History Awesome / Gotham

* [[Awesome/GothamSeasonFive Season 5]]
* [[Awesome/GothamMeta Meta Examples]]

* [[CrowningMoment/GothamSeasonOne Season 1]]
* [[CrowningMoment/GothamSeasonTwo Season 2]]
* [[CrowningMoment/GothamSeasonThree Season 3]]
* [[CrowningMoment/GothamSeasonFour Season 4]]
* [[CrowningMoment/GothamMeta Meta Examples]]

[[foldercontrol]]

!!Season 1

[[folder: [[AC: 1x01 Pilot]]]]
* Selina Kyle's introduction. She's seen roof jumping over Gotham like it's nothing, staking out pick pocket victims. She slides off an awning into a busy street, uses a switch-blade knife to tear open an old lady's grocery bag, and steals a jug of milk, all with a little satisfied smirk on her face.
* Without knowing the kid personally, Jim Gordon manages to relate to Bruce Wayne in a couple of moments. He even tells him that he would bring the killer to justice, showing that Gordon is a good cop through and through in a city of corruptness.
* Despite the trauma, the young Bruce displays a keen, clear memory and eye for detail in describing his parents' killer for Gordon. His info proves crucial to Gordon later on. And it shows his potential to become "The World's Greatest Detective" in the future.
* Gordon takes down a couple of Mooney's thugs with little trouble. The only reason why he goes down is because Mooney knocks him out from behind with a lamp.
** To her credit, Mooney herself for immediately recognizing that Gordon was going to be a problem when they first met.
* Bullock walking into the Slaughterhouse to save Jim. He doesn't succeed, but he gets major points for trying.
* The entire introduction of Carmine Falcone. He pulls off a VillainousRescue of Gordon and Bullock, then gives Gordon a passionate speech about how much he loves the city and is doing his part to keep it from falling into chaos. As Gordon then notes, he makes being a criminal sound pretty darn noble.
* Gordon is given the choice of either killing the treacherous Cobblepot to prove he's now with the program, or Falcone will kill him and everyone close to him. So what does Gordon do? He [[DeathFakedForYou fakes Cobblepot's death]], with only moments to plan, successfully finding a third option.
* The last scene of the episode, showing what Cobblepot does after the above -- after swimming across the river (with a broken leg, mind you), he unflinchingly kills a fisherman standing between him and food, and then gives a DeathGlare to the city while eating. After spending so much screentime as Mooney's servant, the cold-hearted badassery of the Penguin we all know starts to shine through.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x02 Selina Kyle]]]]
* Falcone shows up at Fish's club to talk. He lets her know that Oswald blabbed about her ambitions to take over and that she called him "old" and "soft". She vehemently denies it, and Falcone is glad to hear it. He then inquires about her personal life asking if she has a lover. The young man in question is Lazernzo, and Falcone has him dragged off; Falcone shows to Fish he's very much still in charge and not going anywhere without a fight. Fish is so distressed that she has her night club emptied in a fit of rage.
* Selina evading the female child snatcher on the school bus, then ''obliterating'' the eyes of another one, thankfully offscreen.
* Even with their differences, Jim and Harv were able to work together as a successful tag team to nab the child kidnappers, with Gordon going as far to kill one of the kidnappers without a moment's notice.
* Jim's BigDamnHeroes moment when he saves Selina from being shot.
* Selina manipulating an officer to see Gordon and dropping the bombshell that she saw the Wayne's murderer. Ms. Kyle has serious guts.
* Cobblepot is clearly [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in badass]], brutally killing the first person to compare him to a penguin and holding his friend ransom. He's starting to work his way back up in the criminal underworld.
** Also something of a [=MoA=] for the ''actor'', who's doing a beautiful job of making the Penguin grim and vicious as anything, while preserving the character's oddball streak.
* Young Bruce does the very first StealthHiBye on Gordon of many, many more to come.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x03 The Balloonman]]]]
* Seeing the wheels start to spin in Bruce's head when a reporter asks who will protect Gotham now that the Balloonman has been arrested.
** Plus, his showing exactly what will make him different from such vigilantes. "He killed people. [[ThouShaltNotKill That makes him a criminal.]]"
* Selina swiping Harvey's pen to get out of her handcuffs, leaving Gordon behind in the sewer.
* Cranston initially succesfully defends himself from the Balloonman's attack, and pats him down for identification and money that when later discovered on his corpse gives Gordon the clue behind the Balloonman's identity.
* This exchange when Cobblepot is being threatened:
-->'''Cobblepot:''' This city needs me! I am its future!
-->'''Thug:''' If you're its future, it's in big trouble.
-->'''Cobblepot:''' Yes, yes it is. (''Knife killing ensues'')
* How Jim got the Balloonman arrested instead of letting him [[HoistByHisOwnPetard die in the same way he killed his victims]]: now unarmed and with Harvey being the only one with a gun, he ''grabbed the Balloonman's legs'' forcing Harvey to shoot the balloon to avoid killing him alongside the criminal.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x04 Arkham]]]]
* Oswald taking his first true step towards becoming the Penguin when [[spoiler:he hires a trio of thugs to rob Maroni's restaurant so he can look like a hero for saving some of the cash, and then he gets promoted to manager by Maroni out of gratitude. To ensure there are no loose ends he gives the thugs poisoned cannolis while he sits back and watches. The cherry on top is when he calmly takes half of the cash they stole.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x05 Viper]]]]
* Selina judo-flipping a full grown man after he catches her in his pocket.
* The second Alfred sees [[spoiler: poison gas filling the room]], he immediately takes off his jacket and covers young Bruce's head with it.
* Mooney training Liza to be the perfect HoneyTrap for Falcone, which he falls for. She's not a major crime boss for nothing.
* Bruce, just a 12-year-old kid, uncovers questionable business practices at Wayne Enterprises within a week of reading through a massive pile of records that would take years for trained investigators.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x06 The Spirit of the Goat]]]]
* Montoya and Allen go into precinct parading Gordon around for Cobblepot's murder, and are about to arrest Bullock too, when Cobblepot himself walks through the door, leaving everyone with an OhCrap expression on their face and stunned in disbelief.
* Bullock shows us he can be a damn good detective if he has to be, figuring out on his own [[spoiler:that the Goat killers were controlled by someone else, and that the therapist was the BigBad all along.]]
* Gordon kicking the new Goat's ass, the first time he's won a drawn-out fight.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x07 Penguin's Umbrella]]]]
* Gordon, throughout the episode, acts as a {{Determinator}} OneManArmy, dedicated to taking down Falcone or die trying (and being willing to die anyway if it means riling the city against the mob).
* Crossing over with Heartwarming, Bullock being willing to help Gordon even if it kills him, since he figures he's a dead man anyway.
* The fight scene with Zsasz and his hench-ladies in the precinct, culminating in a BigDamnHeroes moment by Allen and Montoya.
** And that is preceded by Jim daring Zsasz to try something when there's 50 cops in the room with them. Zsasz then clears the room with three words.
* Penguin anticipating Carbone (Maroni's NumberTwo) double-crossing him on the mission to take out some of Falcone's men, and paying off his own {{Mooks}} to cross him first so that Penguin can eliminate him. Bonus points for giving him a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech before and during stabbing him to death, considered by some to be the best monologue on the show so far.
-->"What drives you? What’s your passion? When you know what a man loves, you know what can kill him... for you, it’s money. You love money. More than power, respect. You’re a skinflint, Mr. Carbone, a cheapskate. ''[Carbone's men grab him from behind]'' Consequently, you don’t pay your people enough. It is a sad fact, that there is no loyalty among thieves… ''[stabs Carbone]'' All it took was a substantial pay raise to sway these fine men. That’s your problem. Your greatest passion becomes your greatest weakness."
* TheReveal at the very end that truly marks this as a WhamEpisode: [[spoiler: Cobblepot has been working for Falcone since the pilot, and everything since being outed as a snitch -- working his way into Maroni's inner circle, inciting the MobWar, even tricking Gordon into sparing him -- has all been part of a plan to help Falcone eliminate his competition. The best part? It was all Cobblepot's idea. He's been a MagnificentBastard since not long after we met him.]]
* Alfred's OffscreenMomentOfAwesome, somehow getting the better of Allen and forcing him back to the car in an arm-bar.
* Carmine is pretty damn brilliant, being able to avoid arrest by presenting Barbara and Victor to James Gordon. The old man may have rules, but don't think he is harmless.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x08 Masks]]]]
* Bruce beating the crap out of the bully, Tommy Elliott (and yes his name [[ComicBook/BatmanHush should ring a bell]]), followed by Alfred warning the little snot to stay away from Bruce or else.
-->'''Tommy:''' He tried to kill me!
-->'''Alfred:''' That's right. He did. He tried to kill you. Just you remember that next time you see him. And you remember, that I let him ''try''.
** After which, Alfred [[CrowningMomentOfFunny agrees to]] take Bruce [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming out for pizza]].
* James Gordon taking on multiple men armed with [[ItMakesSenseInContext lethal office supplies]] and winning, followed by taking on the boss [[spoiler:Black Mask]] ''wielding a katana'', and beating him down too!
** And just when Gordon seems to make a mistake of turning his back on [[spoiler:Sionis]], Gordon turns around and levels a finishing punch to [[spoiler:Sionis']] face. Bad. Ass.
** Even more when realizing he was very recently shot twice.
* Bullock giving a combination TheReasonYouSuckSpeech and RousingSpeech to the GCPD about how they can be good cops despite the city's corruption, and it starts by not turning their backs on Gordon again.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x10 Lovecraft]]]]
* Alfred: BattleButler. Badass. Nuff said.
** Aside from the physical action, he's also quicker at getting information than Bullock, immediately paying off a source, insults Butch then floors him with a knife to his throat, and convincing Fish to help just by sweet talking her.
** When he and Bullock arrive at where Bruce and Selina are being held, two goons open fire on them. Bullock sensibly takes cover and waits for backup. Alfred ''assaults the ambush''. (Which ''is'' what Royal Marines are taught to do.)
* Cobblepot calmly talks [[spoiler:Falcone into sparing him one more time to help find out who blew up the mob don's hidden stash of money.]] And he [[spoiler:doesn't immediately point the finger at the obvious mole Liza, already playing TheChessmaster of knowing when to topple that particular piece on the board...]]
* Bruce keeping up with Selina on the rooftops of Gotham, and helping protect her from the assassins sent to kill her. All the while uncertain if the assassins were after him or her. [[spoiler:He definitely earned the BigDamnKiss Selina plants on him by episode's end.]]
* Gordon tells the Mayor what he thinks of the corrupt politician's plan of pinning the blame of [[spoiler:Lovecraft's death by lady assassin]] on him. "Mayor James, kiss my ass!" And then willingly accepts exile to guard duty at the re-opened Arkham, refusing to give in on the growing pressure to make him quit the police force.
* Gordon's StabTheScorpion after spotting one of the assassins hiding among a group of mannequins and drawing down on Bullock.
* Copperhead, full stop. A badass assassin who becomes one of the show's few villains to end their introductory episode alive and on the loose, and also a ConsummateProfessional who repeatedly goes out of her way to avoid collateral damage. She pretty much instantly becomes one of the show's best villains.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x12 What The Little Bird Told Him]]]]
* Gordon forcing his way back into the GCPD in order to hunt down the escaped Electrocutioner.
* Nygma suggesting the police wear rubber boots to insulate themselves. Gordon's the only one who does... which is why he's there to face down the bad guy when the entire police station gets electrocuted unconscious.
** Gordon wins two ways: he uses his brawn - as usual - against the Electrocutioner's brainwashed muscle. And he uses his wits to [[spoiler:toss a simple cup of water at the Electrocutioner's body gear to short it out.]]
* This summation of Gordon's character:
-->'''The Electrocutioner:''' Who here deserves your protection? Anyone!?
-->'''Gordon:''' Everyone!!
* In the other story arc, the gang war heats up to where Fish makes her move against Falcone, seemingly beating the older Don by [[spoiler:faux kidnapping Liza]] and driving a weary Falcone into accepting retirement. It takes Oswald's revelation that [[spoiler: Liza was planted by Fish]] to make Falcone take personal measures [[spoiler:by bringing in Zsasz and his lady assassins to wipe out Fish's gang before Falcone directly confronts Fish to crush her coup attempt.]]
** Capped by [[spoiler:Falcone's horrifying strangulation of Liza in front of Fish to demonstrate how Falcone is once again a ruthless crime lord.]]
** Props go as well to [[spoiler:Zsasz and his assassin team for quietly wiping out Fish's gang off-screen.]]
** And to Oswald [[spoiler:who now takes over Fish's corner of the Falcone empire.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 01x13 Welcome Back, Jim Gordon]]]]
* This episode was a CMOA for both Fish ''and'' Butch:
** Fish not breaking under the torture Bob puts her in under, even with a tight plastic bag over her head, and ''mocks him'' for it!
---> "That's all you got? You're gonna bore me to death!"
** Butch [[spoiler: freeing himself from his captors, beating them up, and later Bob, thus saving Fish in the process.]] He also recognizes that [[spoiler: both he and Fish must leave Gotham when the latter refuses to until she kills Cobblepot, ignoring that she's a dead woman.]]
*** Alongside this, [[spoiler:upon being rescued, Fish's face suddenly shows utter terror, revealing that her acting TooKinkyToTorture was all for show, and yet she was still able to keep it up that whole time.]]
** As Cobblepot gleefully claims ownership of [[spoiler: Fish's club]] over the mic, [[spoiler: Fish shows up with a bat and Butch in tow.]] The horrified expression on his face is ''priceless'', [[spoiler: and Fish eventually has him literally kissing her feet while berating him.]]
*** Cobblepot gets his own moment during this scene when [[spoiler: he accurately refutes Fish's assessment of him and insults her to her face.]] He had no idea that [[spoiler: Zsasz was coming, and for all he know Mooney would kill him for insulting her but he found the stones to it anyway.]]
** Butch taking out one of [[spoiler: Zsaz's assassins]], and [[spoiler: [[HeroicSacrifice staying behind to let Fish escape and hold off Zsaz and his group.]]]]
* Gordon exposing and managing to arrest the suspect murderer with the GCPD rallying behind him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x14 The Fearsome Dr. Crane]]]]
* This episode is both a crowning moment for Penguin ''and'' Don Maroni!
** Maroni gets one for nearly killing off Penguin. Maroni may have been fooled once but he certainly makes sure to learn from his mistakes as he just outright denies Penguin a chance to worm his way out of the situation. He even stayed at the junk yard to make sure Penguin would be killed something that most villains can't admit to doing.
*** Then of course there's the fact that Penguin ''still'' managed to escape with his life intact even though Maroni was dead set on getting him killed.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x15 The Scarecrow]]]]
* Two words: [[ProvokeMeTaunt "Who's first?"]]
** To clarify: Fish Mooney has just woken up in an underground jail/dungeon, with no clue as to how or why she's there. The first person that talks to her begins to tell her about the place, and then two huge guys come over with leers on their face. Fish's new friend explains to her that when a new woman is brought in, the first to [[RapeAsDrama 'overpower']] her usually gets attacked by the second. Fish then gets up, eyes the two men calmly and tells them that whoever 'goes first' will die painfully and quickly, and the second one will die painfully and slowly. After asking them the above question, they back off, clearly terrified.
*** And she tops it off by gunning for the prison tough guy, getting him to drop his guard via subtle flirting before she stabs him in the goddamned neck and takes charge.
* Maroni confronting Cobblepot at the re-opened night club, calmly pointing out how he and Don Falcone have come to terms over Penguin's fate, and giving a nervous Oswald every reason to remain terrified of Maroni's wrath should something happen to Falcone. The scene of Maroni pouring champagne into Oswald's glass until it spills over - making it appear from the floor that Oswald is ''pissing himself'' - is brilliantly staged.
* Alfred gets a minor one proving himself to be a TricksterMentor. Bruce has gone off a hike alone. Bruce falls down a hill and breaks leg, when Bruce makes his way back to the top he finds Alfred there waiting for him. What's the lesson? Bruce's IWorkAlone Mentality is utterly bollocks especially if you're only a 10 year old.
* Cobblepot meeting Nygma. Full stop. Both are, as of this episode, twisted but sympathetic characters with a common friend in Jim Gordon. That does not stop the both of them from having a brilliant passive aggressive HamToHamCombat that sends chills down the spine.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 1x16 The Blind Fortune Teller]]]]
* [[spoiler: Jerome's big monologue towards the end. After being accused of killing his own mother ''and'' discovering that Cicero (the titular blind fortune teller) is actually [[IAmYourFather his birth father]], he finally snaps and begins to sob, [[ComicBook/TheJoker only for his sobs to slowly transform into a demented chuckle. Afterwards, he admits that he did indeed murder his mother for being a "nagging drunken whore", and to top it all off, he lets out a twisted laugh, complete with a disturbing smile]]]]. The best part? [[spoiler: Cameron Monaghan appears to be channeling both Creator/JackNicholson and Creator/HeathLedger throughout the entire thing.]]
* Fish organizing the dungeon of hostages into following her lead. She openly admits that not all of them will get out alive but offers the hope that enough of them will survive to make it worthwhile.
** And then she uses that unity to force the captors to listen to her demands [[spoiler: by denying them their next organ harvesting victim... by having the others kill the man they were going to take.]]
*** Props to [[spoiler: the victim who raises his hand [[HeroicSacrifice knowing full well he was going to die]].]]
** And after they scared off the captors, Fish [[spoiler:wordlessly approaches the dead man's prone body and [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming nobly kisses him]] for his sacrifice.]]
** Kudos also goes to Fish for figuring out that the prisoners are being held as [[spoiler: transplant donors.]]
* Young Bruce walking into the boardroom of Wayne Enterprises to ask pointed questions about some of the troubling things he'd uncovered. While the adults at the table try to patronize or placate him, you can see in his eyes that Bruce is figuring which board members can't be trusted (which is looking like all of them), and gives warning to them that he will take control of the company as soon as possible and clean out the corruption.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:1x17: Red Hood]]]]
* The Red Hood is seemingly made of awesome. The first Red Hood had a guard empty his gun's chamber at him, without so much as a scratch. That was probably the highlight of the kid's life. The second Red Hood, despite being a pragmatist, got into the spirit of things and tossed some money to his victims, even getting cocky enough to walk into a police lineup ''with the hood on his person''. The third Red Hood mimicked the first by dancing through police gunfire as his friends get shot around him. And I'll wager he got his girl beforehand.
* Fish is given a SadisticChoice of letting her captors take her eyes, or kill her and all the other prisoners. So she [[spoiler:scoops out her ''own eye'' and stomps on it, making the point that even this is a barrier she's willing to cross to get her way.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:1x18: Everyone Has a Cobblepot]]]]
* Gordon confronts the corrupt Loeb over the commissioner's dirty secret - a crazed daughter responsible for the accidental murder of Loeb's wife - and uses his information to play hardball. But rather than force Loeb's resignation, Gordon admits that it would only bring in another corrupt police commissioner: he'd rather deal with Loeb now that he has something on him. Which is dirty, but fair in the city of Gotham.
** And Gordon uses that leverage to get Loeb to promote him for the union president over the evil Flass, which gives Gordon some power within the department he can use to begin reforming the GCPD.
* Bullock [[BigDamnHeroes showing up to save]] an out-of-their-depth Gordon and Dent who foolishly went into a Chinese restaurant fronting a knife-wielding gang looking for Loeb's secrets.
** And then using his BadCop routine to scare the real information out of the informant about who would keep Loeb's stash of blackmail secrets.
* Bullock warning Gordon on multiple occasions not to make any dark deals to uncover Loeb's blackmail materials. He knows exactly what the price dealing with Cobblepot is going to be...
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:1x19: Beasts of Prey]]]]
* Fish Mooney [[spoiler: ''finally'' escaping the Dollmaker's prison]]. The doctor confronts her as she [[spoiler: makes her escape and threatens to kill her]], [[spoiler: until the rebels come from behind and '''beat him to near death'''.]]
** Hell, ''everything'' she had done [[spoiler: to escape]] is this: much earlier, she smashed the lock on the backdoor off the hinges with her hand to step out, only to be halted by the Catcher and barely let off the hook considering he was itching to kill her. Later, she snuck into the Dollmaker to retrieve and was caught by him, but plays up a WoundedGazelleGambit by expressing her fear of turning into the same monstrosity the Dollmaker's assistant had become after failing [[spoiler: to retrieve Fish's eyes]], and eventually gaining his mercy [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled by stating her willing to kill herself to end up like him.]] ''Then'', it leads [[spoiler: to her escape and being confronted by the Dollmaker, who's then beaten to a pulp by the rebels.]]
** In a much crueler sense, she commanded a few rebels beforehand to rush for the gates and not leave her behind. [[spoiler: They realize after seeing the locked gates that they were decoys buying time for Fish and the others to escape, and get gunned down by the Catcher and his group.]] Sadly, this didn't buy enough time, and the Catcher managed to [[spoiler: shoot Fish in the stomach as she's taking off in the chopper.]], but since this was the same woman who [[spoiler: scooped out her own eye just to have her way]], [[MadeOfIron it didn't impede her efforts]] [[spoiler: in taking off]] ''at all''.
* Gordon finds out that Loeb has tricked him into taking the case that ''nobody'' on the GCPD wants [[spoiler: the Ogre. He kidnaps and kills woman all in a relentless pursuit of love, and if a cop comes after him he targets their wife/girlfriend.]] Gordon is '''furious''' and tells Loeb that he'll find the [[spoiler: Ogre]] and after that he's coming for Loeb.
* Bruce interrogating Reggie in true Batman fashion. Also, in a nice little CallForward to his [[ThouShaltNotKill no kill rule]], [[spoiler: Bruce comes incredibly close to pushing Reggie out the window to his death, but backs down almost immediately. Not that it stopped Selina...]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:1x20:Under The Knife]]]]
* Edward gets one that doubles as NightmareFuel when he [[spoiler: brutally kills Miss Kringle's abusive boyfriend.]] It also triples as a twisted moment of heartwarming when you consider that he did it to protect Miss Kringle.
** Hell, Edward standing up to her boyfriend beforehand was a CMOA.
** On a small note, though it didn't end well for her, whatever Miss Kringle said to her boyfriend for him to bruise her arm, he definitely deserved it considering how much of a douchebag he is.
* Gordon proves once again that he's '''''not''''' to be messed with as he sets up a press conference and reveals the Ogre to the public, including pictures and names of his past victims. It was a beautiful "fuck you" to the killer.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:1x21:The Hammer or The Anvil]]]]
* Gordon VS The Ogre.
* The final scene, in which [[spoiler: everyone, from the GCPD to the Mob, prepares for the oncoming gang war. Right before the episode ends, we get individual shots of Maroni, Falcone, and Penguin, each of them ready to spill some blood and bring the city to its knees. Penguin in particular anticipates the war within his club as he lets out an excited laugh, as if to say, '''"It's ON"''']].
* Nygma pulling off his very first Riddler trick. He forges a fake message under Officer Dougherty's name and sends it to Kringle, stating that he had to "take a trip out of town". Eventually, we find out that [[spoiler: every letter on the left margin of the message spells out "NYGMA".]]
-->'''Edward''': [[spoiler: Read between the lines. '''*evil chuckle*''']]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:1x22:All Happy Families Are Alike]]]]
* At the beginning of the series, Oswald Cobblepot was thrown out of Gotham, resolving to return better than ever. By the end of this episode, [[spoiler: he's killed off 2 of his rivals, and forced one of his bosses into retirement, turning HIM into the new crime king of Gotham.]]
** His fight with [[spoiler: Fish before pushing her off the roof]] enhanced his HandicappedBadass status; even with a limp, he's still able to go toe-to-toe with [[spoiler: Fish]] and even gets in a few hits with the lead pipe he disarmed [[spoiler: her]] from. Even after [[spoiler: getting shot in the waist by Butch, he bounces back to knock him out and ''tackle'' Fish off the roof.]]
** Beforehand, he puts a stop to Fish's [[spoiler: reign as Queen of Gotham after she wipes out Maroni by gunning down her soldiers with a heavy machine gun, and headshots a surviving soldiers with a discarded pistol.]] At this point, after all of the begging he's done, Cobblepot is fed up and ready to end Fish.
---> [[SayMyName '''FIIISSSSHHH!!!''']]
* The CatFight between [[spoiler: Barbara and Leslie]]:[[spoiler: when Leslie's trapped in the restroom where Barbara's breaking a patch into the door with a fireplace poker, Leslie ''smashes the mirror with her elbow, grabs one of the shard, and charges at Barbara when she breaks in!'' Sadly, Leslie loses her weapon when Barbara somehow overpowers her and even slaps her a few times, but gets sick of Barbara tossing her around like a ragdoll, pins her down, punches her and ''slams Barbara's head on the floor repeatedly until she's unconscious''.]]
* Gordon gunning down Maroni's men ''alone'' before escaping the hospital with Falcone, and beforehand, arresting Cobblepot and Gilzean.
* Fish Mooney's [[spoiler: temporarily]] reign as [[spoiler: the finale's BigBad]] is truly a spectacle beginning with her grand entrance with her new soldiers and AdrenalineMakeover; she doesn't only capture Cobblepot along with Bullock and Gordon, but also ''Falcone'' himself, and even claimed his warehouse as her own. The horrified look on Cobblepot's face seeing her alive again after supposedly having her killed is priceless.
** She also makes an effort to form a partnership with Maroni, who decides to call Fish "babes" as a nickname despite her protests, and even deems her inferior in front of everyone before playing it off as a joke and telling Fish to relax. [[spoiler: After Maroni keeps taunting and talking down to her, Fish plants a bullet into his forehead in a manner of TranquilFury.]] It's also an impressive sight to see Fish [[spoiler: execute someone in a stoic manner]] for taunting her given her fiery temper.
---> '''Fish:''' I ''am'' relaxed.
** After [[spoiler: the fight between her men and Maroni's, the audience is shown the warehouse but the fight itself, and Fish are her men are alive. After Falcone announces his retirement, it was at that point that Fish had achieved the title of being Queen of Gotham...but only for a few seconds as Cobblepot puts a stop to that with a machine gun.]]
** The final fight [[spoiler: between her and Cobblepot]] was a grand finish to their rivalry: she surprises [[spoiler: Cobblepot]] and beats him a pipe, only to be disarmed and beaten with her own weapon. She then catches the pipe with her arm, and bitchslaps [[spoiler: Cobblepot]] with her free hand while simultaneously disarming him and nearly pushing him off the roof. [[spoiler: After being shot by Butch who's then knocked down by Cobblepot, she still stands her ground in a DyingMomentOfAwesome, going out with a smile and ''willing'' to throw down before Cobblepot tackles her off the roof and into the river below.]]
** Jada Pinkett Smith announced that she wouldn't appear in Season 2, but her performance as Fish Mooney up to the finale proved [[spoiler: she made sure Fish was going out with a blast.]]
* The very last scene. Throughout the episode, Bruce searches Wayne Manor for any secrets regarding his deceased father. At the end, he discovers [[spoiler: a remote control hidden within a hollowed-out book, which unlocks a secret passageway to a very familiar '''cave''']].
** To the tune of Prokofiev's [[spoiler: "Dance of the Knights"]], no less!
*** And if you listen very closely, you can hear the faint sound of... [[spoiler: bats]].
* On a Meta level, [[spoiler: the retirement of Falcone and killing of Maroni]]. Since in most of the comic continuities, [[spoiler: both were still active in organized crime up to at least the beginning of Batman's career]], it seemed a ForegoneConclusion that nothing would happen to them. The WhamEpisode nature of the season finale suddenly demonstrated that viewers can't take ''anything'' in established Batman continuity for granted when it comes to the series.
[[/folder]]

!!Season 2

[[folder: [[AC:2x01: Damned if You Do]]]]
* Gordon beating up the sword-armed Zaardon bare-handed.
* While in the process of being fired, Gordon reminding Loeb he'd break him
** Comes the end of the episode, and Gordon, through Penguin, ''did just that''.
* The fact that Harvey Bullock was actually able to turn his life around, get a more fulfilling job, have a relationship that's nearing marriage, and kick his alcohol problem.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x02: Knock, Knock]]]]
* Edward Nygma taking a bullet for Miss Kringle while tackling her out of harm's way.
* [[spoiler: Sarah Essen refusing to give Jerome the satisfaction of seeing her crumble, even though she knows he's going to kill her. She spits in his eye, headbutts him, and tells him that nobody is going to know who he ever was once he's locked back up. And considering [[ComicBook/TheJoker who he might become down the line]], she's ''right.'']]
** [[spoiler: Even better: after the events of "The Last Laugh", she's right because ''somebody else'' (still don't know who) is going to steal his thunder and make ''him'' look like a wannabe.]]
* Harvey is happy to live a civilian life, with a happy relationship and getting away from the dirty politics of being a cop. But as soon as he hears that [[spoiler: the Maniax shot up the GCPD and killed his former captain, he doesn't hesitate to return to the precinct, signature pork-pie hat on head.]]
* Jerome's [[SuicidalOverconfidence willingness to do a triple Russian Roulette]]. Even better, he does it in ''three different areas'' of his head.
** It gets better than that. The pistol they were using? That wasn't a standard 6 cylinder revolver, it was a five. Jerome ran through every shot except the last one before handing the gun back. Had Galavan not called the little game off, he would have been short one minion, guaranteed.
** "Who's the boss? ''I'm'' the boss!"
* "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! GOOD EVENING!" Just listen to Jerome say that line and ''try'' not to think of [[Creator/MarkHamill Mark Hamill's]] Joker. He even does the Hamill laugh right afterwards!
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x03: The Last Laugh]]]]
* [[spoiler: As upsetting as it was that such an amazing character was killed off, at least]] Jerome [[spoiler: went out with a smile]].
* Bullock walking into Oswald's domain unannounced and telling him in no uncertain terms that if he tries to make Jim do his dirty work again, he has to go through Harvey. He then takes great delight in reminding Oswald of how he used to be nothing more than Fish Mooney's errand boy, threatens to take him outside and beat him with a trashcan, and calmly tells Oswald that though he may be 'King of Gotham', he will be nothing more than an errand boy to Harvey. He ends by reminding Oswald that he still owes him for [[spoiler: killing Fish Mooney]] before leaving. And all Oswald can do is sit and take it.
* [[spoiler: Lee kicking Barbara right in the ovaries after the latter's delusional speech about how she and Jim are going to get back together.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x04: Strike Force]]]]
* Every second Captain Barnes is onscreen. He strides into the Gotham police station, reams everyone out for allowing the massacre to happen, and hand-picks an Untouchables-esque team to clean up crime in Gotham once and for all. And despite the ForegoneConclusion of the setup, you actually buy that he might be able to do it.
** He fires all the openly corrupt officers in the precinct and when one of them mouths off, he has him arrested.
* One for Zsasz: he goes into a mayoral candidate's office, where said candidate is surrounded by bodyguards, and not only takes them on, but also the GCPD's titular Strike Force when they arrive for backup. And he does it [[TheUnfettered unflinchingly]] and ''singlehandedly''.
--> '''Mayoral Candidate:''' Count, idiot! There's five of us!
--> '''Zsasz:''' I know. Hardly seems fair. *''PsychoticSmirk''* *''opens fire''*
** When Gordon sees him, he momentarily freezes up. Probably because he remembers [[Recap/GothamS1E7PenguinsUmbrella that time when Zsasz shot him twice...]]
** One of the members of the New Gotham Strike Force managing to tag Zsasz, albeit non-fatally. It reminds the audience (and Zsasz) that he is not invincible.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x06: By Fire]]]]
* Bridgit [[spoiler: roasting her abusive "brothers" alive after another round of abuse:]]
--> '''Joe:''' [[spoiler: What, you're going to kill us?]]
--> '''Bridgit:''' [[spoiler: Yup.]]
--> [[spoiler: ''[fires up her flamethrower]'']]
* Bridgit returning to the auction to free all the girls being sold. Doubles as a moment of heartwarming when you realize she's doing it because she can't stand to see anyone else be a slave like she was.
* On a related note, Selina gearing up with a shotgun to go save Bridgit from the abusive Pike brothers. No matter that the brothers were abusive pyromaniacs, nothing was going to stop Selina from protecting her friend. She even had the cheek to tell Gordon that she likes her chances of rescuing Bridgit better than his. And then of course [[spoiler: Bridgit wound up rescuing herself, as noted above]].
* Two (admittedly well-armed) street kids walk into a sex-slave auction run by hardened criminals. They walk out with everyone's money and not a scratch on them. To top off the awesome, Selina tosses off an open expression of contempt for what they're doing:
-->'''Selina:''' All y'all suck!
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x07: Mommy's Little Monster]]]]
* Penguin [[spoiler:slitting Galavan's neck after he kills his mother. He survives the attack, but it's still satisfying to see him get some major retribution for what he had done]].
-->'''Galavan''': Any last words?
-->'''Penguin''': Yes. [[spoiler:I'm going to kill you]].
** And right before then, Penguin calls him out like a true badass.
-->'''Penguin''': You don't have the ''stomach'' to kill me yourself. No wonder [[spoiler:your family was run out of town]]. You come from a long line of ''cowards''!
* When Gordon and Bullock track down Butch at a pub, Zsasz and his goons show up and start shooting up the place. Good thing Butch had a few big guns laying around.
-->'''Bullock''': We're out-manned here, partner.
-->'''Gordon''': Yeah...but not out-gunned.
-->''(brief shot of Butch's guns)''
-->'''Bullock''': Oh, hell yeah.
* So during the night of Theo's big speech, Penguin plans to kill Galavan himself. However, everyone in Theo's pocket is ready to kill him sight on scene. How does Penguin solve this? [[spoiler: By getting every single one of his men to dress like him of course!"]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x08: Tonight's the Night]]]]
* Alfred effectively [[spoiler:beats Galavan at his own game of persuasion]] when averting PoorCommunicationKills -- unlike when Selina only came across poorly to Bruce regarding Silver in an earlier episode -- by telling Bruce that [[spoiler:''he'', not Wayne Enterprises, is his parents' greatest treasure]], thus ultimately causing him to [[spoiler:decline Galavan's takeover offer that would give Bruce both even more personal wealth and the identity of his parents' killer]]. Also counts as a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming.
* [[spoiler:Harvey Bullock]] leading a BigDamnHeroes rescue for [[spoiler:Gordon and Lee]].
* Gordon & co. [[spoiler:rescuing the original Mayor from Galavan's forces, thus having enough cause to finally bust Galavan -- capped off by Gordon socking Galavan across the jaw!]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x09: A Bitter Pill To Swallow]]]]
* This episode may as well be entitled "James Gordon is a BAMF":
** The elevator fight with the first assassin.
** Killing said assassin with a MoeGreeneSpecial when he's holding Officer Parks hostage.
-->'''Gordon''': [[PreMortemOneLiner Know what I like about those glasses?]] ''(shoots the assassin right in the [[EyeScream eye]])'' [[BondOneLiner They look just like bullseyes]].
** His showdown with Flamingo.
** Above everything else, when he could have killed Flamingo in cold blood... And didn't pull the trigger. [[HobbesWasRight Barnes believes that in the wrong situation a man, every man, could do anything]], and that the law is the only shield against this, but in the end, after a terrible day, Gordon did the right thing even when the law could have done him nothing.
*** Even better because [[ComicBook/TheKillingJoke this is not the first time Gordon finds himself in this situation]].
* Nygma snapping Penguin out of his VillainousBSOD with one of the most twisted, epic {{Rousing Speech}}es ever, telling him that their loss of loved ones makes them TheUnfettered, and they should embrace it.
-->"A man with nothing that he loves is a man that cannot be bargained. A man that cannot be betrayed. A man who answers to no one but himself. And that is the man that I see before me. A ''free'' man."
* Alfred effortlessly shutting down Bruce's attempt to sneak out and meet Silver.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x10: The Son Of Gotham]]]]
* The future TropeNamer pulling his first successful BatmanGambit with help from Selina, tricking Silver into telling him everything she and her uncle know about his parents' killer.
* [[BadassGrandpa Alfred]] vs. [[TheDragon Tabitha]]. It's awesome on both sides and shows why it's a bad idea to fuck with either of them, but Alfred gets points for laying down the mother of all threats before the fight.
-->'''Alfred:''' I wonder what he'd do if I just disappeared you.\\
'''Tabitha:''' Honestly, I don't think he'd care.\\
'''Alfred:''' If I learn anything's happened to that little boy, we'll find out, won't we?
* Penguin's VillainousRescue of Gordon from Galavan's {{Dirty Cop}}s.
* One for Galavan: his fight with Gordon demonstrates that he's more than just a SmugSnake; he's got a fighting expertise that makes him quite a force to be reckoned with. He manages to kick Gordon's ass in less than a '''minute'''.
* When Galavan is cleared of all charges, he walks up to Gordon and [[SmugSnake smugly]] tells Gordon he still wants to be friends and respects him for doing his job properly. Gordon, who at this point is ''completely over Galavan's BS'', responds by '''punching him in the face!''' Proper police conduct be damned, it was quite satisfying to see.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x11: Worse Than A Crime]]]]
* The entire climax for one! Gordon, Bullock, Alfred, Selina, ''and'' Penguin joining forces together to save Bruce from the cult of Dumas and defeat Galavan once and for all?! Badass.
** Let's not forget that epic PowerWalk as they head to the Dumas hideout, ready to kick some serious ass.
* Penguin ''finally'' [[spoiler: getting revenge on Galavan for killing Gertrude. First, he beats the ever loving shit out of him with a bat and when Gordon finishes him off, Penguin pulls out an umbrella and ''shoves the damn thing down his throat''!]]
* Selina gets a huge one. She knows the location of where the monks have taken Bruce and leads the other allies there to rescue him, singlehandedly taking down a guard with a stealth attack before letting the others into the hideout. Without Selina, they would have had no idea where Bruce was. Selina saves the day!
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x13: A Dead Man Feels No Cold]]]]
* Victor Fries' freezing formula is terrifyingly effective once he refines it. Gordon and Bullock come across a crime scene where one guard's bullet is frozen in place just after it was fired, and later he throws a canister into the bay and freezes the entire thing.
* Nora [[spoiler: takes her fate into her own hands, switching Victor's perfected formula out for one of the faulty ones, choosing to die rather than live in a world with her husband dead or in prison.]]
* In a CreepyAwesome way, Hugo Strange spends the whole episode getting one: he is just THAT GOOD at manipulating everything in his favor that by the episode's end, he's the only character who has gotten everything he wanted.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x15: Mad Grey Dawn]]]]
* A reminder of who Bruce will grow up to be; Bruce taking a level in badass, calling the leader of a drug dealer gang a coward for hitting Selina, and continues to do so as the dealer beats him. After the beatdown, Bruce gets back up, and inflicts a beatdown on his own to the drug dealer before making his escape. Afterwards Bruce said he won't let himself be broken.
** One for Selina: she watches with growing apprehension as Bruce takes the beating, and finally she snaps "Enough!" and breaks her captor's hold, out of sheer fear seeing what Bruce is going through. And is later seen stitching him up. [[BigBrotherInstinct Big sister instinct]] indeed.
* A villainous example, in that Nygma plays absolutely ''everyone'' like a fiddle, framing Gordon with no one being the wiser.
** To emphasize: once Nygma decided to tear Gordon down, it took him ''under an episode'' to do so - faster and more thoroughly than any of Gordon's foes so far.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x16: Prisoners]]]]
* Puck standing up to Weaver and his prison gang from beating Jim to a bloody pulp.
* The one prison guard who looks out for Jim during his stay at the general population prison, from locking Weaver in the hole to [[spoiler: assisting Bullock in helping Jim escape, to ''finally'' knocking out the corrupt prison warden when he tries to murder Jim.]]
* Harvey Bullock ''never'' gives up on trying to prove Jim's innocence. From visiting him in prison, to calling in all the favors he knows to at least get Jim an appeal, Harvey spends his every waking hour trying to figure out how to get his partner back. [[spoiler: He ends up tracking down ''Don Falcone'' to help facilitate Jim's escape.]]
** [[spoiler: Don Falcone gets a mention here as well. He's been in retirement for over a year and has no reason to stick his neck out for anybody, let alone a man who tried to have him arrested on multiple occasions. But he does it anyway because he considers Jim an 'old friend'.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x17: Into the Woods]]]]
* As horrifying and morbid as it was, it's incredibly satisfying to see Oswald [[spoiler:take revenge against his wicked stepfamily]]. [[spoiler:They murdered his father, took his inheritance for themselves, called Gertrud his "slut mother", bullied him, ''and'' treated him like a lowly servant (a la ''Literature/{{Cinderella}}''), with the intention of murdering him and making it look like a suicide]]. How does he repay them? [[spoiler:He murders his stepsiblings, [[ImAHumanitarian cooks them for dinner, and serves them to his stepmother]], then finishes her off by slaughtering her with a knife]]. With them gone, not only did he avenge Elijah's death, he also got his ''entire'' inheritance back.
* [[spoiler: Gordon and Nygma's confrontation in the woods. While Nygma expected Gordon to take the long and extremely complicated route due to his own ComplexityAddiction, it turns out Gordon figured it out ''[[BoringButPractical the normal way]]'', and is driven absolutely ''mad'' at this revelation. Before Edward can pull the trigger on the gun he stole, ''the entire police force jumps out from behind the trees'', and while Nygma tries to MakeItLookLikeAnAccident, of course the captain doesn't buy it and the future Riddler finally gets his dues by being sent to Arkham. There was no one left unimpressed by how Gordon unwittingly beat Nygma's CripplingOverspecialization.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x18: Pinewood]]]]
* Jim Gordon demonstrates that HesBack in the most awesome way possible: by singlehandedly plowing a path of utter destruction through Gotham's underworld in search of the Lady, all to the tune of Music/TheSexPistols' cover of "My Way".
** Right after he heads out, Harvey comments to himself that it's going to be a bad day for Gotham's hitmen. That's right: when Jim Gordon is on the hunt, everybody had either run or just give him what he wants.
* Victor Fries makes an equally awesome return by halting the truck that Jim, Bruce, and Alfred hijacked to rescue one of their allies. He ices over the road, causing the truck to skid, and once they step out, [[StealthHiBye he appears out of nowhere]]. And if you thought the Preminger/Wallach "ice collar" from the Adam West show looked corny, the showrunners more than made up for it by integrating it with PoweredArmor and goggles in a very VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity -esque fashion. Not to mention he remains TheVoiceless throughout the entire ordeal, making him like a frozen version of the Terminator.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x19: Azrael]]]]
* Gordon presents Hugo Strange with a warrant in an envelope to search for Pinewood. Strange doesn't budge, but then it turns out the envelope is empty, and Gordon just wanted to read his reaction to be sure he was on the right track.
* In what must be about a week, Nygma deconstructs his various Arkham inmates and learns how to pacify them, not only to protect himself, but bend them to his will.
** Not only that, but he uses the now-pacified inmates to gather the items he needs for his plan to [[spoiler: infiltrate Dr. Strange's secret underground laboratory. He succeeds.]]
* The look on Bruce's face when he sees Azrael in full costume. It's like all the doors that have been holding him prisoner have been opened for him.
* Strange hits on the idea to give his subjects new stories to latch onto. His apparent first stop: [[MythologyGag The Mad Hatter]].
* Everything about Azrael himself is awesome. You can clearly see how he's acting as an in-universe inspiration for Batman's later development.
** In particular, the fight in the GCPD is ''extremely'' Batman. The atmosphere is just like a [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries Predator section]].
** This might be the closest fans will ever come to seeing a live-action [[WesternAnimation/BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm Phantasm]].
* Barnes' fight with Azrael on the rooftop. He actually would have won if he hadn't been distracted by the shock of [[spoiler: seeing that Azrael is Galavan.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x20: Unleashed]]]]
* That fake search warrant from last episode? This week, Gordon and Harvey return with an ''actual'' warrant, practically shove it in Hugo Strange's face, and Harvey basically threatens to tear apart Arkham brick by brick if that's what it takes to find Azrael.
** At which point they enter [[MagnificentBastard Strange's]] office to find he's already [[OutGambitted shredded all the incriminating documents.]] When they protest, he tells them they're free to go through the shredded papers, but that aside from that, their warrant doesn't let them do anything. A definite villainous CMOA for our resident [[MagnificentBastard evil genius in chief.]]
* Harvey's ''epic'' RousingSpeech in the GCPD headqaurters to all the assembled cops. It's downright ''inspiring'', especially considering this came from one of the most openly dirty cops on the force. [[DirtyCop Harvey's]] [[CharacterDevelopment grown a lot]] this season.
* Despite being beaten up by Alfred, [[CarFu hit with a car]] by Bruce, and shot about six times in the back by Jim, [[ImplacableMan Azrael]] ''[[MadeOfIron still]]'' [[TheDeterminator gets to his feet]] and points his sword at Bruce, Gordon, and Alfred, refusing to surrender or die. [[spoiler: [[VillainousRescue And then the Penguin]] [[BigDamnHeroes strolls through the gates of Wayne Manor]], twirling a fresh [[IconicItem umbrella.]].]]
-->'''[[spoiler: The Penguin]]''': My last one got stuck in your throat, so I'm thinking about shoving this one [[AssShove somewhere else]]. Jim, a little tip for next time: always bring the right tools for the job. SeeYouInHell, Theo.
** Followed immediately thereafter by the reveal of [[spoiler: Butch holding a fucking ''[[MoreDakka rocket]] [[HolyShitQuotient launcher.]]'' And then they blow Galavan/Azrael to pieces. [[DeaderThanDead He's]] ''[[DeaderThanDead not]]'' [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill coming back from that]].]]
** This whole scene is made even better by the [[NarmCharm hilariously-over-the-top]] rock music blasting the whole time.
* Basically, this whole ''episode'' is one long CrowningMomentOfAwesome for the good guys, the bad guys, [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Butch.]] And the cherry on top of this sundae of awesomeness? The ending credits promise the return of none other than [[spoiler: [[HesBack Fish Mooney]]. ]]
-->'''Hugo Strange''': Who are you?
-->'''[[spoiler: Fish]]''': [[spoiler: My name is Fish Mooney, bitch.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x21: A Legion of Horribles]]]]
* When [[spoiler: Bruce is taken by the Arkham guards]], rather than worry for his own safety, he bellows at the top of his lungs, [[spoiler: "WHERE'S SELINA?! What have you done with her?!"]] Doubles as a moment of {{Heartwarming}}.
* Selina gets one during her fight with Firefly. She sneaks above Firefly on a catwalk, then drops down behind and knocks Firefly out cold, in a move that's ''very'' [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity reminiscent]] of her [[ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} future self]].
** She's also quick to play on Firefly's 'Goddess of Fire' identity. Once she realizes she can't fight her way out, she pretends to be Firefly's handmaiden so they can both escape.
* Fish Mooney cutting off Strange's attempt to give her a new identity by revealing she still knows exactly who she is.
** And later, realizing that whatever was done to her has given her mind-control powers that activate via skin contact. You can see the wheels turning in her head as she realizes just how [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge damage she can do to Strange for keeping her locked up.]]
* Harvey doing an admirable job as acting captain of the GCPD. Especially when he mobilizes a task force once Alfred tells him that Bruce, Lucius and Jim might be in danger.
-->'''Harvey''': You're talking about a place that's an armed fortress. Chockablock with armed guards. Now, while we could send in an assault force of a pudgy, middle-aged Irish detective and a recently stabbed Englishman, I think the acting captain of the GCPD can do a little better.
--(''Cut to twenty officers in full attack gear lined up in the station as Bullock looks them over.'')
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:2x22: Transference]]]]
* Barbara being the one to realize that [[spoiler: Clayface]] is impersonating [[spoiler: Gordon]] and exposing him with a punch to the face.
* Selina playing Firefly against Strange and Freeze. Resulting in a short but epic [[ElementalRivalry elemental]] BeamOWar between the two villains.
* Gordon and Lucius, neither of whom are trained for it, disabling the bomb threatening to blow up Arkham.
* Penguin, Butch, and their men intercepting the Arkham bus and taking it down, with Butch wielding a ''vest mounted Gatling gun''.
* Nygma interrogating Lucius and Bruce under threat of poisonous gas, when you realize it's essentially Batman's first time facing off against the Riddler. [[spoiler: Nygma wins.]]
[[/folder]]

!!Season 3

[[folder: [[AC: 3x1: Better To Reign In Hell]]]]
* Gordon takes down a freak by tricking it into the street where it's run over by a GCPD truck.
** Probably not just any freak, based on the design it's very likely that this was '''''[[spoiler: Killer Croc.]]'''''
* As the mayor tries to assure the public there's no danger at a press conference, Oswald storms into it to tell the media how Fish Mooney is alive and leading the escapees and implores the citizens of Gotham to go after her. In the space of ten seconds, Penguin has not only exposed the truth the police are hiding but gotten the entire city to consider Fish a public menace, proving himself a MagnificentBastard.
* Penguin visits Nygma and shows him a puzzle box created generations ago, the hardest puzzle ever created, a mathematician once going mad trying to figure it out. Nygma opens the box in ''five seconds.''
* A gang leader comes by Barbara and Tabitha's new club to shake her down for protection money. He slaps her with Barbara seemingly crying. Her tears turn into laughter as Tabitha slides up and slits the throats of two of the goons. Barbara knocks down their leader, grabs his gun and bashes him over and over, laughing hysterically the entire time.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x2: Burn the Witch]]]]
* Bruce effectively bluffing his way into a detente with the Court of Owls.
* The GCPD's raid on Fish's base and fight with several of her empowered goons.
* Penguin, despite his well known criminal reputation, manages to make himself the hero of Gotham, by rallying an angry mob and using them to take out several of Fish's gang.
* Gordon playing Fish and Penguin, in order to save his and Harvey's lives.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x3: Look into My Eyes]]]]
* After the whole mess of the past season, Gotham remained without a mayor. So the councilmen that had been running the city in the meantime have appointed Aubrey James... And then, out of nowhere, Penguin calls him out on the illegality of the move and demands emergency elections for the office of mayor, to which he obviously names himself as a candidate as those present chant his name.
** Later, James gets Penguin to meet him in an Italian restaurant, and when Penguin reacts to his provocations, he has the wait staff pull guns on him. Then Penguin snaps his fingers... And ''[[OutGambitted everyone else pulls guns on James' men]]''. After which he puts one of his election pins on James and leaves.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x4: New Day Rising]]]]
* Not-Bruce showing up JustInTime to beat the crap out of a couple of goons and save Selina's fingers.
--> '''Selina:''' I did ''not'' think you had that in you.
--> '''Not-Bruce:''' Neither did I.
* Gordon works out that Tetch's mindfuckery was connecting with his issues with Lee, pushing through them enough to throw off the suicidal impulse and shoot the metronome that Tetch was using to re-trigger him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x5: Anything For You]]]]
* Upon seeing Nygma again, Lee promptly punches him in the face, and informs him that Falcone is about to become her father-in-law in case he's thinking of getting back at her. Barnes congratulates her when he hears about it.
* How much does Barnes hate Nygma? Both of them get back-to-back CMOA's at each other's expense earlier on. Nygma, now the Penguin's Chief of Staff, pulls rank on Barnes and makes it clear who's running the Red Hood investigation. Barnes then makes it clear that he's only tolerating Nygma's presence and position after everything he had done in the past season because he likes his own job more than he hates Nygma, in no uncertain terms ''and'' in the form of an eight-word comeback.
-->'''Barnes''': Every dog has his day, Nygma. Enjoy yours.
* Barnes is told that Butch has escaped, and gets so upset he stands up...and then realizes he forgot his cane, and Alice's blood has healed his leg.
* During the fight at the Sirens, Butch has a moment. Zsasz has shot him and has him on the ground. When Tabitha provides a distraction, Butch suddenly stands up, smacks Zsasz, and throws him over the bar. Considering that Zsasz had just shot him and was the one who originally tortured and programmed him to follow Penguin, that ''had'' to feel cathartic.
* Bruce ''finally'' tells Selina he has feelings for her!
** Selina's pre-kiss line is just as awesome:
--> '''Bruce:''' There's something between us. I know there is. You have to see that.
--> '''Selina:''' Rule One. Don't ''ever'' tell me what I have to do.
--> ''[BigDamnKiss happens]''
* Nygma effectively [[OutGambitted outgambits]] Butch to reveal his treachery to Penguin, and further improves his status with the new Mayor.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x6 Follow the White Rabbit]]]]
* Not only did Tetch see through Gordon's attempt to use reverse psychology to save Lee and Valerie, but he also predicted he would bring Mario as backup, and had the foresight to [[ItWorksBetterWithBullets unload the gun]] he kept in a downstairs closet.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x7 Red Queen]]]]
* Subconscious!Barbara finally gets tired of Jim's rudeness, breaks a cocktail glass, and holds the shard against his neck. "I know you're lost! You wanna find your way home?! Play nice!" Those of us who are finding Jim Gordon hard to root for at the moment might have found it cathartic.
** Sure, Barbara could have done it because she was jealous about Jim mentioning Lee, but nevertheless, it was cathartic!
** Since it was in his subconscious, one almost wonders if Barbara did it because Jim thought he deserved it.
* The police taking down Tetch. Bonus point for Barnes, who got to punch him in the face.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x9 The Executioner]]]]
* Gordon refusing to side with Barnes' insane crusade, even when facing down a shotgun. And when the GCPD arrive and distract Barnes, Gordon tackles him and fights for control of their guns, before finally putting a bullet in Barnes' shoulder, disabling him.
* Nygma quickly deducing that Isabella's death was engineered, in a very short amount of time, and with little available evidence.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3x10 Time Bomb]]]]
* Barbara's determinator status in this one. She goes from pointing a gun at Penguin in a meeting in front of the other crime families, to bribing Penguin's maid successfully for information, to tricking a bondage salesman into shackling himself up so she can whip some information out of him, to showing up where Nygma has kidnapped Butch and Tabby - all in order to rescue Tabby. It recalls the episode where Tabby hired someone to kill Gordon because he'd hurt Barbara. Barbara will similarly go to any lengths for Tabby. EvenEvilHasLovedOnes, indeed!
* Don Falcone for being the first one all-season to make [[spoiler: Catherine of the Court of Owls briefly nervous, when he warns her and the Court to stay away from his son Mario.]]
--> '''Falcone:''' If my son gets hurt, I ''will'' come after you with everything I have.
--> [[spoiler: '''Catherine:''' You won't win.]]
--> '''Falcone:''' If my son is dead, [[PapaWolf winning ]]''[[PapaWolf won't ]]''[[PapaWolf be the point--]]'''''[[PapaWolf GOTHAM WILL BURN.]]'''''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 3x11 Beware the Green-Eyed Monster]]]]
* Gordon figuring out how to pry information out of Tetch with what is perhaps the simplest of mind games: Playing on his obsession with rhymes. The smug loon's resulting OhCrap face is tremendously satisfying.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: [[AC: 3x12 Ghost]]]]
* Gordon not only managing to foil Zsasz's assasination by first killing his two accomplices, but then proceeds to take on Zsasz in a hand to hand fight and win! Compared to what happened last time Jim fought him in season 1, this is a supreme badass moment for Gordon.
** Hell, if it wasn't for the fact Zsasz's pistol was empty, Gordon would have killed him right then and there.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 3x13 Smile Like You Mean It]]]]
* Though this is more a case of CreepyAwesome, Jerome's resurrection and subsequent return in all his hammy glory. Even better that he improvs on the spot while missing his face, takes down any police officer in his way, and by the end of the night is back on the loose and creating chaos. Bonus points for his nerves of steel when he staples his own face back on!
* Barbara and Tabitha's plan to take over as head mob bosses of Gotham. One has to admire the guts it takes to use Penguin and Riddler's conflict in such a way that makes them come out on top.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 3x14 The Gentle Art of Making Enemies]]]]
* Bruce manages to talk Jerome into delaying his execution by saying he needs an audience. He follows that up by picking his handcuffs with staples Jerome stapled into Bruce, and after escaping, leads Jerome into a hall of mirrors where he beats Jerome in a fistfight, effectively beating the Joker for the first time ever.
** Extra points of awesome for the HallOfMirrors scene - it's very, shall we say, [[IncrediblyLamePun "reflective"]] of the climactic scene in ''The Killing Joke'', where Batman chases Joker through a house of mirrors. Here, instead, their roles are reversed: Bruce is the prey (initially) and Jerome is the hunter. Using the mirrors and his training, Bruce gets the jump on Jerome, beats him up, but holds off on the decision to take his life. So many moments have led up to this one: here, [[ArchEnemy the relationship]] between Batman and Joker is truly born.
** And when Jerome stumbles out of the tent a few minutes later, Gordon runs up and decks him hard enough to knock his stapled-on face off, and knock him out.
-->'''Harvey''' ''(impressed)'': At least you get to say you punched a man's face off!
* This whole episode was basically a keg of awesome for Bruce. Throughout the entire episode he displays quick thinking, courage, and probably most important of all his morals of never taking a life as he spares Jerome even after thinking he had killed Alfred. But what truly might be the best part is this conversation we get between Bruce and Alfred after all the craziness:
-->'''Bruce''': I almost killed him, Alfred.
-->'''Alfred''': Oh, but you didn't, you controlled your anger.
-->'''Bruce''': It wasn't just anger, after everything Jerome had done, all the pain he'd caused, the idea of killing him...
-->'''Alfred''': It felt right.
-->'''Bruce''': Yes, it felt like Justice.
-->'''Alfred''': There's a very fine line, Master Bruce, between Justice and Vengeance.
-->'''Bruce''': I know, but it doesn't mean there isn't one. I knew where the line was tonight, and I didn't cross it.
-->'''Alfred''': Well that's the first rule then. I've been training you so you can defend yourself, but we're well past that. So what's all this training for? What are you going to do with it?
-->'''Bruce''': I don't know.
-->'''Alfred''': Nor do I, but if you keep going, you're going to need rules; rules that you cannot and will not break, no matter what reason or what circumstance.
-->'''Bruce''': I will not kill.
-->'''Alfred''': Say it again.
-->'''Bruce''': I will not kill!
-->'''Alfred''': Then let's get to work.
** The look in Bruce's eyes after this as we see this is no longer the young frightened boy who we saw in the very first season, but the eyes of a young man now ready to push himself to become the man that the city will need, and the man that the criminals will fear!
*** Even better, as Bruce stands up after this scene, he quickly pivots away from the camera. You know every Batman fan saw it, they could see the cape and cowl upon him, the swoosh of the cape as he made his dramatic exit. The first signs of BATMAN!!
* The look in Bruce's eyes at the end showed resolve, but there's an earlier look during the stapler scene with Jerome, when Jerome taunts him that there are no heroes in Gotham. Bruce pauses for a few seconds and you can see that a decision is being made. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Nice job, Jerome]]. You've just created [[Franchise/{{Batman}} a legend]].
** Said stapler scene is so awesome that even the background music knows it. Jerome puts two staples into Bruce's arm before Bruce cries uncle. It's just as Jerome places the first staple -- only to be met by no reaction other than a squeeze of the eyes from Bruce -- and sees it's somehow not affecting this boy. The music starts softly building to something EXTREMELY Batman-ish.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 3x15 How The Riddler Got His Name]]]]
* True to the title of the episode, Edward ''finally'' takes on his iconic supervillain persona at the end. Now sporting the iconic green suit and bowler hat, it's safe to say that his transformation into the riddle-obsessed rogue that we all know and love is now complete.
-->'''Edward:''' I just killed the best friend that I have ever had. My search for a teacher or an enemy, that was just me trying to hold onto him for a little bit longer. But now I know who I am without him.
-->'''Lucius Fox:''' So, who are you now?
-->'''Edward:''' Oh, come on, Foxy. '''I'm the Riddler.'''
* When Ed [[spoiler:appears in the backseat of his car]], Lucius is remarkably unafraid. Face to face with a homicidal, gun-wielding cuckoo-pants, and the only emotions he shows are boredom and concern.
* Bruce initially takes some hits from the four goons with Selena, but after she leaves he decides he's had enough of that crap and proceeds to take them down. For bonus the fight is shot in silhouette, reminiscent of the many portrayals of Batman where he's shown fighting using that technique.
** Bruce's first move in the fight is elbowing someone behind him. It's hard not to see an homage to BatmanTheAnimatedSeries in what looks rather like his famous OffhandBackhand (take note of the picture on the trope page).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 3x17 The Primal Riddle]]]]
* A VillainEpisode if there ever was one as the heroes play a backseat to the bad guys
** Barbara recruits Riddler to find out more about The Court of Owls which involves Ed, as Barbara puts it, does a big production which involves [[spoiler: kidnapping newly-reinstated Mayor James and broadcasting his threat of using a bomb around his neck on live television if The Court doesn't reveal themselves.]] The kicker? [[spoiler: It not only '''works''', they ''recruit'' him!]]
*** Which is awesome in-and-of itself given how often his schemes fail simply from being too complicated.
** The opening sees Penguin and Ivy are traveling across a frosty and frozen landscape towards a structure. We know who lives there as the two of them enter and find [[spoiler: Mister Freeze who they recruit with the promise of resources so he can cure his condition]]. Their next stop? [[spoiler: A smelting factory where we find none other than '''Firefly''' who only takes a little encouragement from Ivy to team up with them.]]
* Out of nowhere, it turns out the show is incorporating Catwoman's origin from ''Film/BatmanReturns'', as Selina is pushed out a high window and a bunch of cats crowd around her body.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 3X19 All Will Be Judged]]]]
* Arrested, Catherine is smirking about Jim thinking she's the leader of the court and in control. Alfred bursts in, demanding to know where Bruce is and Catherine laughs about "GoodCopBadCop." In response, Alfred grabs a knife and ''jams it into Catherine's hand, pinning it to the table.''
-->'''Alfred''': I'm not a cop, am I? I'm a butler.
** He goes on to ''twist'' the knife further and Catherine might well have cracked before Barnes showed up.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 3x20 Pretty Hate Machine]]]]
* Alfred interrogates Strange by taking him to the roof of the police station and holding him over the edge backward by his tie. To his credit, Strange still refuses to talk until Alfred promises his freedom.
* Eddie has Oswald captive, Oswald refusing to call him "Riddler" and Eddie is about to kill him. Suddenly, footsteps appear, each side accusing the other of planning a trap...and ''Fish Mooney'' walks into the room to announce her return to Gotham.
* Even after [[spoiler:infecting himself with the Tetch virus]], Jim Gordon refuses to [[spoiler:allow it to corrupt him mentally]], instead concentrating on heading for the clock tower at Union Station. [[spoiler:And like a berserker he tracks down the Tetch bomb, shoving aside anyone in his path even if the unlucky individual happens to be a fellow police officer, and he ends up no-selling a Talon who's guarding the bomb. Unfortunately, he fails to stop the bomb from exploding, but hey, it was worth a try.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 3x22 Heavydirtysoul]]]]
* A major one for Bruce. [[spoiler:After stabbing Alfred right in front of a Lazarus Pit, he realizes that he had killed the butler who had cared for him since the death of his parents, and he uses its waters to revive him. Alfred comes to right before the Gotham title is shown, with the music at the usual pitch of E.]]
* The season ends with several characters taking some major steps forward toward their comic identities:
** Selina [[spoiler:is cast off by Bruce for good, and upon learning Barbara is dead takes up with Tabitha instead, where her eye is quickly drawn to her new mentor's whip.]]
** Butch [[spoiler:is shot in the head by Barbara, but the medical examiners discover his real name is actually Cyrus Gold, ie the zombie supervillain/anti-hero Solomon Grundy.]]
** The Penguin [[spoiler:unveils his plan to open up a brand new nightclub, the Iceberg Lounge]].
** In the final scene, [[spoiler:a family is held up just like the Waynes were at the start of the show. But this one has a happy ending as a figure in black attacks the mugger before vanishing into the shadows. As the family looks around in bewilderment for their mysterious savior, Bruce appears on top of a nearby building in a proto-Batsuit, looking out over the city he's just begun his journey to become the savior of.]]
* Penguin Lampshades the fact that, while Riddler might be TheChessmaster where pre-planned scheming is concerned, ''he's'' a master of XanatosSpeedChess: [[spoiler: he had ''no idea'' that Barbara's gang would interrupt Ed's attempt to trade Tetch for him; he just took full advantage on-the-fly of the opportunity that chance presented, then proceeded according to how he ''knew'' Nygma would respond, if properly goaded by his taunts.]] The Riddler may know how to steer circumstances, but the Penguin steers ''people''.
[[/folder]]
!!Season 4

[[folder:[[AC: 4x1 Pax Penguina]]]]
* Bruce performing his first StealthHiBye on Gordon. The relationship between Batman and Gordon is beginning to be established.
** Normally Batman pulls if off on a rooftop or alone with Gordon in the room, so bonus points to Bruce that the first time he does it, it's the middle of the day in a crowded police station.
* Gordon arresting a criminal even though he has a license given by Penguin. Basically giving Cobblepot a "fuck you".
** And later, Gordon and Harvey manage to arrest the crooks using Crane's fear gas to commit crime without a license right from under Penguin, basically humiliating him in front of the media and establishing that the GCPD ''still'' protects Gotham City.
** Before that, Gordon is in the locker room when a pack of cops enter, not happy about him changing up this plan that's lowering crime in Gotham. Although outnumbered, Gordon still throws the first punch, knowing he'll be overwhelmed but fighting for his principles.
** Even ''Nygma'' gets in on the Kick The Penguin act, if only metaphorically: just seeing Ed's ''frozen body'' under the effect of the Crane fear-gas leaves Cobblepot ''cringing in helpless panic'', clutching for Gordon's protection as a hallucinatory Riddler pursues and berates him. Too bad Ed missed that, he'd have been so pleased to see it...
* Everytime Bruce is in his prototype suit. He's come a long way from the scared boy who had to be rescued by Alfred, Gordon, and Selina on a daily basis.
** We also get to see the first signs of him using his Bruce Wayne persona to aid his vigilantism, as he gets info from Penguin on the list for the criminal licenses.
* Selina walks into an alley with five men there, putting moves on her. She then manages to kick all their asses completely by herself with her whip and skills. Tabitha shows up to help watch her back but clearly, had faith in how Selina could handle herself.
* When Bruce gets the list from Penguin's bookmaker, he grabs it from the guy without even having to threaten him. He's so ''scared'' of Bruce in his suit that he basically hands it to him. Remember Bruce is still a ''teenager'' during all this and he's already inspiring that fear in people.
** The fact that Bruce's stance and body language are strongly evocative of how the ''Talons'' stood and menaced people last season hints that his "look" is 100% calculated and pre-planned. Our young Batman-in-the-making is picking up techniques from ''everybody'', good or otherwise, and he's learning fast.
* Let's face it: after seeing how much of a shit Grady'd been to a kidnapped, perpetually-terrified Jonathan, to say nothing of his actions during the robberies, seeing that guy get a face full of fear-gas from one of the ''creepiest'' live-action incarnations of the Scarecrow yet was ''extremely'' satisfying.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 4x2 The Fear Reaper]]]]
* The ending has Bruce Wayne finally putting on a prototype Batsuit, determined to defend the city of Gotham.
* Gordon breaking free of the effects of the fear toxin through sheer willpower, then fighting off Crane and his brainwashed inmate army.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[[AC: 4x4 The Demon's Head]]]]
* Ra's Al-Ghul walks into the GCPD headquarters, dressed nattily in a 3-piece suit, looking more like an accountant than a warlord, as a representative of the "Embassy of Nanda Parbat."
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4X06 Hog Day Afternoon]]]]
* Pyg's slitting Harvey's throat non-fatally to make Jim [[SadisticChoice choose between saving Harvey or letting him escape.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4X07 A Day in the Narrows]]]]
* Pyg's [[BatmanGambit Batman Gambit]] that gets [[spoiler:half of the GCPD killed in the courthouse.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4X11 Queen Takes Knight]]]]
* Oswald's aide enters the office, telling his bodyguards they're waiting for instructions. The Sirens (with Sofia) take them out in three seconds.
* Oswald storms into police headquarters to demand Sofia, offering money to anyone who helps. One cop asks "Captain, can we...?" At Gordon's nod, several cops move in to drag Oswald and his goons away.
* This leads to a montage of the cops of Gotham doing their job, taking down Oswald's safehouses across the city.
* Although it's a serious case of TheBadGuyWins, you have to give props to [[spoiler: Sofia Falcone]]'s evil plot coming to fruition. By the end of the episode, [[spoiler: Penguin is out of the picture, Gordon has been brought to heel, and she is complete control of Gotham. And she never had to leave her wheelchair.]]
* Unfortunately for her, she may not be in charge for long, considering [[spoiler: the man next door to Penguin's cell who is proposing an alliance with him to take back Gotham - '''Jerome.''']]
-->'''Penguin''': I ''know'' that laugh!
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:4X13 A Beautiful Darkness]]]]
* Bruce's nightmarish hallucination reaches a showstopping climax when he comes face-to-face with the one character that fans have been waiting for since the beginning: the God. Damn. '''Batman'''.
-->'''Bruce:''' Why did you bring me here?! This is where my parents were killed!\\
'''Batman:''' No. This is where I was born.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC:4X14 Reunion]]]]
* Penguin's simple but effective BatmanGambit to drive Ed into a breakdown so that Riddler can take over again and help him.
* Bruce suiting up in a makeshift-Batman outfit to take out a few of Ivy's brainwashed {{Mooks}}.
** The moment before we see Bruce return to the fight, the lights flicker and turn off. And Bruce appears out of the darkness. It's enough to raise goosebumps.
* Selina being the one to finally undo Ivy's plans.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4x15 The Sinking Ship, The Grand Applause]]]]
* Bruce and Selina handily curbstombing the fence and his goons. It begins when Bruce casually tosses Selina a blunt object and they start kicking ass. It ends when Bruce takes the money he'd brought to buy the fence off and tosses it on his unconscious body like a boss.
* The climax:
-->'''Sofia:''' You!\\
[[spoiler: '''Lee:''' Yeah. ::BLAM:: Me.]]
* Riddler freeing Martin from Sofia's safehouse.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4x16 One of My Three Soups]]]]
* Jerome, Jervis and Jonathan escaping Arkham Asylum before the opening credits.
* Selina disarms Jerome using her whip. Not bad from the stealth mistress!
* Selina [[spoiler: outright tries to shoot Jerome. Unlike both Bruce and Gordon's angsting and attempts to take Jerome alive, Selina goes directly for the solution of [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just shooting him]].]]. Had she succeeded, it might have ended everything there, as she later tells Bruce.
* "I can't save you. [[spoiler: Save each other.]]" And it works!
* Barbara [[spoiler: taking command of the League of Shadows, giving a vicious [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech summation to the other members that they are too weak for being unable to change.]]]] That is then followed up with [[spoiler: five of the female assassins gunning down the others to cement themselves as strong to the new "Demon's Head".]]
-->'''Barbara''': Listen up! I am [[spoiler: the Demon's Head!]] So you sons of bitches better start bowing down or it's gonna get ugly in here!
* By the end of the episode, Johnathan's got a brand new hooded Scarecrow mask that looks like it was ripped straight out of the ''[[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries Arkham]]'' games.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4x17 Mandatory Brunch Meeting]]]]
* Harvey counters Jervis' attempt to hypnotize him by roaring and chasing after him while shooting, thus keeping Tetch too distracted to do anything. Cue him and Scarecrow having to run for their lives.
* Lee literally beating Riddler at his own game.
* The ending. [[spoiler: Jerome and Crane have created ''Joker Gas''.]]
* Jerome finding his way through Xander's labyrinth without help, simply because [[spoiler: he ''knows how his brother thinks'' and paid attention to the mazes Jeremiah used to draw for fun.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4x18 That's Entertainment]]]]
* Alfred gives Bruce a CoolCar for his birthday, a clear precursor to the Batmobile.
* The ending is a sight to behold. [[spoiler:Jeremiah returns to his safehouse, seemingly free of any further harm now that Jerome is dead. Then, he finds a present on his table, [[BlatantLies seemingly coming from Wayne Enterprises]]. The present's contents; a jack-in-the-box with a nozzle in it. It suddenly fires Joker Venom in Jeremiah's face as it quickly starts to eat away at his sanity...and then, at the end of it, Jeremiah does something that he hasn't done before in the series. ''[[SlasherSmile Smile.]]'' 4 seasons in the making, and Gotham's worst nightmare has finally been born. Enter...''ComicBook/TheJoker.'']]
* Oswald, [[EvenEvilHasStandards disgusted by Jerome's plan]], saves the day by commandeering the zeppelin carrying the Joker Gas and diverting it from Jerome's target, piloting it over the river to safety.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[AC: 4x19 To Our Deaths and Beyond]]]]
* Barbara going up against Ra's and actually gaining the upper hand, forcing him to threaten Tabitha to get her to surrender the Demon's Head to him.
* Riddler tricking Penguin and Butch into helping him rob the bank, then double-crossing them.
[[/folder]]

!!Meta

[[folder: Meta]]
* [[http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--M-XX8pHi--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/v27aswbltanolapussll.jpg Ben McKenzie's Halloween costume after the show began.]]
* Robin Lord Taylor getting praise from [[Film/BatmanReturns Danny DeVito]] himself!
* [[BrokenBase Whether or not you agree with it,]] you at least have to give the show credit for having major guts to [[spoiler: introduce the Joker (if the creators aren't trolling us) and even give him a small backstory.]] Especially since the latter is such a hot button topic for Bat Fans.
** Even better is how [[spoiler:the very next episode involves the Red Hood, the costumed villain that ComicBook/TheJoker was dressed up to be when the Batman confronted him over the vat of chemicals. Meaning the show's creators aren't done with throwing other potential Joker candidates at us!]]
** After [[spoiler: Cameron Monaghan's]] performance in "Knock Knock", complaints about giving the Joker a backstory [[spoiler: (assuming Jerome does become the Joker)]] started to fade. He's just that damn good at capturing the over-the-top insane murderous sociopathy of the character.
*** And just at the peak of it, [[spoiler: he's killed off. Now, ANYONE could be the Joker.]]
*** [[spoiler: Oh, and Hugo Strange has [[PeopleJars his body in a storage tank]]. So now there's a very good chance he'll be coming BackFromTheDead]].
*** [[spoiler: And based on the last episode of Season 2, there's a very good chance he did, which has been confirmed by the ads for mid-season 3.]]
* The [[CoolCar mind-blowing vehicular awesome]] of knowing that Sean Pertwee, who rode around in the Whomobile as a kid, will end up riding around in the Batmobile if the series lasts long enough.
* [[spoiler: Penguin's]] AdaptationalSexuality. Given other TV comic adaptations' [[HideYourGays track]] [[BuryYourGays record]] with their LGBT characters, seeing one of the main characters get the opposite treatment is a wonderful thing to see.
* The sheer fact that they managed to make Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter, one of Batman's goofier villains, ''absolutely terrifying.'' Nothing he does is played for laughs, and every confrontation with him has utterly horrifying consequences.
* The fact that the show cast Creator/AlexanderSiddig, whom fans had wanted to see in the role for years, as Ra's Al Ghul qualifies as this too.
* Cameron Monaghan's portrayal of Jerome [[spoiler: and Jeremiah]] has earned him praise from the most iconic Joker, Creator/MarkHamill.
[[/folder]]