Bruce travels to a distant city via a freighter, and sends a letter to Alfred saying that he'll return when he can protect the people that need him. He then goes into the mountains.
Ten Years Later
Jim and Harvey meet with Mayor James and tell him that someone is attacking the gangs downtown. Oswald gets out of Blackgate the next day and they figure that he's ending someone to put the fear of him into the underworld. James complains that Jim is resigning, and admits that he needs him since Bruce is returning to reopen Wayne Tower. Jim reminds the mayor that he'd stay until the inaugural and then he's done. James leaves for a fund-raiser and Jim tells Harvey that it's time for someone else to take over. Harvey figures that it's no coincidence that he's resigning on the day that Bruce is returning. When Jim says that he's going to see Barbara, Harvey complains about the real estate that she bought up after reunification. He tells Jim to give a kiss to the young Barbara on his behalf.
Jim goes to a new building under construction empty office and meets with Barbara and their daughter. Jim confirms that he hasn't heard from Bruce, and kisses Barbara Lee goodbye as she goes with Jim.
At Arkham, Edward is imprisoned and sees a guard reading a new story about Bruce's return. Edward talks about how he used to know Bruce, and sees an article about Oswald being released. The guard knocks his baton against the cage, and Edward backs off chuckling. He sees a man painting the skull of a disfigured prisoner, and runs over and says that Jeremiah has been a vegetable for ten years but he's a legend. Edward jams a knife into Jeremiah's leg and he doesn't respond. The alarms go off, immobilizing the prisoner, and the guards come in and take Edward away. A nurse pulls the knife out of Jeremiah and wheels him out.
Lee looks in on the sleeping Barbara Lee and then goes to Jim. He's shaved off his mustache, and Lee wonders how much Bruce has changed. She wonders if Jim is having second thoughts about leaving, and says that she's all for it. However, Lee understands how much Gotham means to Jim. Jim says that no one has stepped forward, and Lee suggests that he needs to step down to let someone step up. She kisses him on the cheek and wonders what Bruce will think of Selina.
At a jewelry exchange, a thief breaks in, bypasses the laser security system, and opens the case containing a real gem. A shadow flickers across the window, and someone watches as the thief takes the gem and leaves.
The next day, Harper tells Harvey that Edward has escaped and that a guard didn't show up for work. Harvey goes to the guard's apartment and he knocks Harvey down and gives him a phone, telling him to talk to the caller. The guard says that now Harvey understands what he has to do and that he didn't have a choice, and shoots himself.
Later at the station, Jim meets with Harvey. Harvey claims that he tracked down the guard and shot him. Jim figures that there's more going on and tells him to change his story or he's going to Blackgate. Harvey tells Jim to let it go. Jim goes out into the squad room and tells anyone who doesn't believe Harvey is innocent can leave. Everyone stays and Jim tells Harper that Edward had help escaping Oswald. They put a tail on Oswald and search for Edward, and Jim and Harper go to hit a gang that the guard was associated with.
Edward removes his hood and finds himself in a basement room. There's a chest in the middle of the room but no one there. Edward opens the note on the chest, and discovers that it's from Oswald. Oswald says that it's time to remind Gotham who Riddler is, and says that he's given him everything he needs including instructions. Edward opens the chest and laughs at the explosives inside, and wonders what Oswald is planning.
Oswald puts on his best clothing, and then goes out. The reporters are there and ask what he'll do first as a free man, and Oswald says that he's going to put flowers on his mother's grave. When the reporters ask about Jim, Oswald says that the best revenge is having Jim serve the city he loves. Oswald invites a reporter into his car for an exclusive, and then orders him to hand over his jacket and hat.
A figure checks a room containing a dead man and blueprints of the clock tower. When Jim and Harper come in, the figure slips away and they see the corpses of the gang members on the floor. Jim figures that someone is covering their tracks, and there was a break-in at an Army warehouse a week earlier. They hear someone moving in the shadows, and Harper goes to cover the back stairs while Jim checks out the noise. A figure in the shadows says that he's not Jim's enemy, and as Harper arrives tells them not to touch the bodies. The caped figure drops a smoke grenade and leaves via an upstairs window.
As the police secure the building, Harper tells Jim that the bodies were rigged with C4 and the figure saved their lives. She figures he wasn't the one who killed the gangers, and Jim confirms that the C4 was stolen from the Army warehouse and much of it is still missing. James has vanished and Oswald has vanished, and Jim wonders what the biggest target in Gotham is., He tells Harper to double security on the inauguration, and goes to talk to Bruce and Alfred.
When Jim gets into his car, Oswald gets in the back and trains a gun on him. He tells Jim to drive and Jim has no choice but to do so. They go to the docks and get out, and Oswald reminds Jim of when Jim refuses to shoot him on Falcone's orders. Jim points out that everyone will know Oswald killed him, and Oswald says that he doesn't care. When Jim tells him that there's no reason to attack the gala, Oswald has no idea what he's talking about. He reminds Jim that they were both ready to die for the city, and six months later Jim locked him up in Blackgate. Jim realizes that Oswald doesn't know anything, and Oswald tells him to turn around. Jim jumps into the water before Oswald can shoot him, and Oswald screams in frustration.
At the gala, an adult Selina finds Alfred looking at a model of the new Gotham. She asks where Bruce is, and says that she came there to tell Bruce to stop spying on her. Selina points out that Bruce left ten years ago, and Alfred says that she should tell him herself. She insists that Bruce needs to stay away and leaves... and sees Edward going out a door. Barbara sees Selina and Selina tells her to come with her.
Edward goes to the kitchen, taking appetizers to James--tied up and rigged with explosives--and says that it won't be long.
Lee finds Lucius and says that she was hoping Jim would be there. Alfred goes to the podium and welcomes everyone on Bruce's behalf. Edward is watching on the TV and Barbara comes in. She says that she made a choice, and Edward tells her that Gotham will remember that he's Riddler. Selina knocks him out from behind.
Alfred says that Wayne Enterprises will dedicate itself to making the new city a reality. James and his men come in and tell everyone to evacuate the building. James runs in rigged with explosives, and Barbara and Selina bring out a captive Edward. The mayor says that there's still C4 missing, and figures that Edward and Oswald are patsies. He checks the city model and finds the underside rigged with the rest of the C4. Lee refuses to give and Barbara points out that they'd never get far enough away in time. Lucius suggests that they sever the wires leading to the bomb and they must be in one of the building. Jim figures that the clock tower is the key.
As the guards lead Edward away, one of them slugs the other and grabs Edward.
Jim and Lucius remove the model of the clock tower, and Lucius says that someone will have to hold the detonator steady while Jim removes the wires. Lee points out that she has doctor's hands, and Jim reluctantly has her cut the wires while Jim holds the detonator. Lucius talks her through cutting the wires, and she shuts down the bomb with two minutes to spare. However, the counter starts going faster and Lee cuts the other wire with a second to spare.
Jim and Lee kiss, and Lucius realizes that it's the old clock tower even though they designed a new one. Jim realizes that it answers who is responsible but it's not possible. Harper comes in and says that Edward has escaped and James has ordered Harvey to Blackgate.
Jim goes to the parking garage and asks Harvey if Jeremiah faked Edward's breakout and framed Harvey. The officer holding Harvey goes for his gun and Harvey knocks him out, and then has Jim confirm that the guard is miked. He says that Jim doesn't know what the mastermind will do.
At Arkham, the "nurse" cuts the prisoners debating how to beat Jeremiah. She reveals that she's Ecco and tells Jeremiah that their cover is blown. Jeremiah chuckles and grabs her by the chin.
The fake officer takes Edward to Oswald's car and puts him in. Oswald says that he wasn't behind what's going on but figures that Edward needed help. As they chuckle, something smashes into the car roof and the car slams into a wall because someone in a cape has covered over the windshield. Oswald and Edward get out and scream as they see who is coming for them.
Later the police secure the crime scene. Lucius tells Alfred that Bruce will need help and asks if Alfred has told Jim. Alfred says that their role is to serve. Oswald and Edward are strung up from a lamp pole.
Barbara takes Barbara Lee home, and she says that everything worked out okay. They go to Sirens and Barbara gets a gun out of her drawer. She tells Barbara Lee to wait as music starts up on the dance floor, and then goes down. Ecco is standing at the bar, and Jeremiah disarms Barbara as Ecco grabs her. Jeremiah says that it's a surprise party for Barbara. Barbara Lee arrives and throws a vase at Ecco, and Barbara attacks her. Jeremiah easily grabs Barbara Lee, and Ecco realizes that Barbara stabbed her. Her boss says that there will never be one like her again and shoots her dead. He pistol-whips Barbara and says that when Jim comes there, he wants Barbara to deliver a message when he gets there.
A few minutes later, Jim and Harvey arrive and find Barbara and the dead Ecco. Barbara says that Jim took their daughter and Jim has to go to the place where Jeremiah was born again. Jim realizes that it's Ace Chemicals, and tells Barbara that he'll bring their daughter back.
At Ace Chemicals, Jeremiah calls to Jim as he comes in. He has tied up Barbara over a vat of chemicals, and threatens to drop her in. Jeremiah tells Jim that he feels something new crawling out of him, and he pretended to be brain-dead until Bruce came back to Gotham. He knows that the two of them are bonded, but Bruce left.
Jeremiah releases the rope, and Jim catches it just in time. The villain stabs him and prepares to kill him, and the figure in the shadows disarms him with a razor-sharp batarang. Jeremiah realizes who it is, and the figure throws two bat-shaped razors into him. Jeremiah collapses, and Jim pulls Barbara Lee to safety and says that it's all right. He looks up and realizes that the caped figure has disappeared.
Later, Jim and Harvey meet on the top of the station. Jim tells Harvey what happened, and they go to a searchlight that has been mothballed since reunification. He sent a note to Bruce inviting him to be there when they lit it. Alfred arrives and says that Bruce is otherwise engaged, and Jim says that he might stick around awhile. Jim removes the cover from the searchlight.
Selina looks out over the city, and realizes that Bruce is there. She asks him if he knows what he did by leaving, and says that he was all she had. Selina says that she wanted him, not her protection, and asks him to say something. Bruce says that there was no other way and he had to go, and Selina wonders what happens now. He admits that he doesn't know, but says that he won't leave Gotham again. Bruce tells Selina to return the gem and leaves, and she says that she never will.
As they're transported back to prison, Edward and Oswald argue and then free themselves. They jump out the back and Edward says that they have to find out who the figure is. They see the caped figure jump overhead between buildings and agree to start tomorrow.
Jim, Harvey, and Alfred watch the searchlight project a beam onto the sky. Alfred tells Jim that he gave Bruce hope years ago. The figure drops down onto a nearby building and the men see him, and Harvey wonders who he is. Jim says that he's a friend.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 26, 2019