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thegreenfairy13 · 5 years ago

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We Only Come Here To Sleep

A new Gobblepot fic cause I need to do something on the weekend.

Summary: Three infants have been murdered and their bodies have been found at various places in Gotham City. The public, as well as the mob, want to see a culprit for different reasons. After everything Jim Gordon has been through, one wouldn't think an ordinary case would take its toll on him. But it does.

Read the first chapter on Ao3 or here:

In the end, it wasn’t one of the Riddler’s elaborate schemes, or one of the Joker’s ludicrous plans. It wasn’t Bruce Wayne and his determination to become a vigilante, or even the Penguin and his golden empire of crime. In the end, it was a usual case, an ordinary crime that did James Gordon in.

Gotham City seems to know only two seasons. Through most of the year, there’s an icy wind sweeping through the city, biting into the grim faces of her inhabitants. Most of her days are dark, giving the impression of an endless night.

But then comes the summer. And for a few weeks, Gotham will be tinged with yellow. But it won’t be a bright summer showing off clear skies painting the city with gentle colors. No, it will be harsh and brutal - like everything in this godforsaken city.

The sun will be beating down, baking pavements and glass-facades until each breath in the overheated air will be painful, until each step will be a battle. And the light! It’s never a bright yellow, but a color reminiscent of piss. It suits this pain-filled place, though.

Jim Gordon curses under his breath as exists his car. When putting his feet on the ground, his soles practically fuse with the ground. A wave of hot air hits his chest, and Jim can instantly feel the sweat covering his chest, causing his shirt to cling uncomfortably to his upper-body. Reaching for his sunglasses, he gestures for Harvey to follow him.

The heavier man pulls a face when being ordered to leave the chilled cocoon of his car. Jim ignores him. Sighing heavily, he nods towards the other officers already crowding the scenery.

Despite the buzz, he feels alone. Out here, Gotham is at her worst. For miles and miles, there’s nothing to see but the grey of the concrete and colorless sand. It’s a place where people disappear in the filthy water never to return again. Jim is certain his colleagues will lay him to rest out here one day in the future - he wouldn’t blame them.

After taking a few more hesitant steps, Jim hears the sand crunching beneath his shoes. If he closed his eyes for a moment, he could easily pretend to be somewhere else. At a proper beach maybe, under a benevolent sky. Instead, he thinks how annoying it will be to get the sand out of his shoes.

“Where exactly are we?” Harvey asks with a slight growl, startling Jim.

Jim tilts his head. He contemplates giving his partner a snarky reply but thinks better of it. So instead of pointing out that he didn’t spend the car-ride blindfolded and handcuffed, he explains, “Common ground.”

Sucking in a shuddering breath, Harvey tilts his head. “That’s bad.”

Jim doesn’t reply, simply grits his teeth. ‘That’s bad’ doesn’t even start to cover how bad this could be.

One of the younger officers picks up on their conversation. Confusion written all over his face, he addresses Harvey. “What do you mean?” he asks.

Huffing out a humorless laugh, the experienced cop indulges the lad. “That’s the land between the turfs.” Pointing across the river, he elaborates, “That’s the Valeska turf.” He turns slightly to the right, “The Siren’s oasis.” Making a full turn, he points vaguely in the direction Jim is standing, “Tetch’s outdoor amusement park for the hopelessly lunatic, right beside the Scarecrow’s House of Horror.”

At last, he circles his partner fully. “The Narrows,” he says then, ignoring the slight pang of pain on Jim’s face deliberately. “None other than the Queen rules this shitty piece of the city.”

Taking a deep breath, he finishes his quick initiation to Gotham’s inofficial districts. “But they all pay their tribute to the Penguin.” Adjusting his sweat-sodden fedora, Bullock spits on the ground. “And this crap place? That’s no one’s ground. If a body is being dropped here , the rogues passed their judgment. Together.”

The young police-man gulps. He stares at Bullock and then back at the riverbank where the coroner is already busy taking samples. “So they…?”

Pushing the lad aside, Jim steps forward. “So if a body ends up here without permission here, that means the mob will interfere,” he states grimly.

Approaching the riverbank, the Commissioner finally takes a good look at the corpse before him. Despite all the horrors Jim had been through before, nothing could have been able to prepare him for the sight before him.

For a long moment, he merely stares, unmoving. He has seen corpses before, has been the cause of untimely deaths more times than he’d like to admit, but this is new.

No, in fact, it isn’t. Jim has been confronted with this kind of death before, has tried his very best to suppress that memory as best as he can, but given the context, this is new .

Looking up, he nods for the coroner to start elaborating. Never before has Jim missed the previous forensic, Edward Nygma, as much as this very second. For once, he wishes for someone to wrap up harsh truths in distracting riddles. Jim would give up his year’s salary and then some, if the forensic would give his mind an opportunity to wander off, to focus on something else than the task at hand.

What he gets, though, are simple facts. “Infant. Male. Probably not more than a couple of days old. Maybe not even that. Probably strangled. No severe trauma,” he rattles on, unfazed by the tiny body lying on the dirty ground. Maybe she hardens you to this point.

A baby. Just a little, innocent baby. Jim can hardly breathe as he stares down at what has been a living being, if only for a few hours. His skin is already peeling off due to the merciless heat, turning black and blue beneath Gotham’s sun. Jim wonders if it was rosy, once. He stares down, unable to look away, takes in the little knobs of fat on its upper arms and legs, and tries to suppress a sob.

Somebody should hold this little thing in their arms. It should still be alive, making happy noises, as one gently pinches those tiny rolls of fat. It should squeal with delight, and only cry if it’s hungry.

At last, Jim has to turn away. This is not right. Nobody should discard a child as if it was trash. Especially not here, at this godforsaken place.

His fingers itch to pick up the small body, to hold it, if only for a moment, the way it deserves. In another life, he would know exactly how to go about it. He and Lee would have awaited their child’s arrival with excitement. Would have picked out a crib, toys, rompers, and books, maybe. They would have laid in bed, Jim’s hand on Lee’s belly, waiting for their kid to move, knowing full-well it’s still shielded from this city, from her .

This reality never happened, though. Will probably never happen to Jim, for he doesn’t deserve such happiness, he knows that. But still. It’s unfair. This infant lies there on the ground, discarded like trash, and it’s everything someone like Jim has ever wished for.

He bends down, almost touches the tiny cheek before remembering he’s still a cop. Swallowing heavily, he disguises the motion by wiping the sweat from his forehead.

A heavy hand lands on his shoulder. “You alright, partner?” Harvey asks quietly enough that nobody else hears them.

Jim’s chest constricts, he has trouble taking a breath, and still, his jaw is set tight. Nobody but Harvey would ever catch on, would note that anything was wrong. Jim is thankful for the warm hand, the solid weight on his shoulder. He’s grounding him in his pain, forcing him back to reality, when all he wants to do is float away and wallow in his grief.

“Of course I am,” he replies, a tad bit too quickly.

Harvey arches an eyebrow at him, but doesn’t reply. This is neither the place nor the time anyway.

“Won’t you finally pack up the evidence?” he snaps when the coroner gives them both a look that is too curious for Harvey’s taste. The coroner squints in disdain, but does what he’s told. After all, Bullock has a natural authority to him, he’s a character only Jim questioned successfully so far, and today, he’s glad for it.

They get back into their car, where it’s cold and sterile and death is but a memory at a riverbank. He blinks as he tries to wrap his head around what he just saw: an entire life, wasted in the sand. Neither of them talks as Harvey drives back to the city, back to the living.

Finally, Harvey glances over at Jim, now and then beating nervously the devil’s tattoo on the steering wheel. “That’s the third,” he whispers.

“I know,” Jim replies. He’s too exhausted to say anything else. Over the course of the last three weeks, they found three dead infants. All scattered around the city. The first two had been siblings according to their DNA-analysis. Jim wouldn’t be surprised if the third one is related to them, too.

“You want me to drop you off at the weasel’s place?” Harvey asks, and Jim flinches.

“What am I supposed to do there?”

The other man shrugs. “We found it on Common Ground.”

Jim hums in agreement. “Doesn’t look like a mob-job, though.”

Tilting his head, Harvey acknowledges the statement. “He could still know something,” he states petulantly and both men know he’s reaching for straws there.

“This case is getting to you,” he adds after a moment. Jim rolls his eyes but can’t find it in him to disagree. “You could at least get a free drink.”

The blonde snorts. “I think I’m outta favors.”

Harvey scratches his chin. “Still. Maybe one of his goons has seen something.” He clears his throat, looks over at Jim. “And it wouldn’t hurt for you to let off some steam. You always seem to be better off after pushing the Penguin around for a while.”

Jim sputters. “That’s not true!” he protests.

Holding up his hand, Harvey interrupts him. “It is. Go there. See what he knows, rough him up, arrest one or two thugs. You’ll feel better.”

Horrified, Jim stares at his partner’s face. “You make it sound like I’m harassing an innocent citizen for nothing. You’re still aware we’re talking about the Penguin?”

Harvey snorts in response. “That’s exactly why I’m suggesting.” He clicks his tongue against his teeth. “Not accusing , just to be clear.”

Jim falls silent as he clenches his fists. He’s so damn tired, he doesn’t even want to put up a fight.

“He’ll find out anyway,” he demurs. “And he’ll want answers. You don’t simply drop off a body at the riverbank and expect Cobblepot to keep his hooked nose outta your business.”

“This is a police investigation,” Jim snaps back, unfazed, and Harvey’s jaw drops.

“Even after becoming the Commissioner, you still sound like a petulant rookie on some days.

Leaning back against the seat, Jim closes his eyes. Even before today, he had been exhausted to the point of not being able to sleep properly for weeks. This city just won’t let him.

And now there’s a body on Common Ground.

This city doesn’t seem to rest when it comes to her sinisterness. If Gotham doesn’t want to swallow her entire population whole, she now goes for her most vulnerable inhabitants. Jim wishes he could for once simply search for stolen paintings or chase a burglar. But no, there’s always something bigger, or something more diabolical lurking in the shadows.

Jim’s shoulders slump as he gives in. “Let’s do the paperwork first,” he suggests, cause he’s still the commissioner. “And then we’ll inform the Penguin like the good, little cops we are.”

#gobblepot #fanfiction #gobblepotsummer2020

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sunlitroom · 8 years ago

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Gotham s4e04 - The Demon’s Head

As I watched it, and some random observations here and there.

Previously on Gotham.

Jim took some stupid pills, and decided that going to Falcone for help in dethroning Oswald was a good idea. His visit was seized on by Falcone’s daughter – Sofia – who just might have something to prove to her father, and ideas of revenge for Mario. She manic-pixie-dream-girled Jim, then showed up at GCPD. Ra’s al Ghul wants his magic knife back. Bruce wins it at auction. Ed is defrosted, but seems to have dropped several IQ points. Barbara and Ra’s kissed.

As always, long post will be long - reaaally long. There are likely to be rambling digressions. Gobblepot may appear (although I welcome all shippers and non-shippers alike :)). There will be naked favouritism and naked not-favouritism. Broader comments at the end on plotlines and parallels and general direction.

At a museum, the magical knife is being examined by a Dr Winthrop. Bruce says he wants to know as much about it as possible, and Alfred says he should have considered that before spending quite so much money on it. A boy around the same age as Bruce enters the room. He’s much more childish than Bruce (not in a bad way, in an age-appropriate way), and very knowledgeable – given his analysis of the knife.

Alfred draws Bruce away and points out involving an ‘old geezer’ is one thing, but he’d also be endangering a young boy. Bruce doesn’t care, though, and simply asks them both to keep this business secret.

(An aside – old people, apparently OK as collateral damage)

We move now to a room in some abandoned warehouse - upside down – which is reflective of the mental state of its inhabitant, Ed, who is labouring painfully over some riddles. He’s frustrated and dishevelled. He’s also constructed a revenge wall for Oswald. There’s a seeming lightbulb moment – and he pulls out a knife, stabbing a picture of Oswald.

Tomorrow night is the night you die

(An aside – that’s a great picture of Oswald. No wonder the citizens are all a bit taken with the dapper gangster who says that he alone can clean up the city).

Back at the museum, Dr Winthrop has decoded some important information

He who rises from the waters, death shall not touch. With this sacred blade, final savage destiny earth quake, bloods flow, demons head, all tremble, dogs and cats living together, etc etc.

Dr Winthrop and Alex talk about the knife, and the legend of a man who couldn't die: Ra's al Ghul. Apparently he was a warlord. Winthrop says that the stories might just be stories, but that people are willing to kill for them, and that Bruce stumbled on something more dangerous than he imagined.

As they talk – we see R’as approaching the room

There’s a knock at the door and Winthrop sends Alex into the office with the knife and tells him to stay quiet.

Ra’s enters the room and smoothly introduces himself.

(Just an aside at the point – his dialogue and manner of delivery are both so much better in this episode, I think. It’s much lighter and more casual but – if anything – it makes him seem more dangerous. I think the slightly more overblown ‘fantasy’ style just seems daft. Plus Ra’s has been a man of the world for a long time. He knows how to adapt.)

Winthrop is suspicious. Ra's is making no effort to conceal himself, and shows off his age and knowledge. He says he's looking for a knife. Winthrop claims that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Ra’s smiles.

You know, the best liar I ever met ran a brothel in Shanghai. You knew she was lying but, you didn't care – you so badly wanted to believe her.

Glancing over Winthrop’s desk he sees a picture of Alex – and lifts his school hat.

The fire alarm rings suddenly – which also means the police will arrive. Ra’s asks again about the knife – but getting no further, breaks Winthrop’s neck. As he leaves the room, we pull away too – and see Alex hiding behind the doorframe, crying.

Back at the museum, we open on Winthrop’s corpse – cold and blue. Jim is there. Harper arrives. Jim asks brusquely where Bullock is, and is told he’s taking a sabbatical.

(An aside – that’s odd that Jim didn’t know that – no?)

Jim’s assiness intensifies and he asks Harper if she’s babysitting him. She asks him if he needs babysitting. Apparently so – given that snit he just threw.

Glancing over the visitor logbook – Harper is about to tell us the last visitor was Bruce Wayne, when Jim beats her to it, spotting Bruce approaching over her shoulder.

Bruce asks what happened, staring wide-eyed at the corpse. Hayfever, Bruce. A fatal attack. What do you think happened?

Jim stops him approaching further and asks if they’d met. Bruce seems a little discombobulated – but can still answer. He asks when he was killed, and also mentions Alex. Harper says no-one mentioned a boy being here.

Bruce quickly starts obsessing over the knife again. Jim asks him what the knife is. Bruce doesn’t answer, but says that he’ll come to GCPD as soon as possible. Jim tells him that a man is dead, a child potentially missing, and this is no time to play detective. What does he know?

Bruce lies and says it’s a very old knife that he paid a lot of money for and wanted to know about, and mentions Barbara bidding on it. Jim looks troubled. He tells Harper to find Alex and tells Bruce to go home – he’ll deal with Barbara.

Barbara's house. She is looking at something we can’t see – apparently less than happy. As Ra’s arrives, she needles him for being late. He apologises, but smiles – pleased to see that his guests have arrived. Barbara doesn’t like them – but Ra’s points out they wouldn’t have been necessary if she’d got the knife.

He approaches the raised platform where Barbara displays guns, and we see a small Sandor Clegane lookalike, and someone Ra’s refers to as a dog – Anubis – but who actually turns out to be a man on a leash. Ra’s tells him that he’ll let him kill the boy, and pets him like a dog. That’s quite a lot of nope right there.

At the Iceberg Lounge, Oswald sits at his desk and stares at Ed’s bowler hat. It’s looking in good nick for being stored in ice.

Victor strolls in

Boss

Oswald shuts his eyes in irritation, and reminds him about the conversation they had about knocking. I’d happily trade any other storyline this season to see domestic life at the Iceberg Lounge.

Victor is completely unbothered by this.

Uh huh

It’s essentially like scolding a cat.

He tells Oswald that ‘she’ is here.

Sofia enters the room. She’s not wearing the gangster get-up she wore to GCPD. Instead, she’d gone for a much more demure and traditionally feminine outfit – a long-ish dress with a flared skirt. The long gloves are just weird, though.

Oswald smilingly welcomes her to Gotham – but he’s just about buzzing with repressed energy in that way that lets us know he’s on the edge of being very, very angry.

Sofia smiles innocently, and says that she learned from her father that when the King of Gotham summons you, then you go as requested.

Oswald asks after Carmine – but Sofia says they should address the elephant in the room. She claims she’s here to administer to Falcone charities. Oswald, however, is sceptical and hostile – and says he doesn’t see why these have to be handled in person.

Sofia says his concern is unfounded. Oswald rises from his chair. He tells her that her father taught him many things – one of which was a healthy paranoia. Some of Falcone’s old capos went underground. They may have vanished, or may want a Falcone back. He laughs

Who knows, but I hear your father’s voice whispering

He leans in close

Be careful now

He tells Sofia that is he finds this is a fool’s errand to reinstate her father then – he nods over to Victor, who quietly says

I'll stab you

Sofia rises and takes a few steps away. She tells Oswald exactly what she told Jim about being sent away because Gotham was too dangerous, but feeling that it is her true home. Her eyes have filled with tears.

Is that enough?

Oswald blinks and walks towards her.

Gotham - mother to us all

He stands close behind her and looks at her side-on. She can’t see him without turning round, and we see her eyes flickering – wondering if he’s convinced.

Oswald’s face clears

I think we have nothing to worry about. Give my father your best

He does look after her as she leaves, though.

(Hmmm – ambiguity everywhere. Oswald seemed reasonably convinced, but the look after her as she left would suggest that he’s not actually settled in his mind. Sofia recycles the story she told Jim – which might just mean it’s the truth, much better to use the truth when possible if trying to deceive - but hearing it twice, worded identically, does mean the story now seems suspicious, too rehearsed, part of an act. Was she telling Jim the truth in the first place?)

Jim is at Barbara’s house. When he enters, there are lots of punk rockers hanging about, and White Rabbit is playing.

Seated at her desk, Barbara is calmly playing patience. She greets him in cool, measured tones.

Jim – what a lovely surprise

Jim gives his usual wary look of suspicion where Barbara is concerned, and comments that she seems to have landed on her feet as usual.

(An aside. The only time I can think of Barbara seeming to have landed on her feet – would be when she opened Sirens with Tabitha. Even then, I’m assuming that took work. The rest of the time, she’s lurched from one disaster and one captor to the next. Does Jim just try not to think about her attempted suicide or something?)

She smiles, and tells him that a woman has to stay busy. Jim frowns, and says she seems different.

Do you like this me better?

Jim moves to safer territory and asks about the knife. Barbara raises a wry brow – but says she was here with witnesses, and asks if they’re done. Jim bristles a little, and says they aren’t. He wants to know who's bankrolling her. She’s says it’s a client – but that, while tempting, she can’t give a name.

Bruce appears from nowhere, and mentions Ra’s name. Barbara has her back to Bruce and Jim, but we see her eyes widen, and there’s a slightly wobble in her composure.

Jim looks generally unsettled and hauls Bruce out

(An aside – there’s much more in this episode of Jim treating Bruce like a child. I think it works well. Bruce is a child. Alfred is way too acquiescent with him. Jim being willing to actually step up and tell him off adds something to their relationship. It reminds us, too, that Bruce is a child – and lets Jim do something other than just being angry all the time).

Meanwhile, the music plays out, and Barbara turns over the King of Hearts.

(Another aside – I like Barbara’s newfound calmness. I know some of it comes from Ra’s training/brainwashing/whatever – but I’d guess that Barbara’s upbringing and education must sure have drilled some of that cool composure into her? The icy Betty Draper thing suits her well. I know that type of demeanour is often represented as restrictive and repressed – but there’s a power in being able to embody it).

In the alley outside – Jim tells Bruce off for following him. Bruce insists that he should have let him come with him. Again, his tone and wording reminds us of his age. Jim is angry – and asks Bruce who Ra’s is. Bruce starts a lie – but Jim sees through it and tells him to stop. Bruce spills the beans.

Jim asks why the knife is so important. His phone rings – and Harper tells him that they can’t find the boy. He tells her, meantime, to search for Ra’s. Jim tells Bruce no-one saw Alex – he must be hiding and scared. He tells Bruce if he wanted to play detective so bad – then he can help. What was he wearing, what did he say – there must be something Bruce can give him?

(An aside – and again, much, much better characterisation for Jim here – reminding us that he is an actual detective. He likes puzzles, he wants to solve things, he thinks. Can we please have more of this Jim?)

Bruce remembers the room Alex said he was using at the library. Jim says if he’s hiding, then he may not trust the police. He takes Bruce with him to put Alex at ease. (Again – actual thought from Jim instead of just barrelling in. I’m begging – please – more of this)

Oswald is seated at his desk, scowling at two men – sent by Ed – who are about to rap a riddle at him. Everyone saw this clip repeatedly – so I can spare my wrists. Long story short: Ed’s riddle is dreadful, and Oswald resolves to go meet him and have him frozen again. Victor is hot throughout.

Jim and Bruce are at the library looking for Alex. Bruce convinces him to open the door to the private room – but he panics when he spots Jim. Bruce tells him that he can trust Jim, though.

When we enter the room, we can see that Alex is pale and shaky and still plainly in shock. He looks at Bruce.

It was the knife - did you know it was dangerous?

Bruce lies – and said that he didn’t. Jim glances at him – plainly not very pleased – but doesn’t say anything.

Jim promises he’ll protect Alex, but he says that the man (Ra’s) won't stop until he gets the knife. Bruce asks if he has the knife, but Alex says he hid it.

There’s sound of a commotion. Jim tells Bruce to take Alex to the station. As they run off, Jim walks through the library slowly, gun drawn. He’s pounced on suddenly by Anubis and Clegane. He manages to fight the dog off. He asks who sent them. Clegane delivers a very long name.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Meantime, Anubis grabs and bites Alex – but is recused by Bruce. Bruce – however – is nearly killed by Clegane – but Jim topples the bookcases and flattens him – at least temporarily, and yells at Bruce to run.

When Jim gets back to GCPD, though there’s no Bruce – and Harper can find no trace of Ra’s. Just as she’s saying that, Ra’s himself shows up looking damn fine. He claims to be the cultural attache to a small country (missed the name). Jim has heard of this country, much to Ra’s surprise – and he invites him politely to speak in the Captain’s office, all discreet and smooth.

(Again – a broken record, but so much better. I feel like any other week, Jim would have just growled at him and maybe swung a punch. He’s not supposed to be a stupid man. Please let him be smart more often)

When Ra’s enters the office, Jim quietly tells Harper that Barbara must have talked to Ra’s, and Ra’s now presumably thinking Alex gave Jim the knife. He tells her to call Alfred to try and find Bruce and Alex.

In an abandoned something or other, Bruce is trying to treat Alex’s wound. Alex is ashamed of being afraid, and of freezing when he was attacked. He wants to know how Bruce stops being scared. Bruce says fear is normal, and that he froze when he saw his parents killed. There’s nothing wrong with being afraid, and once you recognise it’s normal you can put it in its place – and then act and fight back.

Alex sits on a step and Bruce sits beside him. He tells Bruce that he felt bad for Bruce when his parents died – and that all the kids talked about him. Bruce asked what they said. Alex said that he lives alone in a big mansion and doesn’t go to school, and flies around in a jet. They made him sound weird.

Bruce looks sad and tired.

Maybe I am

Alex disagrees and tells him that he’s cool – and says that he (Alex) is weird. He pauses, and then comments that Bruce is maybe a little weird too, he guesses.

Bruce smiles

Alex smiles too, and adds weirdly cool

They sit quiet for a moment, and then Alex says he’ll take Bruce to the knife.

GCPD, where Jim offers Ra’s coffee. Ra’s comments that they both know why he’s here. He spins a nice story about how the knife is part of his country’s cultural heritage, but is politically loaded and sought-after – hence the discreet bidding. Unfortunately, Barbara failed to obtain it.

Jim listens.

Ra’s says that he understands there’s been a murder. Jim, still watchful, tells him that it was the museum’s curator

That's awful

Ra’s says he will press a claim to the knife on behalf of his government. Jim asks why the knife is so important. Ra’s recounts the tale of the man who could not die, who committed terrible acts and raised a kingdom – but then vanished, promising to return when he had this knife. He says it’s justa story – but meaningful to his people.

Jim frowns. Ra’s smiles -and says he hopes this satisfies his curiosity.

Jim looks at him carefully and begins to speak. He doesn’t bother hiding that he knows who Ra’s is -he’s trying to make a discreet deal/test Ra’s:

My chief concern is that the grandson of curator being hunted – maybe for the knife, or because the killer thinks he saw something

Ra’s smiles slightly

Did he?

Jim says no. Ra’s sighs in mock relief

Well then - he's safe

Jim plays clever. He’d want assurance before releasing the knife. Ra’s plays back – he wants to see the knife first.

Uh oh - here comes Alfred. He barges in yelling about Bruce and punches Ra’s as soon as he spots him. Jim hauls him out of the room. Alfred tells him that he doesn’t know what he has there. Jim tells him he’s beginning to – but he needs time, and he needs time. Unfortunately, though, Harper calls his attention to the fact that Ra’s has already searched the bag and left. Jim tells Alfred they need to find Bruce.

The Falcone mansion, where three men – presumably the capos Oswald mentioned – are greeting Donna Falcone. She tells them she doesn’t want to be called that or hear from them. They persist. They want Falcone’s return, which they assume is coming now that she’s back. They want to ‘put Penguin in his place’. She tells them ‘this is Penguin’s city’ – just as Oswald arrives with Victor in tow. He smiles – and asks Victor how many graves he dug

Two…but they’re roomy.

Oswald and Sofia are alone in the room. We see her flinch and tear up at the gunshots – presumably for show – as Oswald is watching her. He smiles

There we are - paranoia put to rest

Sofia puts on a little act about being used – but if she’s as smart as she seems – then it’s likely she suspected Oswald would do this. She says she was the worm on his hook

With one difference, my dear – the worm is usually eaten

She asks if he trusts her now, and he observes that she’s alive, isn’t she? He advises she plant roses to cover the smell. As he leaves, she makes an attempt to reel him back in. She says her father wouldn’t have killed those men. If he’d been in Oswald’s shoes – then he’d have taken her to dinner, had them seen in public – show that he had old order support and then those men would have pledged loyalty – but now…they’re fertiliser. Her father built on a strength of others.

Oswald watches her. It’s hard to say how much he’s just digesting this information, and how much he is also reassessing her.

Oswald smiles brightly

New city, new methods

And leaves

Sofia smiles slightly, seemingly satisfied, a tear rolling down her face.

Bruce and Alex back at the museum, where Alex hid the knife in plain sight. He tells Bruce about the legend, and says that terrible things happen because of this knife – and says the man that killed him can’t have it. Bruce promises he won’t let him take it. They hear breaking glass and run.

It’s Clegane-lite and Anubis, hunting them down.

You know, Anubis is actually pretty slow – on account of the fact that we’re not designed to run about on all fours. I can’t help but feel that an actual Doberman (which looks pretty Anubis-y) would have been better.

Back at GCPD, Jim can’t get through to the consulate and there’s still nothing from Bruce. Alfred asks why Bruce was tagging along anyway. It’s a fair question – but a bit rich, given what Alfred has been allowing to go on lately.

Jim says Alfred doesn't get to lecture him on honesty. Alfred weakly says it’s Bruce’s decision to tell – but Jim, rightly, points out that Alfred is Bruce’s guardian – he can violate privacy for safety. Alfred blusters about sticking to the point and asking what he’s doing to find Bruce.

They argue a bit more before somehow searching Alex’s bag again and figuring out where he likely is. Alfred is going to come, but Jim refuses:

The access I gave you depended on trust – you’ve not been honest with me.

He tells Harper that if Alfred tries to leave she should arrest him. Alfred asks on what ground – and Jim says she’ll think of something.

At the museum, Bruce and Alex are still hiding. Bruce is sweating

Oswald is sitting in a booth at the club. Ed didn’t show at the pier, and has sent another rap riddle. It’s dreadful again

Honestly, that could be anything

Victor asks if they can’t just please torture them for information

Why not?

Oswald knocks back a stiff drink.

Back at the museum, where dropping the knife alerts Anubis and Clegane-lite to Bruce and Alex’s location. They run – but Anubis has Bruce. Alex stops and looks back. Jim arrives in the nick of time, though, and shoots – telling Bruce and Alex to run.

Jim takes on Clegane and Anubis and beats both, tossing a bone out the window for Anubis, and stabbing Clegane with a tusk, I think.

Bruce is still on the ground, coughing and rubbing his throat. Jim looks at him

It’s time to tell me what going on

Excellent question, Detective

Ra’s approaches – and he has Alex, with a knife to his throat.

He tells Bruce to give him the knife and he’ll release Alex. He grins mockingly down at him

You'd like that

Alex cries silently. Jim reaches out a hand to Bruce

Bruce - hand me the knife

Bruce doesn’t move. Jim repeats it.

Bruce - hand me the knife

Bruce still doesn’t do it – and Jim stares incredulously. Bruce blurts out about Ra’s killing Alfred and bringing him back to life – and says that he can’t give it to him. Jim tells him to hand it over now so Alex will be safe – that’s all that matters.

I can’t

Ra’s smiles – well-pleased by his refusal.

Well done, Bruce. You’re finally beginning to see things clearly. The question is – are you strong enough?

He slits Alex’s throat. Bruce screams and rushes towards him, sobbing no. (Not sure what you expected here, Bruce – the terms were pretty clear).

Ra’s lets his knife (the non-magical one) fall and drops to his knees.

Arrest me.

At GCPD, Bruce is seated by a table, crying. Jim sits down alongside him and gently tells him Ra’s is at Blackgate. He adds that he is a psychopath, and Bruce is not responsible for his actions. Jim says he wants to help – but he needs something he can believe, not all the stuff with people coming back from the dead.

(An aside – has Jim forgotten Theo?)

Alfred snidely says perhaps Jim now understands why they held back. Bruce doesn’t care, though. He says it doesn't matter what they say – it’s all his fault. Alex is dead because of him.

I killed him

Ed barges into a seemingly empty Iceberg Lounge, yelling that he waited again, but Oswald didn’t show. He must be a coward.

Oswald walks into the room

I’m here. I may be many things, but I’m not a coward.

(An aside – I do love Oswald. He fucks up, and he does terrible things – but he’s more reflective than most, and open about who he is.)

He tells Ed his riddles suck – quoting one for good measure and telling him it simply describes a range of human behaviour.

(A random aside – Oswald’s limp looks particularly pronounced here. But then, it seems he’s been particularly busy – so presumably it’s worse when he’s tired)

Ed flails – but Oswald says that he can't make riddles to save his ass anymore. Myrtle was clearly right- there’s something wrong with him. He’s not smart anymore.

Ed says he is too smart: he’s the Riddler. Oswald rolls his eyes, and asks how long it took him to come up with those riddles – which turns out to be an embarrassing 6 hours. Oswald is incredulous – and asks if that sounds anything like the old him. Ed points out the damage might be due to being frozen in a block of ice. Does he want an apology, or something? He can whistle for that.

He aims a gun at Oswald as he walks away, and tells him he’s going to shoot him. Oswald tells him he can never truly have revenge on him – because he’s not the man he froze at the pier anymore, only some diminished version. That Ed would have killed himself before writing those riddles. In fact – he’s barely even Ed Nygma, because he’d have noticed something....

Ed frowns, confused

Doesn't it feel kind of chilly?

Victor Fries shoots the gun from Ed’s hand. Oswald asks if he’d forgotten

My other Victor

(Hoarding all the hot Victors is greedy, Oswald)

Oswald says he’s going to put him on ice again. Victor asks if he wants the same pose. Ed puts his hands up defensively.

Got it - same pose.

Ed hangs his head.

OK - Oswald. I'm not the Riddler. Just do it.

Oswald looks at him, considering.

I've changed my mind. I'm not going to freeze you. I’d only be freezing Ed Nygma, who cares about that? Better revenge is having you live knowing you’re not him - and never will be again.

He smiles, settled.

Goodbye Ed.

He walks away without a backward glance.

Ed’s been spared – but is still in turmoil – back to the question that continually gnaws at him, but worse now, with the loss of a crucial part of his identity.

Who am I?

Sofia is standing in front of the fireplace in an evening gown. She’s recounting another tale about her father. There’s a deliberate parallel here with how she played Oswald earlier that introduces a note of doubt into her interactions with Jim. Is Oswald the only one she’s fooling?

She was 7 or 8 when she saw her father stab a man in the neck in this room who had been on his knees before him, begging for forgiveness. The next morning, all the blood was gone, and they had breakfast at this table as though nothing had happened.

(An aside – I don’t know how they’ll develop the character, but given that she must have seen more than one terrible thing, there’s scope to make her an awful lot more unstable than she appears right now.)

She smiles.

You'd think I want to stay far away

But no – this house and the city are both in her veins. This is her home.

Jim comments that three of her father’s former associates have gone missing. She says that Oswald used her as bait (although if Sofia is as smart as she claims, then she presumably knew this was what he was up to from the outset).

Jim is still keen to dish out more blame, though

And you let him

Sofia doesn’t let Jim away with his usual bullshit projecting, though.

Don't act the innocent, Jim. You came to Carmine Falcone for help: you knew it was never going to be bloodless

Jim frowns. He says she’s presumably going to get close to Oswald, gain his confidence, but….

What then? I need to know what you're going to do

(An aside – This is the first time we see Jim seem uncertain about his scheme – seemingly squeamish about what Sofia’s eventual plans might be for Oswald. He’s been rash and thoughtless, and the lesson Bruce learned earlier might just be scratching at the back of his head. Oswald’s not an innocent by any stretch of the imagination – but Jim seemingly can’t actually bring himself to voice or accept the next logical step in Sofia’s plan – obvious as it might be: Oswald’s death.)

Sofia tells him that he doesn’t need to know. If he wants the city back from Oswald, then she can give him that – but he has to trust her.

(An aside – and exactly how dumb is Jim if he thinks that Sofia’s going to meekly hand Gotham back to him and trot off back home after this? This is just asinine).

For some reason, this motivates Jim to smash a glass and then push Sofia down onto the couch.

(An aside – I’m… kind of mystified by that bit. Was he just tense and angry and looking for a release? Was it an assertion of control? Was it a ploy to keep her unsure as to what he’ll do next – try and retain some power? The reason I’m asking is because there just wasn’t really enough heat or chemistry there to justify the sudden sex. If they’d been eyeing each other, and a definite indication of tension, then fair enough – but even Sofia looked startled by the sudden move.

Ra's is being led into Blackgate. He looks disgruntled until he gets close, and then we see him smile.

General Observations

A strong episode – especially after last week’s mish-mash of storylines.

Bruce has been arrogant of late, rushing headfirst into dangerous situations, and not really caring too much who got hurt in the process. He hasn’t seemed to mind about worrying Alfred, and he glibly implicated Selina in his rooftop escapades.

That all came screeching to a halt this week, though. He knowingly endangered both Alex and his grandfather in his need to learn more about the knife. Even seeing the Dr Winthrop cold and blue on the museum floor wasn’t enough to deter him. Jim can try to make him feel better by saying that Ra’s is responsible for what happened – but that’s cold comfort to Bruce, because he knows he made the conscious choice that the knife was more important than Alex’s life.

Hard to say where he’ll go from this point. He’ll presumably carry on – now feeling a sense of mission, that he owes it to Alex and his grandfather – but probably a bit more chastened and conscious of repercussions.

Jim is due a similar chastening. When he and Sofia talk at the end of the episode, the blame for the death of Falcone’s three associates might be variously assigned to Oswald or Sofia – but it’s really Jim who has blood on his hands. Sofia essentially says as much: Jim knew what he was going to get when he went to see Falcone, and he doesn’t get to act the innocent here.

Jim assumes that Sofia is going to win Oswald’s confidence, but wants to know what will happen next. The logical answer, of course, is that she would kill Oswald and take power. The fact that Jim is asking at all – I think – points to his first real misgivings. His confrontations with Oswald so far have been noticeably childish, squabbling over who is seen as the protector of the city. I don’t think that quite translates to wanting him dead, and I think that might prove to be a sticking point later on.

Or maybe I’m just a hopeless shipper….. :D

Sofia’s hard to read. We’re in on the fact that she’s playing Oswald. We’re not quite so clear as to what extent she’s playing Jim. She told them both exactly the same thing: she belongs in Gotham, it’s her home, in her blood. She gave them both little anecdotes about her father. Both ended up letting her off the hook – albeit temporarily.

It’s interesting to wonder what shape her revenge might take – if that’s what she wants. I’d say that getting Jim to do what Falcone couldn’t – put a bullet in Oswald’s head and become her GCPD stooge - might be a fair shout, but we’ll see.

I’m also interested to see exactly how stable she is. Who knows exactly what she witnessed growing up.

Oswald’s most important storyline this week was really his first interaction with Sofia. His interactions with Ed were more about drawing a line under that aspect of their storyline. It was mostly played for laughs, and was drained of a lot of the angst and noise of s3.

Not putting Ed back on ice really served two purposes. First, yes – it is a much more perfect revenge. Ed’s sense of who he is is something that troubles him at the best of times. Now that he’s lost his defining characteristic – his distress and confusion is acute. Secondly – it provides closure. Keeping him on ice was metaphorical as well as literal: a state of endless limbo. Oswald doesn’t need that anymore, and it was interesting that he walked away without even a backward glance.

As for his conversations with Sofia – it’s hard to tell how successful her many ruses are. There are a few moments where he looks at her very hard. I suspect she’ll gain the upper hand, mostly because ‘Oswald fails due to hubris’ basically seems to be a pattern now – but hopefully they’ll try to keep it even-handed and ambiguous up until that point. Partly because it’s entertaining, but also because – come on – Oswald worked for Fish Mooney. I’m not buying that he’d fall hook, line and sinker for this. He’s smarter than that.

Thoughts?

#gotham commentary #gotham s4e04 #the demon's head

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