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Gotham season 5, episode 12 review: The Beginning…

By Michael Patterson

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A Dark Knight rose and a Joker was born in Gotham’s series finale, but did the show’s long-awaited final episode serve up the conclusion that we had all been waiting for?

After five seasons, 100 episodes and countless memories, Gotham has bid us all farewell. Fox’s little Batman prequel that could has baffled, bewildered and bemused us for half a decade and yet, it still felt like it had so much more to give. That didn’t, however, stop the unorthodox series from going to the well one more time to ensure that it went out with a bang.

The heavily anticipated series finale gave us a glimpse into what life was like in the hellish city one decade after the madness that ensued over the course of the show’s five-year run and, in typical Gotham fashion, it was nothing short of a twisted masterpiece.

A Team To The End

Structurally, Gotham‘s finale was as unusual as the show itself. In the first half of it, we were reintroduced to all of the main characters as their conversations with one another cleverly relayed some of the events that had gone down in the previous decade that ultimately got them to where they are now. In doing so, we learned that Commissioner Gordon wanted to retire from the GCPD, Lee Thompkins was still a doctor, Alfred was still the loyal Wayne Butler, Harvey and Lucius were still Harvey and Lucius, Barbara had become the “Queen of Gotham” and Selina was a cat burglar.

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The one thing that brought all of them together, however, was the impending return of Bruce Wayne. As a result, the finale didn’t have a sole protagonist and, although that sounds like a bad thing, it really wasn’t. They were all experiencing the events of that fateful night together, just as they had experienced all of the madness of the show’s five-year stint together.

While fans have spent the last half-decade arguing over whether Bruce Wayne or Jim Gordon was Gotham‘s real protagonist, and there is convincing evidence to support each argument, the truth is that none of them were because the show never belonged to one single character. It was, at its heart, an ensemble piece full of rich and troubled individuals and an insanely talented cast that made all of this madness happen week-in and week-out, so it was only fitting that it ended with all of them sharing the spotlight one more time.

Rise Of The Villains

Speaking of ensembles, the finale also relied rather heavily on its eclectic cabinet of antagonists in a bid to complete each one’s respective transformation into their comic book counterpart. Oswald’s official release from Blackgate was reflected in Ed’s involuntary breakout from Arkham and, despite being in sync with each other one more time, they were completely unaware that they were pawns in a much larger game.

Of course, the mastermind behind it had to be Jeremiah, or “J” as we’ll call him from now on. As phenomenal as the other two are, they were incredibly close to completing their transformations already. Jeremiah, on the other hand, had only been used on a recurring basis and, on each occasion, he was treated with that same unnerving reverence as though the characters knew that they needed to be extra careful with him. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why only he could have filled the Big Bad role in the finale.

Much like in the series itself, he was presented as the worst of the worst and, after he emerged from his supposed vegetative state, he absolutely backed that up. Though the character’s finished look initially went down rather mixed, it certainly added to the already-disturbing atmosphere that Jeremiah usually brought with him and it was a perfectly macabre way for Gotham to put its own stamp on the Joker.

The finale was very clear in telling us that Oswald, Ed and Jeremiah no longer exist and in their places are Penguin, Riddler and, worst of all, The Joker. Message heard loud and clear.

One Legend Ends, A New One Begins

In many ways, Gotham‘s finale was a somewhat predictable story but, when you stop to think about it, there was really nothing else that it could have given us. Much like fellow DC prequel series Smallville, its ending was decided before the pilot even aired – the only question was simply how it would get there.

That in itself is really what Gotham has been all about. How do they get there? Do they tell the story we expect them to tell? Or do they go off and do something completely different? The answer is… well, I think you already know that.

Gotham spent five years subverting the expectations of its fans, while putting its own unique spin on everything that it touched. Now was the time to finally tell the predictable story and, quite frankly, the result speaks for itself.

Bruce Wayne’s journey has come full circle and, after spending 10 years finding himself, he has returned to save his city as the Dark Knight. The story of Gotham is over, but the story of Batman is just beginning.

Gothic Getaways

  • Gotham really outdid itself with its series finale. It was everything that fans could have asked for while, in typical Gotham fashion, was also a whole lot more.
  • Keeping Batman off-screen until the very end was an excellent method of creating suspense and it worked to perfection.
  • Barbara Kean should be renamed Barbara Queen. That is all.
  • Lili Simmons did a very good job of not just emulating Selina Kyle, but Camren Bicondiva’s portrayal of her. Very nice indeed.
  • Seeing Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor together one more time, only this time as the final versions of The Riddler and The Penguin, was so good. Oswald and Ed were undoubtedly the show’s most engaging duo and it was nice to see the finale play off their relationship in such an important way.
  • Penguin taking Gordon to the pier where he was almost shot by him was a nice callback to the pilot. I’m not crying, you’re crying!
  • “This begins and ends with you and me!” – Oswald Cobblepot to Jim Gordon (2019).
  • Cameron Monaghan pulled out an incredible performance as J. He has, without a doubt, been Gotham‘s hidden gem throughout its entire run because, despite not being a series regular, he has managed to steal the show in each respective season. His turns as Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska set the bar high for his eventual Joker and, after witnessing his performance in the finale, it’s safe to say that he absolutely exceeded the already-high expectations. He has easily earned his place as one of the all-time greatest Jokers.
  • When Gordon asked Jeremiah/J what he should call him from now on, the Clown Prince of Crime responded with a list of names beginning with J – the first one being Jack. This was undoubtedly a subtle nod to Tim Burton’s 1989 classic Batman in which the Joker was named Jack Napier before his accident. That Joker was portrayed by Jack Nicholson.
  • Selina’s conversation with Bruce was a nice way of tying up their conflict and setting up a new normal for the pair. A cleverly orchestrated scene, no doubt, but it reminded us of how much the finale missed David Mazouz and Camren Bicondova.
  • Barbara Gordon was the first person Batman rescued on the show.
  • That last shot, of Bruce standing atop the building dressed as Batman was everything. Goosebumps couldn’t even begin to describe it.
  • It’s official: The Dark Knight has risen.

This officially marks the end of our Gotham reviews. With that, I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank the writers, producers, cast and crew for making this incredible show for the last five years. It’s been nothing short of a joy to watch and it will be missed a great deal.

Thanks for everything, Gotham.

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Gotham‘s five-year run on Fox has now concluded. Did you enjoy the final episode? Will you miss the show? Share your favorite Gotham moments in the comments below!

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