Bruce and Gordon take the knife to an antiquarian, Niles Winthrop, and Bruce asks him to tell him anything he can about it. Niles’ grandson Alex comes in from the library after doing his homework, and recognizes the cuneiforms on the knife. His grandfather explains that Alex is a student of history and sometimes assists him. Alfred secretly tells Bruce that they may be taking a risk involving Alex as well as Niles, but Bruce insists that they have to know the knife’s origins. Bruce asks the Winthrops to keep the matter confidential and that he’ll check back the next day.
Edward tries to come up with new riddles for his challenge to Oswald, gets an idea, and drives a knife into a newspaper of Oswald, vowing that he’ll die the next night.
Niles finds a reference to the Demon’s Head, and a legend about a warlord Ra’s al Ghul, a man who can’t die. He warns Alex that people believe in the legends and kill for them. Ra’s knocks at the door and Niles has Alex take the knife into his office. Niles answers the door and Ra’s walks in. He examines a vase and says that it’s a forgery, and asks for the knife that Bruce brought him. Niles denies having it, but Ra’s knows that he’s lying. Someone triggers the fire alarm, and Ra’s breaks Niles’ neck. He then leaves, unaware that Alex is hiding in the shadows.
Later, Jim arrives at the museum and finds Harper working the crime scene. She says that Harvey took a sabbatical for a few days and updates Jim on the murder. Bruce was the last person who visited Niles. Bruce arrives and Jim tells him what happened. The boy tells Jim about the knife and mentions Alex, and Harper starts the search for him. When Bruce mentions the knife, Jim asks him about it. The boy agrees to tell Jim what he knows if Jim lets him tag along, and says that it’s just an old knife and Barbara was another bidder. Jim tells Bruce to go home while he checks on Barbara.
Ra’s returns to Barbara and she complains about his “guests”. She wonders what’s so special about the knife, and Ra’s tells her that it has a destiny 2,000 years in the making. The guests, the Hunter and a dog-man named Anubis, are waiting and Ra’s tells them to bring him the knife and kill Alex.
Sofia meets with Oswald and claims that her father’s illegal business holds no interest to her. She’s there to deal with the Falcone charities, but Oswald wonders if she came back to lead Carmine’s old capos who went into hiding when he took over. He asks if Sofia is there to rebuild the Falcone empire, and Sofia explains that she wanted to come home. Apparently convinced, Oswald tells Sofia to give Carmine his best.
Jim goes to Barbara’s home and asks her about the knife and where she was when Niles was killed. Barbara tells him that she has an alibi, and Jim asks who is bankrolling her. Bruce comes in and asks if it’s Ra’s, and Barbara denies knowing him. Jim leaves with Bruce, and outside complains that Bruce followed him. Bruce insists that Barbara is lying, and Jim demands to know who Ra’s is. The boy says that Ra’s is the leader of the Court of Owls and responsible for the virus, and he doesn’t know why Ra’s wants the knife. Harper calls and tells Jim that no one has seen Alex and he’s not at school. He tells her to find out everything about Ra’s and hangs up, and tells Bruce that Alex probably triggered the fire alarm and is now hiding. Jim asks him where Alex might be, and Bruce remembers that Alex was studying at the library. The detective tells Bruce to come with him because Alex needs a face he knows.
Two rappers go to Oswald and recite a message from Edward about meeting him at a place designated by a riddle. Oswald irritably tells them to leave, and tells Victor to hide nearby with his men and capture Edward so that he can have Victor Fries freeze him again.
Jim and Bruce go to the historical records room at the library and Bruce calls to Alex. Alex tells them what happened and that Ra’s wanted the knife. Jim promises that the police will protect Alex, but Alex isn’t convinced. He says that he hid the knife, just as women outside start screaming. Bruce takes Alex to the station, and Jim draws his gun and goes to investigate. Anubis jumps him and Jim throws him off. The Hunter advances on Jim, while Anubis tackles Alex. Bruce hits him with a book, and Jim tells them to run. As the Hunter advances on Bruce with a knife, Jim knocks a shelf of books on him. By the time Jim gets there, the Hunter, Bruce, and Alex are gone.
At the station, Harper tells Jim that Bruce didn’t call in. She has nothing on anyone with Ra’s name, and Ra’s comes in and introduces himself. He says that he’s the Minister of Antiquities with the country of Nanda Parbat, and they talk privately in Harvey’s office. Once they’re alone, Jim tells Harper that Barbara must have told Ra’s about his inquiries. He figures that Ra’s think that they have the knife, and tells Harper to call Alfred and see if he’s heard from Bruce.
Bruce tends to Alex’s injuries and suggests that they go to the police, but Alex refuses. He wonders how Bruce does it, and Bruce says that he was terrified when his parents were killed but he learned to fight back against the fear. Alex tells him that the kids at school think that Bruce is weird, but admits that he’s weirdly cool and agrees to take him to the knife.
Ra’s tells Jim that Barbara is acting on behalf of his government, and she bid because of competing claims so that his involvement wouldn’t alert anyone. He explains that according to the legend, the legendary warlord needs the knife to fulfill his destiny. Jim implies that he has the knife and says that he can’t hand it over until he knows that Alex is safe. He tells Ra’s that Alex didn’t see the killer, and Ra’s “figures” that Alex is safe.
Alfred storms into the station and demands to see Jim. He storms into the office, asks where Bruce is, recognizes Ra’s, and punches him. Jim shoves him out and tells him to calm down, and they discover that R’as has gone. The detective figures that Ra’s knows they don’t have the knife, and they have to find Bruce.
Sofia invites Carmine’s capos to meet with her, and figure that it’s time now that Sofia is there. She tells them to leave, and her father isn’t coming back. Oswald and his men come in, and Oswald orders Victor to kill the capos. As he does, Oswald tells Sofia that he’s satisfied. She figures that Oswald used her to lure the capos out, and describes how Carmine would have dined them and had them swear loyalty to him. Sofia tells Oswald that it’s his city now, and Oswald tells her that it’s new times and new methods,
Bruce and Alex go back to the museum and Alex produces the knife. He explains the legend of the knife and how terrible things happen because it, and wonders if it’s just legends. Alex insists that Ra’s can’t get the knife and Bruce promises that he won’t. Anubis and the Hunter come in, and Bruce and Alex run. They hide in an animal diorama, and Anubis is unable to get their scent.
Alfred demands to know why Jim let Bruce in on the investigation, and refuses to tell Jim what’s going on. Jim explains that Bruce is taking Alex to get the knife, and Alfred takes out the knife case. The detective gets an idea, prepares to go, and tells Harper to hold Alfred there.
At the museum, Bruce and Alex try to slip out as Anubis hunts them down.
Oswald returns to the club and tells the rappers that Edward didn’t show. They recite a new riddle from Edward saying that Oswald must not be very smart. Disgusted, Oswald says that the riddle could mean anything and has them taken away to be tortured.
Alex drops the knife and Anubis hears the noise. He comes after them and grabs Bruce. Jim arrives and fires, driving off Anubis and the Hunter. He tells the boys to run, and then turns to fight the two men. Bruce jumps the Hunter, and Alex stabs the man in the leg. Jim tosses a bone from an exhibit out the window, and Anubis leaps out after it. The Hunter attacks Jim, who stabs him with a tooth from the same exhibit.
Jim demands answers from Bruce, and Ra’s arrives and puts a knife to Alex’s throat. He offers to release Alex in return for the knife, and Jim agrees. Bruce refuses to hand over the knife, who says that it’s too dangerous. Ra’s tells Bruce that he’s finally seeing things clearly but wonders if he’s strong enough, and cuts Alex’s throat. Bruce runs to Alex, and Ra’s invites Jim to arrest him.
Later at the station, Jim tells Bruce that Ra’s is going to Blackgate Prison. He assures the boy that Ra’s is a psychopath and Bruce isn’t responsible for what Ra’s did. Despite that, Bruce insists that Alex is dead because of him.
Edward goes to the lounge, furious that Oswald didn’t show. Oswald comes out and says that the riddles sucked. Edward insists that the answer was a cemetery, and Oswald tells him that he can’t make riddles anymore. Edward suggests that he’s still recovering from being frozen, and prepares to shoot Oswald. Oswald says that Edward will never be able to get revenge on him because he’s not the man that he froze on the pier. He then says that the Edward he knew would have noticed that it was chilly. Mr. Freeze steps out and disarms Edward with an ice blast, and Edward admits that he’s not the Riddler anymore. He tells Oswald to freeze him again, but Oswald tells Freeze to stop. Oswald tells Edward that he’s not going to freeze him because he’d only be trapping his rival… and Edward is no longer his rival and never will be again. He wants Edward to live with that. With that, Oswald and Freeze walk away.
Sofia invites Jim over and says that when she was 8 she saw Carmine kill a man at their table. The next day they had breakfast at the same table. She tells Jim that the city is in her blood, and admits that Oswald used her as bait to draw the capos out. When Jim objects, Sofia warns him that asking Carmine for help would never be bloodless. He wonders what Sofia is going to do, and she tells him that he’ll have to trust her. With that, they kiss.
The police take a smiling Ra’s into Blackgate.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 13, 2017