'Gotham' Has Made a Mystery Out of Thomas Wayne

The last Gotham episode before the Season 1 finale really hammered home who these characters will become in the future. Bruce Wayne, looking every bit like he will in twenty years sitting in front of the fireplace in Wayne Manor, formulated his plan for just how he was going to sneak into Bunderslaw's office to look in his safe. But turned out that Bunderslaw isn't the type of mustache-twirling villain fans expected — and now, are wondering what is Thomas Wayne's secret that Bunderslaw and fellow Wayne Enterprises exec Lucius Fox hinted at?

This might be the most interesting idea posited in the entire series of Gotham so far — Bruce Wayne isn't just reacting to the loss of his parents, but rejecting the privileged lifestyle that Bunderslaw claims he's going to to inherit. Lucius Fox, however, was there to reassure Bruce that there's more than one way to be a Wayne, and more than one way to be a powerful black man working at Wayne Enterprises. Lucius has always been a good guy in the comics and movies, so I don't think there's any reason to doubt what he said.

And the suggestion that Bruce's father also had a secret identity was a departure from the usual comics storylines. The teasers for the finale have also been suggesting that the secret passageways in the Wayne Manor are also Thomas'. I don't really like when superheroes are "destined" to become them — see Amazing Spider-Man 2 for proof of that not working — but I do think it's interesting that Gotham is trying to say that the rich have an inherited responsibility to work against their own corporate interests and bring good into the world.

One thing I don't understand — why on Earth did Bunderslaw try to kill Alfred? Alfred presumably worked for the family before Thomas' death, and he was believed to be a company man who didn't interfere with Bunderslaw's plans. I still don't think it makes sense that Bunderslaw tried to do any of this if what he said was true. Bunderslaw is just trying to protect his corporate interests and is trying to push Bruce away from the company, by... committing a bunch of shady crimes under the guise of the company? Hm. But whatever Bunderslaw's motivations, they seem tied to Thomas Wayne's real identity, whether that's a proto-Batman type or just a secret philanthropist. Can't wait until the finale!

Image: Jessica Miglio/FOX