When it comes to Gotham, you could say that its big bads are of a much different breed from what you’re used to seeing on other DC TV shows. To date, they’ve been quite conspiratorial and usually pave the way for something grander. In other words, Hugo Strange gave way to the Court of Owls, a shadowy cabal comprised of the city’s socially elite, whom, as it turned out, served none other than Ra’s al Ghul.
As you should no doubt remember, the Demon’s Head made his series debut in the two-part season finale, bringing the League of Shadows with him, and setting the stage for season 4. Well, according to TV Guide Magazine’s Comic-Con Special, he’ll be back before you know it, with a diabolical scheme in tow.
Here’s what executive producer John Stephens had to offer on that front:
“Ra’s returns right at the top of the season, and we see what his designs are for Bruce. It all circles around the core idea that Ra’s views Bruce as his heir.”
In the comics – and on Batman: The Animated Series – Ra’s sought out Bruce to be his heir, while also testing to see if he was a worthy suitor for his daughter Talia (Arrow explored something similar to this, only with Oliver Queen in place of the Dark Knight). But that was because of the hero’s proven prowess at Batman, so why he’s seeking out some kid who hasn’t accomplished much to date is beyond my grasp.
What you shouldn’t expect to see, however, is that of Barbara Kean taking on the guise of a certain Clown Princess of Crime, as Stephens assures us that “no one is becoming Harley Quinn.” It’s kind of funny that he should say such a thing because Stephens himself teased her appearance in the finale back in January, with other cast members since confirming. So, I guess they’ll continue to ignore the myriad of documentations on the internet by repeatedly denying plans ever existed.
Gotham returns for its fourth season on Thursday, September 28 on Fox.
