It’s season four finale time on Gotham. The title alone instantly made this episode exciting as it’s a titled with a Dc Comic about a catastrophic event happening in the city of Gotham. I am never ready for the end of a season of Gotham and I certainly wasn’t ready for the outcome of this epic episode. Thank goodness Gotham got renewed for a fifth season as I would have got on an airplane to the Fox network offices and demanded another season, it’s all very well ending on a cliffhanger but not this cliffhanger that the writers of Gotham John Stephens and Seth Boston ended this episode on. Directed by Nathan Hope this episode had a definite cinematic feel the special effects were spot on and the musical score that played throughout the episode made you feel you were watching a Batman movie. Did I feel emotional after this episode? Absolutely as there were a couple of things that happened I certainly did not expect.

No Man’s Land starts where last weeks episode finished. Selina is being rushed into surgery, the doctor warns Bruce with the immediate evacuation of Gotham there is a skeleton crew working. Selina wants to speak to Bruce, he assures her she is going to be okay. Selina doesn’t want Bruce to leave her, Bruce says he won’t and then Selina makes him promise and he does.

Jeremiah is sat in a cell at The GCPD. One of the officers is trying to irritate him by constantly knocking her truncheon against the bars of his cell. Alfred Pennyworth and Captain James Gordon watch nearby, Alfred admits to Jim that he doesn’t know why he brought Jeremiah in he should have killed him while he had the chance. Jim reassures Alfred that he did the right thing but Jim hasn’t seen what Jeremiah did to Selina.

Detective Harvey Bullock, he has an update on the bombs. The bomb squad are at the location at the last sight on the map and then put the last bomb with the others in the warehouse. Harvey received a call from The Mayor wanting to lift the evacuation order, but Jim isn’t going to do anything until they have all the bombs locked away.

Jeremiah is sat crossed legged and in front a pair of painted eyes on the wall of his cell, he politely asks to speak to Jim. The officers move away as Jim asks what Jeremiah wants, he wants to press charges against Bruce Wayne’s butler and speak to Bruce again as they could not really talk as his girlfriend bleeding out all over him. Jim asks Jeremiah to prove that he is better than his brother, Jim is still here, the city is still here and Jeremiah is a failure. Jim tells Jeremiah to enjoy Arkham just like his brother did and orders Jeremiah to be put in a box and to get ready for transport. Jeremiah asks one last time to speak to Bruce Wayne and he will tell Jim where the other bombs are. Jim knows they have all the bombs, Jeremiah agrees that they have all the maze bombs but not the other ones. As an engineer Jeremiah expects systems to fail so he built backups and Jeremiah does consider himself to be an excellent engineer. Jim and Harvey look at each other, Jim thinks he is bluffing. But he is? How many lives is Jim willing to risk? Jeremiah agrees with Jim he did fail he did not understand the vision he was surfacing and Jeremiah does now as his eyes are now wide open as will Jim’s. When Jim realises Jeremiah isn’t bluffing he wants to see Bruce Wayne and a coffee with two sugars.

Professor Hugo Strange is back for this finale episode, he has Grundy laid on the treatment couch. Grundy has tubes attached to his arms, Hugo Strange finds it fascinating that he has no heartbeat and Grundy’s organs are very well preserved. Strange is flushing Grundy’s body with antitoxins and then will be given fresh blood and a quick jolt to the heart will see Butch back. Strange has three very alive people gagged and tied to their chairs, Tabitha slightly frowns at his process. She holds Grundy’s hand as encouragement as Butch is going to be cured. Oswald Cobblepot watches on in the background as Tabitha cellphone rings, she has been told about Selina being shot by Jeremiah. Grundy understands that Tabitha needs to go and see Selina but she isn’t going to the hospital. Tabitha loads up a gun as she is going to kill Jeremiah, Grundy wants to go with her but Professor Strange doesn’t want Grundy’s procedure to be interrupted. Oswald assures Tabitha that he will be there to make sure everything goes to plan. Tabitha is hesitant and Oswald is adamant he is doing this for Butch, not for Tabitha.

Lucius Fox is in the warehouse with all the bombs talking on his cellphone to Jim and Harvey. Lucius cannot find out how many bombs he reproduced as he was fanatically secretive about his technology and Bruce trusted him. Harvey definitely thinks he is bluffing. Detective Harper comes to Jim’s office as The Mayor is on the telephone again asking for the evacuation order to be lifted, Jim will inform him when it is lifted. Lucius asks Jim if he thinks there are more bombs? Jim sees Jeremiah’s action up until this point as fear and hatred of his brother and Jeremiah’s obsession with Bruce is a reflection of Jerome’s. Jim is watching Jeremiah sat at a desk in the interview room on the monitor in his office. Jim repeats what Jeremiah said about having a vision and his eyes opened as Jim doesn’t understand what he means.

The Mayor doesn’t like taking orders from Captain Gordon, as the last Mayor probably did but he won’t. The Mayor wants the people of Gotham to know the city is safe and is going to lift the evacuation order. The Mayor advisers notices a man standing outside on a roof across the street looking at them. The camera pans down the through the floors of the building to see a bomb turn red and city hall explodes. The man watching them is Ra’s al Ghul.

Jim slams Jeremiah against the wall of the interview as he wants to know how many bombs he has still hidden. Jim punches Jeremiah in the face as he asks to see Bruce Wayne, Jim will never allow him to see Bruce. Jeremiah reminds Jim he was never very good at holding onto things that were close to him. Harvey bursts through the interview door as they need him. The army has arrived and Major Rodney Harlan (Malik Yoba) the Government has declared marshall law and until the crisis in Gotham is resolved the Major is in charge. Jim is not happy about this, The Major was sent to restore order and asks Jim if he can count on him. Jim briefs The Major and what they know so far about the bombs they have managed to find and now the possibility of other bombs which are still undiscovered. Jeremiah’s followers have turned on him so he must be working with someone else and he wants to speak to Bruce Wayne, which Jim thinks is a trap. Major Harlan orders Bruce Wayne to be brought to the GCPD, Jim disagrees as the Major has no idea who he is dealing with. Jim is put under arrest by The Major as he will not allow any arguments and will be held in custody at Homeland security.

Jim is being escorted to an army truck when darts are fired at the soldiers who are escorting him. The Riddler is behind this he walks towards Jim saying a riddle which Jim knows the answer as sleep before Riddler finishes. So Riddler fires a dart at Jim and knocks him out as it’s impolite to let people finish.

Jim is laid out on a slab. Riddler shouts at him “rise and shine.” Wishes Jim a good morning sweetheart. Riddler has brought Jim to the Narrows as a prisoner and asks does it feel like history is repeating itself? As history is going to repeat itself now as Riddler punches Jim in the face just as Jim did to him. Jim tries to make Riddler listen about the extra bombs that Jeremiah has hidden away but in Riddlers own showmanship way he has been there done that to save the city and himself and Lee are still fugitives. Jim offered Lee a way out, all the money is gone that Riddler stole and given out to the people of The Narrows not what Ed would of done but on with the show. Using a remote a flat square plate starts to lower down on Jim when it reaches Jim it adds fifty pounds of pressure. Ed explains that they used to pile weight prisoner chest to try and get a confession, Ed increases the pressure to 100lbs. Jim asks why? It’s to help Lee to break free from her history as she has an anchor, dead weight pulling her back to her past which is Jim. Once Jim is gone Lee will be free to be the person she is meant to be and the person that Ed wants Lee to be. Riddler increases the weight to 150lbs, Ed saw Jim and Lee together and the way Lee looked at Jim, so for Lee’s sake Jim is going to die and for Ed’s sake Jim is going to suffer. More weight is added as Riddler gleefully laughs at how much fun this is going to be.

Barbara Keane loads up a gun and she tells The Ladies of the League that there are going to be a lot of territories undefended because of the evacuation so she wants to capitalise on it. The lights go out, in the darkness someone is fighting with The Ladies of the League. I think it’s pretty obvious who has arrived, Ra’s al Ghul greets Barbara and quickly disarms her. Ra’s wants to talk as he intends to leave Gotham and he wants Barbara to come with him. Barbara doesn’t exactly jump at the opportunity. Ra’s explains his vision that he saw a city in flames but that wasn’t meant to be.  This is disappointing for Ra’s as he always relied on The Demons Head to get ahead of his enemies but he has not got the full measure of its power. For Barbara, this means that some of the Demons Head could still be inside of her, and she assumes Ra’s is here to kill her for it. Ra’s can see that Barbara has misunderstood her, the portrait of the lady that had a resemblance to Barabra wasn’t a hoar. Ra’s lied to Barbara as she was somebody he loved and offered her eternity, she turned it down and now Ra’s make Barabra the same offer. Ra’s wants Barbara to join him and rule The League of Shadows together. Barabra doesn’t give Ra’s an answer he tells her to think about it. She does ask about his vision of the destruction of the city, Ra’s is working on it as the destruction will give rise to the one he foresaw long ago. The one that brought Ra’s al Ghul to Gotham as his heir.

The Major returns to the GCPD with Alfred and Bruce handcuffed. Alfred asks Harvey to be let go, Harvey is concerned about Jim’s disappearance, The Major has no concern and just wants to know if Jeremiah has been prepared for transport like he asked. Bruce is reassured by the Major that he will remain safe whilst he tries to get information out of Jeremiah about the location of the bombs. Bruce is not happy about being brought to the GCPD against his own will as he wants to go back to the hospital and stay with Selina.

Bruce is taken to the interview room where Jeremiah is ready to be transported to Arkham, it has to be said and I am not the only one to mention it Jeremiah very much resembles Hannibal Lecture from Silence of the Lambs. Alfred, Harvey and Major Harlan watch on a monitor in the Captains office. Jeremiah greets Bruce with a very calm hello, Bruce doesn’t hesitate to ask about the location of the bombs. Jeremiah wants Bruce to move closer, he asks after Selina. Bruce doesn’t say anything. Jeremiah tells Bruce why they are destined to be best friends because they are very much alike. Bruce is what Jeremiah used to be at one with his true nature. Jeremiah suggests to Bruce to embrace it if he wants to be truly free, he is trying to help Bruce. Bruce questions Jeremiah’s help as he tortured Alfred, trying to destroy Gotham and shooting Selina. This is another great scene between David Mazouz and Cameron Monaghan, Bruce continues to tell Jeremiah that he thinks they are alike because of the darkness that is inside of them but the big difference for Bruce is that he can control his darkness. Jeremiah smiles as he thinks Bruce could be so strong and someone else sees that too. Bruce asks who what Jeremiah means by someone else seeing it, no answer from Jeremiah. The Major radios into Bruces earpiece to ask about the bombs again, Jeremiah knows Bruce has been prompted to ask and reveals there are no other bombs only the one that killed The Mayor. That bomb did what it had to do and bring Bruce to Jeremiah. Alfred decides he wants Bruce out of that room. Bruce is determined to find out who else Jeremiah is talking about, the one that opened his eyes and showed Jeremiah that everything he was doing was not to create a Gotham of his own but Bruce’s. The Gotham that Bruce needs a dark Island and it will come to Jeremiah. Bruce wants to know the name of the “he” but Jeremiah changes the subject and asks if he managed to sever Selina’s vertebrae so she can’t walk again. Bruce asks again for a name, Jeremiah still keeping that calm exterior tells Bruce that he already knows his name as Bruce is his heir. As Bruce says Ra’s al Ghul the lights go out in the interview room, a guard shouts with pain. By the time Alfred and Harvey reach the room Bruce and Jeremiah are gone.

350lbs of pressure is now upon Jim and The Riddler is very happy about it. Ed uses the remote control as a microphone and asks Jim if it’s getting hard to breathe and if they listen quietly they should be able to hear the sound of Jim’s ribs cracking. It’s actually 450lbs in a healthy male adult before their ribs will crack which Doctor Leslie Thompkins informs Ed. Lee asks Ed did he really think he could hide this from her after all she is Queen of The Narrows people tell her things. Ed jumps to his own defence in how this looks, but to Lee she can see Ed crushing Jim to death because Ed still thinks they have feelings for each other. Ed wants to explain why this is a good thing, Ed feels that Jim is holding Lee back from being the woman she is meant to be. The woman that Ed loves. Lee finds this as an insult as how weak would she be if Jim Gordon held her back. That’s not what Ed intended but Lee doesn’t want to hear no more. Lee walks towards Jim and she picks up the conversation when Jim told her that he cared for Lee. Well the woman that Jim loved is gone, Jim understands. The Narrows is now free from gangs and landlords, every family has money to build their life. Lee is done she has decided to leave and wants Ed to go with her but if Ed kills Jim that Lee doesn’t want Ed to bother. Lee decides who she is going to be not Ed or Jim Gordon. It’s Ed’s choice as Lee leaves Gotham tonight. Ed puts his signature hat and is delighted that Lee choose him that’s all he wanted. Ed hands the remote for Jim to release himself as he can have Gotham as Ed has got what he wanted.

Alfred arrives at The Sirens looking for Ra’s al Ghul, Barabra can already guess what has happened. Barbara doesn’t know where Ra’s is but she does know where he will be. Ra’s intends to leave Gotham tonight after turning it into rubble. Barbara suggests Tabitha kills Jeremiah, Alfred rescues Bruce and herself kill Ra’s. One question from Alfred how does Barabra plan on killing Ra’s, Barbara turns around and she has a surprise for him in case on the bar. Oswald turns up unexpectedly asking who does he get to kill? Oswald assures Tabitha that Butch is fine and came to help out to keep Butch on the table. Moments like this in Gotham are fantastic the unlikely characters coming together to team up.

Jim has managed to free himself and stumbles in the daylight. Lee calls his name and throws him some car keys to her car. Jim asks if it’s true about Lee leaving Gotham, which it is and if Ed is going with her. Well, that’s done of Jim’s business. Jim wishes he could change everything that has brought them to this point. Jim would leave Gotham with Lee so they could build a life together, but Lee knows Jim would not be who he is. Jim maybe thinks this is a good thing but Lee doesn’t. Lee won’t go back to who she was but she will always care for Jim just like he cares for her. Lee kisses Jim goodbye and tells him to go and save Gotham.

Harvey is with the army when Jim telephones him, it’s a too long of a story of where he has been. Harvey has bad news Jeremiah has escaped with Bruce and he has taken all the bombs.

Jeremiah arrives at an empty penthouse looking which looks out over the most scenic views of Gotham. He flamboyantly removes the hood from Bruce’s head. Ra’s al Ghul knows what Bruce is going to ask, how did Ra’s and Jeremiah find each other? Ra’s like to think it was Bruce that brought them together. Ra’s asks Jeremiah if everything went to plan which it did. Ra’s assures Jeremiah that all his bombs are on route to their locations. Ra’s encourages Bruce to move closer to see the destruction of the city. Bruce’s thinks they are both insane. Ra’s understands it hard to fathom but himself and Jeremiah are doing this for Bruce’s benefit. Bruce definitely doesn’t see how the destruction of Gotham is for his benefit. Because Ra’s had a vision out of the crucible of blood and fire will raise the Dark Knight that the City of Gotham needs. Jeremiah has to be honest philosophies and visions are not really his cup of tea but Ra’s revealed something to Jeremiah that his twin obsession of rebuilding Gotham and rebuilding Bruce are one of the same. Bruce is the brother Jeremiah never had. The one Jerome never could be, they will build a legacy together, Gotham falls they rise together.

Harvey and Jim are looking at a map of Gotham to mark out the route of the transport vans as there have been several sightings. They are moving to the outskirts of Gotham Jeremiah must have changed targets. Major Harlan wants Jim to explain what has happened to his men. Harper has had confirmation of more sighting of transport vans moving north, to Harvey, this doesn’t make any sense as what buildings would Jeremiah target there? Jim remembers Jeremiah saying that he intends to turn Gotham into a dark island. Jim orders Major Harlan to stop the evacuation and get the people of Gotham of the bridges as the bridges are the targets. The Major orders an arrest on Jim which Harvey pulls his gun. The Major then orders Harvey to be arrested but all the officers of The GCPD puts the army at gunpoint. Captain Gordon uses an officers radio to clear all the bridges of Gotham.

Ra’s considers civilisation to be so fragile and Gotham will be soon each man for itself and become a savage place. Barbara thinks it sounds like fun and asks if Ra’s is sure he wants to leave. In a great moment from Barbara and she’s had a lot this season she says hi to Bruce and greets Jeremiah as a freak. Ra’s is pleased Barbara has come but she has some bad news she isn’t leaving as Gotham is in her blood. Barbara opens the box she is carrying and shows the dagger to him as Ra’s won’t be leaving Gotham either. Ra’s is impressed that Barbara has had it reforged. Barbara pulls the dagger from a sheath, Ra’s comments how it didn’t work last time she used it and she is outnumbered. Barbara confidently points out that The Demons Head isn’t working out for him. Oswald starts firing his machine gun with the ladies of the league and Barbara charges forward to try and stab Ra’s.

Jim and Harvey arrive at one of the bridges. Harper confirms that there has been a transport van spotted on every single bridge leading out of Gotham.

A great battle is happening between against Ra’s and Jeremiah. Tabitha gets hold of Jeremiah with her whip and tightens it around his neck and she tells him this is for Selina. Jeremiah grabs her knife strapped to her thigh and stabs her. Jeremiah goes to stab Tabitha but a bullet to his shoulder saves Tabitha life. She looks to see who it was, surprisingly it was Oswald. A fight between Barabra and Ra’s continues, Bruce helps with his hands still tied. Barbara places the dagger between Bruce’s hands and they run towards Ra’s and stabs him. This time it has worked as Ra’s disintegrates he tells Barbara she has done good. The bridges outside start to explode and Jeremiah with the look of the devil on his face is delighted.

Jim manages to rescue a little girl who can’t find her parents as the first bridge explodes. One of my favourite moments in this episode is a scene where Tabitha, Alfred, Barbara and Oswald watch in silence as the city bridges explode. Ra’s has some last few words for Bruce the choice is not his to stay Bruce Wayne he must become Gotham Dark Knight.

Lee sits alone drinking, Ed assumes Lee isn’t leaving Gotham anymore because Jeremiah made good on his threat. Lee knows that the people of Gotham need her now more than ever no one will help them apart from her. Ed wants to know where this leaves them. Lee tells him that it’s the end of the road for them. Ed has his hands behind his back and holds a knife, all this time he was the one calling the other Ed stupid but The Riddler is the Idiot. Ed now knows that Lee had no intention of leaving with him, Lee just wanted to save Jim Gordon. Lee sees Ed and Jim as not really being that different as they both think they know Lee. They both wanted to change her and not really see hers. With a complete surprise to Ed especially and myself Lee stabs Ed in the stomach. Ed drops his knife and Lee explains that she was offering him something that was real but Lee was never going to be who Ed wanted. Sooner or later Ed was going to kill Lee because that is what Ed does. Lee goes to walk away Ed removes the knife and stabs Lee as she is wrong Ed does see her. They kiss passionately before they both fall to the ground.

Professor Hugo Strange sits in front of the fire. Tabitha looks around the room as there is no sign of Butch. She puts her knife to Hugo’s throat and he tells her to calm but Tabitha wants to know where Butch is. Butch appears and is back to his normal self. Tabitha studies Butch with emotion and even Oswald watches with emotion in his eyes. Tabitha confesses her love for Butch and he feels the same. Butch thanks Oswald and promises anything that he needs he will help him. Oswald wants Butch to know he considers him a friend and he is truly sorry. Butch doesn’t understand what Oswald means. Oswald raises a gun and shoots Butch in the heart. This has to be the most shocking outcome in this episode. Amazing Butch is dead. Tabitha looks at Butch’s body in horror at what has just happened. Oswald explains to Tabitha did she really think he had forgotten that she murdered his mother, and he just got over it. Oswald has lived with the pain every day and he could of killed Tabitha whenever he wanted but he believes in an eye for eye. Tabitha took away the person he loved and Oswald gets to take away the person she loved and live    with that. Tabitha runs at Oswald but he shoots her in the leg. Tabitha goes through everything Oswald has done to find Strange and cure Butch so Oswald could kill Butch in front of Tabitha. Oswald agrees but in time when he feels Tabitha has suffered Oswald will kill Tabitha too. Tabitha threatens to kill Oswald first and he is happy for her to try. Two of his men take Tabitha away Oswald watches emotionless is this now a Penguin who has fully shut down his emotions.

Selina came through her surgery and is being loaded onto an ambulance. The bullet has severed her spinal cord and the damage is permanent. Alfred goes to get inside the ambulance but Bruce stands alone. He can’t leave Gotham as Ra’s was right this is what he is meant to do. With Jeremiah still out in Gotham, but Alfred sees this as not Bruces responsibility. Gotham isn’t Bruce’s responsibility but Bruce is making it his responsibility. Alfred decides to stay with Bruce but he doesn’t want Alfred too as he needs to know that Selina will be okay. Alfred agrees but he will be back and he will find Bruce. They hug each other goodbye for now in the way Alfred and Bruce only came and do.

Major Harlan is giving up on the city, as it has lost power and water supplies are damaged. Harvey and Jim won’t give up on the city but Harvey feels The Major is right as everyone will be carving and taking their own piece of the city and going to be a battleground.

Oswald walks into a round grand palacial lobby, which is city hall (confirmed was confirmed by Robin Lord Taylor at the Gotham panel at Heroes and Villians Fan Fest London) he orders his men to shoot a security guard. This will do Oswald very nicely as his new residence. Mr. Freeze takes over a laboratory. Firefly orders a fire ring ten blocks wide and if anyone stands in her way she will burn them. A squatter walks into a room with lab equipment set up and says aloud to himself “what the hell” Scarecrow appears and sprays the squatter with fear toxin uses his reaper to cut off his head and tells him that hell is coming. Professor Hugo Strange has been asked by Penguin to fix Ed and Lee. Strange is delighted and I wonder what plans he has for them?

Three men from the League of Shadow stand before Barbara because she managed to defeat Ra’s al Ghul they have discussed and agreed to follow Barbara. They bow to her as Tabitha arrives injured she explains that Penguin shot her in the leg and killed Butch. Barabra shows emotion for Tabitha and then gets angry and decides that everything is wrong with Gotham is the greed, the pain, the corruption and the destruction that all can be traced back to one problem, men. Barbara decides now it’s time for a man free zone and orders the ladies of The League of Shadows to kill the men from the League. The dead men are tied to the pillars outside of The Sirens and a sign reading “Sirens Turf No Men.”

The GCPD is in darkness, Lucius Fox solves the problem by requiring one of Jeremiah’s bombs before it went to the warehouse. Lucius restored it to the original purpose and considers it to be a genius mechanism. Harvey told Lucius that they were staying in the city as they could with some help on the science side of things. Lucius has more people on the way as it’s their city and Jim is going to need their help. Jim has already decided he needs Lucius help on something.

Bruce is in the backstreets fighting with some of Jeremiah’s supporters and wanting to know where he is. As Bruce walks he sees a light shining in the sky. Jim is stood on a rooftop with flood light. Jim hears Bruce walking towards him and asks why he is still here as he isn’t supposed to be, but Bruce points out Jim should not be there either. Bruce has seen a dozen officers downstairs that have decided to stay and fight for the city. They both walk towards the signal and Jim explains how gangs are building terrority and the GCPD will have to go block by block and they have no idea what they will find a thing like what has happened in Gotham brings out things lurking in the shadows. Bruce looks up at the light and sees it as whatever is out there Jim is daring it to come out after him. Jim wants to let them come and he believes there are still good people out there they need to know the GCPD is still here and fight. Bruce remembers the night they met, Jim told him that the world may seem dark. Jim answers “there is light.”

Gotham has been an absolutely amazing season four. The story arcs and creativity has been exceptional. I will be writing an overview of the whole season if there is anything you want to discuss about Gotham contact me @GothamiteClaire.

Season five of Gotham will air in 2019. Dcworld will keep you updated!