'Gotham' Recap: "The Demon's Head" (4x04)

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Welcome back to Gotham: a Dark Knight (because The Lying Game was taken). This episode, written by Ben McKenzie (who plays Jim Gordon) is dubbed "The Demon's Head." Warning for sexual content, language, and violence to a minor. Spoilers ahead.

The episode begins with Bruce and Alfred visiting Dr. Winthrop, an antiquities expert at the Gotham Museum. Bruce wants Winthrop to study the knife he bought at Penguin's auction (which is shaping up to be the MacGuffin of season 4A). Alfred, however, isn't so sure they should be involving innocent people—especially when Winthrop's grandson (and fellow history geek), Alex, drops in. Bruce, however, just can't let the matter go and insists on getting to the bottom of it. He tells Winthrop and Alex to keep the matter between themselves and then leaves.

Cut to Ed, who's just figured out the perfect riddle to send to Penguin before killing him. He gathers his information by creating a crazy string diagram reminiscent of Scott Snyder's Batman, Volume 4: Zero Year - Secret City. 

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It's an appropriate reference, as the book details Bruce's transformation from an unnamed vigilante into Batman. Will Gotham go that far? Maybe not, but it's still exciting to speculate.

Back at the museum, Winthrop and Alex examine the blade and discuss the myths regarding Ra's al Ghul, who was a powerful warlord, according to history. Winthrop reads the engraving on the knife, which turns out to be a wordy yet vague prophecy. The message basically boils down to the idea that Ra's heir has to use the knife in order to become the next Ra's al Ghul, but how the heir (in this case, Bruce) is supposed to use the knife is unclear. 

Winthrop tells Alex to keep the knife and Alex leaves him. But who should appear next but Ra's al Ghul. He shows off his extended lifespan by pointing out a Greek vase that's actually a forgery and telling an anecdote about a brothel owner in Shanghai. (I bet he and Alexandra from Defenders would really get along.)

Since Winthrop won't tell him where the knife is, Ra's sets off the alarm before killing the old man. Alex hears it happen from his hiding place and runs away before Ra's can find him. 

Some time later, Gordon and Detective Harper inspect the murder scene. (Bullock is on sabbatical, apparently, and I honestly can't blame him.) Gordon realizes that Bruce was the last person to meet with Winthrop, but he doesn't have to look far to find him, as Bruce shows up at the museum looking for Winthrop to ask him about the knife. 

Gordon questions Bruce, but Bruce claims to have no idea why the knife is important. He only tells Gordon that Barbara bid on it as well, and that the GCPD should also be looking for Alex, who's nowhere to be found. Gordon tells Bruce to go home until he needs his help again. 

Meanwhile, Ra's al Ghul introduces Barbara to his henchmen du jour: a weird dog-man hybrid called Anubis (who kinda looks like Gollum) and an unnamed thug. He tells the two to track down the knife and kill the boy (presumably Alex). I'm not really sure why he couldn't have just sent some of his regular assassins after the knife, but to each his own. 

Over at the Iceberg Lounge, Penguin meets with Sofia Falcone. She acts very subservient, claiming that her father taught her "When the King of Gotham summons you, you come." Penguin wants to know if she's here to rebuild her father's empire, but Sofia claims she's here to attend to the Falcone family charities. He's slow to believe her and even points out that her father taught him "to nurture a healthy paranoia." Sofia pretends to be afraid of him and is even on the verge of tears, before claiming that she wanted to come to Gotham because she sees it as her true home. This seems to pacify him and their meeting adjourns.

Gordon, still on the case, visits Barbara. He doesn't even seem nonplussed to see her alive, but this is a Gotham character we're talking about.

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Gordon catches on to the fact that the person on whose behalf Barbara attended the auction must be the one funding her, but she refuses to tell him who that is. Bruce walks right in and straight-up asks if it's Ra's al Ghul. Barbara denies any knowledge of Ra's and Gordon takes Bruce outside to talk. 

Gordon yells at Bruce for following him. He's also understandably ticked that Bruce didn't tell him about Ra's earlier and presses Bruce for more information. Bruce tells him Ra's was the true leader of the Court. Harper calls Gordon to tell him that Alex is still missing and Gordon asks her to research Ra's al Ghul.

Gordon, still upset at Bruce for lying and endangering the Winthrops, asks if he has any idea where Alex could be. Bruce recalls Winthrop and Alex's conversation earlier in the episode about a private room at Gotham Central Library and the two decide to check it out, since Gordon figures that Alex might feel safer around someone his own age.

While the scene is short, I love it because we're starting to see Gordon realize that Bruce isn't the same scared kid he met three years ago. He's obsessive, secretive, and reckless. Gordon might think of himself as Bruce's friend, maybe even his secondary guardian, but there's a lot that Bruce hasn't told him—not just about Ra's or his vigilante hobbies, but about everything he's done to get what he wants.

Gordon doesn't know that Bruce faked a kidnapping to get information out of Silver St. Cloud. He doesn't know that Bruce can fight (or that he enjoys fighting). He doesn't know that the Court trained Bruce. He doesn't know how many times Bruce has almost killed somebody out of anger. Gordon only sees Bruce as a naïve kid who's playing detective.

Gotham's done a good job of keeping Gordon from seeing the darker side of Bruce's personality, but in this episode, the mask begins to slip. I'm glad for that. I'm not saying I want Gordon to find out that Bruce is a vigilante, but I like that he's beginning to see him in a different light. Gordon and Bruce have an interesting relationship in this show, and I think McKenzie played to the show's strengths by emphasizing that in this episode (especially since this father-son/friend relationship didn't get a lot of screen time in season 3).

But not every moment in Gotham is a serious one, as Penguin and Zsasz have to sit through a riddle rap performed by two homeless men Ed sent to them. The riddle details a location to meet at, which Penguin thinks is the pier. He decides to meet Ed there and ambush him. This leads to the moment I'm sure we've all been waiting for:

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(After appearances in four episodes in a row, is it too soon to assume Zsasz is now a main cast member? I don't know, but a girl can hope.)

Over at Gotham Central Library, Bruce convinces Alex to let him and Gordon in. Alex is scared stiff and asks if Bruce knew the knife was dangerous. Bruce replies that he didn't.

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Alex is worried that Ra's will kill him to get the knife, which he hid somewhere. Turns out he's not wrong, as Anubis and Ra's other thug (who apparently only speaks in gibberish) attack the library. Gordon tells Bruce and Alex to leave and meet him at the station, but Anubis attacks Alex. Thankfully, Bruce is able to knock out the dog-man with a heavy book.

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The two boys run off, leaving Gordon and Ra's mooks to make a mess of the library. Once Gordon returns to the GCPD, however, Alex and Bruce are nowhere to be found. But guess who is? The Demon's Head himself.

Ra's meets with Gordon and claims to be a member of the consulate of Nanda Parbat: a Himalayan country so small he's surprised Gordon's actually heard of it. (Come to think of it, I am too. Is this something Gordon picked up during the unnamed war he fought in?) Gordon decides to see what he can get out of him by playing along with his act of innocence.

The next scene shows Bruce and Alex (in some undisclosed location). Bruce helps clean up the spot where Anubis bit Alex. Alex, who noticed Bruce's fighting skills briefly in the library, tells Bruce he's ashamed of how scared he was and how he froze when he heard Ra's killing his grandfather. Bruce tells him that he was the same way when his parents died and adds that "fear is normal." The sooner Alex accepts that, the sooner he can learn to deal with it. (I have a theory that Alex represents Bruce's old self, but I'll come back to that later).

Alex admits that after the Wayne murders, Bruce was the subject of gossip at school. Bruce asks what people say about him. Alex replies that, according to his classmates, Bruce lives in a mansion, never goes to school, and "flies around in jets." He admits that while most people think Bruce is weird, he finds him "weirdly cool." But just when you think the two boys might lay low and have more bonding time, Alex tells Bruce he'll take him to the knife.

Back at the GCPD, Ra's tells Gordon that the knife is an item of historical significance to his country. He explains that the knife is tied to myths of an immortal warrior who used the knife to establish a kingdom before vanishing. Ra's tells Gordon that many people believe the warrior will return to establish yet another kingdom. 

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Gordon tries to act as if he has the knife but can't release it until he knows Alex is safe. However, his bluff is interrupted by Alfred, who bursts into the precinct looking for Gordon and Bruce. When he sees Ra's, he does what we've all been longing to do since last season: he punches him in the face. Gordon pulls Alfred aside and tells him to calm down, and Ra's takes the opportunity to vanish while Gordon's back is turned. Gordon assumes this means Ra's called his bluff about having the knife.

The next scene shows Sofia Falcone at an unknown house, dogged by some of her father's old capos. They insist that she tell them when her father will return, but she insists that the Falcone family has stepped down for good. Penguin and Zsasz crash the party. Cut to Sofia and Penguin listening to the sound of gunshots.

Sofia feigns anger at Penguin for using her to draw the capos out so he could get rid of them, but he points out that he let her live. She replies that her father would've been more pragmatic and used her to gain the men's allegiance. Penguin replies that the rules have changed. After he and Zsasz leave Sofia, Crystal Reed gives us five seconds of the best facial acting we've seen on this show so far.

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In the span of a few seconds, Sofia turns from a scared young woman into a budding, manipulative crime boss. In comic books, her approach was somewhat different: thanks to her towering size, Sofia had a more threatening physical presence that overshadowed her brilliant mind (and possibly made people see her more as a brute). In Gotham, her traditional good looks and wide-eyed innocence are used to hide a conniving mind. While I'm not entirely happy with how they've changed the character's physique, I like that the writers have preserved her manipulative nature.

But I digress. Alex takes Bruce to the museum and takes out the knife. Alex wonders if the knife a harbinger of a bad luck, and his theory is almost instantly confirmed by the appearance of Anubis.

Back at the GCPD, Gordon and Alfred get into an argument. Alfred is mad at Gordon for letting Bruce get involved with the investigation, and Gordon is still upset about being kept out of the loop. Their argument raises an interesting question: should Alfred trust Bruce to make his own decisions, or should he tell Gordon when Bruce puts himself in danger? It's easy for me, as someone who knows Bruce will become Batman, to insist that Alfred let Bruce have his way. But from Gordon's perspective, Bruce is out of control and it makes sense to stop him. 

After their shouting match is over, Alfred gives Gordon a case that the knife came in, which somehow clues him in to where the boys will be (don't ask me how). Gordon leaves and tells Detective Harper to detain Alfred. 

Meanwhile, Penguin is upset that Ed didn't meet him at the pier and has to sit through another riddle rap (from an equally baffled Ed) telling him the new meeting place. Penguin's reaction?

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The next scene cuts over to the museum, where Anubis and the other thug are still on the prowl. Gordon arrives and manages to take out both of them and Bruce gets the knife, but guess who shows up? Ra's al freakin' Ghul, who puts a dagger to Alex's throat and tells Bruce to give him the knife if he wants to save Alex. 

Gordon tells Bruce to hand it over, but Bruce insists that Ra's is too dangerous to trust with the knife. He even admits to Gordon that Ra's killed Alfred and raised him back to life (even though, technically, it was Bruce who killed Alfred). No matter what Gordon says, Bruce just won't hand over the knife. Ra's applauds his persistence before slitting Alex's throat. But instead of disappearing this time, he allows himself to be arrested.

Later, as Ra's is on the way to Blackgate Penitentiary, Gordon tells Alfred and Bruce that he needs them to be honest with him, but Alfred points out that his skepticism about the Lazarus Pit is one of the reasons why they weren't. 

Bruce feels responsible for Alex's death and . . . yeah. He's right. That's pretty much all on him. I mentioned earlier that I think Alex symbolizes Bruce's old self: all of his childhood innocence, fear, and shame. The moment Ra's killed Alex, I think a part of Bruce died. That's not to say I'm happy about Alex's death; it sucks that Bruce almost made a normal friend his own age only for the friend to die not long after. However, from a narrative standpoint, Alex's death serves a clear purpose.

Now that that's wrapped up, let's go back to the Iceberg Lounge. Ed bursts in, upset that Penguin didn't meet him. Penguin shows up and mocks Ed for losing not only his ability to create good riddles, but also to make clever plans. Ed wants to kill Penguin, but Penguin tells him he can't: only the old Ed Nygma can truly have his revenge. From where he stands, Ed is a shadow of his former self. He calls Mr. Freeze in to trap Ed again, but Ed begs for his life, confessing "I'm not the Riddler."

Penguin calls off Freeze and decides to let Ed go, saying that it'll be worse for Ed to live on knowing that he'll never be the same man he once was. Ed leaves and wonders aloud "Who am I?"

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But just in case you were worried about the relationships on this show getting too complex, Gordon goes to Sofia's house and decides to hook up with her even though he's mad at her for letting the Penguin lure out and kill those capos. Look, I'm okay with him having a thing for her. But seriously? Starting a make-out session just after you've learned your partner is a manipulative femme fatale? Really, Jim?

And in the final scene, we see Ra's transported to Blackgate and he gives a smile worthy of Light Yagami.

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Overall, the episode was . . . all right. While I enjoyed all of the storylines, I think there may have been too many subplots in this episode at once. Yes, I know, this is Gotham and there are never fewer than 17 gambits going at once, but if any of the episode's subplots had been taken out and saved for later, McKenzie could've spent more time building up the others. 

But all in all, this episode introduced (and continued) a lot of great driving questions that will presumably carry across season 4A, if not the entire season. Why is the knife important? How far will Bruce go to stop Ra's al Ghul? Who is Ed without his intellect? Is Sofia Falcone ever telling the truth?

Comment below with your thoughts on the episode, and tune in next week to watch Bruce Wayne make more bad decisions. Why?

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'Gotham' Recap: "The Fear Reaper" (4x02)

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Welcome back to another recap of Fox's Gotham. This week's episode is "The Fear Reaper"—or, as I like to call it, another random villain finds a reason to psychologically torment Jim Gordon. Spoilers ahead. Also, trigger warning for violence and suicide.

After a viewer discretion warning and a video montage recap, the episode begins with the GCPD searching Crane’s old house, but he’s not there. They instead find chemicals Crane used to recreate the toxin (come to think of it, I’m wondering where he got all the adrenal glands this time), along with one of the thugs from last episode—only now he’s raving and tied to a scarecrow post. So is that the old scarecrow costume, or did Crane use that to make his suit and find another one to stuff him in?

Bruce gets stuck in a holding cell but is able to leave thanks to a handy-dandy expensive lawyer. He tells Gordon that he was on the roof and just happened to fall through (which is a pretty terrible excuse). Gordon asks why he was there, and he claims he was looking for Selina (which is a slightly better excuse). Gordon lets Bruce out, but he says they are going to talk about it later.

I’m glad that the writers aren’t trying to make Gordon blindly oblivious to what’s going on with Bruce. He's practically a father figure to him, and they’ve known each other for three years; he should be able to tell when Bruce is lying. Whether or not he finds out that Bruce is a vigilante, I want there to be more conflict between the two characters as they evolve. I think Gotham is setting that up nicely.

Meanwhile, Crane confronts the asylum warden that sold him out and doses him with the toxin—mostly out of revenge, but he also claims that he’s doing it to cure the man’s fear. Crane says you can only cure your fear by embracing it as he did (which is usually Batman’s shtick, but whatever). The warden begins to see his worst fear: clowns.

Back at the GCPD, Lucius asks what Bruce was up to, noting the brick and dust residue on his clues. Alfred and Bruce come up with a ridiculous story that he’s been learning to rock climb. Lucius doesn’t buy it and tells him to be careful, as rock climbing can be dangerous. Hmm, what does this remind me of?

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Crane makes the warden see clowns and tells him to embrace the fear. And as far as clowns go, these are pretty scary. They remind me of the knockoff Joker gangs in Joker: Death of the Family. Of course, I’ve never seen It, so I may not be the ultimate authority on creepy clowns. The warden shoots practically everyone he sees because he thinks they’re all clowns that want to catch him.

While the warden is busy going nuts, the Penguin marches into GCPD (a sure sign that it’s about to get real). He’s accompanied with the press and issues a public challenge to Gordon: capture Crane, or admit that he can’t keep the city safe.

In the next scene, Selina and Tabitha both meet at a mysterious location thanks to anonymous invitations from Barbara, who is (GASP) not dead.

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Shocking. Barbara apologizes to Tabitha and says she wants to start a new enterprise with her and Selina: selling weapons to all the thugs licensed by Penguin. It’s a pretty good plan, although I’m not sure if it’s Barbara’s or Ra’s’ (since she’s apparently been trained by him, according to an article from Comicbook). Tabitha says she can’t forgive Babs for killing Butch and that there’s no way back from that (give it time, Tabs, Grundy will be here any day now). Selina is open to the idea, however, and promises to talk to Tabitha on Barbara’s behalf. It’s a little odd to see Selina and Babs interacting, since we haven’t seen them on-screen together since season one (ya know, back when Barbara still had most of her marbles).

Bruce tells Alfred he’s going back out, and Alfred says that even though he can’t stop him, he’s not going to help him get himself killed. Bruce argues that he “feels more alive than ever,” but that’s obviously why he’s making mistakes. He’s not cautious enough. Bruce, you’re not faster than a speeding bullet (unlike some people).

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Gordon later learns that Scarecrow has taken over the asylum and tries to rally the cops to join him in taking it back. Predictably, no one joins him. When Gordon yells at them for not taking pride in their jobs, a desk sergeant points out that the GCPD get more abuse than thanks these days. (Now, obviously, this is an episode that was made weeks or months ago. But that line still makes me wonder if Gotham’s writers were trying to add a bit of social commentary into this episode.)

Harvey doesn’t go with Gordon to the asylum, and it’s not hard to blame him either. Even if it wasn’t a completely crazy idea, Harvey’s still the acting captain. He has to show authority and can’t just go along with every one of Gordon’s plans. “I told you one day I was gonna say never,” Harvey says. “Today is that day.”

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So Gordon goes to the asylum alone, and Crane (watching him via video monitors), is elated to have a chance to get back at his father’s killer.

Meanwhile, Penguin storms into Barbara’s new place with Ivy and Zsasz in tow. Penguin, more amused than shocked to see Babs is alive, tells her that she needs his approval to run the business. He also taunts her, saying “People can often carry grudges after you shoot their boyfriends.”

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Ivy tries to help by telling Barbara that she can talk to Selina and Tabitha, but Penguin tells her to shut up. It’s kind of sad that their odd friendship from last season is falling apart so quickly, but I guess it’s not totally surprising. Penguin never had the same bond with Ivy that he had with Ed, and he probably only sees her as a hench-girl. Ivy, on the other hand, still has the mind of a fourteen year-old, so of course she’s going to react childishly.

Penguin goes on to tell Barbara that he’ll be keeping a very close eye on her business and won’t let her get the chance to usurp him again. He also wonders aloud who could have financed the club, since Barbara wouldn’t have the resources on her own, and tells her that he’ll find out. If the benefactor is, as I suspect, Ra’s al Ghul, Penguin’s going to have hard time intimidating him.

Gordon is confronted by Scarecrow, who know wields a scythe, and I’m genuinely curious to know how he got it. Was there one just lying around the Crane estate? Does Gotham have a really edgy Party City? Did he rob a museum? Honestly, the possibilities are endless.

Anyway, Crane claims that his father dosed him with the fear toxin out of love. While he’s not exactly wrong (Dr. Gerald Crane was trying to cure his son of fear), Crane’s transformation is still disturbing. He doses Gordon with the toxin, which causes him to see Lee, lying in a bathtub filled with blood. She tells him that she’s going to commit suicide just so that she can get away from him.

A razor appears in Gordon’s hand, and Crane (or maybe just Crane’s voice in Gordon’s head) tells him to join her, to show her his love by joining her in death. But Gordon ultimately decides to live and goes after Crane. Crane admits that his father thought he was weak but points out that he’s not weak anymore, and the fight continues.

Bruce goes after the gang from the other night, but it turns out they were luring him into a trap. They pull off his mask, and one guy is positive he’s seen his face before, but the others tell him to shut up. Bruce manages to get loose, use a makeshift flamethrower to get the thugs to back off, and even use a . . .

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But when he reaches the ground, Bruce finds himself face-to-face with the gang’s leader—seconds before Alfred shows up and knocks him out with what looks to be a crowbar. It’s nice to see that Alfred is still there to protect Bruce, even though he isn’t entirely on board with the whole vigilante thing.

In the next scene, Tabitha and Selina argue about whether or not to take Barbara’s deal. Tabs points out that she chose Nygma over her and Butch; Selina replies: “So what? Nygma’s a Popsicle now.” She also points out that the three of them would be a lot stronger together. Ivy appears out of the shadows and says she hates Penguin and wants in. Selina wants to let her join, but Tabitha’s completely against it, so it looks like Ivy’s pretty much on her own for now.

Back at the asylum, Gordon is trying to fend off the fear-crazed hordes of patients and realizes that water is the cure—which is not only ridiculous, but possibly stolen from Phineas and Ferb’s “Night of the Living Pharmacists.”

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Look it up, it's a thing. 

And over at Wayne Manor, Bruce and Alfred get into a shouting match about whether or not Bruce can handle himself on the streets. Lucius interrupts to drop off a lightweight, bulletproof suit he developed during his time at Wayne Enterprises for military purposes. It also has communication equipment so Bruce and Alfred can communicate "whilst climbing rock.” Honestly, Lucius Fox is the kind of friend I aspire to be.

Selina and Tabitha meet up with Barbara. Tabs agrees to join her business, but on one condition: she gets to chop off one of Barbara’s hands.

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Tabitha explains that since Butch lost a hand to Penguin and she lost a hand to Nygma, the best way for her to get back at by Barbara is by cutting off her hand (Gotham logic at its finest). Selina is freaked out by this ultimatum (like any sane person would be), but Barbara doesn’t back down and extends her hand. Tabs pulls out a cleaver and is all set to do it but ultimately decides that Barbara’s being sincere, spares her hands, and agrees to join her business. TBH, I’m not completely convinced that Barbara’s really sorry for what she did. Also, considering that she’s working with someone who has a Lazarus Pit, losing her hand probably wouldn’t have been a major sacrifice.

Penguin returns to the GCPD to taunt Gordon for failing to catch Crane and even offers to, erm, financially support any cop who complies with the licenses. Gordon decries this, but once again, Harvey tells Gordon that he can’t side with him because he’ll risk losing the other officers. Honestly, Harvey’s a much better leader than Gordon at this point. He may make some morally questionable decisions, but he’s in a difficult situation, so I can’t really blame him.

Over in what appears to be Gotham’s Chinatown, Ivy barges into the shop of a man who’s apparently used to her coming and taking whatever she wants. He tells her to go away, but she gets him to reveal his safe of powerful potions, which were apparently created by wise shamans and are capable of . . . something. He warns her not to take them, but Ivy (still possessing a middle-schooler’s brains and impulsiveness) knocks back a few any way. Her face morphs and her eyes briefly turn black, which makes me wonder if her design on this show is going to be New 52-esque.

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I don’t mind that she’s getting more powers, but I kind of wish she’d made the mixes herself. The show has a tendency to downplay Ivy’s skill with plant-based chemistry, but I think that’s her most interesting (and useful) trait.

Harvey and Gordon discuss what they’re going to do over a drink. Harvey mourns the days when Falcone was in control, which gives Gordon his next brilliant plan: go to Falcone for help. Harvey warns him against it and reminds Gordon that he did kill Mario, but, in typical Gordon fashion, he doesn’t listen.

Meanwhile, Bruce runs across the rooftops of Gotham, revelling in his new gear, before donning the mask that completes the guise. I personally prefer the cloth mask he was wearing under the hood, but this one definitely looks more durable, so I can forgive its clunky design. Honestly, the fact that they let Bruce suit up in this show at all is a miracle, so I’m not going to complain much about his suit. I’m sure they’ll give it upgrades over time.

Overall, this episode was . . . alright. It didn’t really feel like the horror-fest that Fox was promoting, but since I’m not really into horror, that didn’t bother me. I guess I had hoped for more psychological terror, but that will probably come up later, since Scarecrow is still on the loose. I liked watching Bruce get in and out of trouble, although I hope that he and Alfred don’t spend every episode arguing about his vigilantism. I think the Barbara storyline has potential. As far as second episodes go, this one is probably better than “Selina Kyle”, but it definitely falls behind “Knock, Knock” and “Burn the Witch.” All in all, I’m still interested to see where the show goes next.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that “The Fear Reaper” had a credit at the end, which read: “In Memory of Lukas Drake," who passed away in July, according to Dignity Memorial. Drake is credited on IMDb for visual effects in works such as The Avengers and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. He was the digital compositor for several episodes of Gotham, most notably “Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul,” which won an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Supporting Role.”

For anyone who wants an idea of the visual feats Gotham's achieved, the following video breaks down the major VFX successes of season 3:

CoSA VFX Gotham Season 3 - VFX Reel from CoSA VFX on Vimeo.

Rest in peace, Drake.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on the episode. Did you like Gotham's version of Scarecrow, or do you prefer Nolan's version? How do you feel about Bruce's suit? I want to know all your thoughts about "The Fear Reaper."

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Stranger Things Recap: "Chapter Four: The Body" (1x04)

The last episode ended with the discovery of Will's body. This one starts almost right where it ended, with the cops talking to Joyce and Jonathan. Hopper explains what they think happened, some story about it being an accident, but Joyce immediately tells him that her son isn't dead. Of course, her explanation about the lights and monster coming through the wall only sounds crazy to all present. It doesn't help that she's obviously emotionally compromised. Hopper tries to console Joyce with a story about how he used to see and hear his daughter after her death. Joyce defines his story as grief, but she insists that what she is experiencing is different and that she isn't crazy either. Hopper encourages her to rest before checking to confirm Will's body the next day. Hopper starts to leave but ends up staying in his truck in the yard. Jonathan cries in his bed. Joyce grabs an ax from the shed, presumably ready for whatever comes next.

At the Wheeler home, Ted and Karen watch the report on Will's death. Karen encourages her husband to give their son time.

Mike is in the basement looking at pictures, presumably drawn by Will, when he gets annoyed by Eleven playing with the handheld radio. He uses the opportunity to go off on her about how she led them to find Will and he turned out dead and how friends do not lie. Eleven focuses on the radio, and suddenly we can hear Mike's voice singing, "Should I Stay or Should I Go." Mike tries to talk to Will but is unable to get through. Eleven confirms to him that it was indeed Will. Ooh.

After the title sequence, we see Joyce asleep on her couch, ax in hand. She imagines Will calling to her, but he turns into Jonathan who informs her it's time to "see Will."

Back at the Wheeler home, Karen checks on Mike who lies in bed. She gives him permission not to go to school, and he asks to just stay home. Assuming he is grieving over the death of his bestie, she agrees. When she leaves, he hops out of bed, fully clothed. Smooth move, Michael. He radios Lucas.

Hopper sits in the Coroner's Office where he learns that the coroner was sent home and that someone from State did the autopsy.

Joyce and Jonathan watch through a window as Will's body is uncovered. Jonathan gets sick, but Joyce asks for more confirmation in a birth mark.

Jonathan and Hopper sit in the waiting room talking about Joyce and her current trip to crazy town. Hopper comforts Jonathan, agreeing with him that his mom is tough. Joyce interrupts their moment by bursting into the waiting room, followed by someone wanting her to sign her confirmation. She insists that the "thing" on the table is not her son and runs out with Jonathan in pursuit.

At school, Nancy confesses her fears about Barb to Steve, even describing the weird thing she saw (the monster). Steve freaks out, worried about getting in trouble about his party more than he is about Barb. Nancy gets upset and leaves him in the alley.

Jonathan follows a walking Joyce in his car, trying to get her to get in. He gets out to follow her, telling her that they need to deal with what's happening. Joyce insists that the body is not Will's, making Jonathan upset. Joyce says that she is not going to stop until she finds Will, but Jonathan yells that he's going to have a funeral for Will.

Eleven plays with the radio, trying to show the boys that Will is on the other end, but the signal keeps getting lost aside from some whimpering sounds. While Dustin admits that it sounds a lot like Will, Lucas still isn't convinced. Mike decides that they need a stronger radio for Eleven to work with, and they think about the radio they used at school. Only problem? Lucas points out that getting "the weirdo" (AKA Eleven) into the school could be difficult. Initiate the makeover! Mike applies make-up while Lucas and Dustin find a dress and blond wig. Eleven comes out in her new get-up, shocking the boys, even eliciting a "pretty" from Mike, but he quickly adds a "good" to the end. "Pretty good." Eleven checks out her new look in the mirror and agrees that she looks "pretty... good."

Three men in hazmat suits walk down the hall at Hawkins Lab, one of whom is Doctor Brenner. One of them goes through the scary oozing hole, a metal cord attached to him.

Nancy is called out of class to be questioned by Officers Powell and Callahan about Barb's disappearance with her mom there. She tells them about the thing they saw, but they think that's crazy and think that maybe Barb ran away since her car is missing. They hypothesize that Barb was jealous of Steve and Nancy's budding relationship. Really???

Hopper talks to the coroner about being kicked out from doing the autopsy on Will's body. The coroner finds their reaction strange considering Will is just a local boy and not a celebrity. Hopper watches his television where a state trooper calls the event an "isolated incident."

Eleven and the boys ride bikes to the middle school where they try to get into the audio-visual room. Mr. Clarke catches them and reminds them about a school assembly that's about to happen for Will. When he asks who Eleven is, they say she is Mike's second cousin, Eleanor, there for the funeral. He asks where she is from, to which she replies, "Bad place." The boys quickly tell him she's from Sweden.

They enter the in-progress assembly awkwardly.

Nancy and Karen go home, and Karen confronts Nancy about her night out again. Ah, so Mom is not so clueless after all. Nancy brings up how worried she is about Barb and how no one is listening. Though Karen claims she is, Nancy stomps off to her room, anyway.

Nancy puts together the ripped up photo of Barb she got from Jonathan in the last episode. In the background she finds the first real evidence of the monster. Dun dun dun.

Back at Hawkin's lab, Brenner and the scientists are able to speak to the man that was sent through the hole. He describes his surroundings until there are strange noises and he talks about something else being there. Brenner orders him brought back by the metal cord while he screams to be brought back. The line starts being jerked around and suddenly drops. They continue reeling him in, but all that arrives is the bloody part of the suit the line was attached to.

At the school assembly, the bullies mock the situation, upsetting Mike and Co. Mike confronts them. When they continue mocking Will, he shoves one of them to the floor. When he gets up to retaliate, something stops him in his revenge taking. We watch as liquid wets his pants. AHEM. Well, then. The audience laughs as they realize that he wet himself, but Mike turns to see Eleven wiping her nose. Yep, she can make people wet themselves.

Jonathan looks at coffins. Nancy meets him, asking him about the photo. He says he didn't see anything. Nancy tells him she saw some weird man or something. She says, "It was almost like he didn't have..." and Jonathan completes the sentence with something his mom had said earlier... "Didn't have a face." Ooh. Truth is coming out.

Hopper sits undercover in a bar talking up a random guy. Except he isn't so random. He's the guy that found Will's body. And Hopper calls him out for some of the lies he's saying. When the guy tries to blow him off, Hopper gives a taste of justice, hosting a mini-interrogation outside. The man admits that he was told not to let anyone get too close to the body. Hopper sees a random black car watching. When he runs toward it, both it and the man leave.

Joyce, desperate to hear from her son, blasts "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" and calls for him to show himself.

Eleven and the boys settle into the radio room where El has a flashback to a day when Brenner made her search for a man based on his photo and to listen to what the man is saying. In a separate room, a man is saying words that Eleven begins to repeat. Back in the school, she is focusing hard, and the lights go out. A stomping type noise blows through the speakers.

Joyce turns the music off, hearing the footsteps as well. She hears Will crying for her through the wall, and the kids hear his voice through the radio. Joyce runs outside, but he isn't there. The kids call to Will through the radio but he can't hear them. Joyce pulls off her wallpaper to reveal a fleshy opaque wall beneath it. Behind the wall is Will. Joyce asks where he is. He says it's like home but dark, empty, and cold. (Ew.) The kids continue to hear the conversation in the school. Joyce promises that she will find Will but tells him to run because the monster is coming after him. He leaves, and the wall closes over. The radio in the school explodes, and the lights (and the fire alarm) come on.
Joyce takes an ax to her wall but she only makes a hole in her house.

The boys help Eleven, who is weakened from using her powers.

Jonathan and Nancy develop the photo in the photo lab at school so they can more clearly see the monster. They theorize that if his mom was right about the monster and if Will is alive, then maybe Barb is as well.

Hopper returns to the morgue. He tells the secretary he forgot his hat, knocks out the guard, and checks out Will's corpse for himself. It certainly looks like Will. When he digs his knife deep into his chest though... he finds that "Will's" insides are full of cotton. The body is a fake.

Joyce's ex-husband arrives and embraces her. That can't be good...

Hopper returns to Hawkins Lab where he uses pliers to break in.

~

What a crazy and revealing episode!

In Memoriam: 

Shepherd the adventuring scientist. Never go through slimy holes, children.

Stayin' Alive:

Uh uh uh uh stayin' alive. Will. Because he isn't dead. Hurrah!

Unknown: 

Will. Because he could be dead by the end of the episode, and we just don't know it. Also, Barb, though things weren't looking great for her last time we saw her.

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