Gotham: Barbara Kean May Be Pregnant with Batgirl

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Gotham's Latest Twist Paves the Way For Another DC Character's Arrival

By Ian Cardona

Published Feb 15, 2019

In the latest episode of Gotham, "13 Stitches," a massive twist involving Barbara Kean may pave the way to another DC character... or two.

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for this week's episode of Gotham, "13 Stitches," which aired Thursday on Fox.

Throughout Gotham's five seasons, the relationship between Jim Gordon and Barbara Kean has seen many ups and downs. The two started out as a (supposedly) happy couple, engaged and living in a swanky apartment, but eventually, Barbara would be pushed to the edge of sanity. She would turn into a psychopath killer, before recovering herself and molding herself into one of Gotham City's biggest crime bosses. As you'd expect, all of these twists put an end to her relationship with the honorable Gordon, who upholds the law (as much as he can).

As the couple's relationship deteriorated into something that seemed unsalvageable, fans wondered how, or if, Gotham could adhere to the characters' comic book canon. After all, in the comics, Jim and Barbara have two children, James Gordon Jr. and Barbara Gordon (yeah, they weren't very original in naming their kids). As comic fans know, Barbara would grow up to become Batman's sidekick Batgirl, while James Jr. turned into one of the most dangerous serial killers in Gotham City history.

Well, with its latest episode, "13 Stitches," Gotham may just be steering the ship back toward comic book canon, because Barbara has just revealed that she's pregnant... with Jim's child.

As for how this turn of events came to be the fourth episode of Gotham's fifth season, "Ruin," ended with Jim and Barbara sharing an intense kiss in Gordon's office. In "13 Stitches," not only do we learn that this led to a night of passion, it was also the moment that eventually led to Barbara becoming pregnant as a result.

Now, the guessing game begins. Is Gotham's pregnancy twist the series' answer to the Batgirl question, or is it something else? There are a few possibilities at play here. Yes, Barbara could be pregnant with the future Batgirl, but she could also be pregnant with James Jr., something that would seemingly confirm that, eventually, Barbara Gordon will come into existence, and likely grow up to become Batgirl in a few decades, perhaps even making a quick appearance in the show's big finale, an episode that will take place entirely in the future.

Then again, we wouldn't be surprised if Gotham reveals that Barbara is pregnant with twins. After all, having two twins, one who turns into a vigilante superhero and the other into a deranged killer, would probably be the most Gotham thing Gotham could do.

But there is also the possibility that this pregnancy is just the latest swerve in the season, one that makes us believe the series is adhering to the comics, only to have the rug pulled out from under us at the last second. Throughout the years, Gotham has made it clear that it's not exactly sticking to comic book canon, and with just a few episodes left, what's to make it start doing so now?

Airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox, Gotham stars Ben McKenzie as James Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, Robin Lord Taylor as Penguin, Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle, Erin Richards as Barbara Kean and Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth.