One thing I’ve long enjoyed about Gotham is how it’s given various villains from the Batman mythos their first live action appearances. Really, without this show, we’d still be waiting on flesh and blood versions of Hugo Strange, Professor Pyg and numerous others.
Though the Court of Owls may not have debuted in the comic books until 2011, their inclusion in the series felt quite natural, especially when we peeled back the layers of the veritable onion that was the Thomas and Martha Wayne murder conspiracy. In short, Matches Malone pulled the trigger, but he was hired by Hugo Strange, who was working at the behest of the Court. They, as we would come to find out, were overseen by none other than Ra’s al Ghul – and eventually slain.
Well, as it turns out, they may make a comeback of sorts in season 5. Though if they do, a somewhat rougher appearance will be in order, as evidenced by the following photo posted by executive producer Danny Cannon on Instagram.
If I were to hazard a guess, the people pictured could be some Talons (assassins doing the Court’s bidding) that survived the League of Shadows’ purging of the cabal, for the city’s financial elite probably wouldn’t be caught dead in such ragged attire. Actually, the comics also introduced the Parliament of Owls later down the road, but that international offshoot was also comprised of aristocrats.
Alternatively, this could merely be some gang running amok now that the city’s in ruin. Don’t forget No Man’s Land and Zero Year are two of the arcs heavily influencing Gotham‘s fifth and final season, so it should be quite intriguing to learn the specifics once things pick up in early 2019.