Gotham season 4 trailer analysis: Is the Scarecrow a worthy villain?
Judging from what we do see in the video below, this season has the potential to be one of the most psychological and terrifying that we’ve seen to date. After all, how else do you define a season where Scarecrow is one of the Big Bads? Crane is back, but which Crane is it? It’s been a while since that father/son duo surfaced on the show; regardless of who is under the mask, we know Scarecrow as a villain to be one of the most noteworthy and dangerous ones out there.
What we also like about him is that he best symbolizes the best and worst of Batman adversaries as a whole. His powers and abilities are truly terrifying — he’s uniquely recognizable, and he can inflict damage in a way that nobody else can. Yet, he’s also one of the comic’s many bumbling villains who can’t quite get along with some of the other bad guys. It’s so ironic that the criminal underworld could easily rule the city if they could stop fighting each other and work together, but that never happens. Scarecrow is the sort of villain who doesn’t care as much about the target sometimes and just wants to inflict bedlam on anyone/everyone around.
While you only get a brief glimpse of him at the end of the trailer, this absolutely feels like the best iteration of Scarecrow that we’ve seen in terms of live-action. We actually like the design here better than the Cillian Murphy version from the Christopher Nolan movies.
Other odds and ends
Obviously, Bruce Wayne is going to be working more with a costume and a mask this year following the season 3 cliffhanger. His transformation into Batman accelerated at the end of this past season, and while he’s not there yet, he is certainly inching ever closer to the point of being the Dark Knight we know and love. Meanwhile, Selina Kyle is also going to show more of her Catwoman prowess, as you clearly see her kicking butt and taking names.
As for the villains, you get a good sense of Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge (it lives up to its name), the return of Barbara Kean (clearly, she’s not dead), and a few other assorted evil-doers that you’ve seen over the years. Having Butch secretly be Solomon Grundy is a very interesting twist for that character, and when the story picks up, seeing what he’s become should prove very interesting. You would think having a number of near-immortal villains would make the show rather frustrating, but it hasn’t turned out that way! The progression has been slow, but the writers have found ways to keep it exciting and have high stakes even if you assume that nobody’s actually going to die.
Now, your take
What do you think about Scarecrow entering Gotham season 4, and do you have any favorite moments from the trailer? Share in the comments!
Meanwhile, be sure to head over here for some additional insight on the show’s new premiere date! (Photo: Fox.)