WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Gotham's latest episode, "Mandatory Brunch Meeting," which premiered Thursday on Fox.
As much as Fox's Gotham is a breeding ground for nefarious supervillains of all shape and color, it also serves as a showcase for many strong female characters: Selina Kyle, Barbara Kean, Tabitha Galavan, Poison Ivy, Sofia Falcone, Dr. Leslie Thomkins. Sure, most float on the wrong side of the law, but that doesn't mean they don't have meaningful motivations and arcs.
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And yet, all of those characters may end up paling in comparison to a new powerhouse who made her debut in Gotham's latest episode, "Mandatory Brunch Meeting." Not much is known about her yet, except that she has unmatched fighting skills, and a name: Ecco.
In "Mandatory Brunch Meeting," Ecco is introduced as the liaison between a structural engineering company and its brilliant collaborator, the enigmatic Xander Wilde. For reasons that are initially unclear, Gotham's proto-Joker Jerome (Cameron Monaghan) is desperately searching the city for Xander, for what seems like the purpose of revenge. Hot on the trail of the engineer, Jerome comes face to face with Ecco, in her own home. Right off the bat, it's clear Ecco (played by Francesco Root-Dodson) isn't unshaken by Jerome's presence. Better still, she had been expecting him.
While Jerome's disfigured face and murderous intent would be enough to intimidate most anyone, Ecco doesn't flinch. In fact, she proves herself the only one able to take Jerome head-on -- with a few well-placed, and lightning-fast, moves. Once he's unconscious, it's implied Ecco then places Jerome in a conspicuously placed dog crate for transport.
It's soon revealed the name Xander Wilde is only a smokescreen. His real name is Jeremiah Valeska, Jerome's twin brother, and Ecco is his right-hand woman, protector and aide. When she's later hypnotized by the Mad Hatter, she further demonstrates her skills by fighting both Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock, two battle-hardened cops who are clearly out of their element against her. Her blows are swift and calculated, placing Ecco on a path to becoming one of Gotham's most effective hand-to-hand combatants.
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In an episode big on twist and turns and fan-favorite characters, Ecco left a lasting impact, and raises the obvious question: Who is she? While the character appears to be new, it's possible she was inspired by DC comic books. In the 1999 Batman crossover "No Man's Land," a Russian spy and assassin named Isabella Cheranova, aka Echo (different spelling), appeared in Gotham City. Could Gotham's Ecco be, ahem, an echo of that character? While many liberties would obviously need to be taken, the basis of efficiency in combat and deception seems to be quite present.
Of course, there is also another possibility. The revelation that Jerome has a twin brother immediately spawned the theory that Jeremiah will turn into Gotham's true version of the Joker. Considering that Echo is firmly at Jeremiah's side as his muscle, could it be that we're looking at a proto-Harley Quinn? She might not be a therapist (that we know of yet), but her brief time under the Mad Hatter's spell could always end up knocking a few screws loose. Or, it's possible that the newly created laughing gas will have a lasting effect on the character. If Jeremiah embraces insanity, what's stopping his henchwoman from doing the same?
Whether she is Harley Quinn, "No Man's Land's" Echo or a new character entirely, Ecco made quite the entrance -- and she very well may be sticking around for a while.
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.