Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul

"Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul" is the twenty-second episode of the third season, the second part of the two-part season finale, and 66th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by co-executive producer Robert Hull and directed by Rob Bailey. It was first broadcast on June 5, 2017. The title also shares the name with Twenty One Pilots' song, "Heavydirtysoul", but is not in the episode.

In the episode, Harvey and a Tetch-virus-infected Jim Gordon need Jervis Tetch's blood to create an antidote to the virus, but Nygma and Barbara intercept his prison transport. When Jim demands they turn him over, Nygma and Barbara demand a ridiculous amount of money in exchange, as well as Oswald Cobblepot, whom Nygma wants to kill. Gordon and Bullock then kidnap Cobblepot and plan on bringing him to Nygma to free Tetch and get the antidote. However, their plans are thwarted by Barbara, who wants to use Tetch as a bargaining chip to consolidate her power over the city. She believes that Butch and Tabitha are conspiring against her, and their conflict finally comes to a head. Meanwhile, Alfred confronts Bruce to try to snap him out of his brainwashing, and Bruce is forced to decide what path he will take in order to truly fulfill his destiny. Finally, Cobblepot's and Nygma's face-off comes to an end.

The episode marks the introduction of Solomon Grundy to the show.^[1]

The finale received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the conclusion to the season's story and the significant chances taken by the show in the finale.

Plot

Bruce (David Mazouz) withdraws the sword off Alfred's (Sean Pertwee) chest, spurning Ra's (Alexander Siddig) crowning as his heir. Ra's indicates Bruce to use the Lazarus Pit to heal Alfred and leaves. Bruce takes water from the Pit and pours it on Alfred's wound, waking him up. He then takes him to the hospital. Selina (Camren Bicondova) arrives later on, having heard about Alfred's condition, but is dismissed by Bruce for her flippancy. She counters that her actions have been based on what she considers surviving in Gotham, and that unlike Bruce, she's accepted who she is.

In the GCPD, Gordon (Ben McKenzie) receives a call from Lee (Morena Baccarin), who is planning on leaving Gotham and wants him to join her. Gordon decides to leave with her in order to stay together. Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) and Barbara (Erin Richards) begin to send demands to the mayor's office in exchange for the antidote, demanding Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) in return. Gordon and Bullock (Donal Logue) then take Cobblepot out of his cell in order to bargain with them but Nygma has taken Tetch (Benedict Samuel), planning on killing Cobblepot once and for all.

Gordon and Bullock take Cobblepot to a factory where Nygma holds Tetch with a bomb connected to him in order to kill him if the deal goes awry. The meeting is interrupted by Barbara, Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) and Butch (Drew Powell) who try to retrieve Tetch. Cobblepot breaks free, knocks out Nygma and escapes in the police cruiser with him in the backseat. Seeing they cannot escape in time, Gordon cuts Tetch's throat to retrieve his blood for the antidote and he and Bullock return to the GCPD to develop the cure. Unfortunately, Gordon finally succumbs to the virus and leaves the precinct. He tries to inject Lee with the antidote but he fails multiple times. While he and Lee escape through the train station, Bullock intercepts them but Gordon attacks him while Lee boards the train. Harvey urges him to remember his calling, and affirms his friendship with Jim before giving him his badge back with another vial of the antidote on the back. In the train, Gordon injects himself and Lee, freeing them from the virus.

Barbara confronts Butch about the betrayal and shoots him in the head, seemingly killing him. She then confronts Tabitha in one of their safe houses and ends up fighting, culminating in Tabitha using her whip to cause an electroshock that kills Barbara. Nygma breaks free of Cobblepot's handcuffs and apparently goads him into returning to the port where he shot Cobblepot. However, this is part of Cobblepot's plan, having emptied Nygma's gun and reveals that Ivy (Maggie Geha) and Fries (Nathan Darrow) followed them in order to complete his task: to contain Nygma as a reminder to never let love weaken him again. Cobblepot then has Fries freeze Nygma as he comes after him indignant fury. Alfred finally wakes up from the coma and comforts Bruce, urging him to forge his destiny based on what he loves.

Wanting to find security and influence, Selina goes to The Sirens and gains mentorship under Tabitha, even testing her whip. Gordon receives a letter from Lee, stating she believes in him but she is leaving Gotham. Cobblepot and Ivy display Nygma's frozen body as a new sculpture for their new club: the Iceberg Lounge. Butch's body is revealed to be in life support in the hospital and the doctors find that his birth name was changed from Cyrus Gold. In the final scene, a family wanders through the streets when they are assaulted by a mugger. Suddenly, a vigilante is shown attacking the mugger and escapes to a building rooftop. The vigilante is revealed to be Bruce. He then stares into the city as a storm is heard in the background.

Production

Development

In March 2017, Drew Powell announced that the twenty-second and final episode of the season would be titled "Heavydirtysoul" and was to be written by Robert Hull and directed by Rob Bailey.^[2] The episode is named after the Twenty One Pilots song of the same name.^[3]

Writing

In August 2016, the producers talked about introducing Harley Quinn into the series despite the character's success in the film Suicide Squad. Executive producer John Stephens explained that they would rather see a "proto-version" of Harley Quinn possibly in the third or fourth season. He also added introducing "proto-versions" of Killer Croc and Solomon Grundy in the show.^[4][5] On January 2017, the producers began to hint about Quinn's appearance in the third season finale with Stephens claiming that "we might see her in episode 22" and that the character would be the "launching point" for the central plot of season 4 and finally a few days before the episode, David Mazouz claimed the character would appear in the episode.^[6][7] However, Quinn did not appear in the finale; it was confirmed in a June 2017 TVLine article that there were no plans at that time to feature Quinn on the show.^[8]

The episode also confirmed Solomon Grundy's debut in the series, revealing that Butch Gilzean was in fact born with the name "Cyrus Gold", the alter ego of Grundy.^[5][1] According to Drew Powell, he discovered about the revelation shortly after season 3 stated filming.^[9]

Casting

During Gotham's second season, media began to speculate that James Frain's character in the show would in fact be Ra's al Ghul, citing many similarities between the characters but the speculation ended when the character was killed off.^[10] However, on March 2, 2017, Alexander Siddig was cast to portray Ra's al Ghul. He was described as being the leader behind the Court of Owls and also the leader of the League of Shadows.^[11]

Chris Chalk and Michael Chiklis don't appear in the episode as their respective characters. In May 2017, it was announced that the guest cast for the episode would include Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney, Alexander Siddig as Ra's al Ghul, Camila Perez as Bridgit Pike/Firefly, Nathan Darrow as Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze, and B. D. Wong as Hugo Strange.^[12]

Reception

Viewers

Airing back to back with the previous episode, the episode was watched by 3.03 million viewers with a 0.9/4 share among adults aged 18 to 49.^[13] This was a 5% decrease in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by 3.17 million viewers with a 1.0/4 in the 18-49 demographics. With this rating, Gotham ranked third on its timeslot and third for the night behind The Bachelorette, and a NHL game.

With DVR factored in, the episode was watched by 4.78 million viewers with a 1.7 in the 18-49 demographics.^[14] Overall, the third season of Gotham averaged 4.52 million viewers, ranking 100th out of 165. This is a 16% decrease from the previous season, which was watched by 5.37 million viewers.^[15][16]

Critical reviews

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer)	100%[17]
Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score)	8.07[17]
IGN	7.2[3]
TV Fanatic	[18]
TV Overmind	[19]

"Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul" received mostly positive reviews from critics. The episode received a rating of 100% with an average score of 8.07 out of 10 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.^[17]

Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7.2 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "Gotham's never been able to land their finales quite right, and this giant, sprawling attempt to include and incorporate the show's entire ensemble wasn't any different really - but it was still the best finale to date after three years. Perhaps it's because we are getting closer to the end and Bruce is already dabbling in nocturnal vigilantism and Catwoman's ready to become less neutral good and more neutral evil."^[3]

Nick Hogan of TV Overmind gave the episode a 4.5 star rating out of 5, writing "With exception to my one little quibble, the finale of Gotham proved to be a launching point toward the Batman story. It was emotional, it was action-packed and intense, and left little to be desired. I'm already excited for the show to premiere in the fall."^[19] Amanda Bell of EW gave the episode a "B" and wrote, "This half of Gotham's third season has been filled with so many moving parts that, at times, it's been a bit dizzying to keep track of who wants to kill whom and why. But tonight's two-part finale sews up those dangling threads rather seamlessly and presents a new and, dare I say, optimistic vision for the future of this city."^[20]

Vinnie Mancuso of Collider wrote, "Gotham's two-part Season 3 finale took the series' most significant step forward, even offering up a proto-Dark Knight, in an effort to merge who these characters are with the figures they become. Like all great Batman stories, it did so by circling back to my original question, and attempting to show the true face of Gotham City itself."^[21] Lisa Babick of TV Fanatic gave the series a perfect 5 star rating out of 5, writing "Gotham finished off its third season with a two-hour finale that was mind-blowing in every way possible. It was a thrilling end that took us places we never thought Gotham would go."^[18] Robert Yanis, Jr. of Screenrant wrote, "The two-part finale -- consisting of "Destiny Calling" and "Heavydirtysoul" -- managed to both tie up loose ends of the season 3 arc and reinvigorate the series as it heads into season 4 later this year."^[22]

Kayti Burt of Den of Geek wrote, "It feels like a new chapter in this show is starting -- one that may finally see Gotham's heroes given the same narrative chances as its villains."^[23] Megan Vick of TV Guide wrote, "For an ending, it's a promising beginning to the show's upcoming fourth season."^[24]

Accolades

Sean Pertwee was named as honorable mention for TVLine's "Performer of the Week" for the week of June 4, 2017, for his performance in this episode. The site states, "Sean Pertwee made us feel the latter's fight to lure his ward away from the darkness, and toward a destiny as, you know, the Dark Knight."^[25]

References

External links

• "Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul" on IMDb
• "Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul" at TV.com