Penguin's Umbrella

"So I've been thinking. You're still a douche bag. But you have the moral high ground. So I'm gonna back your play, whatever it is. I figure I'm doomed anyhow. I might as well join the good guys."

- Harvey Bullock to James Gordon

"Penguin's Umbrella" is the seventh episode of Season One of Fox's Gotham. It was written by Bruno Heller and directed by Rob Bailey. It is the seventh episode of the series overall, and premiered on November 3, 2014.

Synopsis
As violence between Maroni and Falcone continues to escalate, Penguin reveals a new component of his manipulative strategy, forcing Gordon to deal with the consequences of his decision to spare Penguin's life.

Recap
We open with Oswald Cobblepot walking smugly in public, protected by two bodyguards. Cutting to another scene, Fish Mooney, enraged from James Gordon’s lie that he killed Oswald, demands Butch Gilzean to bring Gordon to her.

At GCPD’s locker room, Gordon is sucker punched by Harvey Bullock. Raising his gun at Gordon, Bullock says that the only way out is to kill Gordon and beg Falcone for mercy. Gordon pleads for Bullock’s assistance in setting things right. As Bullock is distracted, Gordon overpowers Bullock and, again, asks for Bullock’s help.

At Barbara Kean’s apartment, Gilzean and his associate have already shown up. In the middle of Gilzean’s harassing of Barbara, Gordon shows up with his gun drawn. With Gilzean still threatening the lives of Barbara and Gordon, Gordon disables the two thugs. Taking Barbara to the bus station, Gordon has her leave Gotham so that he can settle things once and for all.

At GCPD, Gordon demands, from one of the detectives, blank warrants already pre-signed by a judge. At a warehouse where Falcone is loading chickens into a truck, Mooney requests the execution of both Oswald, Gordon, and Bullock. Falcone wants Mooney to negotiate with Maroni, but Nikolai, Mooney’s secret lover, thinks that a negotiation would be too soft. When Falcone asks where Gordon is, Mooney tells him that Gordon seems to not care and is still at GCPD. Falcone then sends a person named Victor to fetch him. Walking away with Nikolai, Mooney voices her suspicions that Falcone knows something.

As Gordon reveals to Sarah Essen his arrest warrants for Falcone and Mayor Aubrey James, she discourages his plans — telling him to leave the city instead. Outside of Essen’s office, Victor arrives with two associates, and calls out to Gordon. As Gordon presents himself, Victor demands that every cop in the station leave. Loyalties are quickly revealed when almost everyone exits. With only Essen remaining, Gordon implores her to also leave. A gun battle quickly erupts with Gordon taking a shot to his side. Chasing and cornering Gordon in the parking lot, Victor and his team are distracted by a female cop (Deus ex Machina #1: It seems rather convenient that a cop suddenly shows up right before Gordon is about to be killed). They shoot her, which gives Gordon enough time to run, but Victor is still able to shoot him in the leg. About to be killed, Detectives Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen speed into the parking lot and save Gordon. Going back to the female cop, Victor kills her, and uses a box-cutter to carve a tally mark on his forearm.

Gordon wakes up in a university dissection lab, where a doctor friend of Montoya’s and Allen’s has tended to his injuries. Going against the doctor’s orders, Gordon demands to leave. Finally allowed to do so, Allen arrives and helps Gordon.

In a meeting, Mooney requests that Maroni hand over Oswald. As Maroni requests Oswald to make a mock apology, Mooney, angered, warns them of bloodshed. Giving a final threat to Oswald, Mooney viciously strikes him across the face for calling her “Fish” because only her “friends call her Fish.”

At a Gotham City bridge, Gilzean creates a human barrier made up of nuns to block one of Maroni’s trucks. Taking the merchandise, Gilzean wants the drivers to tell Maroni that Falcone won’t let any shipments pass any bridges until Oswald is handed over. To make the message more serious, Gilzean shoots the drivers in their legs.

Back at Maroni’s restaurant, a furious Maroni finds out about his stolen guns. Oswald manipulates the conversation by putting the idea that Falcone’s violent actions are due to wanting Oswald’s valuable information. To resolve the issue, Maroni’s right-hand man, Frankie Carbone, suggests paying off Falcone. But Maroni wants to hit back harder, so Oswald reveals the perfect target.

Parked somewhere in the woods, Montoya makes amends to Gordon for not believing him. Suddenly, Alfred Pennyworth appears, holding Allen at knifepoint, thinking that Allen is an intruder. It’s soon revealed that they’re on the grounds of Wayne Manor. Inside, Gordon meets with Bruce to tell him that he may not be able to find his parents’ killer. Knowing that Gordon is alluding to his potential death, Bruce demands to know if it’s connected to his parents’ murders. Confirming Bruce’s assumption, Gordon tells Bruce that if he doesn’t return, Montoya and Allen will take over his parents’ case. When Gordon offers a departing handshake, Bruce embraces him.

Arriving at a warehouse, Oswald, Carbone, and Carbone’s henchmen blow open the doors and kill Nikolai and his associates. During a boastful moment, Oswald is attacked by Carbone for manipulating Maroni. But the tables are quickly turned when it’s revealed that Carbone’s men were made a better offer to work for Oswald. As Carbone’s own men hold him, Oswald visciously stabs Carbone to death.

In a planned meeting, Falcone agrees to let Maroni keep Oswald for something in return — one of Maroni’s warehouses on the river. As Maroni denies this request, Oswald consults him and suggests that Maroni give Falcone Indian Hill. Unfamiliar with the land, Falcone is told by Mooney that Indian Hill is part of Arkham, and is a toxic waste dump located on top of an Indian burial ground, which, to Mooney, is worthless. Flacone thinks that nothing is worthless. He agrees to the deal as a token of mutual respect.

As Gordon gears up for battle, he’s paid a visit by an inebriated Bullock. Because he has nothing to live for anyways, Bullock agrees to help Gordon with his plan (Deus ex Machina #2: Why would Bullock agree to help him out of the blue? Gordon just suddenly gets assistance without really working for it?).

The next day, Gordon and Bullock corner Mayor James in his limousine. Executing his arrest warrant, Gordon forces Mayor James to take him and Bullock to Falcone’s residence. Entering Falcone’s study with Mayor James in handcuffs, Gordon announces his arrest of Falcone for the “conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.” As the two men exchange words, Falcone gives Gordon a scenario: what if Barbara had a knife to her throat? Falcone reassures Gordon that he isn’t bluffing — when Barbara returned to Gotham City to beg Falcone to spare Gordon’s life, Falcone had Victor abduct her. Gordon asks for proof, but Falcone denies him that request, so as to force Gordon into a position to believe him. Falcone then dares Gordon to arrest him.

In another part of Falcone’s home, Liza is baking muffins. As she approaches the counter, Barbara is seen sitting on a stool, bound, with Victor present.

Back in Falcone’s study, Gordon and Bullock have surrendered. Victor enters with Barbara, confirming that Gordon made the right call. As Falcone suggests killing Gordon, Bullock, and Barbara, a freed Mayor James makes a quick exit. Speaking his thoughts, Falcone assesses that it would be a shame to kill two principled detectives. He tells Gordon that anarchy is the enemy. Because Gordon trusted him about Barbara, Falcone believes that Gordon has made a “good first step.” To Victor’s disappointment, Falcone allows the three to leave freely (Deus ex machina #3: Even if this is part of Falcone’s and Oswald’s plans, they need to play it where it’s not seen as something out of the blue). Questioning Falcone’s reasoning, Gordon is told by Falcone to “see the truth.”

While tending his chicken coop, Falcone is visited by Oswald. Surprisingly, Falcone greets Oswald a friend, and we go into a flashback:

The night Gordon and Bullock were to be executed in the slaughterhouse (pilot episode), Falcone meets Oswald for the first time. Oswald requests to have Gordon be the one to execute him. Because Gordon is a man with a conscience, he will most likely spare Oswald’s life. Falcone questions why he would even allow such a request if he himself wants Oswald dead. Oswald tells Falcone that if this request is granted and Gordon spares him, he will come back to Gotham City under a different name, and spy on Maroni from within. Falcone agrees to the deal, and then asks about the valuable secret. Oswald reveals that Mooney and Nikolai are feigning animosity against each other. The two are actually lovers, and Mooney is pushing Nikolai to take Falcone’s place. Later, Mooney will take over from Nikolai.

Back to the present, Falcone credits Oswald for the execution of his plan. When Falcone questions why Oswald wanted him to spare Gordon’s life, Oswald thanks Falcone for the favor, and guarantees that they will one day see the light.

Starring

 * Ben McKenzie as Detective James Gordon
 * Donal Logue as Detective Harvey Bullock
 * David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne
 * Zabryna Guevara as Captain Sarah Essen
 * Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth
 * Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot
 * Erin Richards as Barbara Kean
 * Camren Bicondova (credit only)
 * Cory Michael Smith (credit only)
 * Victoria Cartagena as Detective Renee Montoya
 * Andrew Stewart-Jones as Detective Crispus Allen
 * John Doman as Carmine Falcone
 * Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney

Guest Starring

 * David Zayas as Sal Maroni
 * Richard Kind as Mayor Aubrey James
 * Drew Powell as Butch Gilzean
 * Jeremy Davidson as Nikolai
 * Makenzie Leigh as Liza
 * Danny Mastrogiorgio as Frankie Carbone
 * Anthony Carrigan as Victor Zsasz
 * Mekia Cox as Dr. Thawson

Co-Starring

 * Christine Hollingsworth as Zsasz Henchwoman #1
 * Celia Au as Zsasz Henchwoman #2
 * JW Cortes as Detective Alvarez
 * Eileen Weisinger as Uniformed Female Cop
 * Bob Roseman as Driver
 * Alexis Suarez as Guard
 * Salvatore Inzerillo as Shotgun
 * Alex Corrado as Gabe
 * Adrienne Lovette as Cocktail Waitress
 * Mario D'Leon as Underling

Production Notes

 * Victor "Mister" Zsasz is an actual comic book character who made his debut in June 1992 in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1. His trademark is cutting a number/tally on his skin for each victim he kills.

Goofs

 * When he stops at the edge of the motor pool while chasing Gordon, Victor's gun hand is at his side from behind, but up by his face in the very next shot.