In the fall finale of Gotham, “Mad City: Beware the Green-Eyed Monster,” Gordon suspects that Mario has been infected with the Tetch virus; Bruce, Selina and Alfred go after the one thing that can take down the Court of Owls; and Nygma learns the truth.
Bruce gets the news that Dmitry and Volk were murdered by Court of Owls assassin Talon. Jacob, the sole survivor of the Whisper Gang, is still determined to use the key to get into the safe and steal the object capable of taking down the Court. Bruce and Alfred are concerned that Talon may have seen them with Volk, and the Court knows that Bruce broke his deal. Bruce decides that taking down the nefarious secret society is worth the risk.
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Wedding Jitters
On the eve of his wedding to Lee, Mario is completely unraveling. He seeks out a hematologist who is working in the lab that is analyzing Alice Tetch’s blood. Mario has his doubts about Lee’s loyalty, and Tetch’s blood factors into his plan to get rid of the competition. Whatever his endgame is, Mario’s first step is to squash the head of the man, Ryan Pfeffer, in a dark alley.
Gordon is working the case, but Bullock wants his pal to take the day off. Gordon insists that being a detective is his job, and Lee getting married doesn’t change that. Given the condition of the poor lab guy’s skull, Gordon’s first thought is Barnes. With the former captain locked away at Arkham, Bullock doesn’t see the connection. But Gordon points out that the killer removed a badge from around the victim’s neck. He also finds a receipt in the man’s pocket from the cafeteria at Gotham Bio-Lab where Alice Tetch’s blood is being tested. Gordon decides to swing by.
Barbara Exposes Penguin’s True Feelings
Barbara goes to see Nygma. He still hasn’t put together that Penguin is responsible. Instead, he believes it’s one of Penguin’s many enemies trying to get to him through Nygma. Poor Isabella was just collateral damage. It’s Barbara who breaks the news that Nygma’s boss had both motive, means and opportunity. She does have to spell out Penguin’s motive — that he’s in love with Ed. Nygma doesn’t believe Barbara and questions what her motive is, and she promises to reveal all of it later. Nygma’s loyalty seems unwavering, but Babs has planted just a big enough seed of doubt in his mind.
The Search for a Beast
Gordon arrives at the lab and learns that Pfeffer’s key card was used 20 minutes earlier, and he still hasn’t logged out. Gordon rushes into the lab and gets a brutal thrashing from Mario, who leaves the cop unconscious. Mario doesn’t want to kill Gordon just yet. If he does, Gordon becomes a martyr, and Lee will carry him in her heart forever. Mario has to make his bride-to-be hate Gordon first.
When Gordon comes to, he has no idea who attacked him, and there’s no video footage. What Fox, Gordon and Bullock do know is that whoever did it is very interested in Alice Tetch’s blood. Mario ransacked the office, and her file is missing. Fox notices ‘Arkham’ written on Gordon’s hand. So the virus-infected killer wants Gordon to go to Arkham.
Jervis is at Arkham, and Gordon goes to question Alice’s brother. It appears that Jervis infected someone secretly after he stole his sister’s blood and has been waiting for the sleeping beast to awaken. Gordon wants a name, but this is Jervis’ game and he’s having too much fun for it to be done.
Gordon engages the Hatter is some rhyming word play. Tetch lets a big clue slip, and Gordon figures out it is Mario.
Gordon arrests Mario, and Bullock thinks his partner is crazy for arresting Carmine Falcone’s son on the day of his wedding. Gordon insists that Mario is infected with the virus, so he had no choice. Bullock can’t believe Lee wouldn’t see the signs, but Gordon reminds Bullock that Barnes was able to hide his infection for quite some time. Gordon figures that Tetch got to Mario that day at the hospital when he dosed Jim with that hallucinogenic powder.
None of this makes sense to Bullock. Why would Mario lead James to Jervis? They don’t have time to figure it out because Lucius announces that Mario doesn’t have the virus. Bullock apologizes, and Mario is very gracious about the whole “mix-up.” Gordon isn’t convinced and believes that Mario figured out how to beat the test after breaking into the lab. He promises Mario that he will prove it, and Mario will never marry Lee.
A Reward Worth the Risk
Plans are in motion to break into the Court of Owl’s safe, but security is tight so Alfred, Jacob, Bruce and Selina decide to case the building first. Selina has a bad feeling. She’s worried about what repercussions Bruce might face for breaking the deal. Alfred explains that the Court will catch up with Bruce eventually, so why not take them out earlier?
Selina also thinks it was a “punk move” for Brucie to make a deal with the people who killed his parents. That is, until Alfred explains that Bruce had no choice; he did it to protect the people he cares about, including Selina, and it cost him dearly.
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Unrequited Love
Nygma decides to figure out if Barbara was pulling his leg or telling the truth. He tells Penguin he has feeling for his boss that extend beyond just employer-employee. This little nudge is all Penguin needs to admit his true feelings. Afterwards, Nygma says he was merely suggesting that they become business partners, but you can’t put that cat back in the bag, so Penguin is mad.
Penguin goes about his normal mayoral duties, but Nygma fantasizes about how to kill the man who murdered the woman he loved. Penguin really wants to go back to the way things were. Nygma is his bestie, and he doesn’t want to lose him. Nygma hugs Penguin, stating that he’s his best friend as well. On a more ominous note, Nygma also tells Penguin to remember that.
I Love You, I Hate You
Gordon frantically searches for Lee, but she’s nowhere to be found. Gordon does encounter Mario at their home. Gordon confronts Mario, who admits that his biggest fear isn’t the thought that Gordon loves Lee; it’s that a part of her still loves him. Gordon suggests that they find Lee and let her decide if she’s going to go through with the wedding. But that’s not what Mario has planned. Gordon pulls a gun on Mario, who tells the cop that he has forgotten he’s dealing with Carmine Falcone’s son. That’s when Victor Zsasz decides to make an appearance. He holds James captive but lets him go, telling Gordon he was only instructed to keep him detained until a certain time.
Gordon makes it to the church and begs Lee not to marry Mario. He tries to warn her that Mario has the virus, but Lee already knows that her fiance passed with flying colors. She thinks this is a desperate, last-ditch effort to keep her from walking down the aisle. Gordon insists that Mario has figured out how to cheat the test and that Tetch infected Mario that night in the hospital. Lee guesses that Gordon has been to see Jervis and reminds him how the Hatter tinkered with his mind in the past.
Gordon realizes that this is what Mario had planned all along, and he’s fallen right into the trap. He took the bait and now just looks like a jealous ex. Lee suggests that Gordon get some help. He declares his undying love for Lee and reveals that he came to find her but saw her with Mario.
Lee announces that after the wedding, she and Mario are leaving Gotham, and Gordon will never see her again. She can’t believe that he would hurl all these crazy accusations about Mario, and when that didn’t work, he pulled the love card. It doesn’t work because she bursts into tears and smacks him across the face. Gordon refuses to leave, so Lee asks her soon-to-be father-in-law to escort him out. You don’t mess with the Don on this day, the wedding of his only son. Gordon goes down swinging, but he’s unable to stop the nuptials.
Meanwhile, Lucius figures out how Mario beat the test. He tells Bullock that the doctor used a drug to mask the markers. This doesn’t mean that Mario killed those men (he did), but it is enough for a search warrant.
Mum’s the Word
Come game time, Jacob is nowhere to be found. Bruce is still intent on going through with the plan. Alfred isn’t confident that his young master can pull it off, but Selina arrives and there’s little doubt of her breaking and entering skills.
The threesome make it into the house, and all Selina has to do is walk a tightrope across a floor covered with alarms without falling and setting them off. Selina successfully opens the safe, and inside is a giant glass owl. Bruce fails to keep an adequate lookout, and the two get busted. Alfred runs interference, and Bruce refuses to leave him behind. It doesn’t look good, but a masked woman in black comes to the rescue. She removes her disguise, and it’s Selina’s mom. The four make a hasty exit.
Unforgiven
Nygma has no interest in simply killing Penguin; he wants to destroy him. And for that, he needs some help. So he finds his way to Barbara, Butch and Tabitha, who seem willing to overlook his previous behavior if Barbara can take over Gotham’s criminal underworld. Oh, and Nygma has to apologize, which doesn’t go over well — a work in progress.
Gordon goes to Carmine to find out Lee and Mario’s whereabouts. The newlyweds are tucked away at a cabin belonging to Mario’s father — a secret spot nobody knows. Gordon tells Carmine that Mario is infected. Carmine knew his son was in trouble, but he didn’t know why. The car bomb and the other attacks were because of the virus. Gordon wants to know how that’s possible; who could know he had it? Carmine can’t divulge that information, but he does promise to send his men to get his son. That’s not good enough for James, who shoots both of Carmine’s goons (just flesh wounds). He promises to bring Mario back alive.
Gordon rushes to the cabin just as Mario goes into full Tetch mode, seconds from stabbing his beloved. Gordon shoots Mario. These are kill shots, which means big trouble for James on multiple fronts.
Will Carmine go after Gordon? Can Nygma, Butch, Barbara and Tabitha take down Penguin? Where has Selina’s mother been? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Gotham season 3 returns in January 2017 on FOX. Want more news? Visit our Gotham Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
