Jim draws his gun on Barbara and orders her inside. She explains that she was released from Arkham, and says that she came out of the coma and was horrified by the memories of what she did to Jim and Leslie. Barbara insists that isn't her, and insists that she's totally sane. Jim says that he doesn't care and tells Barbara to leave, and she notices a photo of The Lady amidst the Wayne murder files on Jim's desk. She says that she's heard of her and offers her help, but Jim refuses. Barbara asks him to say her name before she goes, and Jim says, "Goodbye, Barbara" as he slams the door shut. Harvey arrives with pizza and Barbara says hello to him before leaving.
Alfred checks in on Bruce, who is going through Thomas' computer with Lucius. The boy accesses his father's social calendar for the week he was murderer. It shows that Thomas was supposed to meet Karen Jennings about Pinewood Farms. Lucius points out that most of Wayne Enterprises' black-op projects had similar code names, and Bruce finds Karen's address in Thomas' data. Alfred says that they should take things slowly, but Bruce says that he's going to the address with or without Alfred.
Jim tells Harvey that Matches worked with The Lady. Harvey points out that The Lady went out of business and disappeared after Jim killed her main team. He suggests that Jim come back to the GCPD, but Jim figures that he needs to do things his way. As Jim gets his equipment, Harvey points out that Arkham has released both Oswald and Barbara.
Jim starts hitting bears and questioning hit men for The Lady's location. One thug finally directs Jim to the Artemis Club.
At Arkham, Hugo and Ethel prepare to reanimate another frozen patient. Ethel tells Hugo that someone at Wayne Enterprises ran a search on Karen, and Hugo points out that she was their first. His associate warns that Karen could expose them, and Hugo wonders if the people looking for Karen know what she's become.
Bruce and Alfred go to Karen's home in the country. There's no answer at the door so Bruce picks the lock. Inside, they find scratches on the wood. Karen moves out of the curtain, slashing Alfred onhis wrist and ducking into the shadows. Bruce assures Karen that they just want to talk and gives his name. Karen moves forward and reveals that her left hand was surgically altered into a talon. Bruce explains that Thomas came there a week before he died, and assures Karen that he wasn't followed. She tells them to leave, but Bruce demands answers about Pinewood. Karen warns that the people behind Pinewood will kill him, and Bruce says that he's not afraid to die. She says that it's not safe for Bruce there, but he says that he doesn't care and begs her for answers.
Jim arrives at the Artemis Club and the doorman draws a gun on him when he tries to go in. Barbara comes in and asks to speak to Jim alone for a moment. She points out that Artemis is a women's only club, and offers to talk to the Lady for him. Barbara warns that Jim isn't a cop anymore, and The Lady will disappear if Jim goes in. She offers to go in, and Jim wonders why she's helping. Barbara says that she was there when he first caught the Wayne case, and she knows what it means to him: once he solves it, he can start over again. Barbara goes in and approaches The Lady. The Lady recognizes her and offers her a seat.
Alfred wraps his wounded hand and Karen explains that she's lived there for ten years, ever since Pinewood. Pinewood was a Wayne Enterprises bioengineering farm, and she was one of their first volunteers. Karen was born with a crippled arm and an abusive father. She fought back and her father accidentally broke his neck. She went to Blackgate for murder, and men offered to make her arm better. They turned her into a monster, and Thomas didn't know what was going on there. When he found out what they were doing to them, he shut Pinewood down and paid to put the subjects into hiding. Bruce realizes that it started up again and Thomas came to see Karen. She says that Thomas came to warn her, and Bruce asks if she remembers any names. However, Karen remembers the face of the man who was in charge. Bruce asks her to take them to Pinewood, asking her to repay Thomas' trying to save her life. He promises that nothing will happen to her, and Karen agrees.
Barbara describes some of her exploits to The Lady, and claims that she feigned sanity to get out of Arkham. She wants to get into the assassinationbusiness and needs a partner, and tells The Lady that she can help restore her reputation.
Jim goes around to the back of the club and sneaks in through the kitchen. The woman at the door comes up behind him, gun drawn, and Barbara hugs Jim and says that he was right. She handcuffs Jim to a chair and says that she set the whole thing up to deliver Jim to The Lady. Barbara explains what Jim knows about the Lady hiring Matches to kill the Waynes. The Lady says that she never met the client who wanted the Waynes dead. Barbara suggests that they tell Jim the client's nickname, and the Lady says that he called himself the Philosopher. Barbara then tases The Lady and her bodyguard unconscious and tells Jim that she had a plan all along.
Karen takes Jim and Alfred to the seemingly abandoned Pinewood business. As they go in, two men watch from a nearby car and call in that Karen is there. They then draw their guns and go in.
Inside, Bruce and the others find the surgical theaters where the patients were operated on. The place has apparently been abandoned for a decade, and Karen says that it's like she never left. She says that Thomas was wrong and Bruce can move on, but Bruce figures that she knew the place was shut down. He realizes that Karen is hiding something, just as a security guard comes in. The two killers arrive and says that if Karen comes with them then no one gets hurt. Bruce, Alfred, and Karen run and the other men chase them. However, Karen stops and turns to face their attackers, and rips the first one's throat out. Bruce comes back and sees the corpse, and drags Karen out while Alfred shoots the other killer. Outside, the police pull up and arrest them.
Outside the club, Barbara says that she knew Jim would sneak inside. She points out that they make a good team, and Jim warns that it doesn't change anything. Barbara tells Jim that she did it all for him, and he wonders why she cares what he thinks. She explains that when she woke up from her coma, the first thing she saw in her mind was Jim trying to save her at the church. Barbara has been holding onto it ever since, because she thought that if he looked at her like a person instead of a monster, she could make it. Jim tells her that he can't be there for her if she wants to be a better person, and can't forgive her trying to kill Leslie. Bruce calls Jim and tells him what happened, and Jim leaves Barbara alone.
Jim arrives at the station as Harvey releases Alfred. Bruce is in with Barnes, just as Barnes comes out and says that he wants Karen prepped for travel back to Blackgate. He tells Bruce that he's free to go and returns to his office, and Bruce tells Jim that he told Barnes the truth and he didn't like it.
Jim, Bruce, and Alfred go to a diner. Bruce explains what they learned, and Jim tells them what he learned about The Philosopher. He figures that The Philosopher is behind Pinewood, and has Bruce tell Lucius to put together files on all of the scientists who worked for Wayne Enterprises for the last 15 years. If Karen can pick him out, then they can tie him to the Waynes' murders. Alfred warns that Karen will be dead as soon as she gets to Blackgate, and Jim says that they're going to break her out. He then asks Bruce how much money he can put together.
Hugo is examining the revived subject when Ethel tells him that Karen is going to Blackgate. She says that she'll send a team, and Hugo suggests that they let Victor try out his new suit. Ethel warns that Victor seems very angry.
In his cell, Victor is listening to music and working on his project when Hugo and Ethel come in. Hugo asks if he'd like to go on a field trip.
The prison transport is heading to Blackgate with Karen when they come to a bag of money laying in the street. The driver goes over to investigate, and a masked Jim knocks on the back door. When the guard inside opens it, Jim knocks him out. He and Alfred then draw guns on the driver and says that she can surrender and keep the money, or put up a fight and get knocked out. She surrenders, and the men drive off with Karen. Bruce tells Karen that he has cash and a new identity for her at Wayne Manor, and Karen confirms that The Philosopher ran the project. She can identify him from the Wayne Enterprises fans. Karen admits that Thomas never gave up on her, and kept visiting her. He was like a father to her, so Karen didn't want Bruce to know that Thomas started Pinewood. The man in charge took advantage of Thomas' trust. Karen says that Thomas' burden doesn't have to be Bruce's, and Bruce says that it's who he is.
The van comes to an ice slick on the road and skids out of control. Mr. Freeze is waiting in his new suit, and Jim recognizes him. The suit is armored against bullets, and Karen tells Bruce to run. Bruce refuses to leave her, and Karen says that Thomas would be proud of the man he's become. She hugs him and then runs to Freeze. He freezes her solid with his gun and then shatters her, and tosses a cryogenic grenade. The trio takes cover and Freeze walks off.
Drew returns to the manor and finds Tabitha tending to a sleeping Barbara. Tabitha explains that Barbara showed up there a few hours ago and says that she has come home.
At Wayne Manor, Bruce looks at the music box that Thomas gave to Karen. He blames himself for Karen's death, and Alfred says that she's dead because of what Bruce is pursuing. The butler tells Bruce that there will be others, and if he can't accept that then he's not ready. Bruce wonders how they'll identify The Philosopher, and Jim tells the boy to have faith. He admits that Barnes will find out that he's involved, but he threw away his career because of his promise. Lucius arrives and says that he has something. He found a photo from a company newsletter and it has a photo with team nicknames. The man next to Thomas in the photos is Hugo Strange: "The Philosopher." Jim points out that Hugo runs Arkham now, and Bruce says that it's not right that the man his father trusted is still free.
At Arkham, Ethel tells Hugo that Victor recognized Jim with Bruce. An alarm goes off alerting them that their newest patient has awoken ahead of schedule. They go down to where the orderlies are restraining the patient. The patient knocks out the orderlies and Hugo looks at their successful experiment. The patient is muttering about heathen dogs and the Holy City, and says that the saint will save us. It's Theo Galavan, who breaks the last orderly's neck and calls to Azrael.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 19, 2016