Gotham: Season 3 (Heroes Rise)/ Episode 15 “How The Riddler Got His Name” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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With Oswald gone, Nygma wonders who is he without him? Does he need a mentor or enemy to help discover himself or does he already know who he is?

The Riddler (Edward Nygma and Lucius Fox)

Fish Mooney created Penguin, Penguin mentored Nygma, but now he is on his own. He has no one to love him, who understands him, who is a match for him, and it disturbs him. Even to the point of taking pills so he can hallucinate Oswald’s existence. Yet, he isn’t enough or, rather, he was enough at one time but Nygma needs to move on. So, at first, he tries to give riddles to Gotham’s intellectual and artistic elites to find a kindred spirit. They fail.

So, he decides if he can’t find a kindred spirit, perhaps it would be best to find an enemy. Of which Jim Gordon is the natural one to choose, due to his profile. However, with Jim away Lucius steps in and oh is Ed tickled by this replacement. Yet, in the long run, while Ed has fun with Lucius, he realizes he doesn’t need a Fish to his Penguin, or a Penguin to his Riddler. He can make a name for himself all on his own and doesn’t have to piggyback off of anyone.

Commentary

The longer this show lasts, the more you have to wonder how Marvel, and by Marvel I mean Fox, would handle an X-Men show. Not in terms of characters like those seen in Legion, but more so the well-known characters of the universe. For sooner or later it will be time for a real reboot of that universe and just imagine DC and Marvel dominating Monday nights.

That thought aside, I have to admit that I really wanted to know from who did Nygma get these pills that allowed him to see Oswald? Also, with Lucius playing Nygma’s foil, could it be Lucius may play a more prominent role now? For, no offense to Gordon, but he never showed the type of common sense to do anything which required actual thought. So surely Lucius will have to be the decipher of Nygma’s future riddles right?

Heroes Rise (Jim Gordon & Bruce Wayne)

Out in the woods somewhere, Jim finds himself with his uncle Frank. A man who abandoned him, as he did his brother Peter, more than 20 years ago. However, with Jim being considered to join the Court of Owls, Frank sees him as someone who can help him avenge Peter’s death. Though with Jim going through some rough times with his mom as Frank remained in service to the Court of Owls, he isn’t too sure whether uncle Frank can be trusted or not.

Commentary

I will forever remain someone who is not a fan of Jim Gordon. I don’t know if it is the actor, the way Jim is written, or what? Either way, I just can’t get into the character and root for them. However, when it comes to Bruce, there is a difference. Part of the reason I think that is might have to deal with Bruce, like the villains of this show, evolving over time. To me, Jim is the same person he was in season 1/ episode 1 that he is now. There isn’t any evolution. With Bruce though, be it through Selina [note]who makes an appearance[/note] or Alfred, we have watched him grow to get closer and closer to the legendary Batman.

Though, when I really think about it, outside of the villains and Batman, has anyone really evolved over time? All the good guys have pretty much remained static. Yeah, their job titles may have changed and who they are or aren’t dating, but nothing significant is different about any of them. They all, for the most part, are their final form already. Well, except Harvey Dent but he is so seldom around that it is easy to forget they already have someone playing him.

The Dead Never Die In Gotham (Oswald Cobblepot [Penguin])

Oswald isn’t dead and surely there must be something in the water within and around Gotham. For of all places, he ends up in Ivy’s home. A place he has been for weeks being taken care of and now he is ready to get up and get revenge.

Commentary

Why, of all people, would Ivy take care of Penguin? Hell, considering her new selfish persona, why would she take care of anybody? Especially in terms of nursing them back to health? I get that letting Penguin die wasn’t much of an option, but surely they could have just had him in a sewer somewhere, feeding off whatever scraps he could find as he rebuilds his strength. Perhaps as a nod to the Danny DeVito version of the character.

Which I don’t say because I think the show should take Penguin in that direction, but more so because I find it weird and am tired of Penguin constantly being used to build up other characters. Granted, the actor and writers are good at using him for this, and while I would love to see one of the female villains of the Batman universe become a head villain. However, Poison Ivy of all people? I don’t know about you but I just don’t see Ivy Pepper as someone who could really be the one everyone fears and focuses on in show. Though, in the future, there is always Talia Al Ghul to take the reigns from the men.