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- "You can't stop being afraid. You can only become your demon, like I did."
- —Jonathan Crane to Reed
"A Dark Knight: The Fear Reaper" is the second episode of the fourth season of Gotham. It aired on September 28, 2017.
Synopsis[]
Under pressure to prove that the GCPD is still powerful, Gordon attempts to bring in Jonathan Crane. However, Gordon puts himself in a dangerous situation at Gotham Asylum when he is forced to fight off lunatics and the demon within himself. Meanwhile, with Barbara's unexpected return, Selina and Tabitha must consider risks that come with joining her in the weapon business.[3]
Plot[]
The GCPD arrives at the Jonathan Crane house to discover the experimentation tests. Jim and Harvey then discover Grady Harris tied, scarily yelling that "The Scarecrow" is coming.
Bruce Wayne manages to get released from the GCPD, claiming he was on the roof and accidentally falling off in the wrong time. Although suspecting him, Gordon decides to let him go but Lucius Fox also suspects about Bruce. In Arkham Asylum, Warden Reed destroys his evidence when he is visited by Jonathan in his Scarecrow persona. Jonathan sprays him with fear gas and makes him face his biggest fears. He then sprays the rest of the inmates in the infirmary.
Oswald Cobblepot arrives at the GCPD and confronts Gordon for not catching Jonathan while also being teased for his ridicule in the club opening. They then a make a deal in which Gordon needs to catch Jonathan within 24 hours, otherwise Cobblepot will clean the city his way. Meanwhile, Selina Kyle and Tabitha Galavan are summoned to a building after they've received a card saying "An Opportunity Awaits" where they shockingly discover Barbara Kean is alive and well. After getting on to trust her, she proposes to build a new criminal empire selling weapons for the new criminals but she can't go forward without their help, Tabitha refuses saying that she killed Butch and took everything from her and she leaves in a fit, she then tells Selina to talk to her about it and says that this would be good for us. She also negotiates with Cobblepot to become partners with them.
Gordon decides to go to stop the mutiny in Arkham but everyone in the precinct, including Bullock refuse to go with him. Inspecting an area, he is attacked by the mutineers while Jonathan decides to set his revenge on him for killing his father. After chasing him, Jonathan sprays him with the gas, making Gordon hallucinate Lee's suicide. Jonathan tries to compel him to kill himself but Gordon resists. He is then attacked by inmates in a hall but upon defending himself with water, he discovers water dissolves the gas. He uses a ceiling sprayer to heal everyone but Jonathan escapes. Bruce begins stalking a gang to a building but is caught and severely attacked by the gang before finally using his skills to defeat them and escape. He is confronted by the leader when he is knocked out by Alfred Pennyworth. While arguing in Wayne Manor, they are visited by Fox. Fox says that he is aware of his activities but he also developed a special suit that Wayne Enterprises used for military purposes.
Tabitha and Selina eventually decide to team up with Barbara but Tabitha decides to first chop off Barbara's hand as she and Butch both lost their hands by Cobblepot. This is revealed to be just a test to prove her trust and she spares her saying she'll start work on Monday. Gordon arrives at the GCPD and is confronted by Cobblepot, who berates him and even tells the fellow officers to go working for him. Ivy Pepper decides to retrieve some potions from a store and interrogates the man with her perfume to give her the combination to the safe. After consuming them, her face begins to mutate. Gordon and Bullock go to a bar where Harvey suggests that they would require an army to take down Cobblepot. Gordon then decides to go and visit Falcone. That night, Bruce begins practicing on his new suit.
Trivia[]
- The episode is dedicated in memory of digital compositor Lukas Drake who had passed away on July 30, 2017.
- This episode takes place approximately three years after The Scarecrow.
- This is one of the few episodes that have flash backs to previous events.
- The episode title is likely a reference to the song "Don't Fear The Reaper".
- In the episode, Bruce is observing a group of criminals, but eventually gets caught and detained by them. He then manages to use a torch and a flammable aerosol can to fight them off and escape. This appears to be a reference to the iconic Batspray from the 1966 TV series Batman starring Adam West. In the series and the related movie, several variations of the aerosol Batspray cans were used by Batman and Robin, such as one containing Batgas that could put people to sleep or one that sprays the infamous shark repellent.
- "The Fear Reaper" marked Charlie Tahan's last appearance as Jonathan Crane and the final time Crane's face was ever seen on the show. In all following episodes, starting with "A Dark Knight: One of My Three Soups", the character was portrayed by David W. Thompson. After the recast, Crane never removed his Scarecrow mask ever again and had his face hidden underneath it at all time.