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Rise of the Villains: Damned If You Do Recap

Bruce and Alfred descend down the tunnel and come to a stone door. There's a keypad and Bruce tries several numbers without success.

One Month Later

Leslie helps Jim dress for work.

Harvey cleans up at a bar.

In a board room, Oswald has a man kneel before him. He then has Zsasz kill him.

Barbara arrives in Arkham and the other prisoners--including Jerome--watch her go.

A man gives another man a blue liquid and orders him to drink it. The man the walks through the streets in a costume, saying that he is Zaardon the Soul Reaper. Jim is in a patrolman's uniform and orders him to drop the guns. Zaardon does so but then draws a sword and grabs a hostage. He then throws her aside and attacks Jim, who finally takes him down. Jim's new partner Franks comes over and Jim complains that he's late. When Franks wonders what the problem is, Jim angrily shoves him away and draws his gun on several punks trying to loot the nearby store.

At the station, Zaardon wonders how he could have been captured. Jim signs the paperwork to send him to Arkham, and Zaardon warns him that the master will unleash hell upon him. As Jim locks him up in the holding cell, Zaardon tells him that dark days are coming. Unimpressed, Jim goes to the bathroom and sees Edward. Edward assures him that he's doing fine, just as Jim is called to the captain's office. Once he leaves, Edward's reflection tells him that they need a little some romance. Edward tells his reflection to leave Kirstin alone and runs off.

In Sarah's office, Loeb reads Franks' complaints about Jim putting his hands on him. Jim admits it, and Loeb dismisses Franks. The commissioner then says that he hoped demotion would force Jim to quit like it did Harvey, and now immediate dismissal is mandatory. Sarah objects but Loeb orders her to take Jim's badge and gun. Jim tells Sarah to let it go and says that it's an honor working for her. Loeb says that some men aren't meant to be cops, and Jim offers him his hand. When Loeb shakes it, he tells him that he will break him and walks out.

In his cell, Zaardon is sleeping and belches out a cloud of blue gas.

At home, Jim tells Leslie what happened. He says that there are still things he can do, even though he doesn't have any legal moves left. Leslie admits that she's glad they fired him because she knew he'd never quit, and Jim insists that he's a cop.

At Arkham, Jerome approaches Barbara and makes small talk. He explains that he killed his mother and then points out Richard Sionis staring at her. Jerome says that Sionis wants to be Barbara's friend, and she refuses. Her new confidant warns that a girl needs a friend in Arkham, and Barbara calls over another prisoner. When the man comes over, Barbara introduces herself and asks him to be his friend. He gratefully accepts, and Barbara asks him to protect her if someone tries to hurt her. Jerome watches her, impressed, and says that his friend can get her things other people can't get: anything she needs. Barbara says that she needs a telephone and Jerome smiles.

Butch and Oswald review the money owed to Oswald now that he's taken over Falcone's territory, while Selina and Tommy Bones watch. Jim is escorted in and says that they need to talk. Oswald orders everyone out except Selina, who says that she's trying to move up. Jim asks Oswald for a favor, and reminds him that he saved him from Maroni's men at the hospital. Oswald concedes the point and immediately says that he will fire Loeb and get Jim his old job back. Jim admits that he's right, and Oswald asks why. Oswald asks what Leslie thinks, but Jim ignores the question and starts to leave. As he goes, Oswald asks for a small favor in return. He wants Jim to settle a "dispute" with a friend of his, Ogden Barker. Jim realizes that he's supposed to collect a debt, and says that it's fair... and refuses. Oswald tells him to sleep on it but Jim keeps on walking.

Later, Jim goes to Harvey's bar and drinks. Harvey advises him to walk away, figuring he could never work for Oswald. Jim invites him to drink with him, and Harvey says that he's been sober 32 days. He assures his ex-partner that it's hard but someone can resign the force. Jim hugs him and says that he's proud of him, and then leaves.

That night, Jim goes to the manor and notices that Alfred and Bruce are dirty. He tells them that he's been fired from the GCPD and came to apologize because he can't keep his promise to find the killer of Bruce's parents. Jim admits that he could get reinstated if he collected a debt for Oswald, but it would be too demeaning. Bruce reminds him that he was going to clean up the GCPD and change Gotham, and that he can do something ugly to do it. He wonders if Jim is sacrificing the greater good for vanity, pointing out that sometimes the right way is the ugly way. Alfred intervenes, saying that Jim has a lot going on that Bruce can't understand, and Bruce apologizes for his comments. Alfred escorts him out, and Bruce opens the secret doorway and goes down the tunnel. He tries more numbers on the keypad but has no success and throws himself at the door, furious. Finally he grabs a hammer and pounds at the keypad.

At Arkham, Barbara sits down next to Sionis and asks what she has to do to get access to a telephone. He says that what she has to do depends on how much she wants a telephone.

Jim goes to Ogden's club and tells the crime lord that Oswald wants his money. Ogden refuses and Jim tells him that Oswald is the new man. He advances on Ogden, who draws a gun on him. Jim easily disarms him and takes out the man's bodyguards, and then collects the money. After Jim runs out, Ogden yells at his men to get him.

Jim heads outside and runs, and the thugs yell to several cops nearby. They chase Jim into a restaurant and he ducks out through the kitchen. In the parking garage, Ogden is waiting and shoots at Jim, who shoots back... and kills him.

The next day, Bruce brings in a bag of fertilizer and tells Alfred that he's going to make a bomb. He says that he read a book, and Alfred suggests that the door is trying to tell him that Bruce should wait until he's louder. He implies that he knows what is there, and Alfred says that he doesn't want to describe it to a child. Bruce insists that he's going to make a bomb, and Alfred reluctantly offers him some advice.

Jim delivers the money to Oswald, who apologizes that things got messy. He promises that he'll cover the whole thing over, and Jim figures that Oswald knew Ogden would go off. Jim reminds him of their deal and leaves. At home, Leslie realizes that something is wrong. He says that everything is fine, just as Barbara calls. Jim takes it in the next room and Barbara says that there's been a terrible mistake. She insists that Leslie attacked her, and Jim tells her to never call him again. Leslie asks who it is, just as the house phone rings. Jim stops her from answering and says that it's Barbara. Barbara leaves a message saying that she hopes Leslie dies screaming. Jim assures Leslie that Barbara is safely locked up, and Leslie suggests that they go someplace and be happy. She wonders what is keeping them in Gotham, and Jim merely says that he can't leave. After a moment, he tells Leslie that he did a bad thing.

Loeb wakes up when he hears someone moving in his penthouse. He goes to investigate and finds Oswald and Zsasz in his kitchen. Oswald asks for peanut butter and Loeb calls for his help. Zsasz shows him the decapitated head of his guard and laughs along with Oswald. Oswald makes a sandwich and says that he needs Loeb to do something he doesn't want to do. He admits that Loeb has no vices to expose, so the only other option is to kill him and negotiate with the new commissioner. Loeb asks what Oswald wants him to do, and Oswald finally tells him that he wants Jim reinstated as a detective. The commissioner immediately agrees, but Oswald figures that he isn't sincere and tells Zsasz to kill Loeb. Zsasz draws his gun and Loeb begs to agree, and Oswald says that there's one thing he could do.

Soon, Loeb is resigning and they throw him a celebration at city hall. The compere calls scientist, philanthropist, and new chairman of development at the Gotham Chamber of Commerce, Theo Galavan, up to say a few words on behalf of Mayor James. Theo begins a moving speech.

At Arkham, Barbara is having her nails done by one prisoner and orders Sionis to tell her a funny story. Zaardon comes in and introduces himself, and everyone ignores him.

Theo says that he loves Gotham as a native, and is impressed by the everyday heroes by Loeb. He thanks Loeb for his service, and Jim is among those in the audience applauding. Loeb comes to the podium and extends his best wishes to Sarah. Sarah stands up and joins him.

Sionis continues with his story, and Zaardon screams that they must surrender their souls to his mercy. If not then he will crush them like a bug. Zaardon starts gagging and then collapses on a table, exhaling blue fumes. The prisoners pass out as they breathe in the fumes, and a woman--Tabitha Galavan--and her men break in and shoot the guards.

Sarah welcomes Jim back and says that she's glad that he's back. She says that they're going to do great things together, just as an assistant passes her a message. Once Sarah leaves, Jim tells Leslie that things are going to be all right. Leslie wonders if it was worth it, and he hopes it was. Sarah comes back and says that six inmates have escaped from Arkham... and Barbara was one of them.

Tabitha delivers the inmates to her brother Theo's office. Theo introduces himself and Tabitha, and sys that they have a wonderful future. He tells them that he sees brilliance and power, and Jerome immediately agrees. Theo says that he wants them to work as a team to make an impact on the city. Barbara says that she just has issues, but Theo assures her that she has beauty and ferocity and that's enough. Sionis warns Theo that he's getting ahead of himself, and refuses to take orders. Theo says that he's disappointed, and Sionis offers him a million dollars for thanks. The philanthropist figures that Sionis is jealous, has him released, and then Tabitha kills him. Jerome laughs, and Theo asks if anyone else wants to leave.

Bruce and Alfred plant the bombs and retreat to the study. Alfred sks if Bruce is sure about it, and the boy says that he needs to know. He triggers the detonator and after the explosion, descend into the now-open chamber. There's an envelope addressed to Bruce, and Bruce reads the letter inside. It's from his father Thomas, who figures that if Bruce is reading the letter then he's dead. Thomas started asking questions about the family business, and warns that no one can have happiness or the truth, but not both.

In the station locker room, Jim loads his gun.

Thomas tells Bruce to choose happiness unless he feels a true calling.

Jim inspects himself in the mirror.

Written by Gadfly on Sep 22, 2015

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