Gotham Recap With Spoilers: Scarification

The episode kicks off with a meeting between the Galavan siblings and Penguin (plus Butch for good measure). Penguin tries to convince Theo Galavan that he'd be better as a "friend, an ally" than as "the tool you are right now," Theo retorted instantly. Penguin begs for his mother back, and Theo digs the knife in a bit more, saying, "The answer's no, old friend."

When they leave, the Galavans talk about their individual roles in things, and it's revealed that Penguin delivered Mr. Bunderslaw from Wayne Enterprises (the guy who entrapped Bruce when he tried to get the corrupt books in his little caper with Selina) to them in a trunk. Theo insists he'll tell them everything they want to know about Wayne's "dirty laundry," under the threat of torture. But first they need something from him – an eye, which Tabitha delights in cutting out. This show and its thing for removing eyes, folks.

We cut to a money laundering center, and the new Gotham PD Strike Force Alpha comes in to do a raid. They successfully make a huge bust, lots of arrests and 2 million bucks of Penguin's cash. The next step is for them to find out where Penguin's goons are getting weapons like rocket launchers, and Gordon tells Captain Barnes about a place called "The Merc" that sells weapons and hasn't been hit because the City Council is in their pocket.

Penguin, back in his home base, is fuming about the way Galavan is treating his mother. A goon gives him the bad news about the count house, and he beats him to death on the spot. Robin Lord Taylor is scary. Penguin gets an idea on how to handle the situation.

Back at Gotham PD, Leslie and Jim talk about the night's plans, and Nygma asks them for a double date with him and Kringle. She readily accepts, and Gordon is concerned. Theo shows up and asks Gordon for his endorsement in his mayoral campaign, but Jim ain't hearing it, saying endorsements aren't something he's comfortable with, naturally foreshadowing that he'll do it in the future when he falls a little farther into the darkness.

Tabby hits up Penguin to give him his next mission. Penguin is paranoid now, in a big way, thinks someone in his organization is betraying him. The new mission, to burn several buildings in Gotham to the ground. She gives him Bunderslaw's eyeball, as well.

Butch goes to Selina to get her help with the Pike Brothers (and their sister Bridgit), enlisting them to commit all the lovely arson. They go to see the fire family (Oh hey, this is the scene I was on set for!), and we're introduced to them. The brothers are… kind of douches. Okay, they're all-the-way jerks. They eventually agree to do the job, though, after abusing their sister a bit. Butch gives them the list and the box with the eyeball in it.

Bridgit and Selina have a little private chat in the alleyway, and Selina tells her to "be strong."

Cut to The Merc – it's like an Ikea for weapons. Pretty funny scene here as criminals are shopping, and there are shopping market style signs for the aisles and announcements being made over cheesy music on loudspeakers. The youngest Pike brother tries to steal a big piece of C4 explosive because it's too expensive. It's raid time for the Strike Force, and the Pike brother pulls on Gordon and Barnes. They shoot him, and he blows up. Oops.

Dinner time! Ed, Kringle, and Lee are fondue-ing it up, and Jim gets home. Lee says Nygma's "actually maintaining this strange sort of cool. There's a lid for every pot." He makes a toast, and of course, it's a riddle: The less you have, the more they're worth. "To friends."

The Pike family is talking about their loss, and that they need an entry man to crawl through air vents. "We need a little skinny guy." They decide Bridget (who apparently was brought into the family) is going to do it, and after she protests, she eventually agrees. You know, so her brothers (half-brothers it seems?) don't literally ho her out.

Lee and Jim talk about Theo's request for an endorsement – sounds like more foreshadowing to me!

Bridgit is on the job. "Be strong, Bridgit" she tells herself. She gets the explosives set up, and lights the fuse. Her brothers tell her she has a minute and a half after it's lit to get out. She has to go to the safe in the building and get something from it, using the eyeball from Bunderslaw. "Grody, right?" It works, and she takes some kind of old knife out of the safe. She goes to crawl out the vent and the explosion goes off, catching her leg on fire a bit. She gets out and her brothers aren't very kind about everything, and tell her to get ready for more.

GCPD: There are five buildings burned to the ground, and from a professional arsonist, Garret of the Strike Force notes. Barnes wants them to find a pattern to the fires.

Bridgit has a box full of fire-related stuff, including some fireproof cloth and a helmet, and a flamethrower. FORESHADOWING. Selina comes in to get the knife for Penguin. She tries to warn Bridget that she's getting in too deep.

Penguin is confused about why the Galavans wanted an antique knife, and Butch tells him to ask Edwige, an antique/Gotham history expert. She comes and tells him the story of the knife. "This knife has a cursed history. Almost two hundred years ago it was used in a terrible crime. Back then, five families ruled Gotham high society: The Elliots, the Kanes, the Crownes, the Dumas, and the most powerful of them all, the Waynes. They called Celestine Wayne the 'Crown Jewel of Gotham.' A real beauty. She was promised to the eldest son of the Elliot family, but there was another who coveted her: Caleb Dumas. One night, during an Easter party at the Wayne Manor, Celestine and Caleb went missing. Wayne men found them together in an illicit embrace. Caleb insisted that they were in love, but Celestine swore on her mother's grave that Caleb had forced himself on her. Justice, if that's what it was, was swift. Celestine's brother Jonathan Wayne delivered the punishment. (And while she says this, they show his hand being cut off).

"The Waynes, they were mad with rage. They seized the Dumas holdings, and banished them socially. Destroyed them. Caleb Dumas went into exile overseas. He went to a religious sect founded by their family's patron saint. Celestine died an old maid. The Waynes forbade the press from even mentioning the Dumas. They renamed streets and buildings. The remnants of the Dumas family were forced to change their name. The Waynes wiped the Dumas out of our city's history."

The remnants of the Dumas family? They changed their name to: Galavan. Boom.

After that huge reveal (and a commercial break), we're back to the GCPD. All the buildings that were burnt down were Wayne Enterprises buildings, and they seem to lead to the Gotham City Book Depository, also owned by Wayne. Stakeout time!

Penguin and Butch have a chat about loyalty and Penguin plies him with alcohol. He tests his conditioning (it still works) and says he's the only one he can "truly trust." Penguin says that since this is a blood feud for Galavan, he's vulnerable and emotional. Penguin orders Butch to go to Galavan, say Penguin's gone crazy and that he needs a job, to infiltrate and find his mom. "He'll buy that I think you turned traitor if we sell it right. Drink up." And they'll sell it using a very personal way… and Penguin chops off Butch's hand. Damn! Sorry, Butch.

At the stakeout, the Pike van rolls up, and we get our first real look at Bridgit in her Firefly gear (no jetpack just yet). She's in her full costume otherwise though. Selina is skulking around in the shadows as usual. The Pikes have four spots to hit tonight. When the GCPD reveal themselves, the Pike brothers drive away leaving Bridgit alone. She panics and starts hitting the flamethrower. Garret runs up to take her down, and a malfunction of the flamethrower lights him on fire. Selina gets Bridgit out of there via the rooftops.

GCPD: Garrett died. The Strike force is ready to "find the person who killed our brother and put a stop to them using every legal method at our disposal." Galavan conveniently shows up at GCPD, and Gordon tells him he needs "every method at their disposal" to fight the bad guys. And he says he'll give his endorsement for Galavan's future support of the GCPD. They shake on it, and Theo smiles and walks away.

At the Galavan home, Theo walks in and there's a hooded figure sitting by the fire. "Father Creel," Theo addresses him as. "Theo, it's been a long time," and they embrace. Theo shows him the knife. He asks about the Wayne boy, but Theo says, "Soon." "The day of redemption is at hand. Our brothers are crossing the ocean now, warriors unlike this city has ever known. Gotham will be redeemed in blood, and Bruce Wayne will die."

What did you think of this week's Gotham? Rate the episode in the box above and sound off in the comments!