Will Fish Mooney Survive 'Gotham' Season 1?

It has been pretty clear for a while why showrunner Bruno Heller nicknamed the first season of Gotham "The Rise of the Penguin." We've seen Oswald Cobblepot go from a sniveling, umbrella-holding lackey to a fearsome figure moving up the ranks of the criminal underworld. The one person he's had to cross the most is his former employer, Fish Mooney. Fans are torn on Mooney, one of the only characters on the show without comic book origins. But personally, I love her campy brand of villainy and outrageous fashion sense. While she still looks fabulous, Mooney has seen better days. As Penguin gains power, she loses hers. But, will Fish Mooney die on Gotham before she's able to regain her standing in the criminal underworld?

Many have suspected that the Penguin will kill Fish Mooney. Even DC Comics' official site mentions the possibility of her death in an article. This isn't surprising. Penguin's arc is completely intertwined with Mooney. In an interview with Glamour actor Robin Lord Taylor, who plays Oswald Cobblepot, says, "He's not afraid of Fish anymore...he’s got his eyes set on what she has. He’s comin’ for her." What has more symmetry than Penguin killing Mooney at the end of the season as a way to cement his ascension in Gotham's criminal world?

But the Penguin isn't the only one with motive to kill Mooney. Carmine Falcone may realize that Mooney is too unstable to be allowed to live. He's interested in keeping Gotham's criminal underworld working as smoothly as possible. Maybe the Penguin could influence him to off Mooney. Besides Falcone, there are many people who would sleep a little easier with Mooney dead, like Sal Maroni and even members at the Gotham Central Police Department. As Mooney loses power, it's easier for everyone with a grudge against her to take a chance and try to kill her. I would be surprised if we didn't see an attempt made on Mooney's life. Whether an assassin succeeds depends on where the show wants to go with her character.

For those who love Mooney as much as I do, I wouldn't necessarily get too nervous about the flamboyant villain being offed, in this season at least. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Heller said, "I’m always deeply reluctant to kill off characters simply for the shock value of killing them off. I’m not averse to cheap tricks. But apart from anything else, this season literally every actor has come through and [performed really strong]. I would hate to lose any of them."

Real talk: I'm going to be upset if we lose Mooney. Gotham doesn't have any interesting female characters with real development besides her. Of course, the show doesn't have many developed characters outside of the Penguin. In interviews, Jada Pinkett Smith, who plays Mooney, has given no hints about her character's possible demise. Instead she seems to be relishing playing such an in-your-face character. Pinkett Smith told The Huffington Post, "I love that Fish Mooney is a female character that can hold her own in male-dominated Gotham City. These men are no joke, but Fish can handle it."

It would be a shame to lose the only threatening female character. Catwoman and Poison Ivy are still just kids out of their depth. Barbara is as fun to watch as drying paint. Renee Montoya is a great character in the comics, but she's minor thus far on the show. If Fish Mooney dies, Gotham loses its only female character with any meat to her narrative. While thematically it makes sense, the death of Mooney would also mean the death of one of Gotham's most fun characters, and the only female character who matters to the story right now.

Images: Jessica Miglio/Fox; Giphy (3)