didn't even realize the time flew by. It left you wanting so much more. I love the fact they jumped right into the story. It didn't need a painful build up. It was good seeing Harvey be Harvey. He got to be heroic before, now he's back to himself and leaving all the rebel cop stuff to Gordon. It was great seeing Gordon, being the cop and not saving the world. I always enjoy the interactions between Gordon and Harvey.

As for the Penguin: It was good to see him return to his old gangster self at the end of season 3...But now he's a huge crime boss and in charge. This is the Penguin he was meant to be. The scene in the mayor's office was the perfect example of his cold calculating mind and his sheer powerful presence. They couldn't disagree. He made it impossible for them to do so...by his speech. God Bless America...and then the mayor smiled. Awesome scene.

The private moment with his trophy. Or Edward. That was deeper than most think. The “who is really frozen” comment and that look. You can see the warmth that still flickers in his cold heart. The sad sob story about why Ed was in ice and the way he played the heartstrings of his crowd. Damn he's so masterful at manipulating people. A gift. It’s simply a gift.

All the scenes between Penguin and Gordon were classic. Penguin is the hero Gotham NEEDS...Gordon is the Hero they WANT...The news reporters ate up every fact that Penguin threw at them and Gordon still held his ground. The tension between them is just amazing stuff. The ending where after the Penguin calls out the GCPD for being useless and HE was the only one that can save Gotham, then him being hit with the fear gas. Who does Penguin run to? Gordon to save him... just made the whole scene go off the chart when you think of how those in the crowd and readers of the news are feeling.

Even though I didn’t care for the cowboy criminals, I did love the reintroduction of Crane and then Scarecrow...that Warden, what a piece of work...still felt it was rushed compared to the other storylines. The battle of Gordon with the other cops and Harvey about doing the job they were hired to do. Felt like old times. Good times. It's refreshing to see the show get out of the freaks/virus theme and back to go old crime ridden city.”

-         S. Howard

“As a fan of Gotham and Batman overall, I'm excited to see these characters finally developing into the Batman characters that we know and love. Bruce is on a mission to save Gotham while also giving this businesslike demeanor when talking to people such as Gordon or Penguin. Selina is bringing cat woman to life with the famous whip play and her cat like reflexes. As for surprised in the episode I was a bit shocked when Ivy betrayed Penguin in a small way and turned out the lights in the nightclub, giving the “Outlores” the advantage to attack Penguin. Although, now that I think about it, her actions were understandable. Penguin has been cold and calculating for the past six months and has probably been very snappy with her. The poor girl is only going to take so much of his abuse. As for Penguin himself, he has taken Gotham city by the throat and refuses to let go. The city is his giant playground with him issuing legal licenses for crime and all. I actually had an "awe" moment when he was standing in the Iceberg Lounge talking to Edward Nygma, who is still encased in ice. To me, that scene showed that he still misses Edward and the talks they used to share. I still have hopes that the two will make amends and be friends again.....or maybe more. Although, Penguin's going to have to get past that frightening image of Ed from the fear toxin. This season started off with a bang, and things are only going to get crazier from here. I'm buckling my seat belt and hanging on for dear life because this is going to be one hell of a ride!

It was just little things I noticed when I watched that scene again. First off, the smoke in the background was turning into question marks and the little question marks protruding from Edward's head. This obviously represents the Ed's obsession with riddles and puzzles. As the nightmare sequence progresses, you see that Edward's face becomes distorted and the background turns hazy.....almost like Oswald is gazing at him from underwater, leading back to the point when Edward shot Oswald and tossed him in the river. This could very well be Oswald's greatest fear because it was a point where closest to actually dying......had it not been for Ivy saving him later, and since his "resurrection," Edward's attempted to kill him multiple times and every time, Oswald has escaped.....sometimes within an inch of his life. I believe that nightmare sequence is showing us that Oswald's greatest fear is that Edward will eventually thaw out of the ice and will this time succeed in killing him.”

-         Megan R.

Overall, I’d give this episode a 9.8 out of 10

Well, that was one heck of an episode. I don’t think I have much more to say except:

See you next time.

And as always, Stay weird Gotham.

[sueboohscorner]

#Gotham 3rd Season Finale Spoilers, Recap, & Review

It is with a very excited and heavy heart that I write this review of the third season finale of Gotham. So many things were wrapped up nicely, some did not make it out of the finale, while others merely began their next chapter. Well… let’s get to it.

With the first half of the finale, “Destiny Calling”, shows a captured Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) at the GCPD. He is still brainwashed and super pissed at Alfred (Sean Pertwee) for killing his mentor, the Shaman. In several attempts to bring Bruce back, Alfred recalls different memories of Bruce’s family when he was just a baby and a small boy. But as tear-jerking as these memories were, Bruce still seems to be unwavering.

Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie), now infected with the Tetch virus, keeps trying to suppress his anger and violent urges; but a voice inside his head keeps telling him that he is a “killer”. However, Jim isn’t the only one dealing with the virus and their side effects; most of the city has been infected. Harvey (Donal Logue) and the rest of the GCPD have their hands full trying to lock up some of the infected.

In the mayhem of the GCPD, Bruce takes advantage of the chaos and quickly escapes in his search for the Demon’s Head. Alfred and Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) are tailing him as best they can.

As Bruce searches through Gotham, he is overwhelmed by the acts of anarchy and he just, well, takes it all in. He finds his destination in a somewhat shady shop, and sees and actual demon’s head statue. A dark corridor is revealed to Bruce and he is greeted by some very tame ninjas. I can only assume that these ninjas are a part of the League of Assassins. Bruce is lead to a room where the first thing of notice is a large container with a strange, greenish liquid….I think it’s also safe to assume that the container was the infamous Lazarus Pit.

A shadowy figure and echoed laughter greet Bruce. He demands to know who or what this figure is. Lo and behold, Bruce has found the Demon’s Head, or more formally, Ra’s Al Ghul (Alexander Siddig); an absolute entity of power, fear, and longevity. He inquires Bruce about his history, about how he has lived much longer than Bruce could ever imagine, and that he has longed to find a suitable heir to his legacy. Bruce, still believing all that mess that the Shaman had taught him, insists that he could be the rightful heir and the destined knight to save the city of Gotham.

Before anyone can make a move, Alfred shows up and threatens Ra’s to hand Bruce over. However, Ra’s sees this as an opportunity to test Bruce’s loyalty. He orders Bruce to kill Alfred and then he will be proven to be his legacy. Alfred, on his knees, gives a very emotional speech about how he met Bruce for the first time when his mother and father brought him home; and that no matter what, he knows that Bruce will do what he thinks he needs to be done. A flurry of doubt, anger, and hesitation sends Bruce into a rage as he drives a sword through Alfred, killing him.

Meanwhile, we see Hugo Strange (B.D. Wong) arrive at the train station, you know, to get the hell out of dodge and away from the infected. His goal was within his grasp until two armed thugs stop him in his tracks and reveal Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) herself. You see, while Strange was working on modifying the Tetch virus, he was also working on a cure. This knowledge could be very useful, so Fish decides to kidnap Strange.

While leaving amongst the hoopla of infected, Fish and company cross paths with Jim and Harvey. They hold Fish up at gunpoint because they heard about how Hugo Strange was developing an antidote until streams of ice and fire block their path. Firefly (Camila Perez) and Victor Freis (Nathan Darrow) had been recruited in Mooney’s army as well as Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor).

A barrier of ice block Harvey and Jim’s path and they have to rely on Jim giving into the virus and using his new super strength to bust out of there.

Bullock and Gordon try to locate Fish and confront her. Oddly enough, the League of Assassin ninjas got there first….. awesome action with guns and swords ensue. In the midst of the action, Jim accidentally stabs Fish and kills her. Oswald is stricken with grief as his newly found partner and mentor die in his arms. And to think, people call the Penguin a monster.

Oswald is arrested and held up in the GCPD. With the antidote being destroyed in the skirmish, Hugo Strange admits that there is only one main ingredient that they need….or rather, one person.

On that note, somehow hearing of the Tetch antidote and Fish Mooney’s death, Barbara (Erin Richards) and the Riddler (Corey Michael Smith) intercept the staff of Arkham Asylum and kidnap that very someone who can help save the majority of Gotham City: Jervis Tetch (Benedict Samuel).

The last episode of the third season, “Heavydirtysoul”, picks up where we left Alfred Pennywoth. Where was that again? Oh yeah, DEAD! Bruce realizes just what he has done and tries to stop the bleeding, but it’s pretty late for that. Ra’s Al Ghul is very pleased with Bruce and he truly believes that Bruce is his heir…whether he wants to or not. In a fit of rage, Bruce tries to fight Ra’s to no avail; he has merged himself among the shadows with one last piece of advice: to use the water on Alfred to save him.

Now, we all know that Alfred has to live, but by means of the Lazarus Pit? I guess the only thing to do is wait and see if any side effects will occur in our favorite butler…

Jim and Harvey receive word that Nygma had kidnapped Jervis Tetch from Barbara, Butch (Drew Powell), and Tabitha (Jessica Lucas), who originally kidnapped Tetch to hold the antidote hostage for a bunch of money. Edward is offering Jervis in exchange for Oswald since there whole business is far from done.

Jim is starting to feel the virus taking hold so he has no time to waste. Before any exchange could be made, Barbara, Tabitha, and Butch come busting in on Nygma and start shooting. Oswald manages to knock out Edward and put him in a police car and drive off with a smirk-ish goodbye.

Jim and Harvey quickly take Jervis, who is having much delight in the skirmish and the fact that Jim is infected and fighting the virus, and try to hide in a nearby warehouse with Babs, Tabs, and Butch on their tail. Jim, being completely annoyed at Tetch’s antics, realizes that they don’t technically need just Jervis. Jim punctures him in the throat and takes a small jar of his blood before mounting Jervis on a dolly with duct tape fastened around his neck.

With the cure in development at the GCPD, Jim is becoming more enraged and more impatient because Lee (Morena Baccarin) has propositioned him into meeting her at the train station to leave Gotham together. Only one batch of the cure is made, which kind of looks like Arctic Blue Gatorade, and Jim can’t apparently wait for another hour or so and he takes the antidote for Lee….yeah, so….that didn’t work out at all and now Jimbo has given over to the virus…saw that coming.

Harvey tracks Jim and Lee down at the station. Lee chooses to wait for Jim on the train while he fights his partner. Harvey does manage to get a few punches in, but Gordon clearly has the upper hand. In one last attempt to save himself and his friend, Harvey pulls out the badge of the Gotham City Police Department, saying that he is the best cop he’s ever seen and the best friend he could have. Jim takes the badge and gives one final roar before leaving Bullock and meeting with Lee.

As the guy who checks for tickets come by and as Lee presents the tickets, Jim discovers that Harvey had placed two vials of the cure on the back of the badge. In one last embrace and ‘I love you’, Jim stabs Lee and gives her the cure. As she slowly passes out, Jim holds her hand and gives himself the antidote. The two remain hand in hand as they drift off to sleep.

With Barbara’s constant abusive treatment of Tabitha and Butch, they hatch a plan to finally get rid of her. Since Barbara’s not a complete idiot, she corners Butch in an alley. He claims that Tabitha had nothing to do with any plan to get rid of her. He finally lets Barbara have it until she shoots him right between the eyes.

When Tabitha is confronted by Barbara, she asks if she killed Butch. When she admits it, a fight between Babs and Tabs commences. Barbara seems to be the victor when Tabitha pulls a nearby lamp with her whip down onto the floor, electrocuting and killing Barbara Kean.

We see a comatose Butch being treated by two medical staff, we are informed that Butch Gilzean isn’t even his real name. His real name is Cyrus Gold…..let that sit for a while.

While Edward managed to escape from Oswald’s handcuffs, Oz does succeed in bringing them both to the docks where their conflict began and will end. Standing at the end of the dock, Oswald faces down the barrel of Edward’s gun. He offers Oswald a chance at last words, he politely declines and waits his turn. This confuses Nygma and he pulls the trigger…but no bullets. Oswald reveals all the bullets in his pocket and tells him that he emptied the gun while he was unconscious and he also called for some backup. Ivy (Maggie Geha) and Mr. Freeze to be exactly. Oswald suspected and played on Edward’s need for absolute closure, but he had no idea that he would get the chance to knock him out like he did. Edward charges for Penguin as Freis completely freezes him solid as both a reminder for Oswald of his strength and as a somewhat inspiration for his new club: The Iceberg Lounge.

While waiting for Alfred’s results, Bruce waits anxiously in the hall of the hospital. Surprisingly enough, Selina (Camren Bicondova) shows up to check on him. Understandably, Bruce lashes out at Selina on why she is even there since she doesn’t even care about him or Alfred. Selina quickly comes back with the knowledge of the fact that she at least knows who she is, unlike Bruce, and she leaves.

As Alfred wakes up, Bruce rushes to his side to apologize. They both are informed of the state of the city; over 90% of the infected had been cured and things seem to be dying down. With he and Alfred reconciled, he encourages Bruce to make his own decisions in his own life.

Selina stops by the Siren’s Club and Tabitha appears to take her under her wing when Selina shows her mad skills with a whip.

As the chaos in Gotham dies down, we see a man, a woman, and their kid being held up by a gunman in an alleyway. Before he can shoot the father, a dark figure comes up from behind the gunman and beats the absolute crap out of him. Before the family can look their hero in the face, he was gone. On the rooftop of a nearby building, we see the hero unmask himself and it’s none other than Bruce Wayne, dabbling in a little bit of vigilantism.

With the virus not much of an issue, Jim receives a letter from Lee telling him that she is leaving Gotham; and that she doesn’t think that Gotham should be saved, but if it can be saved it will be saved by him.

I am at an incredible loss for words on how spectacular the season finale was. So many things got wrapped up nicely and many more things began. I will sorely miss Gotham during the summer break, but I will have peace in knowing that the people working on and off camera will bring us their best which is probably best described as, well, magic. I know for sure that the next season of Gotham will be worth the wait.

9.5/10

I’ll see you in the Fall, Gothamites; and as always: Stay Weird.