'Gotham': What Is Project M?

If you thought the Tetch Virus was dangerous, Gotham has introduced a substance that could easily take over the entire city. This terrifying chemical was produced by a division of Wayne Enterprises referred to Project M.

WARNING: Major Spoilers ahead for the latest episode of Gotham! Continue reading at your own risk...

Ivy was gunning for Wayne Enterprises because she learned about a secret project that she believed was killing plants around the world. Bruce, under Ivy's spell, revealed that it was all housed under the ultra-secretive Project M.

Lucius revealed that Project M was working with a chemical that didn't kill living things, as Ivy thought. Rather, this new substance actually accelerates cell growth at an alarming rate. He calls it Lazarus Water, and says that it's taken from the pits of R'as al Ghul.

Of course, if you've read Batman comics, you know what the Lazarus Water can do. This substance has the power to bring people back from the dead, a fact that Ivy proves later when she gives Jim Gordon an antidote that saves Bruce Wayne's life. As the episode comes to a close, Ivy is seen mixing the Lazarus Water with her blood, a concoction that kills people, turning their insides into plants.

The effects of the Lazarus Water are obviously the biggest plot point for the episode, but die hard DC fans probably took notice of the Project M name itself.

Project M was a secret government operation that appeared briefly throughout DC Comics. It was created during WWII when the Allied forces were experimenting with psychological warfare. Eventually, this program turned willing participants into monsters, playing on the fear of others.

While Project M was most likely just a clever nod to the comics, the Lazarus Water will probably become a key component of Gotham moving forward. As Ivy weaponizes the dangerous toxin, the people of the city could have another airborne outbreak on their hands.

New episodes of Gotham air on Thursday nights at 8pm ET on FOX.