On this episode of Gotham, titled “Things That Go Boom,” Sofia reveals her true intentions to Penguin, Gordon tries to find out Professor Pyg’s real identity, Barbara, Tabitha and Selina make a power play and Lee grows closer to Nygma.
It’s business as usual at Arkham Asylum where all of Gotham’s looniest residents who don’t have cool powers and a costume are locked away and undergoing “rehabilitation.” Professor Pyg, who still strikes an imposing figure without pork on his head, decides to class up the joint by playing Ava Maria on a phonograph. This calms most of the group except for one man. The music holds bad memories for him; his mother used to use it as a soundtrack for his beatings which is why he killed her while listening to it.
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Who is the Pyg?
The inmate orders the Pyg to turn it off, but he decides to taunt the very large man instead, questioning why his mother beat him. Was he a dirty boy who “soiled his trousers?” He punches the Pyg who snaps the record and stabs him with it in return. Pyg finishes the job by slitting the man’s throat.
Gordon learns from Lucius that the Pyg had titanium plates grafted onto the bones of his face, drastically altering his appearance. Gordon remarks that when they booked him, the Pyg’s fingerprints were burnt off (think X-Men meets Seven). Talk about going to great lengths to hide your identity. Gordon doesn’t understand the disguise since the Pyg thrives on being in the spotlight. Gordon asks Lucius to use an X-ray of the Pyg’s face to try and reconstruct what he may have looked like before.
Every Woman Needs a Good Drilling
Gordon’s been giving Sofia the cold shoulder, so she comes to the station to try and ascertain their relationship status. She thought after their kiss (and whatever else) after the dinner party from hell, they were seeing each other again, but Gordon’s FB status remains single.
Sofia assumes Jim is worried that Penguin will find out Sofia made him captain, and she reassures him he needn’t be concerned since she told the kingpin herself. This doesn’t come as welcome news to Gordon, but Sofia stresses she has the situation under control. She plans to remove Penguin from power, and once she does, she wants her and Gordon to be together. But even with Penguin out of the picture, Gordon doesn’t see a future for them.
After getting dumped by Gordon, Sofia arrives back at the orphanage to find Penguin waiting for her, and he’s not happy. Thanks to Martin, he finally has proof that she’s his enemy. Sofia told Penguin she hated Gordon, but Penguin knows they’re lovers.
Sofia denies it and swears she cares deeply for Oswald who feels their entire friendship has been a charade. But Penguin did some digging and knows Gordon traveled to Florida shortly before Sofia arrived in Gotham.
Sofia drops the act and finally confirms his suspicions. Penguin demands to know the full extent of Sofia’s plan to unseat him, including if her father is involved, which of his captains she’s turned and how she intends to rid him from the city. And just in case Sofia isn’t in a sharing mood, Penguin has brought along a friend, the Dentist, who doesn’t give out lollipops after a visit.
The Dentist doesn’t care that Sofia is Don Falcone’s daughter. In fact, Carmine killed his brother. Sofia still has a bargaining chip since the Dentist does have a wife and son whose names and address Sofia knows. Sofia’s done her homework when it comes to Penguin’s organization, and if the Dentist harms her, her people will kill his family.
The Dentist thinks this is an idle threat, responding that nobody will know because her body will disappear. Sofia retaliates that she has spies within Penguin’s organization. She’s been conspiring against him for months, has the loyalty of his captains and today is the day she’s going to take him down. If her people don’t hear from her soon, the Dentist’s family is dead. Sofia’s threat works, and the Dentist lets her go with all her pearly whites intact.
Sofia heads outside and finds her driver is dead. She’s then kidnapped by Barbara, Tabitha and Selina.
Barb and the girls are in a bit of a jam since they botched the job in the Narrows. Unfortunately, they think Sofia and Penguin are besties, and they can use her as leverage against him. Sofia reveals her own diabolical attempts to take Penguin down, and that as far as using her as leverage, the fact that Penguin just tried to have her killed shoots that plan in the ass. Because Sofia is a Falcone, Babs isn’t sure what to believe, but she has no doubt that whether Sofia is friend or foe, Penguin will make the deal.
The Beauty, the Beast and the Brains
Lee is embracing her new role as the ruler of the Narrows. She’s started a court, so residents could work out their disputes peacefully. Nygma has cozied up and appears to have settled into the position of her second in command. Mainly he’s sticking around because Lee has failed to regain his mental capacities. He’s worried she’s forgotten her promise.
A man comes to Lee after being badly beaten. He tells her that a man named Sampson (Stu “Large” Riley) sent a bunch of thugs to his shop demanding protection money. He told them no, informing them Lee controls the neighborhood now.
Nygma is certain that Sampson is testing Lee, and she has to show him and the people that she can’t be pushed around. While Grundy would be happy to rip Sampson’s arms off, that’s not Lee’s style. She’s trying to encourage the residents of the Narrows to handle disputes amicably, and she’d be a hypocrite if she didn’t do the same.
Lee, known around the Narrows as “Doc,” goes to see Sampson with Nygma tagging along. Sampson had a deal with Cherry where he left her people alone, and Lee wants the same treatment. Sampson doesn’t have much interest in playing nice with Lee. She’s not from the Narrows and has no idea how things work. Lee offers him a percentage of the profits from “Fight Night.” Sampson isn’t about negotiating. He’s about taking, and he wants Lee’s clinic, the club and her whole damn neighborhood.
Sampson begins to cough, and Lee asks him about his symptoms. She tells him there’s a virus called “Narrows Lung” going around. She’s seen it kill a few people already. In addition to a cut of her earnings, she throws in a sweetener – she’ll treat Sampson and his people free of charge. Sampson says if Lee agrees to 30 percent of Fight Night, she’s got a deal.
The Pyg Slips Up
Gordon pays the Pyg a visit, demanding to know his real identity. Gordon questions why the Pyg doesn’t want to take credit for all of his brilliant crimes. The Pyg believes he is getting the credit, stating the whole town has gone “hog wild” for him. But Jim claims that the Pyg is old news now that he’s been caught. The Pyg doesn’t believe Jim who reminds the Pyg that he’s nothing more than a second-class psychopath compared to the characters he deals with on a daily basis. Fish Mooney, Penguin, Victor Zsasz all have staying power.
Gordon announces this is his final visit, and once he walks out, he’s done. The Pyg warns Jim that mind games won’t work on him. As Gordon turns to leave, the Pyg becomes enraged and lapses into a southern accent.
A Change of Plans
Penguin and Sofia may be on the outs, but Penguin is still eager to mentor Martin. The boy has proved his loyalty, and in return, Penguin plans to impart his wisdom and one day leave his empire to his new protege. But Martin claims that he lied about seeing Sofia and Gordon kiss. Instead, Martin reveals that Sofia wanted Martin to tell Penguin she and Jimmy locked lips. (Sofia did catch Gordon earlier in the day following her, but the details of their conversation weren’t immediately revealed. It seems Sofia may not be as in over her head as she seems, and her insistence that she’s manipulating and orchestrating Penguin’s moves are true.)
Sofia’s motives allude Penguin, and he’s very confused. Victor brings the news that the Dentist has disappeared, and Barbara has Sofia. Babs places a call to Penguin who is desperate to get Sofia back. All Barbara wants is to keep the gun shop, keep all the profits and to operate with complete autonomy. Penguin agrees and sends Zsasz to go get his best girl. In the meantime, Martin has some more explaining to do. Again, Penguin has been betrayed. Martin apologizes, but Penguin is eager to send the little spy back to the orphanage.
Barbara worries Penguin folded too easily. Sofia says they need to leave. She promises to give Barb and the girls everything they want. Tabitha doesn’t think Sofia’s in any position to offer anything, but then Selina announces that Zsasz is standing outside with a rocket launcher aimed at the shop. He blows the place to bits, as the ladies escape out the back.
Lucius comes up with a sketch of what the Pyg might have looked like prior to his surgeries. Gordon asks him to send it out to police stations across the country, starting in the south.
Sofia runs to Jim, putting on a very convincing damsel-in-distress routine. She swears Penguin won’t stop until she’s dead and begs Gordon to use his position and his men to put an end to it. But Gordon sees through Sofia’s act. He realizes she wants to start a war. She didn’t have the numbers on her own, so she made him captain, knowing it would come to this, and he would take Penguin out for her.
Sofia sees this as their opportunity to bring law and order back to Gotham (or so she says). She reminds Gordon that this is exactly what he wanted when he came to her father for help. It’s time to crush Penguin.
The Enemy of My Enemy…
Victor brings Penguin the news that the gun shop has been destroyed as has its occupants. Penguin is ready to gather his capos and unleash a crime wave on the city. His plans are waylaid when Gordon shows up and reveals that Sofia is very much alive and has accused Penguin of trying to kill her. Jim doesn’t want to arrest Penguin; he wants to cut a deal.
Sofia is determined to burn Gotham to the ground to prove herself to her father, and Gordon can’t allow that. He wants to send her home, but Penguin has to swear not to interfere. Penguin would prefer that Sofia suffer. Gordon promises that if Sofia sets foot in Gotham again, he’ll throw her in jail. Either Penguin can get on board with the plan, or Gordon will unleash the full power of the GCPD and tear Penguin to bits.
Also, there will be no more licenses. Gordon is going to enforce the law. (Not like he was adhering to the arrangement anyway. Pax Pengina has been on life support for some time.) It’s not an ideal arrangement for Penguin, but at least Sofia will no longer pose a threat.
Gordon keeps his word to Penguin, and Sofia is…disappointed. She believes they are the same. They both want power, but Gordon can’t admit it. It’s easier to send her away. He slaps some cuffs on her and orders Harper to escort Sofia back to Florida.
After Penguin hears that Sofia is on the train back home, he has a change of heart about Martin. He goes to break the news to the boy, but Martin is gone, and all that’s left is a note that reads “Kidnapped.” Yes, Babs, Selina and Tabitha are giving abduction another go.
Gotham’s Bonnie and Clyde?
Lee and Nygma discover the clinic has been destroyed. Nygma says the time for diplomacy is over. (Obviously, Sampson knows there’s no such thing as Narrows Lung.) She needs to take Grundy and end this. But Lee has a better idea.
Lee decides to have another chat with Sampson, but this one isn’t as friendly as their first. She demands that Sampson leave the Narrows by the end of the day. Of course, he refuses, and Lee tells him she’s had his drink poisoned and only she has the antidote, Whatever Lee has concocted begins to affect Sampson, and she issues an ultimatum: stay in the Narrows and die or leave and live. Sampson chooses the latter.
Lee’s happy with how things turned out, but Ed is blue. He’s not happy being permanently relegated to sidekick. He’s managing to grow on Lee, proving himself trustworthy with the whole Sampson thing, so Lee tells him the truth. She hasn’t been looking for a cure for his brain because he doesn’t need one. She’s done all the tests, and there’s nothing wrong. His problem is psychological, not physical. She lied to him because she worried he’d go back to being the Riddler, and Lee likes who Ed’s become. The Ed he was before — her friend.
War!
Sofia and Harper are on their way to Florida when Victor shows up and knocks out Harper. He demands to know Martin’s whereabouts. Our Miss Falcone has masterminded the kidnapping. (Like she was going to go quietly.) Martin is safe, but if Penguin wants the boy to stay that way, she tells Victor to relay the message that Penguin must meet her under a bridge in the city in an hour.
All the parties meet at the designated time. Sofia declares that Penguin can turn over the underworld to her, or Martin will lose his head. Penguin threatens to run and tell Sofia’s daddy that she’s threatening the life of a child. Penguin thinks Carmine will be disgusted, but Sofia is certain dad will be proud.
Penguin submits, and Sofia lets Martin go. Penguin apologizes for getting angry and lets Martin know he cares for him. He asks Martin to go wait in the car.
Penguin gives Sofia props for using Martin against him since his heart is his greatest weakness. But Penguin isn’t going to let Martin be used as a pawn in Sofia’s game anymore. He blows up the car, presumably with Martin inside. Victor opens fire, and the women flee. Sofia wanted a war, and now she’s got one.
Sofia isn’t about to give up, even though Tabitha, Barbara and Selina think she’s a lost cause. They want to go it alone, but Sofia says if they leave, they’ll never have a piece of the city. The gun shop is destroyed, and the women have nowhere else to go. Penguin may have won the battle, but Sofia is confident they’ll win the war.
Martin, predictably, isn’t dead. The whole thing was staged. Penguin sends Martin somewhere safe, but he’ll never be able to come back to Gotham. (Yeah, right.)
Bye, Bye Pork Chop
Gordon discovers the Pyg’s real name is Lazlo Valentine. He was being held in the south for a string of murders roughly a decade ago. Only his victims weren’t cops, and there was no pig persona. He also escaped. Spoiler alert, Professor Pyg disappears from Arkham as well after murdering a guard.
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Have we heard the last of Lazlo? Will Lee be able to save Ed from himself? Can the women of Gotham take down Penguin? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Gotham airs Thursdays at 8/7c on FOX. Want more news? Visit our Gotham page on Facebook.
(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.
