‘Gotham’ Recap With Spoilers – “One of My Three Soups”

The episode begins in Arkham Asylum. A guard puts on headphones to go check on Jervis Tetch, hoping the sound will keep him from controlling her mind. Tetch does however hypnotize another guard. The second guard kills the first, freeing the Mad Hatter. Taking the keys, the duo marches through the halls of Gotham, unlocking the cells of Scarecrow and Jerome.The former has created a new version of his toxin. Jerome and Tetch order the hypnotized guard to kill herself. The trio then releases all of Arkham’s prisoners and exit the gates to thunderous applause.

Jim and Harvey arrive to Arkham to find out that 87 prisoners were let out. Jim knows that Jerome was behind this breakout. The captain then addresses the officers on location and send them out to find Jerome, Scarecrow, and Mad Hatter. Jim suddenly gets a call from Tetch saying he will kill someone of they don’t meet at a certain location right away.

Both Jim and Harvey arrive to meet Tetch and he has a couple in their wedding clothes standing in the middle of the street. After a heated exchange where Tetch again brings up his dead sister, he drops a wrecking ball onto the couple. As he leaves, Tetch leaves a riddle for Jim, talking about “flyers” and “splatter.”

Commercial Break

Bruce and Selina arrive at the GCPD. Bruce asks her to break into Jim’s office and take the file for Jerome Valeska.

At the Sirens Club, Barbara is still suffering from her migraines, as well as the glowing hand. Both are side effects from whatever Ra’s al Ghul passed to her. She admits al Ghul brought her back to life before saying that “It hurts to remember.” Barbara tells Tabitha that she’s sensing memories coming into her brain but it hurts when she tries to access them. Tabitha keeps pushing until Barbara sits down, takes her glove off, and tries to remember what happened.

In her memories, she recalls Ra’s coming to find her after she had died (in the Season 4 finale). He brings her back using Lazarus Water. Barbara admits to Ra’s in that moment that everybody hates her, and he tells her relates. “You’re just the one I’ve been looking for, and I have a present for you but it’s a secret. You shall become the Demon’s Head. The League of Shadows will be yours to command. An army of assassins. The world is weak, Barbara, and you are strong. Use the League to make the world more like you.”

Barbara wakes up to tell Tabitha that the glow in her hand is a beacon for the League of Shadows. They’re coming to find her.

Jim and Harvey try to solve Tetch’s puzzle and they realize that he’s going to hypnotize people into jumping off of buildings at midnight. They go to the nearest rooftop to find a row of people standing at the edge.

Back at the GCPD, Bruce distracts Harper while Selina continues digging for Jerome’s file in Gordon’s office. 

Jim and Harvey realize that the roof they’re on isn’t the only one filled with people. Every roof in Gotham has a crowd waiting to jump. If they get to close to try and save anyone, they’ll jump.

Commercial Break

Selina and Bruce use the file to find out that Jerome’s uncle owns a diner nearby, and they’re convinced that the villain will head that way. Bruce believes Jerome getting loose is his fault because he didn’t kill Jerome when he had the opportunity. After Selina says Bruce needs to check his ego, he leans over to her seat in the car before opening her door and telling her to go. He needs to to after Jerome on his own.

Two cops are questioning a diner owner about Jerome, his nephew. He says he hasn’t seen anything. When they leave, Jerome appears from underneath the table.

Jim and Harvey come to the conclusion that Tetch was able to hypnotize thousands of people because he’s broadcasting from a radio station. Harvey takes things upon himself so that Jim doesn’t get hypnotized. He locks himself inside a car and switches through the stations until he finds the right one.

Jerome holds his uncle at gunpoint while tasting three soups that have been set in front of him. He then talks about the time he got caught trying to take a cookie and his uncle dipped his hand into a boiling pot of chicken stock to punish him. The uncle has tricked Jerome. He says there are three bowls of soups, “So I’d have enough for all my guests.” A massive man shows up and grabs Jerome and throws him up against the bar. He holds him there as the uncle heats up a bowl of soup until it boils.

The assassins of the League of Shadows reveal themselves to Barbara at the club. She reveals that she is the Demon’s Head.

Harvey finds the right station and tells Jim which one to go to. He’s been hypnotized because he heard the broadcast and punches Jim in the face before heading to the nearest roof.

Commercial Break

Jim calls Harper and tells her to get all of the squad cars moving around the street ready to broadcast when he gives the go ahead. He hangs up and walks into the radio station.

Jerome’s uncle takes the boiling soup and pours it onto the young man’s face, telling him his mother should’ve killed him when he was a kid. Bruce enters and tells the uncle that no one deserves that fate. The uncle then sends the strong man after Bruce. The two fight as  Jerome picks up a gun and holds his uncle hostage. He says, “Tell me what I wanna know,” though his intentions haven’t been revealed to the audience yet. 

The League of Shadows questions Barbara’s leadership. Most of the League members are men and they say that a woman has never been allowed to lead them before. “Women serve in the League, they don’t lead.” One woman in the League tries to stand up for Barbara. The man who’s been speaking for the League tries to attack Barbara and cut the Demon’s Head out of her, but she quickly disposes of him. Once he’s down, the rest of the League draws their weapons and prepares to take down Barbara.

Jerome is about to pour bleach down his uncle’s throat when the man stops him, ready to tell him what he wants to know. “I’ll tell ya! She picked St. Ignacious! The school is St. Ignacious!” Jerome makes him write the information down while he watches Bruce try to fight the strong man. 

Before leaving, Jerome shoots and kills his uncle and then applauds Bruce for saving his life. “I did not see that one coming!” Jerome reveals that his uncle used to abuse him and then says he’s going to kill the strong man and save Bruce. Since Bruce doesn’t want anyone to die, he tells Jerome to stop, so Jerome allows the strong man to keep choking out Bruce.

At the radio station, Tetch is broadcasting to the people, telling them to jump when the hour arrives. Jim covers his mouth and puts a gun to his head.

Commercial Break

The GCPD has cars positioned to blare the radio station so the entire city can hear the broadcast. He orders Tetch to tell the people to back off of the ledge. The orders are met with more riddles and Jim’s had enough. He holds Tetch up against the door and shoots a hole through his hand.

Tetch finally reveals that he’s programmed the people to jump if anyone tells them not to. He also has told the people of Gotham to obey the next voice they hear. No matter what, they’re going to jump.

Selina arrives at the diner and uses her whip to take the gun from Jerome. She points it at the villain. He dives as she tries to shoot him. Bruce tackles Selina so that she doesn’t kill Jerome and, while they’re down, he escapes. He tells her that Jerome is his responsibility and that he can’t kill him. He has to turn him in to Jim. Before Selina leaves, she tells Bruce, “Just don’t take so much responsibility that you get yourself killed.”

On the floor, Bruce spots the note that the uncle had written.

“St. Ignacious.”

Barbara stares at the armed League and takes a step toward them. They all take one step back. She says that she’s been chosen to lead them because she’s strong and they’re all so weak. She orders them to kneel and they do as they’re told. All of a sudden, the lights go out and guns begin to fire. The few women in the league have killed the many men. The woman who spoke up earlier tells Barbara that the men were weak but they are strong, and they will follow her anywhere.

The clocks in Gotham begin to toll and the people begin stepping toward the ledges. Jim speaks into the radio.

“I can’t save you. Save each other.”

Every person on the rooftop grabs someone beside them and Jim’s plan has worked. By not telling them to save themselves he solved Tetch’s riddle. For his efforts, Jim gets a thumbs up from the radio DJ.

Commercial Break

Harvey and Jim get back to Gotham Central where they reveal that they didn’t get any information out of Tetch after they arrested him. Harvey pours the duo a drink. Jim says that he doesn’t deserve to hold his position, that he should be in jail for what he did with Sofia. Of course, Harvey fights back and says that if Jim were in prison, thousands of people would be dead in the streets. Jim then apologizes for judging Harvey for working with Penguin. “What you know about me, Jim? That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are no heroes here.” The two clink their glasses just before Bruce calls Jim to tell him that Jerome is headed to St. Ignacious.

“I’ll see you at St. Ignacious, Jim. You can yell at me there.”

The truck transporting Tetch is stopped and Scarecrow sprays his gas onto the driver. Jerome also appears, wearing a brand new suit. Jerome reveals that his plan was for Tetch to distract Jim with the jumpers while he got the information from his uncle and Scarecrow got all of his fear gas.

The three villains are together and free. Jerome jumps in the driver’s seat and cackles as he speeds off down the street.

The end.