This week’s episode opens with Penguin finding his mother. Unfortunately, it’s a trap! The Galavans appear and Penguin orders Butch to shoot them. Instead, he shoots Penguin’s henchmen. Tabitha cured Butch of his brainwashing by beating him until he remembered the trigger word. I am excited that Butch is back to normal (minus a hand, of course). I admired his loyalty to Fish Mooney and it is good to see him operating under his own power again. Penguin begs for his mother’s life, agreeing to do anything for them. She is released, and Penguin is finally reunited with his mom! Then, they kill her. Robin Lord Taylor is always a bright spot in Gotham, and he puts on a great performance. It is well-known at this point that the Penguin loves his mother, and it hurt to watch him say goodbye. Galavan prepares to shoot Penguin but he lashes out with a knife, cutting Galavan’s neck. Penguin jumps out a window to escape!
Ed Nygma is having a nightmare about killing Kristen last episode. He argues with his darker personality, who explains that he can make a body disappear. Instead of finding Kristen on the bed, he finds a riddle! I was pretty excited at the first sight of the question mark. The clue reads: “I hid her body while you were catching some Z’s, you’ll need a helping hand so look for her initials down at the GCPD”. This is the first time that we (and Ed) figure out that this other personality is not a figment of his imagination, he is very real and took over while Ed slept. Who would have guessed that the Riddler’s first riddle would be to himself?
Theo, Tabitha, and Silver St. Cloud discuss their nefarious plans for the city and Wayne Enterprises. Up to this point I thought that Silver was being used by Theo, but she is apparently in on the plan, and understands her role to get Bruce to accept Theo’s impending offer.
Theo Galavan shows up at the GCPD with the story that Penguin came to him for an alliance, and attacked him when he refused. Harvey Dent presents an arrest warrant for the Penguin and his associates. A judge has granted additional powers to the mayor’s office. As soon as Galavan is sworn in he intends to enact a curfew and search door to door for the Penguin.
Selina shows up at Wayne Manor, entering through a side door. When Bruce asks why she doesn’t like the front door, she replies that it is not the door, but the ape who answers it. Not surprising when you consider that Alfred slapped her back in episode 4! Seriously, I was shocked by that scene more than most of the other violent scenes on Gotham. Selina is still upset about her friend turned Firefly, Bridgit. She starts to open up about it to Bruce when she realizes that she interrupted a date with Silver. Silver invites her to stay for lunch, and demands Bruce go tell Alfred to set another place for lunch. Silver literally tells Batman in his own house “Go! Shoo!” When Bruce leaves the room, Silver gets catty (ironically). She threatens Selina to stay away.
Back at the GCPD, Ed is on a mission to find the initials KK. He is inspired when he sees an officer eating a snack. Ed rushes to the snack machine to purchase the items located at KK. Uh-oh, Lady Fingers, I don’t like where this is headed. Sure enough, when he gets to the back, there are some lady fingers and the hand they belong to.
At Wayne manor, the awkward lunch continues. It is brought to a new level when Selina smells her tea and says “That smell really slaps you in the face, doesn’t it Alfred?” Selina unloads on Silver, and chases her away. Bruce is upset and asks Selina to leave. Selina thought she was doing Bruce a favor, but seems to have brought him and Silver closer together.
Ed is examining the hand and discovers a tiny scroll of text embedded in the palm. It reads: “I am tired of hiding and want to be free, to locate her body find the two things missing from me” Ed figures out that it is missing the two periods from m.e., or medical examiner. Is Leslie Thompkins in danger?
Gordon and Bullock are staking out the reported location of Butch to get a lead on the Penguin. Gordon is distracted, and wonders if everything that has happened so far has been orchestrated to elect Galavan as mayor. Gordon and Bullock enter the building and just as they are trying to find out the Penguin’s location, Victor Zsasz and several others show up outside, announcing that anyone who leaves now can live. Everyone in Butch’s crew ditches him. Gordon gets Butch to tell him the full story about the relationship between Penguin and Galavan. A gunfight ensues, giving Butch the distraction he needs to slip away.
Through several scenes it is clear that we are headed for a showdown at Galavan’s victory party. Not only will Galavan be there, but the GCPD will be there to protect him, and Penguin’s crew is also headed to the party to kill Galavan.
Ed is in the medical examiner’s lab where he spots a clue! Just as he finds Kristen, Dr. Thompkins walks in. Ed tells her that he and Kristen had a fight. Leslie says “Every relationship hits a rough patch now and then” while the camera includes her, Ed, and Kristen’s body in the view. I think this might be a little worse than a rough patch. Ed convinces Leslie to go out for some coffee.
Gordon and Galavan have a conversation at the party about the showdown at Butch’s earlier in the day. Galavan was very interested to hear if Butch gave up any information, which only serves to increase Gordon’s suspicions.
Penguin came up with a brilliant plan to allow him to get close to Galavan. Knowing that the police would be looking for him, he had all his henchmen dress and walk like him. It was impossible for the police to find the real Penguin! Penguin’s crew attack the party, and there is carnage on each side. Gordon attempts to get Galavan to safety and is confronted by the Penguin. Penguin tells Gordon the truth about Galavan and we have a standoff! Penguin starts to hint that Galavan’s endgame involves someone Gordon cares about when he is shot in the shoulder by Tabitha from the roof. Miraculously, Penguin is still able to get away.
Galavan tells Gordon that he is disappointed with him, that he thought he had what it took to get rid of the monsters in Gotham. Gordon answers that he is, and he has decided to start with Galavan.
Ed returns to the medical examiners lab. His dark side appears, and urges Ed to admit that it felt good to almost get caught, and to remember the rush he felt when he killed Kristen. The dark side seems to merge with Ed, and he responds that it felt beautiful. Ed smiles wickedly and grabs a saw to begin disposing of Kristen’s body.
Final thoughts: That Silver St. Cloud got evil in a hurry! Now that Ed’s two sides have merged, I hope he doesn’t lose all of his original personality. That side of him was easy to root for. I am a bit surprised at how quickly Gordon showed his cards to Galavan. I can’t wait to see Galavan taken down, but I can’t help feeling like I have seen this before with Gordon’s rivalry with the crooked Commissioner Loeb. Hopefully we will see something regarding the Order of Dumas next week.
If only Admiral Ackbar could’ve warned Penguin earlier!
It is impossible to not read the words “It’s a trap” in Admiral Ackbar’s voice!