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The Blade’s Path is from Bruce’s hand in Ra’s body. It appears to have killed Ra’s but in Gotham death is temporary. Just ask Butch I mean Solomon Grundy and his new pal The Riddler. Sofia wants to mend ties with Penguin and not cut them, but will her plan work?
The Blade’s Path:
Bruce is guilt ridden over the death of Alex. He thinks it is his fault Ra’s al Ghul (Alexander Siddig) killed Alex. He has spent 2 sleepless days going over Dr. Winthrop’s notes. He tells Alfred the knife is the key. It is the only thing that can kill Ra’s. Alfred locks up the knife and reminds Bruce of his code of not killing. They then head over to Alex’s funeral. There Jim shares with Alfred some bad news. Ra’s has diplomatic immunity and will be extradited out of Gotham within the week. Alfred is upset and they trade barbs. Bruce overhears and makes a decision. Bruce dons his costume, grabs the blade and heads to Blackgate Prison. He gets in with out any issues, but that is a problem.
It seems that Ra’s has replaced the guards with his men. They let Barbara in with no fuss even though she has a “Man With The Golden Gun” style gun. Ra’s thanks her for he help and she asks about his promise to her. He puts his hand on the clear cell wall and she follows suit. Then something, part of his soul or power, passes over to her. He then waits for Bruce. Bruce makes it in and pulls out the blade, but his path and code will not let him kill Ra’s. Ra’s rises and calls him weak. The guards take Bruce to the sub-basement. There Ra’s tells him that hundreds of years ago he had a vision of Bruce setting him free. Only Bruce can do it and only with that blade. Bruce still refuses. Ra’s says he will leave and return to Gotham decades on to kill Bruce’s wife and kids. This sparks Bruce’s rage. He stabs Ra’s and as Ra’s dies his corpse rapidly ages.
Alfred has realized what Bruce was going to do. He heads to the GCPD and grabs Jim. They head to Blackgate. It is comical when they guards ask for their weapons. Jim has one, but Alfred came loaded for bear. They are escorted through the prison, but Jim, having spend time as an inmate there, knows things are not right. He also knows the guards are not right. He and Alfred trade non-verbal cues and then knock out and kill Ra’s men. They make their way to the sub-basement, but not in enough time to stop Bruce.
Both Jim and Alfred have to talk Bruce down. He feels like he let down his parents and his own code. But they remind him that he may have stepped off the path, but he can come back. Bruce is ready to burn his costume since the reason for it, Ra’s, is done. But Alfred stops him. Alfred says Bruce was right this is bigger than just Ra’s. Bruce can make a difference in Gotham. He might not be the hero Gotham needs, right now, but the costume and Alfred will be there for him when he is ready.
Solomon’s Path To Life:
Butch/Cyrus Gold is taking up needed bed space, so the hospital sends him upstate to be dumped in Slaughter Swamp. Between the Indian Hill chemicals in the swamp and possibly other things, Butch is reborn. He rises from the swamp pale white with a regrown left hand. He is drawn to the sounds of a group of men. They are listening to and singing along to the song of Solomon Grundy. Butch kills them steals the clothes and adopts the name of Solomon Grundy. His path leads him to Gotham to find out who he is.
Ed is not The Riddler he used to be. We see him tearing up a drugstore and berating the pharmacist to try and find a pill that will cure him. But the pharmacist says that specific pill does not exists and gets the upper hand on Ed, forcing him out of the store. Ed is running away when he runs into Grundy in an alley and Grundy knocks him out. The next morning Ed awakes thinking it is the pills only to find it was Grundy. Grundy wants to know who he is. Ed says that makes two of them. They share some food and Grundy saves Ed from an angry mob. Ed may not be his old self but he is smart enough to realize an opportunity. He tells Grundy they were friends and with Grundy winning them some money, they can restore Ed’s mind and find Grundy’s memories. They end up at a fight club run by the punk woman Cherry (Marina Benedict). Ed proposes Grundy fight to win some money and Cherry is fine with it but Grundy needs to get checked out by the Doc. That is no other than Leslie Tomkins. Three characters on a path of discovery find each other at their lowest points.
Sofia’s Path To Destroy Penguin:
Sofia is on a mission to bring Penguin down. She can’t do it as a rival, so she is going take him down from inside. She invites him to a public meal so people will think he has the Falcon family blessing. Meanwhile she researches and find’s his mother’s recipe for Hungarian goulash. At the restaurant, Penguin brings his taster, fearing poison. But Sofia is smarter than that. When Oswald tastes the goulash he is overcome and runs out. She is left questioning it.
Later she goes to the Iceberg Lounge where Penguin is icing his aching foot. He accuses her of trying to butter him up and she says that is not the case. She makes another step into his circle when she she says her father never did anything for her without motive and he is lucky his mom did. She shares a story of her past, who knows if it is true or not, saying her mom said heat is needed for pain. She lowers herself physically and in a social way and kneels down to warm and massage Penguin’s foot. Has she made it in? Can she bring Penguin down as a supposed friend and possible lover? We will have to see.
Closing Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this episode. It was so well written and that is because the writer is the executive story editor for the series writes the episode. We got Solomon Grundy introduced and a budding friendship with The Riddler too boot. Drew Powell looks like he is having a blast with this new character. Sofia is edging into the Penguin’s circle and his fail will be great. Crystal Reed is going a great job with this roll and I can’t wait to see where she takes it next. Bruce has killed Ra’s but will that death stick? I don’t think so. Bruce has stepped off of the path of light, but he has a long way to go to fully got on the path to Batman. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
News:
A Dark Knight: Hog Day Afternoon:
Gordon and Bullock are hot on a serial killer who has been assassinating cops and dressing his victims in the severed heads of pigs as his signature mark. Meanwhile, Sofia tries to win over Penguin, and Thompkins, Nygma and Grundy find themselves an unlikely home at Cherry’s place in the all-new “A Dark Knight: Hog Day Afternoon” episode of GOTHAM airing Thursday, Oct. 26 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
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