We’ve known for a while that Gotham season 4 was gearing up to a “cataclysmic” event in its finale. Namely, a loose adaptation of “No Man’s Land,” a seminal comic book arc which saw Gotham City devastated after being hit by an earthquake. Despite this being announced well ahead of time, the show itself hadn’t been teasing that this massive disaster was to occur… Until now.
Last night’s episode, titled “To Our Deaths and Beyond,” saw the shock return of Ra’s al-Ghul, after the League of Shadows resurrected him. Once alive and kicking again, he went to see his former apprentice Bruce Wayne at stately Wayne Manor and informed the young billionaire that he had received a vision of Gotham’s destruction – an event that could force Bruce to step up and become the hero that the city needs right now.
“I saw a vision of a cataclysmic event soon to befall this city,” Ra’s explained. “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.”
We also got our first look at the disaster itself, as a flash of Ra’s’ vision appeared on-screen.
With the show’s first name-check of the term “Dark Knight” in reference to Bruce, it’s very clear what’s being hinted at here. The upcoming season 4 finale could see the young Wayne finally don the iconic cowl for the first time and become Batman. At least, to some extent. It would only be fitting, too, seeing as we now have an early form of the Joker on our hands.
This also fits with what we’ve been told about how important “No Man’s Land” will be to Gotham going forward. Exec producer Danny Cannon previously promised that the aftermath of the event would, in effect, “reboot” the show for season 5. Doing away with all pretense and finally suiting Bruce up as the Caped Crusader would definitely constitute a pretty big revamp for the prequel series, don’t you think?
Unfortunately, we’ve now got a two week break until we get to find out how things will develop in the next episode of Gotham, which arrives on Fox on Thursday, May 3rd. In the meantime, though, feel free to speculate down below.