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Prisoners are made in many ways. Jim was made one by the schemes of Ed. Oswald is a prisoner of his past. Elijah was made one by his wife. But prisoners can break free, if well motivated. This episode was all about setting prisoners free from the cells that held them.
Prisoners of the Law:
Jim is in segregation in Blackgate Prison. We see a montage of his lonely repetitive days soulfully underscored with the song Goreki done by Scala and Kolancy Brothers.The wonderful cinematography really puts you in Jim’s shoes. Jim is in his bunk with blue and black lighting at night that portray his loneliness and depression. That combined with the shadows of the bars remind us he is there locked away by the law he broke and by his willful separation from Lee. The days are bright but bleak and washed for any color. He slogs through his work in the laundry. Exercises in the yard to keep himself in shape out of more habit than anything. The meals are slopped on his plate and bring nothing but fuel for the day. But he still has some hope as he longingly looks at Lee’s photo.
Weeks pass and he is pulled out of his routine by Warden Grey, played artfully by Ned Bellamy. Grey makes it extremely clear to Jim that the law has put him in prison and his friends have left him to rot. Grey is in charge and throws him into F Block called World’s End because only death or parole get you out. No one gets parole. Warden Grey watches over his kingdom and orders the shots. He sees Jim as a threat and sets the inmates of Blackgate on Jim to do his dirty work. Beatings and verbal beatdowns begin to wear down Jim.
Meanwhile, Bullock is physically free, but he too is a prisoner of the law. He is making phone calls to all of his contacts in the GCPD. He even asks Ed for help. He goes to visit Jim and give him some hope, Dent is looking to re-open the case. But Jim asks the hard question about Lee not writing anymore. Bullock has to give Jim the horrible news that Lee lost the baby, has moved and been out of contact. Jim knows that he and Bullock are bound to and prisoners of the law. But now his one reason for hope is gone. Bullock looks in dismay as his friend walks off in defeat. With all legal avenues exhausted he turns to Falcone.
Prisoners of the Past:
Oswald has been getting to know his new family. They enjoy ghost stories over supper. He learns more about his father and his ancestors. But Oswald wants to be honest with his dad. He shares that he was a bad son and committed crimes. His confessions are overheard by wicked step-mother grace. Oswald’s nights are not pleasant either. His bed is one of nightmares. He re-lives his murders and maiming of those who trusted him. It seems like he is one of the prisoners held by the past. Grace, Sasha and Charles first try to use Oswald’s past to push him out of Elijah’s favor, but after a heart to heart Elijah’s has already forgiven him. The dastardly trio then try to use Oswald’s past to convince him (read seduce him) into offing his father to get the money. He may be one of the prisoners to the past but Oswald will not let it ruin the future and turns them down. It is amazing how Hugo’s reprograming combined with Elijah’s love have changed Oswald! But will it last, I don’t think so!
Prisoners of Family:
Elijah has welcomed his long lost son to the family. We find out how is interactions with Grace caused him to save her and the kids from an abusive husband/father. His noble nature, the sound of children’s laughter in the house and Grace’s attention caused him to love her and make them all his family. But Oswald is still the true heir. His love for family would never push them out but Grace and the kids do not see it that way. They have imprisoned Elijah in the house with their relationship. They have slowly worsened his health but switching drugs out with candy and now their plans are dashed by Oswald’s arrival.
Elijah shares freely with Oswald about the family’s history of being the master tailors for Gotham’s elite. Did the run in the same circles as the Wayne & Dumas families? Who knows? But melancholy and dark violent impulses run in the family. It seems as though Elijah’s father and Oswald are prisoners of these family impulses. Elijah’s father let them end him, but Elijah gives Oswald hope, support and forgiveness.
But Oswald is still captured by family as one of its’ prisoners. Grace and the kids seek to poison Oswald and keep Elijah as their own. But the plan backfires as Elijah drinks the poison instead. Now Oswald has had both parents die in his arms. It looks like he will continue to be one of the prisoners of family and turn to the dark impulses again.
Peter, aka Puck, is a prisoner on F Block. He has been sentenced to 6 years for stealing a car to impress a girl. He too is one of the prisoners of family. He has seemingly followed in his grandfather’s footsteps to F Block. But he is bound not to let it change him and not to die there. He stands up for Jim calling for peace. He suffers two beatdowns to try to protect Jim. He knows Jim is a hero because Jim saved his sister from car jackers. Puck continues to see the good in Jim and fights to tell him to have hope. His message to a broken Jim is choose life.
Thanks to Harvey’s work with Falcone, Jim faked murdered and taken away. Who know “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” could excite such violence? But Harvey’s words along with Puck’s convince Jim to go along with the escape. Not before he breaks the family cycle of death in Blackgate for Puck. With Puck rescued, they head to the edge of the city. Falcone offers Jim a way to spend life on the run or a way back to Gotham. Puck, with Jim’s help has broken free of the family curse. He died a free man. Jim now has to think. He is prisoner for family, his own! He wants to find Lee but to do that he has to clear his name by returning to Gotham. He is free to return to fight for his freedom.
Special Treat:
Thanks to Ken From Chicago for finding this Super Friends remix done for Boomerang:
News:
No new episode next week: Next weeks is the NCAA Championship game.
The next episode is “Into The Woods”: In an attempt to clear his name, Gordon steals his case file and approaches Nygma for help. Meanwhile, Penguin discovers his step-family’s role in his father’s death, and awakens from his conditioning in the all-new “Wrath of the Villains: Into the Woods” episode of GOTHAM airing Monday, April 11 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Here is the promo:
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