Gotham's fourth season will be pitting two of its biggest villains against each other again, with The Riddler and The Penguin now on opposite sides. The past three seasons have seen Edward Nygma and Oswald Cobblepot rise from their mild origins to full blown criminal masterminds. But their relationship has been a complicated one from the start, especially when Oswald began to develop genuine romantic feelings for Nygma.

And when those feelings evolved into jealousy over Nygma's relationships, Oswald turned murderous. The pair ended up as sworn enemies with Nygma swearing revenge on Oswald for murdering Isabella. Given how the third season ended, it seemed like Oswald had won their fight, with Nygma frozen by Mr. Freeze. However, it now looks like Ed will be somehow freed from his icy prison during the upcoming season, and the fight between the two will continue to cause havoc.

Robin Lord Taylor, the actor behind The Penguin, discussed with Comic Book how Penguin will come to terms with Edward escaping 'The Iceberg Lounge' and what it means for the pair going forward on Gotham:

"We know that Ed escapes and that is an extremely terrifying moment for Oswald because, again, Oswald when he’s at his lowest its when he has no control. Nygma is the only person who could meet Oswald on his level in terms of intellect and cunning. Now that he cannot control him anymore it's terrifying and threatening to him."

The Penguin might not be harbouring any romantic feelings for Ed, but he still respects him to a certain level - otherwise he wouldn't be as scared about the escape. It sounds as if their relationship is only going to become more complicated as it goes on. Their time working together clearly had an impact on the both of them. We already know that the fourth season will be difficult for The Riddler, as he might not be the same as he once was. But Cory Michael Smith, who plays the character, has said the underlying relationship between the two villains will always be there.

"I think that there will always be respect between the characters. I think their relationship was so personal and intimate, I don’t know that there’s another character that understood Ed the way that Oswald did and I think vice versa. So I think there’s such a connection there and such a fear of the other and a respect of the other that that will constantly be there." - Cory Michael Smith

The two villains aren't be working together in the next season, and their fight will most probably spill over into the streets of Gotham. It's only a matter of time before more people get caught in the crossfire between them as they becoming increasingly dangerous. It's almost as if a vigilante is needed to put away those criminals that might hurt the innocents of Gotham. Perhaps a billionaire teenage philanthropist, perhaps?

Gotham season 4 premieres September 21st on FOX.

Next: Gotham Season 4 Draws from Long Halloween & Batman: Year One Comics

Source: Comic Book