At Mario's funeral, Jim arrives and watches from a distance as the mourners stand at the grave. After the priest is done, Harvey approaches Jim and warns him that he shouldn't be there. Jim insists that he had to do it to save Lee, but Harvey warns that Carmine won't see it that way. He wonders what Jim planned to do, and says that it isn't the time or the place to talk about the past. As he leads Jim away, Carmine sees them go and walks away.
Oswald calls Edward but gets no answer. A secretary informs Oswald that the press is in the conference room after the latest figures have come in. When Oswald goes in, everyone applauds and the secretary says that all the positives for Gotham. The new deputy chief of staff, Tarquin, joins Oswald and assures him that his job is to serve just as Edward did. Once the reporters leave, Tarquin says that TV hostess Margaret Hostess should have Oswald as a guest, and she's in his office. Oswald asks how his hair is.
Jim returns to his apartment and realizes that someone is there. He draws his gun and move forward, and finds Victor there. Victor says that Jim messed up by killing Mario, and warns that eventually Carmine will tell his men to kill Jim. The killer promises that Jim won't see him coming and he won't feel a thing, and says that it's been nice knowing him. After congratulating Jim on the shot, Victor leaves.
Maria goes to the home that her daughter Selina is using, and Selina finally asks her why she's back after eleven years. Her mother apologizes and says that she had no choice but to move, and she left Selina at the same orphanage where she was left at as a girl. Selina asks who her father is, and Maria asks her if she's dating Bruce. When Selina doesn't answer, Maria says that she got into trouble and had to leave or the law would have caught her. She admits that she made a bad call not taking Selina with her, and explains that she just came to say that she loved her. Selina emphatically tells her goodbye, and Maria leaves.
Tarquin takes Oswald to meet Margaret, and she says that she plans to show the citizens of Gotham what she finds inside of Oswald's head. Oswald agrees and Margaret says that she'll do a live interview with Oswald the coming Friday at City Hall. The woman admits that she's not a fan and promises that she won't hold back, and Oswald says that the truth is in his numbers. As she leaves, Oswald imagines seeing Edward outside.
Lucius shows Jim and Harvey the corpse of Melanie Blake, who died of heart failure after she was found wandering the train tracks. Someone applied a strong electrical current to her head. Jim notices stab wounds, and Lucius says that she was pronounced three days ago and taken to the morgue. As the two detectives leave, Lee comes over and says that as acting captain she demands that Harvey arrest Lee for Mario's murder. She says that he didn't have to kill him, and that Jim spared Barnes' life even though he was infected as well. Lee tells Jim that he's the real virus destroying people's lives, and warns that he hasn't heard the end of it before walking off.
Oswald is dozing at his manor when he hears glass break. He jerks awake and finds a broken painting on the wall. Someone moves through the dark behind him, and Oswald realizes that it's Elijah. He begs his father for help, and Elijah says that he's not to be trusted. There's a flash of lightning and Elijah disappears. Someone knocks at the door, and Oswald finds two policemen there. He says that someone broke into the cemetery and dug up Elijah's remains.
Jim and Harvey go to the morgue and the night manager, Mr. Dwight Pollard, greets them. They ask him about Melanie, and Dwight discovers that she's missing from her drawer. He says that they don't have any security because nothing ever happens there. Jim imagines that he sees someone down the hall, but tells Harvey that it's nothing and says that they should follow Dwight.
At Wayne Manor, Bruce and Alfred examine the owl statue that they stole. Bruce figures that they can use it as leverage, as someone knocks at the door. Alfred draws his gun while Bruce sets the statue in the hallway... unaware that it's glowing after he leaves. Meanwhile, Alfred discovers that Maria is at the door. She says that she wanted to leave a box for Selina, and Alfred invites her in. Maria explains that she needs to catch a train, and she kept some things from her time in Gotham, and Selina is too angry to talk to her further. Alfred takes the box and Bruce advises Maria that she shouldn't leave yet. He offers to talk to Selina.
Jim and Harvey follow Dwight to his apartment. Harvey calls in and discovers that Dwight worked at Indian Hill before he was at the work. Meanwhile, Dwight leaves his apartment talking to someone on the phone, reporting that Melanie got out.
Lee tells Carmine that Mario did have the virus. Carmine doesn't care and says that Jim's life is his to take: blood for blood. Lee says that she hates Jim because he's caused everything bad in her life. Carmine warns that they will both have to carry the burden if Jim dies, and asks if she can do it.
Bruce visits Selina and shows her Maria's box. He sets it down and Selina reminds him that Maria left her alone in Gotham. Bruce tells her that forgiving is the hardest thing any of them can do, but it may be her only chance to reach back to her mother. Selina says that her mother is a crook, but Bruce warns that she may never see her again. She opens the box and finds her childhood things. Maria comes in and after a moment, a crying Selina hugs her.
Dwight goes down the street and ducks into an abandoned theater. Jim and Harvey go inside after him and find dozens of people there. Dwight steps up on stage, wearing a tuxedo, and the people applaud. He then says that the people of Gotham are slaves and do nothing about it, but there was someone who stood up to the jailers: Jerome Valeska. Dwight runs a film of Jerome announcing his "message," and the audience laughs in appreciation. Jim tells everyone to go home and everyone runs when Harvey fires a warning shot. The audience rushes the two detectives, and by the time they get to the stage, Dwight is gone. Victor and his men open fire on Jim, who takes cover with Harvey. He runs off to draw their fire, leaving Harvey behind.
Jim runs into a nearby restaurant and orders everyone else. Victor's men come in firing and Jim takes one of them out and then grabs the other one. Victor comes in and shoots, hitting the second killer, and Jim takes cover. Victor empties the clip on his machine gun, draws his pistols, and move forward. Jim uses a service cart as a shield and gets close enough to Victor to attack him. The two men struggle and Jim finally knocks Victor out, grabs his gun, and walks out.
That night, Oswald waits in his manor. He hears a woman singing "Happy Birthday" and goes to investigate, calling to Elijah. His father appears and tells Oswald to find him so that he can lie at rest. He says that Isabella is on the other side and whispering tales of murder, and talks about the "birthday boy." The lights come up and Elijah is gone.
Lee goes to Arkham and asks Barnes if Mario would have killed her. Barnes says that he has never felt better in his life since he was infected, and that the virus is the antidote rather than a disease. He insists that he doesn't need a cure and says that Jim is the first person that he will judge, convict, and execute once he gets out. Lee runs out as Barnes starts ranting about how he will be the city's executioner.
At Wayne Manor, Bruce, Alfred, and the Kyles have dinner. Maria talks about her exploits until Alfred suggests that she switch the subject. First Selina and then Maria pickpocket him, and Maria says that she should go. Bruce invites her to stay the night and Maria accepts.
The next morning, Oswald arrives at city hall and hears people singing. People have gathered in a nearby room to wish a coworker happy birthday, and Oswald remembers Elijah's warning. He goes to his office and finds his father's corpse in the closet. Tarquin comes in with a piece of cake and Oswald figures that he's responsible. He beats in Tarquin's skull with a trophy, just as his secretary knocks on the door and says that the TV crew is ready. Shocked, Oswald puts the trophy down and goes.
Lee goes to Carmine and tells him off. She explains that the virus drove Barnes insane, and Carmine asks her if she really hates Jim. He figures that she still loves Jim, and Lee stares at her father-in-law in shock.
Oswald arrives for the interview with Margaret. He sits down and she reminds him that the world is watching. The interview begins and Margaret asks how he lowered the crime rate in Gotham. Oswald notices a drop of blood on his sleeve, hastily covers it over, and answers the question.
Jim returns to his apartment to get more guns, and Harvey comes in behind with a shotgun. Victor barges in and opens fire, and the detectives take cover. The hitman comes up behind Harvey, and Jim comes up behind him. Victor threatens to kill Harvey if Jim doesn't drop the gun, but Carmine comes in and tells Victor that the job is canceled. The killer immediately leaves, and Jim apologizes to Carmine. Carmine says that if it was up to him Jim would be dead, and walks out.
At City Hall, Margaret asks Oswald about all the deaths associated with his rise to power. She points out that murder sent him to Arkham, and Oswald insists that he freed Gotham from Theo. As they talk, Elijah appears in the shadows holding the trophy. Oswald says that he has to go, calling to Elijah as he walks out. Margaret says that the people want to know the truth, and Oswald says to hell with the people. He goes back to the office and discovers that Tarquin's body is gone. Oswald limps out while Edward watches from across the street and smiles. He then goes to the trunk of his car, which holds Tarquin and Elijah's bodies. Edward congratulates "Elijah," who is Indian Hills subject Basil in disguise. Barbara and Tabitha come in, and Barbara congratulates them on driving Oswald insane on national TV. Tabitha suggests that they leave the bodies for the police, but Edward says that he wants Oswald's death to be a long and painful one. First they'll destroy Oswald's mind, then his empire, then his life.
Alfred drives Maria back to her hotel and she kisses him in the cheek as Selina looks on in disgust. Maria and Selina go up to Maria's room and discover that the door is broken up. After telling her daughter to wait inside, Maria goes in and the waiting man, Cole Clemons demands his money. When he grabs Maria, Selina goes in says that they can get him the money. Cole draws a gun and demands to know who dropped them off, and Selina says that Bruce will give Cole the money. The criminal says that perhaps he'll pay Bruce a visit and tell him all about Maria. Once he leaves, Maria says that Cole is her past coming back to punish her, and they need to warn Bruce and Alfred.
That night, Dwight meets with his accomplice. The man says that Melanie must have stumbled out, and Dwight warns that the current is still too strong. He says that it's time to get "him."
In one of the pods beneath Indian Hills, Jerome's body lies frozen.
Written by Gadfly on Jan 17, 2017