What day of the week were you born? I was born on a Thursday, but Soloman Grundy was born on a Monday. This episode definitely saw a blade take its path, but it was the return of Drew Powell as Soloman Grundy and his new best friend Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma that for me personally stole the show. With an intriguing new character Cherry ( Marina Benedict ) who runs a fighclub in The Narrows, Gotham is certainly crafting and styling some excellent story arcs.
Butch Gilzean or Cyrus Gold as we knew him, he is loaded into the back of a ambulance after being in a coma for six months. The hospital want to free up some beds, the two porters laugh when they mention they are taking him upstate. They arrive at the slaughter swap they wish Gilzean or Gold to rest in peace as they tip him into the swamp. He floats along then starts to sink into the swamp which has chemical barrels with the sign on the front saying “Indian Hill “.
Tension is starting to build more between Jim and Harvey, with news of Ra’s al Ghul trial being pushed Jim wants to know if Harvey knows anything about it. Harvey is busy filling out papers which Jim realises they all belong to the criminals he has arrested but with The Commisioner giving orders to release them because they have a license from Penguin. Jim wants Harvey to do his job, but Harvey is stuck between a rock and a hard place he believes he is doing his job.
Bruce has has no sleep again, as he still blames himself for Alex’s death. Alfred finds him with the dagger and studying Dr. Winthrop’s notes, he was able to descipher an inscription on the handle. Bruces conclusion that Ra’s wants the dagger as it can be used against him, and kill him. Alfred agrees that Ra’s wants it so he can destroy it before someone fulfills the prophecy. Even though Bruce feels responsible for Alex’s death Alfred reminds Bruce on his vow, no killing, Alfred doesn’t want Bruce going down a darkened path of taking a life no matter how justified, he knows, he been down it. Alfred takes the dagger of Bruce and locks it away in drawer, they need to get ready for Alex’s wake. Bruce overhears two people talking about the tragedy of an innocent boy and his grandfather. Jim arrives at the wake to speak to Alfred that Ra’s al Ghul will be extradited as the embassy of Nada Parbet has filled papers. Jim is telling Alfred out of courtesy as news will get out and Jim wants Alfred to watch Bruce as he is worried about him. As Alfred is his guardian, Jim criticises Alfred for not protecting him which I think was a bit harsh, Bruce hears the conversation through some curtains, he makes his way back to Wayne Manor and he’s got his vigilante suit on, finds the key and takes the dagger!
Babara arrives at Blackgate Prison to see Ra’s, she asks him how he wants to escape, but he declines after Barbara puts together a gun that looks like a lipstick. Ra’s has called Barbara to say goodbye which she is genuinely shocked about, she became his eyes and ears in Gotham and much more. Barbara isn’t interested as she wants what Ra’s promised her a gift beyond her imagining. Ra’s places his hand on the glass wall of his cell, this encourages Barbara to put her hand over his on the other side of the glass. There is low rumbling as Ra’s hand glows, Barbara softly gasps and asks what he has just passed through. Ra’s answers “you will see. Good bye Barbara.”
The water at Slaughter Swamp is bubbling away as a regenerated Butch rises, his appearance that I noticed straight away is he has his left hand back, his hair has a silver white tone and seems to have a lot more of it. Also his body has been bleached fully to the colour that matches his hair. On the bank of the swamp sat round a camp fire three men are singing along to a record player. They see Butch approach them one of the men is holding a fire torch which seems to spook Butch, they ask what happened to him but he just grunts and as the fire torch is waved in front of his face Butch knocks one of the men against their trailer, the other one is knocked to the ground and the third runs away calling him a freak. The man on the ground asks who he is, the record player jumps and Butch listens to the lyrics as he puts some clothes loosely on himself, repeats a name Soloman Grundy who was born on a Monday. He walks away slowly like a zombie towards Gotham city.
Mr Penn updates The Penguin on the licence compliance which remains high amongst the GCPD its an unmitigated success, but Oswald wants numbers. According to Mr Penn’s numbers 86% of crime is accounted for under Pax Penguina, but Oswald isn’t happy as 14% of crime is happening outside his licensing system. Sofia Falcone enters his office just as he is ordering Mr Penn to get Firefly to set an example. Oswald has his right leg up on his desk with an ice bag on his ankle, which he removes very quickly when he sees Sofia. She has come to invite Oswald to lunch which he reminds Sofia that he killed the remaining Falcone loyalists and she overestimates pleasure of her company? Sofia reminds Oswald while he thinks he has everything one thing he doesn’t have is the Falcone name, a name that once accounted for all criminal activity in Gotham, as in 100%. Oswald accuses her of rubbing it in. By having lunch with Sofia in public it will show Gotham the support of the Falcone family which should be enough to send the outlying criminals back under his umbrella, Oswald asks Mr Penn “what is item number 4 on my to do list.” Mr Penn hesitates to answer as its kill Sofia Falcone which now has a question mark beside of it.
Edward Nygma is in the middle robbing a pharmacy for some medication to help him become smart again. Ed refuses to be condescend by an idiot in a lab coat who isn’t even a doctor, the pharmacist asks Ed for specific symptoms which are fogginess of mind, decreased ability to think ten steps ahead and inability to solve riddles. Ed is desperate to improve his brain function he will take anything natural remedy, pills or vitamins. The pharmacist suggests something but he doesn’t want to get Ed’s hopes up as its a trial drug that will boost his natural cognitive abilities while Ed is searching for it in the sample drawer the pharmacist grabs a paper spike as Ed is inspecting the blue pills and stabs him in the back of his hand. Ed yells with pain as the pharmacist steals his gun which he realises it’s fake, Ed desperately asks if the blue pills will work but they won’t as they are just sugar pills. The pharmacist calls the police, Ed runs down an alley to hide from the police cars he hears a low growl as he knocks over some trash cans. Soloman Grundy asks Ed “you know Grundy?” As Ed is surprised to see Butch looking very different to the last time he saw him. Ed pleads his case that he never had a problem with Butch it was all Barbara Keen she was the problem. Grundy thinks this man talks too much and knocks him on top of his head and puts Ed over his shoulder.
Alfred arrives at the GCPD as Bruce is gone and he needs to get into Blackgate. He explains to Gordon that he thinks Bruce has gone there to kill Ra’s al Ghul as he has taken the knife. Alfred’s concern is that he is on the verge of doing something that Bruce won’t be able to come back from, Alfred pleads to Jim to get him into Blackgate as Bruce needs their help.
Bruce is already using his new skills to climb over one of the walls of Blackgate Prison. Two guards finish their shift, Bruce sees Ra’s asleep on one of the monitors. He takes a security pass that happens to be conveniently left. Bruce uses it to enter Ra’s glass cell, who is still asleep on his bed. Bruce takes out the dagger, removes it partly from its sheath, takes a moment to think about what he is doing he replaces the dagger back fully in the sheath and turns to leave. The voice of Ra’s calls out to Bruce for being weak and foolish, Bruce turns to see Ra’s behind him and he knocks Bruce to the ground. Ra’s lifts Bruce off the ground holding him by the throat and throws him out of the cell door. Three guards arrive Bruce tells them who he is and insists that the guards stop him, but Ra’s is the guards master and he instructs them to take Bruce below the Prison. Alfred and Jim arrive at Blackgate, the guard they talk to informs them that no Bruce Wayne signed in as visitor. Alfred mentions that he is a billionaire and could of paid someone to get him into Blackgate, Jim just asks to look around the guard agrees, but insists they came all the way for nothing. Alfred and Jim are asked to give up their weapons, this is one of my favourite scenes in this episode. Jim places his gun on the counter, so does Alfred. The guard clears his throat to imply that Alfred has not given up all his weapons, he’s right Alfred has three more weapons hidden in his fine taylored suit. Jim asks Alfred “are you finished?” Alfred confirms it is and cheekily asks the guard “unless you want to check my undercrackers” Jims reaction to Alfred response is brilliant as the guard leads the way.
Ed wakes up on the back of a truck thinking that he has a horrible dream, he throws the pills away. Grundy stands up and scares Ed realising it wasn’t a dream. Grundy is intrigued to know that Ed seems to know him, Ed doesn’t denie he does but ask “who’s Grundy.” Grundy points to himself “Soloman Grundy, born on a Monday.” Ed quickly realises he has a left hand again and asks what happened to him but Grundy does not know. Ed laughs wishes him the best of luck as he decides to leave, Grundy grabs Ed wounded hand which has Ed screaming in pain. Grundy wants Ed to help him and be friends, Ed admits he is attempting to be civil and refuses to help Grundy. Grundy wants to know why, to begin with Ed won’t tell him and starts hitting Grundy’s solid frame then Ed admits he can’t even help himself. They both don’t know who they are, Grundy pulls out a hot dog cart and gives a ready prepared one to Ed who is peckish.
Sofia visits an old family friend Janos, the last time she saw him was at her tenth birthday when he brought her ruby earrings. He owns a restaurant and this is where Sofia would like to bring The Penguin for lunch, but she wants it to be a lunch he will never forget. Sofia sees an older lady over Janos shoulder and smiles.
Bruce wakes up underneath Blackgate Prison, Ra’s is there and tells him Alfred and Jim are upstairs in the company unknown to them with Ra’s al Ghul’s men. He wants the knife but not for the reasons Bruce’s thinks, Ra’s remincenses when he first held the dagger after being bathed in The Lazarus pit where he is now suspended between life and death. He saw a vision of Bruce his heir, Bruce’s calls him insane as he doesn’t even know what that means. It means Bruce is the only one that can end Ra’s al Ghul suffering, he moves the dagger towards Bruce to do what he asks. Bruce realises Ra’s wants him to kill him, but Ra’s calls it being set free.
It’s been an emotional day for Grundy and Ed, Ed decides he’s got to go. In a funny scene between Grundy and Ed, as Ed tries to leave Grundy grabs Ed by one of his legs. Ed has already told Grundy he is better off on his own. The man that ran away from Grundy at the swamp turns up in the ally with other men, Ed quickly tells the gang he is not friends with Grundy. With his new super strength Grundy takes out the men apart from one who Ed tells him is behind him who is lighting a rag in bottle which sets alight then smashes over Grundys left arm, the man runs away screaming. Grundy asks Ed for help as the flames burn his arm, he comes back with water and puts out the flames. Grundy tells his friend “you are not dumb. Grundy’s friend is smart.” Ed is elated as Grundy is right water beats fire, that was smart. Their friendship and this brilliant new team up is sealed with a crushing hug from Grundy to Ed who can’t breathe.
Oswald Cobblepot arrives with his entourage to have lunch with Sofia Falcone she shows the table she has picked as its the best in the Hungarian restaurant. Oswald thinks it’s too intimate as the whole point having lunch with Sofia was to get the word out. Sofia picked the restaurant because she heard that Oswald mother the late fabulous Gertrude was Hungarian, thank you Gotham for confirming that. Plates are put in front of them Oswald picks out a piece of chicken for one of his men to try to make sure it’s not poisoned, Sofia assures him that she is not out to poison him just as Oswald starts coughing on a piece of chicken which the chef has gone heavy on the paprika. Oswald wants to leave but Sofia insists he needs to try the goulash, another plate is put down in front of them. Oswald doubts it will be good compared to the one that his mother made as her recipe was over 300 years old. Again one of men taste it to check for poison and he doubts it will hold a candle to his mother’s. As Oswald is eating away Sofia watches with interest, his chewing slows as the taste of the goulash brings back the emotional memory of his mother. He gets up quickly announces he is leaving. Sofia speaks to the lady she smiled at earlier in the episode asks “did the little man not like it?” Sofia honestly does not know.
Jim asks one of the guards how long he has worked at Blackgate, which is roughly 2 years. Which is when Jim was in there the guard asks as a guard, Jim corrects him it was as a prisoner. Jim asks why he is not taking them to maximum security, the guard says the prisoners are in the yard at this time of the day. Jim suspects one of guards name as he has the same as another guard he knows, he claims it’s his cousin and it can get confusing. One of guards are going to take them through a door but Alfred comments on how good Blackgate is looking but he has a question “where are the real guards?” In sequence Alfred and Jim take out some of the guards, Jim fires some shots from a guards gun, Alfred is pointing a gun at a guard and asks where Bruce Wayne is, the guard informs him that Ra’s al Ghul has plans for him. This makes Alfred agitated as the guard refuses because he underestimated Alfred’s resolve Alfred shoots the fake guard in the head. Jim goes through the possible places where Bruce could be everywhere is too public, but remembers a basement.
Oswald is back at the Iceberg lounge with his ice pack back on his ankle, a door opens and Sofia is back to see him. She begins to apologise as she wasn’t sure what upset Oswald ( yeah right ) Oswald doesn’t believe it was a coincidence that the goulash tasted exactly the same as his mother made it, he asks Sofia if she is buttering him up but for what? Sofia’s explanation is that she wanted to do something nice for him, but there only has been one person in Oswald life that ever did anything nice for him without wanting anything in return and that was his mother. Sofia envy’s Oswald as her father never helped anyone unless it benefited him, which drove away everyone who loved him. Oswald still tells Sofia to go as he will decide what he is going to do with her later, he limps over to one of the sofas to rest his foot the weather makes it more painful. Sofia takes it upon herself to take a look at his foot, which Oswald himself can’t bare to look at. She massages it with gloved hands and tells Oswald of a childhood memory of when she broke her ankle, her father told her to put ice on it but Sofia mother told her on the way to the hospital it needs warmth to heal the pain. Oswald relaxes as he tells Sofia about how his mother used to sing, she starts to hum a tune as she carries on massaging his ankle a tear runs down Oswalds face. How long will it be before Oswald sees that Sofia is using emotional memories to break him. I find Sofia intriguing to watch and she is a great addition to Gotham but this episode is showing just how dark she is and really very cruel.
Ra’s al Ghul curse has walked this earth for centuries waiting for Bruce as it’s only him that can kill him, with that dagger. Bruce doesn’t believe him and sees it as another manipulation, Ra’s shows his true reflection in the puddle of water on the floor his facial features are distorted, every moment of his life is agony and asks Bruce again to end his suffering. Ra’s explains what will happen if a Bruce doesn’t kill him, Ra’s will disappear and let Bruce live his life, follow the path of light. Grow into a fine man, become a father and Bruce may forget he exists. This is where the scene turns sinister Ra’s tells Bruce he will return and kill everyone Bruce loves, just as Bruce watched his parents die and he watched his friends throat being sliced, and there will be nothing he can do about it. The big shocker in this episode is that Bruce actually kills Ra’s with the dagger even when he wasn’t expecting it. Ra’s opens his shirt and his body starts to shrivel up and ends up looking like a 2000 year old skeleton.
Blackgate is in official lockdown Alfred is talking to the police, Jim is with Bruce, he asks “are you going to arrest me for murder?” Jim isn’t going to because he isn’t sure what he saw when they found Bruce, he feels that he has betrayed himself and his parents memory for taking a life and because he did what Ra’s al Ghul said he would do. Jim gives Bruce some really good advice in saying “just because you are capable of doing something doesn’t mean it has to happen again.” Jim believes in Bruce and knows he still the kid that believes in doing good, fighting is what right and will do anything to keep the people he loves safe. Bruce is standing in front of the fire at Wayne Manor holding his vigilante suit in his arms, Alfred questions what he is doing. Bruce agrees with Alfred it’s over, but Alfred won’t have that because they started the vigilante caper to prepare for Ra’s al Ghul return. Alfred admits Bruce was right everything has become so much bigger then that and he can make a difference. Bruce believes he isn’t the hero that Gotham needs, when he killed Ra’s he took the dark path. Alfred agrees he did but he believes in Master Bruce and its going to be a long bumpy road back. He takes Bruce’s vigilante suit off him when for when he ready, which i think is a good thing as it will be interesting to see Bruce without the suit for a while.
Grundy asks Ed did you know Grundy before, Ed hesitates about the truth of their relationship, we all know they hated each other but at this present time Ed feels he needs to tell Grundy that they were best friends. Ed decides what is important because of Grundy’s muscles, they can make money. And with money they can make Ed smart again then they will figure what out what happened to Butch to become Grundy. They enter a fight club called Cherry there is people whooping and clapping as two fighters in a ring battle it out. The styling of the fight club is fantastic with an edgy punk vibe. Ed walks around smiling as he knows this is the perfect place. A lady with bleached blond Mohawk style hair, her eye makeup is a band of black and red covering both eyes and has tattoos covering her chest and neck area. She is shouting at the fighters she wants to see some blood, Ed interrupts her and asks who is in charge, well she is. Ed introduces himself as Grundy’s manager, she’s sees Grundy’s injury on his arm once he is patched up she agrees to talk to Ed about Grundy fighting for money. The fight club doctor is at the bar downing some whiskey and just happens to be one of my favourite female characters in Gotham Dr. Lesley Thompkins.
Episode 6 of Gotham A Dark Knight; Hog Day Afternoon will air on Thursday 26th October. This has a very intriguing new serial killer who’s assassinating cops and dressing them in pig head. Let me know on Twitter if he’s a favourite of yours @GothamiteClaire.
