Gotham begins with Penguin begging Theo and Tabitha to return his mother. Despite his graveling and offer of friendship they refuse to return her and give him the task of burning down three different locations around the city. When he leaves, Tabitha releases a man from a trunk who turns out to work for Wayne Industries. Tabitha attacks him with a knife. Later, Tabitha pokes fun at Butch and delivers Penguin a case with an item that will get his arsonists into their target location. At the precinct, Ed asks Jim and Lee to double date with he and Kristen. Lee quickly agrees, much to Jim’s chagrin. Theo arrives and asks Jim to endorse him for mayor. Jim, however is reluctant to oblige him. Butch enlists Selina’s aide in reaching the arsonists he needs for the job. Their sister, Bridget, is a friend of Selina’s who is abused by her “family.”
The Strike Force invades and dismantles one of Penguin’s cash houses. Penguin, furiously, beats the man who informs him of what has happened. Jim and Lee enjoy their double date with Ed and Kristen. Jim, however, is weighed down by how the people of Gotham perceive him. Lee advises him to use their admiration as fuel and a place of happiness. One of the arsonists buys the supplies he needs for the job, but is stopped when he tries to escape a police raid. Jim and Capt. Barnes gun him down and accidentally set off one of his explosives, causing him to be blown up as well. Without their entry man, the arsonist recruit Bridget to do their job. She is reluctant, due to her pyrophobia, but would rather do their bidding than be prostituted. Bridget follows instructions and manages to steal antique knife from a safe, using the eyeball of the Wayne Enterprise employee! Her leg is burned however.
Penguin recruits the help of an antique saleswoman/historian to discover the truth behind the knife. She reveals that the knife is cursed and was used to cut off the arm of Theo’s ancestor by The Waynes for being inappropriate with their sister. Elsewhere, Bridget sews herself a flame retardant suit. Selina admonishes her for helping the arsonist and considering them family. She tells her she can be as free as she is. Bridget and the arsonist are stopped by Jim and Harvey from completing their next mission, but one of their fellow officers is burned by a flamethrower from Bridget. Selina helps her escape. He later dies, prompting Jim to seek Theo’s help and offer his endorsement to stop the city’s villains. Penguin gets Butch drunk and tells him to infiltrate Theo’s organization and rescue his mother. He then stabs him in the hand to make it look like he and Penguin are really at odds. Theo returns home to find his spiritual leader there and hands him the knife. He informs Theo that their warriors are coming from overseas and that Bruce Wayne will die!
