Gotham season 5 episode 10 return date: Bane breaks Alfred

Gotham season 5 episode 10 is not airing for two weeks. Coming out of what we saw tonight, the chaos and the Jim Gordon retrospectives, that is bad news. When you’ve got momentum, you want to find a way, if at possible, to be able to continue that.

Alas, that is not happening here. Fox is airing a repeat next week, which is a slight surprise given that there are only three episodes left. Why not continue the momentum when you have it? Why not keep that buzz train ‘rolling for a little while still? Episode 10, after all, looks to be incredible, and much of that begins with the title: “I Am Bane.” This is the big showcase of this villain you’ve been waiting for. Eduardo Dorrance was effectively “transformed” a little bit earlier this season, courtesy of Theresa Walker swooping in at the last minute following his original defeat. This is a man now bent on power and destruction perhaps more than ever. He wants to see ruins and to create calamities — based on what we’ve got in the new promo below, Shane West looks to be bringing you a very good interpretation of the role. He’s imposing, strong, and beyond that, looks to be recreating a classic comic-book move a little bit early.

(Warning: Spoilers ahead for those who did not hear the news last year.)

Gotham wants to do its version of Bane shattering Batman’s back — an iconic moment from the source material. If you are wondering how in the world they are going to do that with no Batman, the answer is simple: Transference. They’re just swinging one big moment over to another character … and on this occasion, that character is going to be Alfred. Batman’s butler is going to be facing the break, and his life will be on the brink in the process. This is not the sort of thing one recovers from quickly; it’s also the sort of thing that makes us think that the rough-and-tumble Alfred that we saw in seasons past is about to disappear in the wind. He’s got some other important priorities — which, of course, include trying to not die.

For a few more details, those are laid out within Gotham season 5 episode 10 synopsis below:

On the precipice of Gotham’s reunification, Gordon and Bruce find themselves face-to-face with a newly transformed Eduardo, and discover the real mastermind behind the city’s current chaos. Meanwhile, a pregnant Barbara turns to Lee for help.

Within this episode, Bane is the face of death. Maybe you can argue that Jeremiah/whatever he becomes down the line is the real villain at the end of this tail, but what Bane represents is pure destruction. It’s not madness; it’s focus. It is a deadly character understanding what he wants his mission to be and beyond that, precisely how he wants to execute it. He breaks backs and, in turn, breaks heart. (Yes, please allow us that one moment for extreme corniness — given how serious this version of Bane is, we’re not going to get it from him like we did the old-school movie with Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy.)

How are we feeling entering this episode?

Fearful, nervous, and beyond all else, sad. This is a point within a series’ run where you start to put everything in perspective. The early days of Gotham probably tried too hard to be restrained, a combination of a crime procedural and a Batman comic. Now, we’re full Batman — we’ve basically been there for a couple of years, sans of course the Dark Knight. This is the show within this world we’ve always wanted, one with that right combination of camp and carnage. It’s the one that is sharply-written with fantastic characters and performances. Sometimes, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone — that doesn’t quite work here. We already know what we’ve got, and it’s going to be extremely hard to say goodbye.

What are you hoping to see when it comes to Gotham season 5 episode 10?

Be sure to sound off with some thoughts in the comments below.