Ever since Gotham premiered five years ago, fans have been wondering if the Joker would ever receive a definitive origin story on the series. As Jerome Valeska entered the scene, we thought we knew where the Batman origin series was going, but Gotham kept pulling the rug out from under us at every turn. Now, Jerome is dead, and his twin brother Jeremiah appears to be the real Joker -- only he's not exactly there yet.
Now, thanks to the promo for Gotham's next episode, aptly titled "Ace Chemicals," it appears that fans will finally get to see the moment they have waited five years for: the official birth of the Joker.
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While we've known for some time now that an upcoming episode of the series would take us to ACE Chemicals, this new teaser shows that Bruce's showdown with Jeremiah will likely end with the creation of the proper Joker after someone falls down a vat of chemicals.
Now here's where it gets possibly intriguing. We say "someone" because Gotham has often played with our expectations, and we can't be 100% certain that Jeremiah is the one that will fall down the vat of chemicals. After all, the fall at ACE Chemicals is what would bleach the Joker's skin and turn him into the maniacal Clown Prince of Crime. But Jeremiah's skin is already bleached, and he's already a crazy killer. Will the fall be more symbolic for Jeremiah, or will another twist take place?
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Recently, actor Cameron Monaghan, who plays both Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska on the series, teased that he would be playing a mysterious third character in the series' final episode. Odds are he's talking about the real Joker, which indicates that either there is somehow another Valeska out there, or that Jeremiah's fall will transform him dramatically.
For the past few episodes of Gotham, Jeremiah has been keeping busy: he arranged for two people to be surgically altered to look like Thomas and Martha Wayne, and he has kidnapped Alfred Pennyworth. This is all part of his plan to attack Bruce Wayne, and we will find out next week how this will lead both characters to the famed ACE Chemicals.
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.