Gotham: 8 Unanswered Questions After The Season 5 Premiere

Caution: Spoilers ahead for the Gotham season 5 premiere

Here are all the major questions raised by the season 5 premiere of Gotham. After an extended break away from screens, Gotham finally returned last night with "Year Zero", delivering an action-packed season premiere. As previously announced, Gotham season 5 will act as the show's swansong and consist of a reduced 12 episodes, providing fans with a proper conclusion to this Batman prequel series.

The episode kicked off in unexpected fashion, launching the series ahead by over a year and showing Penguin and Riddler fighting alongside Jim Gordon and the GCPD. After such a colossal swerve, the episode swiftly backtracked to the early days of No Man's Land in order to explore how Gotham City found itself in such a dire situation. Cut off from the outside world and receiving no help from the Government, the city has been split into territories, most of which are controlled by criminal factions. Fortunately, the GCPD still hold a degree control and have created a stronghold to protect the citizens who were unable to evacuate. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is continuing his gradual evolution into the Caped Crusader but, for reasons unknown, apparently doesn't feel the need to hide his identity anymore.

With the end of the series in sight and a limited number of episodes in which to wrap up the story, Gotham's season 5 premiere was predictably eventful and set up a number of mysteries to play out across the remainder of the run. With plenty to unpack, here are the biggest points of discussion from Gotham season 5's opening salvo.

This Page: Questions About Gotham Season 5's Characters
Page 2: Questions About Gotham Season 5's No Man's Land

Why Do The GCPD Team-Up With Penguin And Riddler?

Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor as Riddler and Penguin in Gotham

Of all the question marks hanging over Gotham's final season, perhaps the most significant is the premiere's introductory flash-forward. In this scene, the GCPD have joined forces with both Penguin and Riddler and seem to be defending themselves against an unknown enemy. Given that the bulk of the episode, taking place almost a year prior, focuses on Jim Gordon's battle against Penguin for much-needed supplies, this development is very surprising indeed.

Clearly, both Gotham City's police department and its criminal contingent must be desperate in order to put their differences aside and become allies and the key to this question surely lies in the identity of their common enemy. It can be inferred this greater villain threatens the existence of the entire city, but who could possibly be enough of a threat to Gotham to warrant this odd alliance.

Other than the fact they have access to a tank, the scene itself doesn't offer many clues as to who these soldiers may belong to, but there are a few potential candidates. Jeremiah Valeska has been suspiciously quiet, according to Harvey Bullock, but is evidently still plotting in the background, while Bane has also been confirmed to make his debut this season. Either of these villains could pose enough of a problem to make the rest of the city unite against them.

Alternatively, the unidentified army seen in the flash-forward had a very militaristic appearance. Could it be that the U.S. government decides the best way to deal with Gotham City's predicament is to wipe it out completely, thereby forcing heroes and villains to work together in an attempt to save their home?

What's Happening With Riddler's Blackouts?

The schizophrenic relationship between Edward Nygma and his inner Riddler persona continues in Gotham season 5. Riddler's romantic feelings for Lee Thompkins resulted in his death last season, but nothing stays dead for long with Hugo Strange around, and the deranged scientist was tasked with bringing both Ed and Lee back to life.

As the audience catches up with Riddler this season, the evil genius appears to be living alone and is the dominant of Ed's two personalities, but is also frequently waking up in strange locations after blacking out. Riddler surmises that Nygma's psyche is responsible for these gaps in consciousness but fails to figure out what the ultimate goal could be.

It seems likely that inner-Ed is somehow trying to wrestle control back from Riddler and that whatever he's up to during these blackouts is working towards that end. It's also important to remember that Strange has a habit of resurrecting his subjects with "upgrades" - it's possible that whatever is going on in Riddler's head is a result of the Doctor's internal meddling. The other key question surrounding this Gotham veteran is which version of the character do viewers see in the premiere's flash-forward, the evil Riddler or the slightly less evil Ed Nygma?

Will Selena Be Able To Walk Again?

In the climactic finale of Gotham season 4, Jeremiah Valeska brutally gunned down Selina Kyle, leaving her fate somewhat unclear. As season 5 begins, Selina's life has been spared but, tragically, her paralysis remains. As a fiercely independent and constantly moving young woman, Selina does not react well to the fact that she'll never be able to walk again and desperately attempts to take her own life with an unattended scalpel.

While Selina's condition appears to be both completely genuine and utterly permanent, it does seem somewhat unlikely this will still be the case when the credits roll on this season's finale. After all, Selina is destined to become Catwoman, one of the most agile humans on the DC roster. Gotham's cancellation means that the show doesn't necessarily need to adhere to Batman canon, but it's also unlikely to make any major changes and preventing Selina Kyle from turning into Catwoman would certainly fall into this category. It's perhaps unsurprising then, that the premiere hinted at how Selina could be cured: the mysterious "Witch" recommended to Bruce by a nurse.

Who Is "The Witch"?

Morena Baccarin as Leslie Thompkins Gotham (Lee) infected with Tetch Virus

As Selina coldly points out, the only reason Jeremiah shot her was because of his feud with Bruce Wayne, and Bruce himself is painfully aware of this fact. As such, the youngster will seek the aid of a mysterious figure known only as the Witch in an attempt to fix Selina and absolve himself of the responsibility for her injuries. The Witch is not a name that Gotham viewers have heard before and it's entirely possible that this is a brand new character introduced specifically for the final season. More likely, though, the Witch will be a character viewers are familiar with.

Morena Baccarin's Lee Thompkins was conspicuous by her absence in Gotham's season 5 premiere and despite her death alongside Riddler previously, fans know that she too was resurrected by Hugo Strange. While little is known about the Witch, it is clear that she has earned a reputation for miraculous healing on the wild streets of No Man's Land and this is remarkably similar to Thompkins' role last season, where she became famous in the Narrows after setting up a clinic to help treat the poor.

This doesn't explain why she'd go by the name of "the Witch" and not simply "Dr. Thompkins" but the spooky name change could once again be attributed to the involvement of Hugo Strange. As previously mentioned, Strange doesn't simply bring people back from the dead, he also gives out superpowers more frequently than Jim Gordon changes love interests. Could Strange have given the revived Lee abilities that make her healing skills indistinguishable from a witch's magic?

Page 2 of 2: Questions About Gotham Season 5's No Man's Land

Who Are The Street Demons And Low Boyz?

In the "Year Zero" introductory set-up scene, Jim Gordon pours over a map that allows viewers to see how the city of Gotham has been split between the various criminal factions. There are territories belonging to Penguin, Scarecrow, the Sirens, Mr. Freeze, Victor Zsasz and two other, less familiar, names: the Street Demons and the Low Boyz.

Both of these gangs made minor appearances in the No Man's Land comic arc and selected other Batman stories, so their inclusion here is likely nothing more than Gotham giving a small nod to its source material by namedropping some canon background characters. Certainly, the Low Boyz didn't amount to much, being ruthlessly massacred by Penguin within minutes.

The Street Demons have yet to appear and while they could end up being simply an Easter egg on Jim's map, their presence is also a reference to another major villain; in the comics, this biker gang had a run in with the Ventriloquist. However, while it was initially reported that this character (and his dummy) would be introduced in season 5, showrunner John Stephens previously confirmed that the plan was axed. Gotham's Street Demons gang is likely either a leftover from this mooted plot or an Easter egg to compensate for its removal.

Who Shot Down The Wayne Enterprises Helicopter?

Erin Richards and Robin Lord Taylor in Gotham Season 5 FOX

With Gotham City in desperate need of supplies, Bruce Wayne decided to put his hefty bank balance to good use and have food and ammunition flown in from outside via helicopter. Naturally, the chopper's arrival attracts the gangsters of Gotham, the aircraft is shot down by an RPG and a fight ensues over the spilled cargo. Since Penguin is the leading distributor of firearms and ammo in No Man's Land, and he was also the first to arrive at the crash scene, Gordon immediately suspects him as the culprit who shot down the helicopter.

However, Penguin protests his innocence and quite rightly points out that, with law and order a distant memory, he has no reason to lie. So, who else could have brought down the supply vehicle? Assuming that the ammunition situation is as bad as claimed, the other criminal gangs wouldn't have had enough firepower to blow up the chopper. This would suggest that there is an unknown, hidden group lurking in the shadows with unclear intentions.

The secret existence of a larger enemy had already been hinted at in Gotham season 5's opening flash-forward sequence; the group fighting in that scene could also be responsible for attacking the Wayne Enterprises helicopter. However, Penguin also states that in order to pull off such an assault, he would've needed advance knowledge of the aircraft's arrival. This line suggests that whoever was responsible had access to GCPD HQ and with Ecco (Gotham's Harley Quinn) later seen waltzing in and out of Jim Gordon's office with ease, Jeremiah Valeska becomes the prime suspect behind the chopper assault.

Is Tabitha Dead For Good?

Jessica Lucas as Tabitha Galavan Tigress and Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot Penguin on Gotham

"Year Zero" shockingly bumped off one of Gotham's major players in Tabitha Galavan, killed by Penguin after her own assassination attempt went up in a cloud of misfired bullet smoke. It's very unusual for the deceased to stay dead in Gotham, meaning it's reasonable to ask whether or not Tabitha is gone for good or whether she too will find herself on Hugo Strange's miraculous operating table.

Unfortunately for Tabitha fans, it appears that Gotham's Tigress is properly dead. From a narrative point of view, the imagery of Barbara Kean pulling a dark cover over Tabby's body and swearing revenge on Penguin seemed to signal to the audience that the character had been truly killed. Furthermore, with only 11 episodes remaining, there would be little point in bringing Tabitha back. Her death provided the episode with a standout scene, a shocking moment and a feeling that (almost) no character is safe this season, while also livening up Barbara's story with a revenge angle. Bringing her back now would hold no reward whatsoever.

What Allies Does Jim Gordon Have Across The River?

Harley Quinn's visit to the GCPD is interrupted by an unknown voice coming through the radio, assuring Jim Gordon that Gotham City has allies on the outside that are looking to aid the fallen city. "Year Zero" ends without any indication as to who this mystery friend may be, or indeed how they plan on helping, but the message is welcome news to the ears of Gordon nonetheless. But should it be?

Gotham season 5 is set to introduce Jaime Murray as Theresa Walker, a character described as smart, driven and destined to be a leader, as well as committed to her mission and constantly planning. Walker is not a character derived from the DC Comic universe but supposedly has a dark secret connected to Gotham City and was previously reported as being a nemesis for Jim Gordon this season.

It seems highly likely that the voice heard over the radio belongs to Walker and while it's too early to gauge her true intentions, Gordon's situation is far too desperate for him to exercise caution. Exactly how Theresa fits into the already-packed Gotham landscape will likely become clear in the coming weeks.

"Year Zero" proved to be a jam-packed premiere episode for Gotham's final season and the show certainly has a lot of material to cover before it bids farewell completely. In reality, many of these mysteries could be connected, and with the likes of Jeremiah, Bane and Theresa Walker all still waiting in the wings, expect Gotham to maintain a brisk and intense pace that deliver answers to these questions sooner rather than later.

Next: Gotham's Biggest Mystery Is (Still) The Joker

Gotham season 5 continues 10th January with "Trespassers" on Fox.