Gotham S01E12 Recap: What The Little Bird Told Him

Jack Gruber stalks the streets. He pays Irwin's Electronics a visit and literally shocks the doorman. Irwin looks surprised to see him, but Jack wants his stuff.

Captain Essen goes over the escape lunatics, Aaron and Jack. There is pretty much no record of Jack prior to his incarceration. He's smart and the commissioner wants him found immediately. Gordon wants in on the case, but the Captain can't let him, and even Harvey thinks he should leave before the Commissioner arrives. He's technically responsible for it all, and thinks it would be better if he lies low, but its too late the Commissioner is already there. The Commissioner wants to know why Gordon is there, and really Gordon wants to know why he's there as well since its the first time that he's seen him among the officers. The Commissioner invites him to sit in on the meeting.

Irwin is doing some fast talking and blame shifting. He has all of Jack's stuff still safe and sound. His experiments have been saved intact. Irwin tells him that he doesn't have to kill him, and he doesn't have to do anything. He plans to do a little fixing of Irwin's brain.

Gordon gives his report. With the pair on the loose it makes the whole Arkham project look shady. He thinks that the Commissioner needs him. The Commissioner points to Gordon's noble roots, that he's turned his back on, and his rebellious flare. Harvey grovels, he has no rebellion in him. Gordon is enforcing the law and he knows that he's the only guy that can solve this case. He tells the Commissioner to give him back his position so he can do his job. The Commissioner gives him a day to solve the case. It's a gamble, but Gordon can pull it off.

Falcone remembers a wake that he sat through long ago as one of his men begs for mercy, but Falcone shows none as he has his gunned down on the waterfront. Falcone walks with Liza, telling her about how things use to be. He tells Liza that she needs to find a good man, have babies, and not stay cooped up in his house. He wants her to settle down, be independent, but Liza doesn't want to go anywhere. She tells him that she likes it with him, he makes her feel safe.

Gordon watches a man pulled into the station screaming with a smile on his face. It's good to be back. Time is slipping through their fingers, but luckily Ed Nygma has found a lead. He leaves the files with the pair, and heads over to try to woo Ms. Kringle again. She doesn't like his little riddle, only seeing it as weird. Gordon and Harvey fill in the Captain. The GCPD caught Gruber by accident under another name. He used his pull to have his identity changed, and Jack Gruber was born. When Arkham was reopened he was transferred there. Harvey gets a hit.

Gordon and Harvey head over to Irwin Electronics, and check out the crime scene. They find Irwin writing all the wall, unable to stop after his little procedure.

Liza is on a stroll when her body guard is gunned down. She's bagged and taken. Lucky for her, its just Fish. She stole her off the street, because now is the time she makes her move. Using a voice changer Fish places a call to Falcone. She arranges a meeting with him, telling him that she has Liza, and poor Liza has a low pain threshold. Fish ends the call, now its time for Falcone to do a little soul searching.

Dr. Thompson pays the DCPD a visit. Gruber is named the Electrocutioner . Nygma likes the name, its catchy. He offers Gordon and Harvey some rubber insulated shoes, in case they come in contact with Gruber. Harvey mocks the shoes, but Gordon accepts them. Thompson comes with a doll. In her wind of Arkham there's a woman that is very popular among the inmates for her curses. She asked her if Gruber ever gave her a doll, and he did. Mr. M was worth 2 six packs of soda.

Maroni sits around his normal table as loud mouthed as ever. Penguin gets a call and scurries away. Falcone tells him that someone took Liza. Penguin laughs in glee over Fish's actions. She's just stepped into his trap. Penguin tells Maroni that he must go his mother is very sick, and Maroni doesn't suspect a thing. When Penguin tries to leave he's electrocuted, and a bomb is thrown into the building. It fries everyone.

Maroni notifies the police, after they all shamble out. Gordon reveals who he thinks is behind the ordeal. Gruber went down for a crime years ago, and Gordon suspects that Maroni was one of the silent partners that sold him out. Gruber is after him, and he doesn't care who he hurts in the process. Gordon offers him protective custody, which he laughs off. Penguin wakes in the back of the ambulance. He tries to get up, saying he has business with Falcone. Silly bird. Maroni takes Penguin to the GCPD, when he awakens its not gonna be a pretty picture.

Barbara pays her mother a visit. It's an awkward affair as she notes that Barbara has brought her luggage with her. Barbara hopes to spend a few days there, and she's welcome to do so, She asks about James, and Barbara tells her that he's well, that they're very happy as she sips her tea.

Maroni sits in the GCPD yukking it up. Gordon figures that the precinct is the best defended place in the city. Gruber is just cocky enough that he'll enjoy the challenge and make a run at Maroni regardless. Penguin awakens in a panic. He tries to spin the sick mother tale again, but Maroni tells him that his mother can wait, but Maroni won't budge. He tells him that when he woke up before he said he had urgent business with Falcone. Penguin can't believe it.

Falcone sits in front of his fire. Fish calls him, telling him that someone called her about Liza. Falcone cannot believe that it would be Fish that betrayed him. Fish tries to deny it, but its useless. Falcone has known Fish for a long time. Fish tells him to leave Gotham, and Liza won't be hurt, she can even take Liza with him. Falcone accepts. Fish was always his favorite. Butch is overly happy that Fish's plan worked. Fish takes no pleasure in it. She was doing him a favor, someone was going to take him out sooner or later, and she was giving him a way out. Fish tells Liza that she's going to have to go with Falcone for awhile, and Liza Is ok with that. She likes the guy. Fish makes it clear that Falcone can never know that she was the mole. Liza understands.

Falcone sits in contemplation. Zsasz asks that he let him go to work. Falcone refuses though. If Fish betrayed him, there are others. He doesn't see the point of keeping on. If they want him to run off with Liza, he doesn't see why he shouldn't. Its what he wants to do as well. Zsasz knows that he alone can take out Fish and her crew, but Falcone tells him that his job is to keep himself and Liza safe.

Nygma goes to see Kringle again. He tells her the meaning of his riddle, a beautiful woman is a dangerous thing, and she finds it charming. A detective tells Nygma to leave Kringle alone. He notices an off noise, but the pair is too busy getting Nygma to leave to notice it.

The noise is from Gruber as he gives GCPD an upgrade.

Penguin pleads with Maroni that he isn't having any dealings with Falcone, and finally Maroni relents and lets Penguin leave to see his mother. Items on the desk begin to vibrate as Gruber's machine gets going sending electricity throughout the building. Lights shatter under the currents, and those in the cells are electrocuted, everyone gets electrocuted as the power goes out. Inside, its dark as Gruber and Aaron enter the building. He finds Maroni easily, but doesn't plan to just shoot him in the head. He tells Aaron to take Maroni to the car. He expected more of a challenge, more oomph. Gordon plans to give him some resistance, but Gruber isn't without his tricks. He unarms Gordon with his contraption, while Aaron gives him a good fight. Gruber points out that none of the people in the building are worth his protection, but Gordon disagrees. As Gruber powers up, Gordon takes him down like the wicked witch with a cup of liquid, killing the contraption on Gruber's chest.

Gordon is a hero. Gruber is caught, the Commissioner and Captain look good before the press. The Commissioner gives Gordon back his shield and he warns that the next man who takes his shield he's going to make him eat it. Harvey points out that whatever he said to the Commissioner must not have been that nice. Gordon doesn't plan to play it safe anymore. Harvey isn't sure he understands the meaning of that, he hasn't been playing it safe this whole time.

Falcone finally gets a visit from Penguin. He tells Zsasz to let him be, as he shambles in. Poor guy was electrocuted twice. Falcone admits that he was right, that Fish betrayed him. But Penguin has another bomb to drop. He spills everything. Liza was planted by Fish, Fish found a girl that would remind him of his mother, and trained her. Falcone slaps him good asking him to prove his accusation. Penguin can't but he hasn't been wrong yet. Fish calls with the pick up time.

Fish sits in her club waiting Falcone's arrival. She tells him that Liza is close by, once he signs everything over to her, she'll give him the girl. He mocks the fact that she thinks that papers make a Don. Fish doesn't care what he thinks, she wants his assets signed over to her. Falcone wants to see Liza first. Fish tries to refuse, but he remains adamant, and Fish caves. Liza rushes over to Falcone. She looks fine to him, and he asks her how long she's known Fish. Liza lies, and tells him that she just met Fish. Falcone reveals that a little bird told him that she was a plant, that she was groomed to resemble his mother so that he would get wrapped up in her. Falcone is disappointed in the truth, in his own stupidity. Zsasz arrives with his men, surrounding Fish and Butch. Falcone apologizes to Liza, sorry that she'd been wrapped up in all of this. He's sure she's a good honest girl he says, before he strangles her in front of Fish. Fish is helpless to stop him from killing Liza. He wants Fish and Butch kept alive for now, and tells her that all of her people have been killed. Falcone could forgive many things, but using his mother against him was too much. He brings out Penguin to say his goodbyes to Fish.

Dr. Thompson heads to the GCPD locker room, looking for Gordon. The desk Sergeant said she could come back, she came to retrieve the doll, and because she wanted to see Gordon. She stammers a little and walks away, but Gordon stops her, and plants a kiss on her, that turns into a steamy one. Before it can get too intense, Gordon is interrupted. There's been a shootout at Fish Mooney's place.