As the first season of Gotham comes to a close, it's time to start preparing for big reveals and major deaths. Will Barbara Kean die on Gotham? Besides Fish Mooney, who will not return to the Fox series for another season, I have a hunch that Jim Gordon's former fiancée is on the chopping block. Spoilers reveal that Barbara will become the Ogre's latest "love interest" and attempted victim in the upcoming episodes. Thanks to Gordon's twisted reasons for wanting to go after the serial killer, I'm worried the consequences will be twice as steep.
The depressing thing about Gotham is that it's a depressing origin story that we all know is not leading us towards a less depressing future. Even when the Dark Knight ultimately rises, Gotham City will never rid itself of criminals and overall seediness. Jason Lennon is one of our most dangerous killers yet, and I'm having trouble believing that he'll go down without a fight.
Plus, Gotham's season finale episode is titled "All Happy Families Are Alike," which is an allusion to Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina. I don't want to spoil classic literature, and the title is most likely referring to the warring crime families in Gotham City, but let me just say that things don't end well for adulteress women in the novel either.
It's entirely possible that Jason Lennon will kill her right in front of Jim — I still have Liza's death seared into my eyeballs and I'm ready for anything. Right now, Barbara rebounding off of not one, but two relationships right now. It's understandable that she would fall into the Ogre's arms and charms. Her last two suitors were both law enforcement, so we can only hope that she's picked up enough self-defense. However, Milo Ventimiglia's character is both physically and emotionally abusive. That kind of manipulation is hard to bounce back from.
In the comics, there was one storyline that killed Barbara Kean-Gordon off, but it was scrapped and she is currently living and divorced from James. There is always the possibility that Gotham is intending for this Barbara to be a mash-up of two comic book characters and become Batgirl, Barbara and Jim's daughter. Unfortunately, the timeline is off and I think the Fox series may have missed the boat.
It may not seem fair that Barbara, who was such a major character in the early episodes, would fall victim to a guest villain. However, this development and her death would serve a larger purpose in the story. Gordon is going after this serial killer to prove a point to the Gotham City Police Department and ultimately go after Commissioner Loeb. While this is essential for Batman mythology, it can't come without consequences. Gordon is pursuing justice for the wrong reasons now, and has to face the stakes of that decision.
Even if she escapes Jason Lennon, I think her story is drawing to a close and Barbara might get dusted in the aftermath. Gotham never really figured out what to do with this character. Her connection to the Art District where the Waynes were murdered and Fish Mooney reigned supreme was severely underused. Even her bisexuality was brushed over and turned into a "phase" — why did she and Renee Montoya never team up professionally? That will never cease to bug me. Even Barbara's friendship with Selina and Ivy hit a dead end. Unless Gotham has major plans to bring her back into the story in a big way, I'm afraid we're looking at the last of Barbara Kean.
Images: Jessica Miglio/Fox (3)
