Gotham has come to an end, but there are plenty of unanswered question after the series finale. Shortly before the end of season 4, it was revealed that Gotham's next run would act as the show's conclusion and with a clear end in sight, these final episodes were intended to bring all characters and storylines to a mostly satisfying resolution. Jim Gordon completed his journey to become Commissioner of the GCPD, Bruce Wayne finalized his transformation into Batman, and the likes of Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman edged gradually closer to their comic book selves, all while fending off the violent advances of Bane and Nyssa al Ghul.
Gotham's final episode advanced the story by a decade, catching up with the city's heroes and villains after a Bat-free period of relative peace. The finale's plot was dominated by a dastardly comeback scheme from Jeremiah Valeska, as Gotham's Joker made another lethal attempt to grab the attention of Bruce Wayne and bend Gotham's residents to his twisted will. Most of the discussion, however, will inevitably revolve around the Caped Crusader himself. While Batman certainly can't be accused of outstaying his welcome in the finale, his first proper appearance cast a foreboding shadow over proceedings and provided Gotham with what could only ever be its final shot.
Even though Gotham is over, the show still managed to leave a few points unresolved - particularly with regards to the future glimpsed in the final episode.
How Long Has Jeremiah Been Awake?
After Jeremiah took a dunk in an Ace Chemicals vat earlier this season he was officially declared comatose, but Gotham was careful to mention the possibility of him waking up sometime in the future. The villain's return in the finale episode was, therefore, hardly a surprise and the promotional build-up had already revealed Jeremiah's final Joker design well ahead of time.
Somewhat more surprising is the manner in which Jeremiah returned to the world of the living. Gotham's Joker is first seen in the finale as a lifeless, drooling husk in Arkham Asylum, being used as a punching bag by other inmates, and Riddler even drives a shiv into Jeremiah's leg - all without any reaction. In a shocking twist, it's later revealed that Jeremiah has been awake all along, patiently making his sinister plans for Bruce Wayne's return. Jim Gordon later tries to ascertain exactly when Jeremiah came out of his coma but, in true Joker fashion, is unable to get a straight answer.
Exactly how long Jeremiah has been faking his vegetative state is a mystery but it's safe to assume that he's lucid during every flash-forward scene, including when Riddler stabs him in the leg. Jeremiah's ability to take such intense pain without even the slightest reaction helps maintain the aura of inhuman sadism that is so closely associated with the character of the Joker.
Where's Robin?
Gotham's final episode played out almost like a Batman greatest hits, giving fans (mostly) comic-accurate versions of almost every major character in the canon. Batman debuts, Jeremiah is as close to the Joker as he's every been, Jim Gordon is a jaded, mustache-toting Commissioner, and viewers even glimpse a young Batgirl bravely taking on Jeremiah and Harley Quinn. One notable omission is Bruce Wayne's protege, Dick Grayson, better known as Robin.
The Boy Wonder appeared previously in Gotham as a baby in season 1, so his existence in the show has already been confirmed and by the time of the finale, taking into account the show's timeline and 10-year time skip, Dick should be a teenager. While this is old enough for him to at least feature as a Flying Grayson, the Gotham finale sees Bruce returning to the city for the first time in a decade, so he clearly hasn't had the opportunity to adopt any orphaned circus performers. Furthermore, the Dark Knight seen in the final episode still feels relatively youthful, and it's hard to buy into him as the legal guardian of a child at this point. Perhaps a compromise would've been to show Alfred struggling to control a moody young teen while attending to his official Wayne Enterprises business.
Robin may not fit neatly into the Gotham narrative then but, as the only member of the main Bat Family not to feature, his absence is certainly felt. Perhaps that's why he's so angry in Titans?
Does The Finale Set Up The "Real" Harley Quinn?
Harley Quinn's identity has always been a keen point of speculation in Gotham and the show's producers even admitted changing their plans with regards to the character. Eventually however, the role settled upon Ecco, the close personal assistant of Jeremiah Valeska. Parallel to Jeremiah's transformation into the Joker, Ecco was gradually taking on more Harley Quinn-isms, including the red and black color theme and a penchant for calling people "puddin'."
The series finale certainly defied expectations then, when Ecco sustained an injury and Jeremiah ruthlessly finished her off. Gotham's final season has been relatively light in terms of major deaths, largely because viewers know most of the cast are destined to play a role in the future of the Batman story, so the apparent demise of Harley Quinn seems at odds with the show's overall approach. Fortunately, a morbid quip from Jeremiah may provide an explanation.
While dispatching his doting assistant, Jeremiah says "there'll never be one like you...but I suppose there are other fish in the sea." This line seems to suggest that Ecco has never actually been the real version of Harley Quinn, and that Jeremiah will meet the genuine article further down the line - most likely as the psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel in Arkham.
What's Going On With Bruce & Selina?
The romantic relationship between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle has been complicated to say the least in Gotham, but season 5 found the couple approaching some sort of stability as young lovers. That is, until Bruce decided to skip town for a decade, leaving Selina only a letter as a means of saying goodbye. No woman would be pleased by this, but with Selina's notorious issues regarding trust and letting other people in, the hurt she feels over Bruce's departure is doubled.
When the billionaire returns ten years later as the Dark Knight, he begins watching Selina from afar, but his presence doesn't go unnoticed by the Catwoman, who visits Alfred demanding he keep his young master away from her. The request is ignored, and Bruce and Selina later have a short conversation - their first in a decade. Will they rekindle their relationship? Will Selina turn on her flighty ex-boyfriend? A bit of both, as it turns out.
Selina takes her anger out on Bruce, but also reveals how much she wanted to be with him, before asking where they can go now. Bruce responds by promising never to leave the city again, but then kills any romance by demanding Selina return a stolen diamond and promptly disappearing off into the night. This leaves the relationship between the Bat and the Cat on very uncertain ground - much like it always has been, and how it's generally portrayed in the comic books.
What's Bruce Been Up To For Ten Years?
The Batman story is a fairly simple one. Orphaned boy leaves city to become a hero who can prevent the same tragedy happening to others. The situation is slightly more complicated in Gotham however, as Bruce has already trained to a high level before departing the city. Throughout the show's five seasons, the billionaire has been tutored by both Alfred and Ra's al Ghul and become a more-than-capable combat specialist. Despite this, Bruce still left the city for a further decade of training abroad.
This is a significant contrast to a story such as Batman Begins, where Bruce begins his travels as an amateur, trains with the League of Shadows and then returns as an entirely new man. Since Gotham's Bruce already possesses a strong skill set and has already encountered Ra's, some viewers may be wondering exactly what he's been studying for the past ten years.
It's perhaps safe to assume that Bruce hasn't been sunning himself on an exotic beach in the interim period, as there is an obvious improvement in his movement, stealth and strength after returning to Gotham City. But exactly how Bruce enhanced his skills during the time skip will likely always remain a mystery.
How Much Do Alfred And Lucius Know About Batman?
In Gotham's final offering, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City as a fully-fledged Batman complete with costume and gadgets, however since Bruce himself is a no-show at the Wayne Tower opening, it's unclear how long he's actually been back in town. Typically, Alfred is left to cover for Bruce's absence and it seems that the butler has been fully briefed about his employer's new identity.
Indeed, a quiet conversation between Alfred and Lucius later confirms that Bruce returned to Gotham some time ago and informed both men of the new "journey" he would be taking. This sets up the usual dynamic seen in both the Batman comics and the Christopher Nolan movies where Bruce's vigilantism is assisted by Alfred and Lucius Fox. In Gotham's final scene however, Alfred looks visibly surprised after seeing the Batman in all his pointy-eared glory on the city rooftops.
This would seem to suggest that while Bruce may have told the butler about his plans to fight crime, he stopped short of giving Alfred a sneak peek at the outfit. With that said, it could also be argued that, since Lucius probably made the Bat-suit, Alfred almost certainly would've had seen it before and his surprise is purely an act for the benefit of Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock to avoid raising suspicion. The scene is open to interpretation, adding to the sense of mysticism surrounding the Caped Crusader's first Gotham appearance.