Cory Michael Smith's portrayal of Edward Nygma and the Riddler was one of the best elements of Gotham. Instead of just a brief arc, Nygma was a main character throughout the show and fans got to experience his gradual development and descent into madness that would transform him into the iconic Riddler.
The Riddler is best remembered for his dastardly schemes and penchant for riddles, but Smith's nuanced performance brought other aspects of the character to life. On occasion, Nygma could even be kind. While the kindness was often motivated by romantic feelings for characters like Kristen Kringle, Isabella, or Lee Thompkins, that doesn't negate the fact that the villain could be nice.
Take a look at Gotham: 10 Times The Riddler Was Actually Nice.
The Card For Kristen Kringle
Before he became fully entrenched in his identity as the Riddler, Edward Nygma was a quirky forensic scientist at the Gotham City Police Department who had a crush on his colleague Kristen Kringle. One of the nicer ways Nygma courted her was by writing a card that poetically expressed the many things he liked about her, from her personality to her smile.
While Kristen didn't have romantic feelings for Nygma at this point, she did tell him the card was thoughtful. It was a nice and appropriate gesture of affection. Unlike when he reorganized the filing system for Kristen even though that was her domain at the GCPD, the card didn't overstep any boundaries.
Farewell Hug For Jim Gordon
When Jim Gordon was demoted from police detective for the GCPD to a security guard at Arkham Asylum in the episode "Lovecraft", Nygma promised that he would write a letter that would resolve the situation for Gordon. When Gordon told him to forget about it as they just needed to accept the demotion, Gordon extended his hand. Nygma shook it and then embraced Gordon with a brief but sincere farewell hug.
It was a rare display of platonic affection from Nygma, especially at this point in the story when he was so often composed around others. It proved how much Nygma valued Gordon's ability to take him seriously and not ostracize him, unlike how he was treated by practically all the other cops at the GCPD. He was genuinely going to miss working with Gordon and wanted to show his appreciation.
Speaking Out Against Abuse
When Nygma noticed the bruises on Kristen Kringle's arms and ascertained that her boyfriend Tom Dougherty was abusing her, he spoke out against such heinous treatment. He confronted Dougherty at GCPD headquarters, talking about how Kristen's love was a gift and it was disgraceful for Dougherty to repay that love with abuse.
Instead of noticing the abuse and ignoring it as most in the GCPD did, Nygma brought it into the light so it would not continue. Ultimately killing Dougherty--the murder that sparked Nygma's descent into madness--is a grayer matter, but the first way he handled the situation was a genuinely nice and brave thing to do.
Saving Kristen Kringle's Life
When Jerome and the Maniax invaded GCPD headquarters and incited a massacre, Nygma saved Kristen Kringle's life. He dove toward Kristen and got her out of harm's way. Many lost their lives during the chaos and bloodshed that ensued, including the police commissioner Sarah Essen.
Nygma put the survival of someone else before his own, demonstrating a heroic side rarely attributed to the man who would become the Riddler. Kristen Kringle saw a whole new side of Nygma and realized there was more to him than his many peculiar quirks.
Chez Moi And A Double Date
Nygma asked Kristen Kringle out on a date to Chez Moi, which turned out to be a romantic evening at his apartment where he cooked a delicious meal for them and engaged in delightful conversation. The romantic spark of the evening continued as he invited Jim Gordon and Lee Thompkins to join him and Kristen for a double date.
During a night of fondue, wine, and laughter, Nygma continued to be sweet toward Kristen and offered a sincere toast of appreciation toward Gordon and Lee. Gordon and Lee were among the few who'd been kind to Nygma and appreciated his work at the GCPD. Whether or not he realized it, it was also nice of Nygma to make Gordon and Lee feel like a happy, normal couple for once, offering a break from the normal turbulence and fear that rocked their lives.
A Clean Campaign
When Penguin ran for mayor in season 3, Butch Gilzean tried to help Penguin win the election through bribery and blackmail. As Penguin's chief of staff, Nygma took a completely different approach, undoing Butch's work to ensure Penguin could run a clean campaign.
When Penguin won the election fair and square due to Nygma's work, it was the greatest gift he could've given. Penguin realized the people actually wanted him as their mayor, making his win far more meaningful and authentic than if it had been won through fear and bribery.
Promise To Penguin
In the season 3 episode aptly titled "Anything for You" Nygma told Penguin"I hope you know, Oswald, I would do anything for you. You can always count on me." This promise wasn't just mere words, but was proven to be true by the lengths Nygma had gone to make Penguin become mayor in a clean campaign, look like a hero, and to protect him from Butch Gilzean's betrayal.
Nygma owed Penguin a debt for freeing him from Arkham Asylum, yet the real reason he did all this was because he considered Penguin his one true friend who understood him. If Penguin hadn't let jealousy get the best of him and killed Isabella, Nygma would've forever stood by his kind promise.
Staying Up All Night Talking To Isabella
When Nygma met Isabella--a doppelganger of Kristen Kringle who loved riddles, literature, and oddly specific trivia as much as him--he fell head over heels for her. He stayed awake the entire night talking to Isabella, getting to know her and experiencing a connection unlike any he'd known in his entire life.
Nygma certainly wasn't the only one who enjoyed himself as Isabella even declared that it was the best 12 hours of her life. Isabella offered Nygma the opportunity to love and the power of simply being kind.
Helping Lee Be Queen Of The Narrows
Nygma was the first person to make Lee Thompkins realized that the people of the Narrows wanted her as their Queen. In the episode "Stop Hitting Yourself" Nygma told her, "You heal their children, you stitch up their warriors. You've slain a fire-breathing monster, and you helped topple the queen. This is your turf now."
He helped her embrace this truth and use her skills to lead the Narrows and make it a better place. As a wise and resourceful second-in-command, for a while, Nygma helped someone else instead of just helping himself, someone who was trying to create positive change in the world. The kind side of this didn't last forever, though, especially when the manipulative Riddler part of him took full control of his mind again.
Slowing Down Bane For Lee And Barbara
When Bane stormed the hospital to find and kill Barbara Kean, Nygma volunteered to slow down Bane and buy Barbara and Lee time to escape. He seemingly only agreed to this so Barbara would give him and Penguin the submarine part that they needed to escape Gotham.
It turned out Nygma knew where the submarine part was all along, though, meaning to get what he wanted he didn't actually need to risk his life against Bane in the first place. Regardless of the complicated and sometimes contentious history he shared with both Lee and Barbara, he kindly helped them survive even though he had little to gain by doing so.