Cataclysm

"When I took back The Demon's Head, I saw a vision of a cataclysmic event soon to befall this city. A cleansing fire that will destroy, purify, create. Create you, Bruce. Because I will use it as a mighty forge, molding you into a dark knight of Gotham... If it doesn't kill you, that is."

—Ra's al Ghul^[src]

The lawless remnants of Gotham City, declared a federal No Man's Land by the U.S. government

The interior of the city, 22 days after the Cataclysm

Several of the gang territories that have divided the city

Gordon assembles a team for the defence of Gotham

The cataclysm was a disastrous event that occurred in Gotham City, caused by Ra's al Ghul and Jeremiah Valeska. As a result, Gotham City was left in a ruinous state, only to be quarantined by the United States government and declared a federal No Man's Land. Left in a lawless state, criminals took over the city and divided it into gang territories. The Gotham City Police Department declared their own territory, battling to regain control of the city.

History

After the destruction of the bridges of the city because of Jeremiah Valeska's plan, Gotham was evacuated and each gang took its territory.

Day 22

After the destruction of the bridges, the gangs were claiming territories.

Day 45

Scarecrow took Otisburg and attacked civilians crucifying them and at the same time killing them.

Day 87

The GCPD is attacked next to the hospital to steal supplies for Scarecrow's Gang.

Day 88

The GCPD rescue some enslaved orphans from the Soothsayers. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne obtains a cure for Selina Kyle's spin from Ivy Pepper at Robinson Park.

Day 95

Haven is destroyed

Oswald Cobblepot leads the Street Demonz, the Lo Boyz, and the Undead to Haven to reclaim his workers. It's members double-cross Cobblepot causing Cobblepot to work with Jim Gordon to drive them out. Meanwhile, Bruce and Selina get the location of Jeremiah Valeska from the Mutant Leader where they find that Ecco has established the Church of Jeremiah Valeska in the Old Town Church. When Barbara arrives to kill Oswald Cobblepot, she, Oswald, Gordon, Harvey Bullock, and those outside are caught by surprise when an explosion happens inside Haven.

Day 96

Zsasz accused of the Haven bombing

When Victor Zsasz is suspected to have bombed Haven, the GCPD and the Cobblepot crime family work together to apprehend Zsasz who is holed up in a building in the northeast corner of Harlow Park. Cobblepot oversaw an unfair trial where he nearly had Victor Zsasz beheaded until Gordon intervened and got him far away from Cobblepot's turf. After helping Lucius Fox to trace the RPG attack, Edward Nygma followed his barely written clue to the apartment of a paraplegic old woman who stated that he saw Riddler fire the RPG. After being hit on the head and recalling the events, Nygma sent the old lady out the window. Jeremiah Valeska takes over the Soothsayers' digging operation until he is attacked and stabbed by Selina Kyle. Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth show up to stop Selina before she can finish the job.

Day 97

Eduardo arrives in Gotham

Delta Force led by Eduardo Dorrance arrives in Gotham City to help regain control of it under the orders of Theresa Walker. Using a special trap, Nygma gets away from Gordon and Dorrance. At a party at the Sirens nightclub, Selina tells Bruce that she is not a scared child that Bruce was the day when Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne were shot. After evading his captors, Nygma confronts Cobblepot about what happened to him as he tells Nygma that Hugo Strange healed him. After some persuasion from Nygma, Barbara told him where he can find one of Strange's "Igors." Following them to an abandoned building where Strange was working on dead bodies, Nygma confronted Strange who revealed that he had a chip placed in his brain and then knocked him out. As Cobblepot and his dog Edward enter a secret underground room in their lair, Bruce gets a pep talk from Harvey Bullock. After working on Nygma's brain, Strange is confronted by Gordon and Delta Force as Nygma is brought out of his unconsciousness as Nygma stated that Strange put a chip in his head. As some Delta Force soldiers escort Strange out of the building, Dorrance takes control of Nygma as he reveals to Gordon that his boss Theresa Walker is the one in control of Nygma. Not wanting to kill Nygma, Gordon runs for it as Dorrance sends Nygma after him. Later that night, it is revealed that Jeremiah is still alive after Ecco had their doctor patch him up. As Jeremiah stated that he wanted to fool Bruce and Selina, they make their way to Wayne Manor where their doctor had just finished working on two people working for Jeremiah as he plans a "family reunion."

Day 98

While running from Edward Nygma, James Gordon ducks into an ambulance. While struggling against Nygma, Gordon grabs a respirator and strikes Nygma in the head. Upon recovering, Nygma states that he doesn't know what happened after he was mind-controlled. At the Gotham City Police Department, Alfred Pennyworth meets up with Bruce Wayne where Alfred recognizes Delta Force for their reputation in military coups and assassinations. When Alfred asks one of them when the supplies are arriving in Gotham City, they state that they don't know and have them taken out back. Though Bruce and Alfred subdue their captives. Meanwhile, Oswald Cobblepot cuts a deal with Selina Kyle to help him track down Magpie where she traps them in a room filled with her homemade explosives. Eduardo Dorrance takes control of the GCPD where he has Harvey Bullock, Alvarez, and the other police officers locked up. At The Sirens, Barbara Kean tells Gordon and Nygma that she can't call any of her fellow Sirens since they are busy protecting her territory. Eduardo Dorrance shows up with Delta Force which leads to a gunfight where Gordon, Barbara, and Nygma get away. Falling back to Bruce's satellite apartment, Lucius Fox removes the chip from Nygma's head. Eduardo contacts Gordon stating that his men found Lee Thompkins hiding in the North Side of Gotham and requests a trade where he wants Edward Nygma. As Gordon heads to the ruins of Haven as part of the deal, Bruce, Alfred, Barbara, Nygma, and Lucius plan to reclaim the Gotham City Police Department. Bruce heads to the top of the roof to broadcast the information to his contacts on the other side about Theresa calling the hit on Haven and defeats a soldier that tried to stop him. As Alfred, Barbara, and Lucius work to prepare to fill the GCPD with knockout gas, Nygma in a hazmat suit brings in a briefcase that he bluffs as a bomb with the code to disarm it being the answer to how many times a Pallid beach mouse can give birth. With a minute left, Harvey claims that he took biology and the answer is 0 since the Pallid beach mouse has been extinct for years. This pro

Gordon learns some life changing news

vided Nygma time enough for the knockout gas to fill the GCPD. Gordon fights Eduardo at Haven and impales him on a pole while Leslie shoots the soldier that tried to kill him. After escaping from the bomb-filled room, Cobblepot and Selina find Magpie in one of Cobblepot's traps in his hidden room. He shoots Magpie stating that nobody steals from him. After visiting the satellite apartment to get some things, Alfred is ambushed and kidnapped by Jeremiah Valeska. Theresa Walker arrives in Gotham City after the broadcast was a success and finds Eduardo. She gives him a special mask as Theresa plans to have Hugo Strange fix him up. Alfred regains consciousness in Wayne Manor where Jeremiah states his plans to dig under the river. In the meantime, he would like Alfred to do some butler work in preparation for the "big day."

Day 103

Bruce Wayne is lured into the tunnels which leads him to Wayne Manor where he encounters Jeremiah, Alfred, and look-a-likes of Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne. He manages to get Bruce to help him re-enact the day of his parents' death while using the bombs as a way of persuasion. While investigating the deaths of some Chessmen, James Gordon and Leslie Thompkins stumble onto Jervis Tetch's operations at Ace Chemicals. Tetch unleashes his hypnotized workers on Gordon as he fights them until Ecco shows up and overwhelms Gordon. Jeremiah gets informed of this and gives Tetch some new orders. After a dinner with Bruce, Jeremiah leaves with the Thomas and Martha Wayne look-a-likes and suggests he finds Alfred before the bombs go off. After snapping Alfred out of Tetch's hypnosis, Bruce and Alfred escape into the tunnels as Wayne Manor explodes. While Bruce goes after Jeremiah, Alfred limps out of the tunnels and runs into Oswald Cobblepot and Selina Kyle. Upon hearing that Jeremiah is still alive, Selina runs off. Bruce follows Jeremiah to the Monarch Theatre where a film of Jeremiah as Zorro plays as Jeremiah states that a certain fight scene caused Bruce to have his parents take him out of the alley. When he follows

Jeremiah re-enacts the death of Bruce's parents

Jeremiah to the alley, Bruce learns that Jeremiah did away with the look-a-likes and replaced them with Gordon and Lee. Tetch's hypnosis is said to go off the moment when the pearls around Lee's neck are removed when he shoots them. Selina shows up and intervenes enabling her to remove the pearls. As Jeremiah has Ecco initiate his plan to set of a chemical bomb in Gotham City to prevent the possible unification plans, Gordon drives the truck into the river where it explodes and contaminates the river. Bruce chases Jeremiah to Ace Chemicals and they fight each other until Jeremiah accidentally falls into the chemical vat. Jeremiah's body was salvaged and bandaged up as Bruce and Selina mention that Jeremiah is brain dead. Meanwhile, Cobblepot and Edward Nygma find plans for a submarine which they get Barbara Kean's support on.

Day 215

Detectives Boggs and Lewis attend the Sirens where they are killed by someone that resembles Dix. When they visit Dix who is still in a wheelchair, they fight off the assailant who leaves their mask behind. Gordon and Bullock suspected that it was Basil Karlo at first. They trace the history of Dix, Boggs, and Lewis back to a Veronica Cartwright who died in prison. With another officer and Vanessa Harper, Gordon heads to the Cartwright house which leads to them apprehending Jane Cartwright who didn't want anyone to see her face. Meanwhile, Oswald Cobblepot and Edward Nygma work on their plans for a submarine when a somehow-revived Arthur Penn arrives with a dummy named Scarface who wants to take over the criminal underworld even after he killed Cobblepot's latest minion Dale. Though Cobblepot shot Scarface's head off, Penn is shot in the head by Nygma. Bruce and Alfred enter the sewers to look for some missing people where they find one being attacked by a mutated man who was affected by the chemicals. The man regains his senses after being beaten repeatedly by Alfred. The doctors state that the damages to the man are irreversible. Gordon learns that Jane had spent time in Arkham Asylum until she was brought down to the Indian Hill facility and was experimented on by Hugo Strange. After shapeshifting her way out of her shackles, Jane poses as Bullock and strangles Dix to death. Then she assumes the form of a visiting Barbara Kean and gets away. Bullock confronts Jane at their house as she reluctantly reveals her face. When Jane states that only one of them is getting out of this alive, Bullock had no choice but to put her out of her misery. Later on, Bullock is told by Gordon that even he will have to live with his actions.

Day 216

At Penguin's lair, Gordon has called all the gangs together to negotiate a truce. During the moment, Gordon is sniped and is put in a coma where he hallucinates that he is on trial for his failures. Bullock figures out that Victor Zsasz is responsible when he shoots up the entrance to the GCPD and gets knocked out by Alfred. Bullock figures out that Ivy Pepper is responsible for mind-controlling him. Meanwhile at a townhouse, Ivy crashes Bruce and Selina's dinner. While mesmerizing Bruce, Ivy brought in the Mutant Leader to have his rematch with Selina while she gets away. After defeating the Mutant Leader, Selina gets the information on where Ivy took Bruce. At a water treatment plant, a hypnotized Bruce meets up with Lucius and exposes him with Ivy's perfume in order to deactivate the systems that are purifying the river. In order to assist with the reunification plans, Barbara brings the gang leaders together at the Sirens and demands that they go with Gordon's plan. When a Street Demonz leader objects to that, Barbara revealed that she poisoned the drinks. As the Street Demonz leader had two, he dies from the poisons. Barbara tells the remaining gang leaders to do as she says if she wants the antidote. Ivy raids the police station and mind-controls a guard to free Victor Zsasz to buy her some time. As Victor starts shooting up the police station, it took the strategy of Bullock and Alfred to defeat Victor. Selina arrives at the treatment plant and snaps Bruce out of Ivy's mind-control. When that works, they do the same thing to Lucius so that he can undo the shut down that he was mind-controlled to do. When Ivy enters the morgue, she engages Lee and shatters the adrenaline vial. After being shot by Lee, Ivy escapes. Gordon recovers just in time.

Day 246

Gordon and Lee finally married by Bullock

One month later, Gordon and Lee are married at the GCPD by Bullock with Bruce, Selina, and Alfred as the wedding guests. Bruce and Selina share a passionate kiss. Meanwhile, Barbara is disappointed and plans to leave Gotham City with Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nygma, and her baby.

Day 369

Bane searches for Barbara

At some point after Gordon and Lee's wedding and before day 391 the government finally send in the army to determine whether Gotham can rejoin the mainland. After ensuring that the toxicity of the city has been reduced to safe levels, General Wade informs Gordon, Bruce and Bullock that the army will now begin the process of repairing the bridges. However, before anything can begin, a newly transformed Eduardo appears with militia and kidnaps Gordon, Bruce, and General Wade. At the same time Barbara goes into labour while Penguin and Riddler demand she gives them back the piece of the submariner she stole. Gordon and Bruce awaken to find Walker and Bane, where Walker admits to Bruce that her true identity is Nyssa al Ghul and tells them about her final plan for revenge is the destruction of Gotham city. Bane arrives at the hospital to find Barbra and kill her for her role in the death of Ra's al Ghul. Lee, Barbara, Penguin and Riddler make an attempt at an escape with Penguin and Riddler buying the other two time to make an escape. Bane and his militia tear the hospital apart while Lee helps Barbra give birth. While this is happening, Hugo Strange tries to experiment on Gordon the way he made Bane. However Gordon manages to escape with both Bruce and General Wade. Unknown to them is that General Wade has a mind control chip planted in his head. As Barabra holds her newborn child, Bane crashes through a window and lands in from of them, Alfred arrives with Selina and Lee and Barbra make an escape. Alfred attempts to fight Bane but ends up broken and unmoving on the floor while Selina looks on in horror. Barbara and Lee arrive at the Siren's where Nyssa is waiting for them after killing those that worked for Barbara. Gordon, Bullock and Bruce watch as General Wade enacts Special Order 386 and has them arrested, leading to them escaping and watching helpless as helicopters begin to bombard the city leading to the fall of Gotham. Though Gordon, Bullock, and Bruce break free and get away. This is the major event that leads to the Battle for Gotham.

Day 391

Following the army's initial bombing run of Gotham, most of the civilians who were still alive made their way to the GCPD looking for protection. Gordon expressed concern over the current state of Barbara, her baby and Lee while Selina agreed to go to Sirens to check up on them. General Wade informs the soldiers who have landed in Gotham that anyone left in the city is an "enemy of the state" to which the command expresses is reluctance to kill civilians, prompting Bane to arrive and kill the commander taking charge of the soldiers. The GCPD had set up barracades to slow the advance of the soldiers but they know this is only a temperory solution. Nyssa al Ghul holds Barbra hostage at city hall and informs her of her plan to raise the child as her own, while Selina found Lee at Barbara's club. Nygma and Penguin argue about leaving the city to be destroyed with Penguin finally saying goodbye to Ed and leaving to help defend the city. Penguin arrives to tell Gordon that the city is a part of him, as it is with Gordon and that he will help to defend it. Bullock arrives to tell them that the army have broken through the baracades and they number in the hundreds while Gordon only has 30, which becomes 31 as Nygma arrives agreeing that he likes the city the way it is.

The GCPD and their allies fight for Gotham

After the GCPD and it's allies arm up, they proceed to the baracades where they face off against the Bane and the milita, during the intense firefight, Penguin loses an eye as a grenade exploads on the baracade and Gordon and the rest retreat after Bane uses a rocket launcher to create a hole in the baracade. After the battle, Gordon sneaks into city hall with the intent of rescuing Barbara and their child however Nyssa is waiting for him and proceeds to fight him.

"All wars come to an end"

Barbara and Gordon manage to stab Nyssa however she escapes after causing the General to commit suicide preventing them from calling off the attack. With the Militia having a straight path through to the GCPD, Bruce and Selina use Jeremiah's plan and battery bomb to cause Wayne Tower to collpase slowing down the army's progress. Gordon tells both Lee and Barbara to take the civilians out through the tunnels beneath the GCPD while Gordon, Bruce, Selina, Bullock, Penguin, Riddler and the remaining police give one last stand against the army. Lee returns to Gordon's side to stand with him while the soldier's take aim and prepare to fire however Barbra leads the civilians back to Gordon to provide Gordon with support leading Gordon to give the soldiers an ultimatum, "you can stand with us, or you can stand with them". The soldiers refuse to fire on unarmed civilians and instead arrest Bane, bringing an end to Gotham being classified No Man's Land and eventually leading to reunification.

Participated

GCPD

Upper West Side

This group claimed the areas around the Upper West Side which they labeled the Green Zone.

• Jim Gordon
• Harvey Bullock
• Vanessa Harper
• Alvarez
• Lucius Fox
• Jeff †
• Lee Thompkins
• Bruce Wayne (refugee)
• Alfred Pennyworth (refugee)
• Selina Kyle (on-off)
• Will Thomas (refugee) †
• Gabriel (refugee) †
• Hank (refugee)
• Dianne (refugee)
• Dix (refugee) †

Cobblepot Crime Family

City Hall District-Financial District

This group claimed Gotham City Hall for their territory.

• Oswald Cobblepot - Leader
• Arthur Penn †
• Dale †
• 5 Musicians
• Olga
• Edward

The Sirens

Coventry

This group claimed the areas around the Sirens nightclub.

• Barbara Kean - Leader
• Tabitha Galavan †
• Sisters of the League
  • Lelia
• Boggs † (refugee)
• Lewis † (refugee)

Scarecrow Gang

Otisburg

This group claimed the areas around the Otisburg.

• Scarecrow / Jonathan Crane - Leader
• Scag

Firefly Gang

The Bowery

This group claimed the areas around the The Bowery.

• Firefly / Bridgit Pike - Leader
• 5 Members

Freeze Gang

Burnley

This group claimed the areas around the Burnley.

• Mr. Freeze / Victor Fries - Leader
• Unknown Members

Street Demonz

Chinatown

It was said that the Street Demonz claimed Gotham City Chinatown.

• Emmanuel Vasques † - Leader
• Unnamed third leader of the Street Demonz †
• Tank
• Unnamed quarter leader of the Street Demonz †

Lo Boyz

Old Gotham

The helicopter that Bruce Wayne called for was shot by an RPG and crash-landed into their territory of Old Gotham.

• Nando † - Leader
• Unnamed second leader †
• 5 members †

Soothsayers

Granton

The Soothsayers claimed the Granton District as their territory and had been using the orphans to dig a hole under the river in order to reach the mainland.

• Sykes † - Leader. Killed by Jeremiah Valeska.
• 5 members †

Undead

Granton

Ramos Silva and her unnamed gang claimed an unnamed territory near the Granton District.

• Ramos Silva †
• Unnamed leader †
• 5 Members †

The Mutants

Granton

The Mutants took up their territory in a posh part of Gotham City that was declared the Dark Zone.

• Mutant Leader
• 7 Members

Cult of Jeremiah

Old Gotham

Jeremiah and his followers used the Old Town Church in the Dark Zone as their place of recruitment. After some digging, Jeremiah makes claim to Wayne Manor.

• Jeremiah Valeska - Leader
• Ecco † - Second-in-command. Killed by Jeremiah Valeska ten years after the No Man’s Land event.
• Mad Hatter / Jervis Tetch - He was used to assist in Jeremiah's chemical plot.
• Unnamed Doctor - Associate. He was used to give plastic surgery to two people who had the matching bone structure and form of Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne.
• Multiple unnamed followers

Delta Force

This military group was sent into Gotham City to help reclaim it for a bigger purpose. Alfred identified them as being involved in assassinations and military coups.

• Nyssa al Ghul / Theresa Walker - Benefactor. She is planning to reduce Gotham City to rubble in order to make Bruce suffer for the death of her father and even goes after Barbara for her hand in it.
• Bane / Eduardo Dorrance - Leader
• Sgt. Angel Vallelunga - Second-in-command
• Ethan
• Sumiko
• Ramirez

Chessmen

A gang that operated in The Narrows. Some of it's members were hypnotized by Jervis Tetch.

• 5 members †

Leopards

A gang that operated in The Narrows.

Others

• Tweaker - He claimed Gotham Chapel for his turf in Granton District.
• Mother - She claimed Hotel Gotham for her turf in Granton District.
• Orphan - Same as Mother in Granton District.
• Ivy Pepper - She claimed Robinson Park for her turf.
• Riddler / Edward Nygma - He claimed Gotham City Public Library in the Diamond District for his turf while being secretly controlled by Theresa Walker and freed by Gordon.
• Victor Zsasz - He claimed a building in the northeast corner of Harlow Park somewhere in the Upper East Side for his turf until he was apprehended by Jim Gordon. He later fell under Ivy Pepper's mind-control and was defeated by Bullock.
• Hugo Strange - He took up residence in the Gotham Morgue where he worked on dead bodies again while secretly being used by Delta Force. Nyssa later had him work on Eduardo in order to turn him into Bane. While he did an experiment on General Wade, Hugo attempted to do to Jim the same procedure he did on Eduardo only for Gordon to break loose and send Hugo running to sound the alarm.
• Magpie † - She resided in an abandoned building where she made her special bombs. Killed by Oswald Cobblepot.
• Jane Cartwright † - She resided in her family home and was revealed to have been previously experimented on by Hugo Strange at the Indian Hill facility. Harvey Bullock had to put her out of her misery.

Appearances

Season 4

• "A Dark Knight: To Our Deaths and Beyond" (vision)
• "A Dark Knight: No Man's Land"

Season 5

• "Year Zero" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "Trespassers" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "Penguin, Our Hero" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "Ruin" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "Pena Dura" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "13 Stitches" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "Ace Chemicals" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "Nothing's Shocking" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "The Trial of Jim Gordon" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "I Am Bane" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)
• "They Did What?" (Aftermath; as No Man's Land)

Notes

• The cataclysmic event and subsequent aftermath are based on the events that transpired throughout the comics Batman: Cataclysm, Batman: Contagion, and Batman: No Man's Land. In those storylines, various major disasters caused by large-scale earthquakes and disease epidemics reduced the population of Gotham City drastically, leading the United States to quarantine the city and declare it a federal No Man's Land. The city was then split between various gangs and criminals, with the GCPD and the Batman family also fighting for territory as havens for civilians. This lasted until Lex Luthor helped to restore Gotham City as part of his presidential campaign.
• The story seems to pay homage to the events of The Dark Knight Rises film, wherein Bane and a daughter of Ra's Al Ghul mastermind Gotham's isolation then destruction. Although Bane and Nyssa Al Ghul are not responsible with Gotham's initial isolation in Gotham, they are responsible for helping keeping it isolated with the ultimate goal of its destruction. Another similarity with the film is that they are motivated heavily to seek vengeance for Ra's Al Ghul's death, blaming Bruce Wayne.
• Its also similar to Batman: Arkham City, where part of Gotham is sealed off from the rest of the world and gang violence runs rampant. (The helicopter bombings from "I Am Bane" is similar to Protocol 10, with the order being referred to by a similar name: Special Order 386). The blueprints for Arkham City were previously seen in the episode "Arkham".