A week may have passed since ‘Gotham’’s 2015 mid-season premiere but the most recent big bad of Gotham City is keeping busy. Gruber’s first order of business is paying a visit to Irwin, an old colleague who have been keeping some of his tools safe. He’s a man whose purpose for the world becomes clear. “I see the world for what it really is,” he tells Irwin before introducing him to a bit of electroshock, “an abandoned factory full of broken machines. But he’s all about fixing the ones that can be fixed in his image, one that doesn’t bode well for the remaining folks on his list.

Gordon stands tall facing the Commissioner. No more playing it safe…

So what about Gordon? No longer willing to sit on his haunches while the GCPD readies to track Gruber down, Gordon demands to be a part of the investigation. going toe-to-toe with Commissioner Loeb to make his point. The slimy Commish relents, knowing Gordon makes a good point: any bad pub that comes from the Arkham debacle won’t be a good look for those that pushed for its reopening. Loeb gives Gordon and his bystanding partner Bullock 24 hours to catch Gruber or they’ll be working Arkham duty for the rest of their careers. They get a jumpstart on the case thanks to Nygma, whose research into Gruber’s fingerprints reveals that Jack Gruber is really Jack Bukinski, part of a cabal of baddies who was the only one to be caught after a heist. They get a hit on the stolen van and follow their hunch to the electronics store where they find the brain fried Irwin and a dead receptionist.

Nygma again comes through when he provides the detectives with rubber galoshes to insulate from Bukinski’s electrical urges. Speaking of urges, Doctor Thompkins (her friends call her Lee), brings a doll Gruber had provided to Arkham’s resident sorceress who looks quite a bit like Don Maroni. The resemblance is verified when Maroni and his gang are attacked by an electrical bomb at his restaurant. Gordon interrogates the Don, figuring out Maroni’s former partnership with Bukinski and leaving the mad Electrocutioner to his prisoned fate. Gordon convinces Maroni to come into protective custody, bait to draw Bukinski out of the woodwork and into cuffs.

As far as Dons go, Falcone and Liza continue their unusual relationship. We find that, during one of his flashbacks, the uncanny resemblance Liza shares with his mother. It’s why he took to her so immediately and has kept her safe. Well, he’s not there when Fish has Liza ‘kidnapped’ and calls Falcone with the choice to leave town if he wants Liza safe. It’s a bold, bold move, one that ends up having the Don think it’s time for him to get out of the game. Zsasz, his psychopathic attack dog tries convincing him on why he should stay but Falcone has made up his mind; if they don’t want him there, he has no reason to stay in.

And then he gets a visit from his little birdy…

Fish finds herself at Falcone’s mercy

Our favorite Oswald was on his way to see Falcone when Bukinski attacked the restaurant, the first victim of the Electrocutioner. Though his brains were scrambled and he pretty much gave up his duplicitous intentions towards Maroni, the Don lets him walk away (suspicious as all get out, mind you) when the Electrocutioner strikes, taking down the entire police force. Everyone except for the rubber galoshes wearing Gordon who, after taking out the mute mammoth Aaron, rains on Bukinski’s parade to take out Maroni with a cup of coffee to his electrical suit.

Now, back to our little birdy. Cobblepot gets to Falcone in time to tell the Don of Liza and Fish’s treachery. He doesn’t initially believe it but Cobblepot makes the point, “when have I been wrong?” Falcone goes through with the meet and when he comes face-to-face with Liza questions her motivations, seeing the truth in her eyes. Though it pains him, Falcone throttles Liza while Fish can only watch. With Liza dead and Fish’s entire gang dead (save for Butch), Falcone takes his once favorite protégé into custody, remarking “I remember who I am. I remember why I’m here.” Before he has her taken away, Falcone allows Fish to face the little birdy; Mr. Oswald Cobblepot.

After taking Bukinski down, Gordon has earned his way back onto the force, even giving the Commish a not so subtle threat towards the “next man who tries to take away my shield” and the repercussions of trying to do so. With him in limbo with Barbara (who, by the way, had a very awkward and formal meeting with her parents) he has been staying at the station. Thompkins pays him a visit and the attraction they shared on their first meet in Arkham comes to fruit when Jim “I’m done being careful” Gordon takes the initiative and makes the move. Their kiss is interrupted by a cop relaying the “big shootout at Fish Mooney’s place.”

Time for a Change

  • Well, Gordon’s Siberian exile didn’t last too long and we’re thankful for that. The Arkham angle was a good change but one that wasn’t sustainable. Now that he’s back on the force, he’s no longer playing it safe. While Bukinski’s supposition that Gordon has to win may be accurate, it’s not for his own satisfaction but for his belief in helping people and doing the right thing. To date, it’s his biggest step towards his future as the commissioner of Gotham.
  • Speaking of those on their way towards their predetermined fates, Edward Nygma was given another push towards his Riddler alter ego. Despite his social awkwardness, it seemed as if he was making a connection with his crush, Kristen Kringle until he’s interrupted by Detective Flass. Not wishing to expose her own likings toward Nygma, Kringle takes the easy way out, commiserating with the bully detective on Nygma’s weirdness. He hears her dismissal, another blow to his already deflated self-worth and esteem.
  • Barbara also sees her need to change as she tries to power down her spiral out of control. It doesn’t help that her parents are the frostiest individuals to ever be charged with raising a child. Combine her bumps, bruises, and trauma with Gordon’s connection with Lee and we have an old fashion love triangle in the works (though that could become a square if Montoya decides to re-enter the picture).
  • So it looks like Falcone has been reinvigorated by Fish’s betrayal and will become even more focused on his position as Don. His little birdy Cobblepot will have to be careful because I’m pretty certain that Maroni didn’t buy one word of lil Oswald’s explanation of the Falcone slip. As they say, karma’s a bitch…