Gotham S04E22 "No Man's Land" Recap

Selina is rushed to the hospital, with Bruce close by her side, while Alfred bring Jeremiah to the GCPD. While in the holding cell, Jeremiah demands that Jim bring him Bruce Wayne so they can speak and in exchange Jeremiah will tell him where some other back-up bombs are hidden.

Oswald has brought Grundy and Tabitha to Strange so that he can turn him back into Butch. The plan is to flush his body with anti-toxins, several blood transfusions from three different victims being held hostage, and then his body will be jolted with some electric shocks to restart his heart. Tabitha gets a call about Selina being shot and resolves to go hunt down Jeremiah and shoot him dead as revenge.

Jim sends Fox to search for which of the generators are also bombs but it's unclear just how many have been created since Jeremiah was notoriously secretive about his work and Bruce trusted him to work as he pleased. Ra's al Ghul watches from a safe distance as one of Jeremiah's bombs kills the mayor and everyone else in his office. Jim continues to beat up Jeremiah, demanding the location of the bombs, but Jeremiah refuses to say anything before he first gets to talk to Bruce Wayne. The interrogation is interrupted by the arrival of military personnel who declare they will take over leadership of the operation. The military Major insists that Bruce Wayne be brought to the station and orders that Jim be arrested when he tries to intervene. Jim is about to be transported away when Riddler arrives and knocks Jim's guards and then Jim himself out.

Jim wakes in the Narrows as Riddler's hostage. Riddler is determined to kill Nygma by gradually laying more weight onto Jim, believing that once Jim is free then Lee will be freed from her old self and become the person he believes her to truly be.

Ra's al Ghul visits Barbara and declares he is leaving Gotham and wants her to come with him. He thinks that part of the Demon's Head may still be in her and offers her the opportunity to join him so they can rule the League of Shadows together. He says that the destruction of Gotham will bring about the rise of his heir, someone that he foresaw long ago (Batman, obviously).

Bruce is angry to have been brought down to the station with Alfred against his will and resolves to get his encounter with Jeremiah over with so he can return to Selina. Jeremiah claims that the bomb that killed the mayor was the only one left and there weren't any more bombs since the plan was all working towards getting Bruce to the station. Jeremiah makes Bruce realise that Ra's al Ghul has gotten to him and orchestrated a larger plan. Right on cue, Ra's breaks Jeremiah out of police custody and takes Bruce with him.

Lee interrupts Riddler's games with Jim and convinces him that she no longer loves Jim. She also declares that she's leaving that night and that he is free to come with her but only if he doesn't kill Jim, as she will be the one to decide who she is and not him or any other man. Riddler taunts Jim, saying that she has chosen him and leaves him free to escape and resume his attempts to save Gotham.

Alfred visits Tabitha and Barbara at the club, demanding to know where Ra's al Ghul is. Barbara says that Ra's plans to flee Gotham with Bruce and Jeremiah and that she, Tabitha, and Alfred should team up since she wants to kill Ra's, Tabitha wants to kill Jeremiah, and Alfred wants to rescue Bruce. Their scheming is interrupted by Oswald who demands to be involved in the action.

Lee catches up to Jim as he's leaving and gives him the keys to a car to get away. He admits that if he could go back, he would ask her to run away with Gotham so they could make a life together. She says that he wouldn't be himself if he'd done that, admits she reciprocates his feelings, kisses him goodbye, and tells him to go save Gotham while she will indeed be leaving Gotham. It's then that Jim gets a call from Harvey informing him of Jeremiah's escape, Bruce's kidnapping, and the fact that they've taken all the bombs.

Bruce and Jeremiah are brought to Ra's at a location away from the impending destruction to come. Ra's says that he and Jeremiah are doing all of this to build Bruce into the Dark Knight he is destined to become from the destruction of Gotham. Jeremiah's motivations are more so rooted in his desire to have Bruce be the brother Jerome never could be.

Jim and the other detectives correctly determine that the bombs are set up to destroy every bridge out of Gotham. Ra's intends for the city to fall into lawlessness. Barbara arrives at the lair intent on killing Ra's with the mystical dagger reformed. All the bridges are being evacuated since there are vans placed on each one containing a bomb. Meanwhile a fight breaks out at the lair between Barbara's group and Ra's. Finally, Barbara is able to kill Ra's by having Bruce grip the knife in his hands while she forces them into Ra's abdomen. All the bombs go off, destroying the path in and out of Gotham. As Ra's is dying, he tells Bruce to either stay Bruce Wayne or accept his destiny to become the Dark Knight.

Lee decides to stay in the Narrows since the people will need her now more than ever. She breaks up with Nygma, who determines that she was never going to leave with him. Lee stabs him as he's preparing to stab her but as she's walking away, he pulls the knife out his abdomen and stabs her too. They kiss and then collapse from their wounds.

Oswald and Tabitha return to Strange's set-up and find that Butch has been restored from his Grundy state. He and Tabitha are overjoyed and declare their love for one another. They kiss and Butch thanks Oswald, saying he will give him anything he needs. Oswald says he considers Butch a friend and apologises before shooting him in the chest out of revenge for Tabitha killing Oswald's mother. Tabitha tries to attack Oswald but he shoots her in the leg to stop her in her tracks. Oswald vows to kill her once he believes she has suffered enough and has his men escort her out.

Bruce catches up to the hospital personnel who inform him that Selina has suffered spinal damage that is likely permanent. Selina is being boarded up on the last ambulance that is being led to the boats that are taking the patients out of Gotham. Bruce is offered the opportunity to go with them but decides to stay in Gotham and embrace his destiny as the city's protector. Alfred tells him Jeremiah and Gotham are not Bruce's responsibility but Bruce declares that he is making it his. Alfred says he'll stay with Bruce but Bruce tells him to go with her, saying he needs to know that Selina is safe. Alfred agrees to go with her but vow to return and find Bruce.

Gotham is being evacuated and even the majority of law enforcement personnel are going with them. The city is going to be overrun with criminals within mere hours, but Jim resolves to stay and fight for the city. The various iconic villains the show has introduced begin to claim their respective territories and wreak their different brands of havoc.

Oswald discovers Lee and Riddler's bodies and brings them to Strange, ordering that they be "fixed." The remaining men from the League of Shadows swear their allegiance to Barbara. Tabitha then arrives and tells her about Oswald's betrayal. Barbara then declares men as the enemy and has her women kill the male League members.

Jim, Harvey, and Fox agree to team up with any other folks that have stayed behind to protect it. Bruce is shown to be on the streets roughing up some criminals in search of Jeremiah when he spots a searchlight in the sky that Jim has had Fox set up on top of GCPD Headquarters. Bruce goes to meet Jim on the roof, telling him that they need to go block by block restoring justice to Gotham, and the searchlight serves as a symbol against the darkness.

Gotham airs on Thursdays on FOX at 8/7c.