Contributing Writer// Dillon Koenig
After an explosive first season, “Gotham: The Rise of the Villains” returns to Fox Sept. 21 at 9 p.m.
Though many people know who Bruce Wayne is, few know of how he became Batman or how the villains originated. Based on characters from DC’s Batman franchise, the crime-drama gives viewers the backstories of Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) and Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie), along with villains Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), Riddler (Corey Michael Smith) , Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), Joker (Cameron Monaghan) and many others before they got their names.
For fans who can’t remember where Season 1 left off or never saw the show, here’s what you need to know. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)
- The Waynes died (duh). Everyone who’s ever seen a Batman movie knows that Bruce Wayne starts his transition into Batman because of his parents’ murders, but “Gotham” shows his early stages of grieving and how he befriends Jim Gordon when Gordon takes on the Wayne case.
- Penguin rose to power. Throughout the first season, we saw how Penguin began his life of crime. He starts out working for Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) and getting on her good side, but he soon betrays her and joins Salvatore Maroni (David Zayas) while secretly working for Carmine Falcone (John Doman). Penguin’s main goal is to bring the crime gangs to a major war and achieves that objective in the explosive season finale.
- Fish Mooney plotted against Falcone. Fish wants nothing more than to take over Falcone’s spot at the top. She plots to take him down, but in her attempt, a doctor who sells body parts to rich people who need them or just want to look younger catches her. Fish finally returns to Gotham City only to be killed by Penguin.
- Jim Gordon faced many obstacles. Some might say Jim Gordon is the main focus of the “Gotham” story. He goes through a lot in the first season, from battling the corrupt politics of Gotham to having Barbara Kean (Erin Richards), his ex-girlfriend, killing her parents because of the torment Jason Lennon, “The Ogre,” (Milo Ventimiglia) put her through.
- We discovered who the Riddler is. On “Gotham,” the riddle-loving Edward Nygma works for the Gotham City Police Department. However, when the girl he likes thinks he’s crazy and starts dating a police officer who bullies Nygma, he really does go crazy and kills the officer. With this act he started his life as the Riddler.
- Scarecrow was created. Toward the end of the season, viewers saw the beginnings of Scarecrow. Dr. Gerald Crane (Julian Sands) starts his research of the fear toxin that will be used by Dr. Jonathan Crane (Charlie Tahan) in the future. Causing the death of many by their worst fears, the fear toxin is created, and Dr. Crane injects his son with a heavy dose. At the end of the season, we see the fear toxin is still coursing through his body, causing him to go crazy – and eventually become Scarecrow.
Season 2 of “Gotham” premieres Sept. 21 at 9 p.m. To learn more and catch up on Season 1, head to www.fox.com/gotham and gothamchronicle.com
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