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Last week's Gotham saw the introduction of the Mad Hatter, the revelation that Doppel-Bruce is up to no good, and made life even more complicated for poor Jim Gordon, who can't seem to catch a break (though at least he didn't, you know, die or anything). This week's episode promises more insanity, as Penguin continues his Gotham City Mayoral campaign, we learn more about Alice, Mad Hatter's sister, and Bruce and Alfred try to stop Doppel-Bruce before he can do anything too nefarious.
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The episode kicks off with Alice Tetch in GCPD lockup, with Gordon having turned her in. She warns Bullock that her brother is dangerous, and is a “monster.” She seems genuinely terrified.
And we see why as soon as we see Hatter, in a super creepy abandoned amusement park. He says it’s perfect, and that he’s excited to be properly reunited with her – the man that owns the amusement park is in for a surprise, as Jervis slams a hammer down on his hypnotized head. Ouch.
Ed Nygma is in Penguin’s campaign headquarters and instantly seems like he’s going to have a problem with Butch. He tells Oswald that he’s very grateful, and that Arkham has made them “both stronger.” This clean cut Cobblepot is super creepy. Butch and Nygma are clashing right away. It’s brawn versus brains as was teased earlier by the actors </a>– oh yeah, it’s gonna be fun.
Back at GCPD, Barnes has a chat with Bullock and Gordon about Alice and her poison blood. Barnes wants Gordon to stay away from Jervis Tetch, and Jim basically tells him to screw off.
While Lee takes her blood, Alice warns about Jervis. She describes him basically as a Sith Lord: “He preys on anger, fear, and when he gets in your mind, you’re doomed.” Darth Hatter.
Jim sees someone stumping for Cobblepot “Make Gotham Safe Again.” He hits a crosswalk button and the ticking of it sends him partially back into his hypnotic trance. This isn’t good. He starts to walk into traffic as a truck is barreling down, until someone grabs him by the shoulder.
Bruce and Alfred talk about DoppelBruce, who abandoned the Rolls Royce, as it was towed. Bruce figures out DB was looking for Selina.
On cue, DB and Selina are walking the streets of Gotham City, and she’s starting to realize something is off with him, but still not quite putting it together.
She walks into a bar and stirs up some crap so that a fight breaks out. She walks into the back – an illegal gambling room, and starts stealing some cash – but a couple guys come back and find her. She’s in troooouuuuble.
Oswald Cobblepot makes a campaign speech with his “Make Gotham Safe Again” banners behind hi. Butch hands someone an envelope of money, and Nygma spots this. He’s not happy about it. He goes up to the recipient of the bribe and confirms what he saw. Butch sends some thugs to follow Nygma.
Gordon visits Sirens and talks with Barbara, looking for Jervis Tetch. She gets confrontational but flirtatious at the same time. “You must be monumentally screwed” she says, because he admits to needing a favor. She tells him Tetch came in earlier looking for muscle – but they need to have flair. “It’s Gotham baby, we’ve all got flair!” she says, letting out a great laugh.
HOLY CRAP WE’RE GETTING THE TWEEDS. Yup, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum are two big thugs wrestling, and Jervis goes to recruit them (hypnotize them).
Selina is locked down and the thugs are ready to take her fingers. She says she can be useful to them. They’re not having it – until a knock on the door. It’s DoppelBruce, and he slams his way into the room. He takes out one of the thugs, breaking his arm and taking him down. He takes the other one out just as easily – Selina is shocked but not looking a gift clone in the mouth.
As Barnes watches the news, he sees a report where “Cobblepot is criticized for running his campaign on fear-mongering and name calling.” WHAT IS THIS SUBTLE METAPHOR? Barnes isn’t doing well with his pain management, it seems. Gordon asks to speak to Alice Tetch. Jim tells him about the hypnotism and that he’s “having thoughts.” Barnes tells him he has to “make peace with his decisions.” He lets him have a go at Alice after all.
Selina and DB escape, and he seems unnaturally worn out – oh, it’s because he got STABBED. He has two scars on his stomach as well. “You’re not Bruce! What the hell are you?” He says he can explain. Oh boy.
Cobblepot and Nygma have a conversation about the bribe to the election board official. Nygma says he can win it legit. A little girl thanks Penguin for “getting rid of all the monsters.” Nygma had paid her to say that, to make a point. He presents a riddle (love), but Penguin’s not picking up what he’s throwing down.
Jim and Alice have a chat, and she knows right away that her brother is still in his head. Barnes watches the talk. She realizes that the ticking of the watch was the trigger and anything similar will activate it again. He used to do it to her as kids – yeah, they did not have a good familial relationship. “I won’t go back to him, ever.”
As if on cue, Hatter shows up with the Tweeds and a tape player announcing his presence. “Let the show begin!” he says, and one of them throws a cop off the balcony. Jim and Alice walk out of interrogation and Jervis is ready. He holds up his ticking watch. Alice tries to run away and the Tweeds grab her. Jim starts to point his gun at his head and Barnes takes him out to save him
Selina is stitching up DB and he insists he didn’t know that he was “another Bruce” until he met him. He said he went after Selina because of the way she looked at Bruce. “You have no idea what it’s like to spend your whole life alone.” He calls her out on her aloofness about people. He makes a move and kisses her… and she lets him. Woah!
At GCPD, Jim is cuffed down, and Lee is there worried about him. He doesn’t feel that way and points out that she moved on pretty quickly (which, come on, she did). Lots of people just “not having it” in this episode. Jim’s on an official 48 hour suicide watch. “There’s a difference between moving on and letting go,” Lee says.
Butch gathers his people, the whole Gotham underground, and tells them that when Penguin’s mayor, they’ll be running the city. One of his boys comes in and says Nygma gave him the slip. He gets a phone call that sounds bad.
Bullock has one of the Tweed boys – not one of the main ones – and tells him his brothers are either dead or gone. Harvey tries to play some mind games of his own, burning the masks of his brothers, a bigtime insult. He blows out the fire and says he’ll talk.
Hatter, Dee and Dum are at the amusement park, and have dressed Alice up in a Wonderland costume. Oh boy this got creepy fast. Hatter tells Alice there are consequences if she ever leaves him again. He pulls out a bunch of syringes, presumably to draw her blood and use as a weapon.
Bullock brings Jim out into the wild after being tipped off by Lee as to where he was. The partners are back together!
DB is on Selina’s rooftop as Bruce and Alfred show up to confront him. “For someone who has everything you have no idea what you actually want.” DB says Bruce – and Selina – won’t be seeing him anymore. DB says “say goodbye to Selina for me, and thank her for the kiss,” and he jumps off the building and runs off.
Hatter takes Alice’s blood indeed, and says that if she doesn’t do what he wants she knows the price she’ll pay. Jim and Bullock come in guns up. Tetch says that he’ll free Jim from his “impulse” if he leaves him alone with Alice. A metronome starts a ticking and he asks “do you hear that?” The Tweeds open fire while Jim stands still, stuck. Hatter keeps taunting him, saying he can be free from the pain.
Jim imagines Lee kissing Mario. He hears her voice again with that “there’s a difference” quote. He raises his gun and shoots the Metronome. Hatter is ready to leave. “Alice, we belong together, you know that. I love you!” She pushes off from him, and falls – to her death!
The GCPD arrives to the scene, careful with Alice and her poison blood. Barnes isn’t happy with Bullock and his “friendship” with Gordon.
Butch and Nygma have a confrontation in front of Penguin; Nygma took the money back from all the bribes, and Penguin is ready for Butch to kill him. But just then a news story – Cobblepot won the Mayor’s office by a landslide. He’s finally getting what Nygma was doing (and the Love riddle from earlier). Nygma manages to turn him against Butch a bit – Nygma’s his new right hand man.
Bruce and Alfred have tea and talk about DB. Bruce is jealous of the kiss. Sigh. Alfred – not having it.
GCPD again. Jim walks in and Lee talks to him. He thanks her for her help. He tells her she was right, and that he’s happy for her. “Trying to be.” There’s still some spark there, for sure. Jim Gordon, lady killer.
DB is walking alone down a dark street, and the Court of Owls lady pulls up, she says “you might think of us as your parents. We’ve been looking for you for a long time.” And they take him in their car. Uh-oh.
Penguin accepts the role of Mayor and introduces his chief of staff, Edward Nygma. Butch ain’t happy.
Back at Hatter’s creepy McCreeperson lair, Barnes sees a splatter of Alice’s blood on the ground. He looks up – and a drop of it lands in his eye, instantly infecting him. Oh man, this is not good for Barnes – or anyone else. He realizes it and… that’s the end!
== WHO'S WHO: ==
CHARACTERS | ITEMS | PLACES | GROUPS | EASTER EGGS |
---|---|---|---|---|
BRUCE WAYNE | WAYNE MANOR | |||
ALFRED PENNYWORTH | GCPD | |||
JAMES GORDAN | SIRENS | |||
HARVEY BULLOCK | PENQUINS MAYOR OFFICE | |||
OSWALD COBBLEPOT - PENGUIN | SELINA'S BIRDHOUSE | |||
EDWARD NIGMA | ||||
SELENA KYLE | ||||
BARBARA KEEN | ||||
DR. LESLIE THOMPKINS | ||||
BUTCH GILZEAN | ||||
JERVIS TECH - MAD HATTER | ||||
ALICE TECH | ||||
NATHANIEL BARNES | ||||
KATHRYN | ||||
TWEEDLE DEE | ||||
TWEDDLE DUMM | ||||
YOUNGER TWEED BROTHER | ||||
REPORTER 1 | ||||
SQUIRRELY GUY | ||||
BOOKIE | ||||
CARETAKER | ||||
HENCHMENMAN IN SUIT | ||||
MAN 1 | ||||
MAN 2 | ||||
MAN 3 | ||||
LITTLE GIRL | ||||
GCPD CORE DETECTIVE | ||||