Well, this is it. We have been building all season to this point: either Theo Galavan will have his “revenge” against the Son of Gotham and the Waynes, or he will be taken down. One way or another, this crazy train ride will end. So, in the words of the immortal Michael Buffer, “let’s get ready to RRRUMBLLLLLLE!”
SPOILERS AHEAD
We begin right in the middle of things, as Bruce is being prepared to face his fate. Theo, along with all of his insane monk pals, is planning to gut little Brucie like a (very wealthy) fish, using the “sacred knife” that has been so conspicuously brandished all season. Side note: Father Creel just doesn’t look like a monk to me – he just looks too “normal,” like a retired ad executive, not a monk. But I digress.
The highlight of the whole lead-up to Bruce’s “moment of destiny” was the sequence with Silver. Theo shows his truly cruel side by forcing her to prove her loyalty one last time, by getting Bruce to fall in love with her again, and then betraying him again. Now, don’t get me started on Theo – his extreme hatred and pure evil has always seemed just inexplicable all season, and I just never felt it. Wanting to restore your family’s honor, I get. Even wanting to do it hundreds of years after, ok sure. But his very personal stake in all this, and the joy he feels in doing it, that I never got.
But the writers handled Bruce and Silver perfectly. Bruce showed real growth and maturity, seeing through Silver’s ruse, and reacting in a compassionate and, shall I say very Zen way. His speech to her about knowing what she is up to, and not hating her but pitying her, just sent chills down my spine. For the first time, I am starting to see this little kid as the guy who becomes Batman.
And Natalie Alyn Lind, as Silver, performed beautifully in her role. Silver is conflicted, tortured, and desperate all at the same time, and Lind conveyed all of that with subtlety and depth. While I was admiring the man that Bruce was becoming before my eyes, I was also feeling true sympathy for this girl who has maybe gone too far to be redeemed, but at least wants to do the right thing now. And I can’t believe that I am saying that about the girl who, not long ago, called Selina “gutter trash.”
On the Gordon front, this week sees him back working with Penguin to bring down Galavan. I think it has been amazing so far how Gotham has managed to make Penguin one of the most sympathetic characters on the show. If you look back on the episodes so far, Penguin has been working on the “good side” more often than not, and this week was no exception. And now, we have Penguin’s new BFF Edward Nygma tagging along (aren’t they a cute couple, by the way?).
Soon, Lee shows up at Edward’s apartment and tries to convince Gordon to call off his crazy plan to take down Theo. There was nothing, NOTHING Lee could have said that would change his mind … except THAT. Lee drops the bomb on Gordon that she is pregnant. Wow. Will he go with her and leave all of this behind? It turns out, he really, REALLY wants Theo taken out, because even Lee’s news doesn’t change his mind. It was another great moral dilemma for a character who has really been morally tested this season.
Adding to Gordon’s tough position is Barnes, who was just … weird this episode. Somehow, we see him saying that Gordon is a fugitive, and Galavan is still assumed innocent until there is proof of his crimes. Wait a minute – what? Um, was he not there for the last 2 episodes? Dude, Galavan clearly committed lots of crimes, in public, with lots of proof. Why are we still having this conversation? But we are, and it takes Lucius Fox making a phone call to finally change Barnes’s mind. I am not sure what the writers were trying to prove with Barnes this week, but I didn’t get it.
The final confrontation with Galavan is almost anti-climactic after all the lead-up. Tabitha throws in a twist by turning on her brother, suddenly deciding he is too evil even for her (whatever). She jumps out of the window, taking Silver with her, and leaves Theo to his fate. When Jim is arresting Galavan, we get another “homage” to a great movie moment from the past, as Theo stupidly taunts Gordon, saying “wanna bet?” when Gordon says he will get the chair. Like the thug from The Untouchables who taunts Kevin Costner’s Elliot Ness and pushes him over the edge, Galavan tests Gordon’s moral fibre once more. Will Gordon pull a Ness and throw him out the window? Naw, this is still Gordon, after all. It looks like Galavan will go to jail like he is supposed to.
But not so fast. Penguin arrives, and he wants his own brand of justice. Now Gordon faces an interesting moment: if Penguin “takes care” of Galavan, real justice can be served, and Gordon’s soul can remain lily-white. Off to the docks they go – those same docks where, not so long ago, Gordon spared the life of a little awkward thug named Cobblepot. It was really powerful moment, in which we weren’t sure what Gordon would do. Would he stand by and allow Penguin to beat Galavan to death? I was torn as a viewer myself; part of me wanted to watch Theo get beaten to a pulp. But the greater part of me knew that was just not the right way to end it. And sure enough, so did Gordon – he stops Penguin by shooting Galavan. It is over – Gordon’s character came out intact, if a bit tarnished.
This was an action-packed climax to the first part of the season. The last few eipsodes had been building to what was promising to be a real barn-burner, and “Worse Than a Crime” delivered. Personally, I was glad to see Galavan’s story come to an end, as I just never found his arc to be all that engaging. Thankfully, there were lots of other layers this season to keep us interested. One final note though: the very end of the episode set up what is presumably going to be the basis for the second half of the season: Galavan was delivered to the lab of Dr. Strange, and a villain, looking like Mr. Freeze, attacking someone. It seems we may not have seen the last of Theo (damn!), but hopefully, his second life will be a bit more interesting than his first.
See you in January for Season 2 Part 2!