Gotham Season 3 Episode 21 and 22 Heroes Rise: Destiny Calling & Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul Reviews

Keith NoakesJune 6, 2017n/a14 min

If you would like to read my review of the last episode, click here.

Synopsis: With the deadly virus spreading throughout the city, the search for the antidote continues, as Fish Mooney, The Riddler and Penguin reveal plans of their own. Bruce meets Ra’s Al Ghul and completes his last task in order to fulfill his destiny, but realizes he can’t let go of his past. Meanwhile, Gordon tries to win back Lee, and past alliances within Gotham City are broken, while new alliances are formed. (IMDB)

Writers: Danny Cannon and Robert Hull

Directors: Nathan Hope and Rob Bailey

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 42mins

After the virus was released at the end of the last episode, things got a little crazy. Gordon injected himself with the virus to get out of the coffin and he was fighting it. To be safe, Bullock took his gun away. Bruce was handcuffed in an interrogation room while they tried to figure out how to handle it but of course Alfred tried to talk some sense into him.

With the city in shambles, Ed still wanted to go after Penguin but Barbara to take control of the city and wanted Ed’s help to do so. Lee made a detour to the bar, attacking Butch and asking for Barbara.

There was hope, however, as an antidote to the virus existed but Strange was nowhere to be found, or at least until Fish Mooney and her cronies found him. She wanted the virus and the army he had promised her. Lee wanted Gordon to give in to the virus so they can be together but Gordon was more interested in fighting it. They caught up to Fish Mooney and Strange and when she heard that Strange had a cure, she seemed more interested in that so they managed to get away. After some torturing, Strange gave it up.

Once they got hold of the cure, they thought to use it as a way to make money but they were quickly ambushed by a group of assassins. Luckily, Fries and Firefly were there to take care of them. Gordon and Bullock caught wind of what was happening and made their way there. Gordon went crazy and killed the rest of them and when he went for the cure, he stabbed Fish Mooney with a sword and she dropped the cure on the floor. Strange was able to make more of the cure but he only needed more Tetch blood so of course Barbara, Tabitha, and Butch took him from Arkham.

Alfred tried to talk sense into Bruce but the Shaman helped to take away his pain which was more than Alfred ever done. He also told him about someone who was coming. Alfred wanted him to remember who he was. Everything he had gone through wasn’t real so Alfred brought up a series of memories from Bruce’s past with his parents that were real and this seemed to be getting to him. Meanwhile, the virus was reaping havoc within the GCPD, calling Alfred outside. When he got back, Bruce was gone.

Bruce was wandering the streets looking for something, or someone. Alfred was following him. He eventually found Ra’s Al Ghul’s (Alexander Siddig) hideout. The Shaman told Bruce to seek him to complete his training but he already has. He was looking for an heir and wondered if Bruce was ready. Bruce thought so although he failed his task to release the virus because of Alfred. Bruce was given another chance, however, he would have to kill Alfred. Alfred pleaded to him but Bruce killed him.

Overall, this was a decent, albeit unfocused episode despite a lot going on. I know it’s the first half of the season finale but it felt like they were just setting up the next episode without applying too much care to this one but at least Fish Mooney seems to be gone for good this time.

Score: 7/10


The last episode ended with Bruce seemingly killing Alfred and the beginning of this episode saw Bruce immediately regretting what he did. He broke free from the spell he was under, vowing to never be Ra’s Al Ghul’s heir but it ultimately didn’t matter to him and they were not done. To save Alfred, Bruce used some of the water from the Lazarus pit (I assume that’s what it was).

Lee called Gordon to tell him that he was leaving Gotham and wanted Gordon to go with her. She thought he wanted it as much as she did. She wanted them to be together but she wanted the real him.

Barbara wanted money for Tetch but Gordon thought to trade Penguin for him. Meanwhile, Tabitha and Butch were plotting to kill Barbara but it wasn’t the right time and making things worse, Ed steals Tetch from them. Barbara and the other ultimately arrived to interrupt the exchange and forcing everyone to scatter.

Trapped and with nowhere to go, Gordon decided to take Tetch’s blood there while Ed decided to go for Penguin, Penguin knocked him out and cuffed him to the backseat of his car. Failing with Tetch and forced to retreat to their safehouse, Tabitha and Butch believed that they would have to strike back at Barbara there. Thinking that something was up, Barbara confronted Butch and shot him in the head. Now at the safehouse, Barbara and Tabitha fought with Tabitha eventually killing Barbara.

Now with Tetch’s blood, they could start to work on an antidote. They managed to create a dose for Gordon but it wasn’t good enough because he wanted to save Lee so he took it and stormed off. He went to visit Lee to try and give her the antidote but she didn’t want it. She wanted Gordon to give in to his darkness.

At the train station, Bullock tried to stop Gordon from leaving. Gordon threw him around but Bullock convinced him of who he really was which a cop and his best friend. Gordon then went on the train and took the doses of the antidote that Bullock slipped him and used one on Lee followed by the other on himself.

Bruce took Alfred to the hospital and waited while he was in surgery. Selina came to visit but Bruce was not happy to see her and wanted her to leave. Bruce pleaded to Alfred to wake up because he needed him. Alfred eventually woke up and Bruce explained that he was looking for his own identity but Alfred told him that it was up to himself to find that. Alfred’s identity was Bruce.

Eventually Ed thought he got the upper hand on Penguin, going back to the same spot where he shot him and thought he had died. Penguin was strangely accepting of his situation but he had a plan which included taking the bullets out of the gun and calling Fries to freeze him.

Selina played with Tabitha’s whip and was good with it. Penguin’s new bar is going to be called the Iceberg Lounge and the centerpiece is going to be frozen Ed. Bruce went to Lee’s and found a letter from Lee that actually sounded rational, explaining how she finally understood what Gotham really was, how Gordon and Gotham needed each other, and that one day they would be reunited.

Gordon wanted to go back to normal work with Bullock and the episode ended with a disguised person saving a family from being robbed at gunpoint. It was revealed that this person was Bruce.

Overall, this season finale was mostly a rehash of other finales but it was still compelling to watch and wrapped up things nicely. They may not have been as satisfying since the season meandered so much but I’m glad it’s over and I am looking forward to seeing where they will go from the last shot of the episode. Also this easter egg.

Score: 7.5/10

If you liked this, please read my other reviews here and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, follow me on Instagram, and also like me on Facebook.

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