Gordon set out the find the truth about Barnes sudden change in character on Gotham season 3, episode 9, “The Executioner.”
‘Gotham’ season 3, episode 9 recap:
Gordon:
Now that Alice’s virus has completely taken over Barnes, he has no problem listening to the voices in his head and going after those he thinks are guilty. That includes three big criminals from the city he hasn’t been able to pin down. Thinking that they will never serve time for the crimes they’ve committed, Barnes hangs them himself and says that justice has been served.
Gordon is already onto Barnes though, and asks Lee if she talked to him at her party. She can’t believe what Gordon thinks and says that she hopes he knows what he’s doing. Similarly, Bullock thinks there’s no way that Barnes has gone rogue since he’s always strict on following the law. However, Gordon points out that Barnes has been acting noticeably different lately and no one knows why.
Despite not believing that Barnes is involved, Bullock confirms that Barnes’ fingerprints are at the crime scene, but so are many others. At the same time, Gordon goes snooping in the captains office and finds Alice’s file on his desk. Before he can search further, Barnes walks in and asks Gordon if Simon ever identified the killer. Gordon stays vague though despite the reports that people saw him talking to the doctor before he died.
Barnes suggests that the mob could have killed Simon since he worked for them. A contact of his even offered up a name on a possible suspect, Barnes tells Gordon. As they leave to go investigate the suspect, Barnes starts acting even more odd when he stocks up on guns.
Then Barnes tells Gordon that he should take a statement from him, since he was at the party. Of course he doesn’t admit to doing anything wrong. He also calls the city a cess pool and thinks that they should do something about it. Everything he’s doing is very out of character and it’s getting to Gordon more and more.
When they arrive at the location, the mobster tells Barnes that he doesn’t know who Simon is and didn’t kill him. Barnes tells Gordon that he thinks the man is telling the truth, but he’s definitely guilty and shoots him. Even though Gordon was already onto Barnes he’s shocked when his captain points the gun at him next. He makes Gordon move the body and admits he knew the detective’s suspicions.
It doesn’t take long for Gordon to realize that Barnes is actually infected with the virus from Alice’s blood. He wants to help Barnes and thinks it means that he’s not really guilty for the murders he has already committed. But Barnes doesn’t want help getting rid of the virus, he wants to embrace it and work with Gordon.
Since Gordon killed Galavan, Barnes believes he has the same goals. It was that kill that ruined everything for Gordon and he wishes that he could take it back and won’t help Barnes on his new mission. Before Barnes can kill Gordon for turning down the offer, he gets distracted when someone walks into the building.
Gordon has just enough time to run away and call Bullock to ask for help. Barnes already made a call of his own though and has the GCPD coming after Gordon. Knowing that the others won’t believe him for backing up Gordon, Bullock turns to Lee for help. They arrive on the scene just in time to announce to Barnes that he’s under arrest. Thinking he can still get away, Barnes refuses to put down his gun, and is shocked when Gordon shoots him in the shoulder.
Once they’re back at the GCPD, Gordon and Lee have a touching moment as he thanks her. Lee could have stood by and done nothing, instead she made the risk and fabricated tests to prove Barnes was infected. Bullock does some apologizing of his own, but Gordon says his partner was there when he needed him.
Penguin:
After not hearing from Isabella, Nygma starts to get worried. Penguin tries to reassure him that she’s probably just busy at the conference. However, the GCPD soon call Nygma and ask him to come down. There they show him Isabella’s body and they find out that his number was the last one dialed on her phone.
The cops believe that she fell asleep at the wheel before her accident and Penguin promises to be there for Nygma. He’s very pleased when Nygma turns to him for comfort and they embrace. Penguin doesn’t stay happy for long though, as Nygma starts to wallow in sadness once they get home. Trying to cheer him up, Penguin says that Nygma should heal and move on.
To try and take Penguin’s advice, Nygma goes to the scene where Isabella had her crash. After a somber moment he realizes that it’s only a few blocks from her home and not long enough for her to fall asleep. A local homeless man confirms that he heard her screaming before the accident.
Nygma even goes to check out her car and finds that her brake lines were cut. Since the cops didn’t report that, he believes that they were paid off by someone. All of this evidence makes Nygma believe Isabella was murdered and brings the news to Penguin. Penguin acts shocked to hear that Nygma thinks Butch killed Isabella in retaliation for what he did. Relieved that Nygma isn’t suspicious of him, Penguin vows to help Nygma find Butch.
Ivy:
With her new looks, Ivy is working wealthy men to give her things. This time, she’s with an antiques dealer and convinces him to show her his priced possessions that are kept in a vault. She’s starting to come into her powers and is already using plants to make potions that help her control the men. It usually gives her enough time to take what she wants and sneak out without harm, this time she didn’t use enough potion and was attacked before getting out.
Freaked out by what happened, Ivy goes to see Selina. She still can’t believe that Selina doesn’t recognize her. All it takes is for Ivy to eat all her food, and Selina believes her story. Bruce comes to help and they learn how she was aged by the Indian Hill escapee.
As Ivy is explaining how she gets what she wants from guys, hitmen arrive and try to kill them. Thinking it will save them, Bruce says that they should return the necklace Ivy took from the antique dealer. There’s a funny moment when he barters with Ivy how much he will give her in exchange for it, and she’s not sure how much to ask for.
But when they go back to see the antique dealer he’s already dead. In frustration, Selina throws the necklace and discovers that it’s actually a key. Without any clue who is after the necklace, they go back to Bruce’s for the night. What they don’t know is that the hitmen have found an article about Bruce at Selina’s place.
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