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One villain’s life comes to an end and one hero’s journey gets derailed. Can you guess who is who?
The Broken Record: Jim, Alfred, Lee, Captain Barnes
Just as villains never die, storylines are never truly put to bed with this series. Hence why Lee is still harping on how Jim has to pay. Even after Jarvis confirms he poisoned Mario and, based off how Captain Barnes acts, he was probably right in killing him. But, who cares about that. With learning she is the reason, in the long run, Mario died, she takes Alice’s blood from Lucius’ safe and gives it to herself. You know, for punishment.
Speaking of Captain Barnes, or former Captain Barnes at this point, despite having Jim in his clutches many times in the episode, Kathryn is the one who ends up dead. Why? Well, because she calls his blind need for justice to be nonsense. So, in a fit of rage, he beheads her. Out of all people, Kathryn is the one who dies. Thus leaving Alfred without any sort of lead as to where Bruce is.
Commentary
Why are the original villains of this show always given terrible send offs? Galavant got hit by a rocket launcher and Kathryn got killed by being beheaded? Kathryn is one of the few female villains we have seen in a comic book adaptation and arguably one of the best we have seen period. So for her really to be killed off by a throwaway villain like “The Executioner” was ridiculous. She had so much more to offer.
That aside, would it have been too much to ask for The Executioner to have been killed too? The villain roster for this show grows and I don’t know who is more worth an eye roll between Jim and Nathaniel Barnes at this point.
Leaving poor Alfred. I think it is fair to say that out of all the heroes, pretty much Alfred and Harvey are the only ones who have anywhere from tolerable to enjoyable since the beginning. Harvey, while never being much more than a comic relief, has played the role beautifully. Then with Alfred, while also just another strong supporting character, arguably what he has done for Bruce and Selina has definitely made these two young actors better. Not on the level of what Penguin has done for most of the villains on here, but something similar.
I Make Better Acquaintances than You Do Friends: Penguin, Ed
In order to escape The Court of Owls, Penguin and Ed realize they have to work together. So, they make a deal to work together and give each other 6 hours after the escape to prep for a death match. Of which Ed has Barbara, and her gangs and Penguin has his freaks.
Commentary
Being that Ed has been away, it should be interesting to see if Barbara’s empire may be collapsing almost as soon as it was established. For with her and Tabitha not on the best of terms, it leads you to wonder if there maybe civil war. Thus killing whatever advantage Ed thought he had. But, then again, it isn’t clear what has been going on with Penguin’s freaks either. Fries and Firefly didn’t really get along before and Ivy has been more worried about Selina. So whether he may have a gang to return to is debatable. Nevermind what they may have done to his house.
A Clone Replaced By A Slave: Bruce
The mysterious old man reveals that it was never his plan, assuming he is the leader, to have the Wayne family killed. However, he does believe that action, someone’s audacity, is part of the reason the Court of Owls must end. So, to craft his goals, he puts Bruce through the same training he does the rest of the Court’s assassins. One which rids them of their fears and what defines them, so they can be like clay in his hand. So with Bruce putting away his fears, regrets, and perhaps anger, into some safe within his head, he now belongs to this unnamed man.
Commentary
In the episode, Selina returns to her whole “I don’t care about Bruce” attitude. Which, you have to get the vibe that it won’t last because she has to be part of his storyline. Well, perhaps doesn’t have to but Selina’s storyline is so intertwined with Bruce that you know Alfred won’t return him to normal alone. Much less, even though Ivy provides a bridge for Selina to cross over into the villains’ storyline, she always loops back to Bruce. So, who knows, maybe their relationship will be rekindled?
Though, at the same time, who is to say Bruce isn’t just playing the game? Maybe he is tricking this old man as part of his grand scheme to take back Wayne Enterprises? A place, and business, we haven’t seen or heard the name of in who knows how long.
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