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the-magnus-archives-archiver · 5 years

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Anglerfish

Case: 0122204

Name: Nathan Watts Subject: An encounter on Old Fishmarket Close, Edinburgh Date: April 22nd, 2012 Recording by: Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London

This all happened a couple of years ago, so I apologise if some of the details are a bit off. I mean, I feel like I remember it clearly but sometimes things are so weird that you start to doubt yourself. Still, I suppose weird is kind of what you guys do, right?

So I’m studying at the University of Edinburgh. Biochemistry, specifically, and I was in my second year at the time this happened. I wasn’t in any sort of university accommodation at this point and was renting a student flat down in Southside with a few other second years. To be honest I didn’t hang out with them much. I took a gap year before matriculating and my birthday’s in the wrong part of September, so I was nearly two years older than most of my peers when I started my course. I got on with them fine, you understand, but I tended to end up hanging out with some of the older students.

That’s why I was at the party in the first place. Michael MacAulay, a good friend of mine, had just been accepted to do a Master’s degree in Earth Sciences so we decided a celebration was in order. Well, maybe ‘party’ isn’t quite the right word, we just kind of invaded the Albanach down on the Royal Mile and drank long enough and loud enough that eventually we had the back area to ourselves. Now, I don’t know how well you know the drinking holes of Edinburgh, but the Albanach has a wide selection of some excellent single malts, and I may have slightly overindulged. I have vague memories of Mike suggesting I slow down, to which I responded by roundly swearing at him for failing to properly celebrate his own good news. Or words to that effect.

Long story short, I was violently ill around midnight and made the decision to walk the route home. It wasn’t far to my flat, maybe half an hour if I’d been sober, and the night was cool enough that I remember having a hope the chill would perk me up some. I headed for the Cowgate and the quickest way to get there from the Royal Mile is down Old Fishmarket Close. Now, I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that there are some steep hills in Edinburgh but Old Fishmarket Close is exceptional, even by those standards. At times it must reach a thirty or forty degree angle, which is hard enough to navigate when you don’t have that much scotch inside you. As I have mentioned, I had quite a lot, so it probably wasn’t that surprising when I took a rather nasty tumble about halfway down the street. In retrospect the fall wasn’t that bad compared to what it could have been, but at the time it really shook me up and left me with some nasty bruises. I picked myself up as best I could, checked I hadn’t seriously injured myself, no broken bones or anything, and decided to roll a cigarette to calm myself. That was when I heard it.

“Can I have a cigarette?”

I was startled out of my thoughts by the words as I thought I had been alone. Quickly trying to compose myself and looking around, I noticed a small alleyway on the opposite side of the street. It was very narrow and completely unlit with a short staircase leading up. I could see a light fixture a little way up the wall at its entrance, but it either wasn’t working or wasn’t turned on, meaning that beyond a few steps the alley was shrouded in total darkness. Stood there, a couple of stairs from the street, was a figure. It was hard to tell much about them as they were mostly in the shadows, though if I’d had to guess I would have said the voice sounded male. They seemed to sway, ever so slightly, as I watched, and I assumed that they, like me, were probably a little bit drunk.

I lit my own cigarette and held out my tobacco towards them, though I didn’t approach, and asked if they were ok with a roll-up. The figure didn’t move except to continue that gentle swaying. Writing it down now, it seems so obvious that something was wrong. If I hadn’t been so drunk maybe I’d have noticed quicker, but even when the stranger asked the question again, “Can I have a cigarette?” utterly without intonation, still I didn’t understand why I was so uneasy.

I stared at the stranger and as my eyes began to adjust I could make out more details. I could see that their face appeared blank, expressionless, and their skin seemed damp and slightly sunken, like they had a bad fever. The swaying was more pronounced now, seeming to move from the waist, side to side, back and forth. By this point I had finished rolling a second cigarette and gingerly held it out towards them, but I didn’t get any closer. I had decided that if this weirdo wanted a cigarette, they were going to need to come out of the creepy alleyway. They didn’t come closer, didn’t make any movement at all except for that damn swaying. For some reason the thought of an anglerfish popped into my head, the single point of light dangled into the darkness, hiding the thing that lures you in.

“Can I have a cigarette?” It spoke again in the same flat voice and I realised exactly what was wrong. Its mouth was closed, had been the whole time. Whatever was repeating that question, it wasn’t the figure in the alleyway. I looked at their feet and saw that they weren’t quite touching the ground. The stranger’s form was being lifted, ever so slightly, and moved gently from side to side.

I dropped the cigarette and grabbed for my phone, trying to turn on the torch. I don’t know why I didn’t run or what I hoped to see in that alley, but I wanted to get a better look. As soon as I took out my phone, the figure disappeared. It sort of folded at the waist and vanished back into the darkness, as if a string had gone taut and pulled it back. I turned on the torch and stared into the alley, but I saw nothing. Just silence and darkness. I staggered back up to the Royal Mile, which still had lights and people, and found a taxi to take me home.

I slept late the next day. I’d made sure I didn’t have any lectures or classes, as I had intended to be sleeping off a heavy night of drinking, which I guess I was, although it was that bizarre encounter that kept playing in my mind. And so, after making my way through two litres of water, some painkillers and a very greasy breakfast, I felt human enough to leave my flat and go to investigate the place in daylight. The result was unenlightening. There were no marks, no bloodstains, nothing to indicate that the swaying figure had ever been there at all. The only thing I did find was an unsmoked Marlboro Red cigarette, lying just below the burned out light fixture.

Beyond that, I didn’t really know what to do. I did as much research as I could on the place, but couldn’t find anyone who’d had any experience similar to mine, and there didn’t seem to be any folklore or urban legends I could find out about Old Fishmarket Close. The few friends I told about what happened just assumed I’d been accosted by some stranger and the alcohol had made it seem much weirder than it was. I tried to explain that I’ve never had hallucinations while drunk, and that there was no way this guy had just been a normal person, but they always gave me one of those looks, halfway between pity and concern, and I’d shut up.

I never did find out anything else about it, but a few days later I saw some missing person appeals go up around campus. Another student had disappeared. John Fellowes, his name was, though I didn’t really know the guy and couldn’t tell you much about him, except for two things that struck me as very important: he had been at that same party and, as far as I remembered, had still been there when I left. The other was just that, well, on the photo they’d used for his missing persons appeal I couldn’t help but notice that there was a pack of Marlboro Red cigarettes poking out of his pocket.

I haven’t quit smoking, but I do find that I take a lot more taxis now if I find myself out too late.

Archivist Notes:

The investigation at the time, and the follow-up we’ve done over the last couple have days, have found no evidence to corroborate Mr. Watts’ account of his experience. I was initially inclined to re-file this statement in the ‘Discredited’ section of the Archive, a new category I’ve created that will, I suspect, be housing the majority of these files. However, Sasha did some digging into the police reports of the time and it turns out that between 2005 and 2010, when Mr Watts’ encounter supposedly took place, there were six disappearances in and around the Old Fishmarket Close: Jessica McEwen in November 2005, Sarah Baldwin in August 2006, Daniel Rawlings in December of the same year, then Ashley Dobson and Megan Shaw in May and June of 2008. Then finally, as Mr Watts mentioned, John Fellowes in March 2010. All six disappearances remain unsolved. Baldwin and Shaw were definitely smokers, but there’s no evidence either way about the others, if they’re even connected.

Sasha did find one other thing, specifically in the case of Ashley Dobson. It was a copy of the last photograph taken by her phone and sent to her sister Siobhan. The caption was “check out this drunk creeper lol”, but the picture is of a darkened, apparently empty, alleyway, with stairs leading up into it. It appears to be the same alleyway which Mr. Watts described in his statement, the one that, according to the maps of the area, leads to Tron Square, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone in the photograph at all. Sasha took the liberty of running it through some editing programs, though, and increasing the contrast appears to reveals the outline of a long, thin hand, roughly at what would be waist level on a male of average height. I find it oddly hard to shake off the impression that it’s beckoning.

Source: Official Transcript and Podcast (MAG 1 Angler Fish)

#the magnus archives #magnus archives #MAG #MAG1 #MAG 1 #Anglerfish #Statement #The Stranger #The Anglerfish

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cocobaek · 6 years

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Crossfire | 08

Bodyguard AU!

Pairing: Namjoon x reader

Genre: Angst | Fluff | Slow burn

Word Count: 1.8K

Warnings: Violence | Swearing

Previous Chapter: 07 Next Chapter: 09

For the first time since Namjoon moved in, I got completely ready in my room, not even exiting for breakfast. I dreaded the moment I had to see him again, the sting from last nights rejection still hitting me hard “You can do it [y/n], it’s just Namjoon, just another stupid boy,” I said to my reflection as the moment came for me to exit my den. I took a deep breath before opening the door. My eyes met Namjoon’s almost instantly, and almost as soon as eye contact was made, he looked away. “Morning,” he greeted, trying to act as normal as possible. “Good morning,” I said, moving to start making my coffee, “coffee?” “Uh, no, I've had mine already.” Every time conversation began, it was abruptly ended in the next sentence. Thankfully, it wasn’t too long before my first lecture, meaning we could get out of the house. I mean, awkward walking was better than awkwardly hanging around home, at least there were distractions. “Hang on, [y/n],” I heard Namjoon say as I went to head out the door. My heart jumped with the expectation that something would be said about last night, but that hope left as I turned, seeing him bend down to pick up something I had dropped from my person. Seeing what it was my hand flew to my wrist. As expected, it was bare. “That dumb clasp,” I said under my breath as I stepped forward to carefully take my bracelet from his hands. “This happens all the time now, one day i’m going to lose it I swear,” I said as I looped it around my wrist. I held my arm tight against my body as I battled to get it back together with one hand. “Here, let me,” Namjoon said after a little bit too long. He stepped forward and carefully took each chain in his hands. We were both looking down at the intricate clasp, and I was glad this was the point of focus as the close distance between how heads had succeeded in making me flustered and bringing a bright blush to my cheeks. “It's tricky isn’t it,” he chuckled quietly, in a way, making an excuse for taking so long. “It’s seeing it’s last days for sure, Tae got it for me a long long time ago.” He glanced up at me when I said this, however I kept my eyes on the bracelet. If I met his gaze, I knew that I would just be more upset then I already was. My willpower was really tested with each second that passed, but eventually he snapped himself out of it and stepped back. “You two seem close.” I placed a hand around my bracelet. “Well, as close as you can be when you live a city away from each other.” I finally looked up at Namjoon, “shall we go?” He nodded, “after you.”

“Hey! [y/n]!” I heard someone call out once we had made the quick journey to Uni. I turned to see Jimin and Jungkook heading towards us. “You’re looking rough, hard rest of the night?” Jungkook, said, sidling up next to me. “You could say that, yeah,” I smiled tightly. “Everything ok?” Jimin followed up, not missing my expression. I nodded, “yeah, yeah, all fine, we just had a lot to talk about after you left so i’m a bit tired is all.” I glanced to Namjoon who kept his gaze fixed forward as we walked. If I had thought he was distant at home I was crazy. It was nothing compared to now. It was like he wasn’t even thinking of looking my way. “Well, at least we have a riveting lecture to fill us with energy again,” Jungkook said sarcastically, dodging the awkward situation expertly. “Man, i’m excited,” I laughed as we filed into the lecture hall. The moment we sat down I felt my phone buzz, and I looked down to see the name of the boy sitting two to my right.

Jimin-sii: ‘What’s up with you and Namjoon? He seems real weird today.” Pretty Lady: ‘Isn’t he always weird to you?’

I glanced to my left, and as expected, although he sat directly beside me, his eyes were trained forward.

Jimin-sii: ‘yeah, but weirder than normal.. He keeps looking at you you know, like, snapping away whenever you go to look.’

I stared at my phone for a moment when I received this message.. I hadn’t even considered that Namjoon may be having just as rough of a time with than I was. But he couldn't be.. He was Namjoon.

Pretty Lady: ‘ Yeah, had a bit of an argument, he’s just sulking.’ Jimin-sii: :(

Jimin’s message came through at the same time as the lecturer came in. I stuffed my phone in my pocket and brought my notebook out as if I were actually going to take notes. Unfortunately, the combination of the lecturers monotone voice and my lack of sleep made me exhausted and unable to actually listen far too quickly. I placed my right arm on the bench before me and rested my chin on it. It was only a few seconds after this when I felt an odd feeling, like someone was looking at me. I tilted my head to the left, so my temple was resting on my arm, and met Namjoon’s gaze. Unlike every time today, he didn’t look away, and neither did I. He smiled somewhat sadly once we held this gaze for a while. It must’ve been obvious how tired I was, and there would’ve only been one reason for that - he knew that. I knew he wasn’t heartless enough not to care. As he said, he didn’t want this either. ‘It’s ok,’ I mouthed before smiling at him, ‘i’m ok.’ He looked somewhat relieved for a moment before nodding. I blinked a few times before standing up, earning a confused look from him. “Bathroom,” I whispered, and put a hand on his shoulder when he went to stand as well. “It’s just down the hall, i’ll be fine.” He hesitated before nodding, letting me passed.

Getting into the hallway was exactly what I needed. The fresh air helped bring a little bit more life back into me I kept my eyes trained on my feet as I started the short walk to the bathroom, lost in my own world. As expected, this was not the best idea, as I soon collided with someone. “Oh! Sorry!” they said, and I smiled as I looked up seeing who it was. “Oh hey you,” Hoseok said, “I didn’t hurt you did I?” I shook my head, “nah, i’m good, sorry I was in kind of a daze.” “Had a lot to think about after last night too huh?” he said bashfully, scratching the back of his neck. I nodded, “I really need to apologise for Namjoon, I had no idea he would react that way.” Hoseok shook his head, “It’s totally ok,” he fell silent, “I assume he told you about Yoongi?” I nodded and watched him sigh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want you and Jungkook finding out cause I didn’t want you guys to think I was this... this criminal.” I smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re ok in my books Hobi.. Namjoon kinda told me what your neighbourhood was like, I don't hold it against either of you.” Hoseok looked physically relieved to hear this. “Thank you [y/n], really, not many people would forgive like that.” “Well, there isn’t really anything to forgive. A past is a past.” Something passed over his expression for a split second before he nodded. “But what a coincidence aye! I used to think of Nam as a big brother,” he said, back to his old self. “His parents were the best weren’t they?” I felt my heart rate increase the slightest bit. We had never talked about his family in detail, which now doesn’t seem like it was a good idea. “I actually haven’t met them,” I said, knowing the less I lied, the smaller the hole I dug myself into would be. “I lived with my mum, he’s the dad’s side, I had nothing to do with them really.” Hoseok let out an ‘oh’ and nodded, “makes sense, I would’ve remembered a face like yours if you ever visited anyway. I laughed at his casual flirting. “Hey, Hobi, I was wondering something.” “Ask away.” “Was it hard to get out? Namjoon said something about him having enemies. Is that Yoongi? Is Yoongi after him?” Hoseok’s expression was firm as he thought back to when it all happened. “It wasn’t easy, but I left during the fallout of Namjoon leaving, so I definitely had it better than he did.” “The fallout?” Hoseok scolded himself, “he really won’t want me telling you... it’s not my place.” I clenched my jaw, “can you tell me anything?” Hoseok looked hesitant, but eventually gaze in. “Yoongi didn’t want him to leave, Namjoon was a good worker, so Nam forced himself out, got the police involved, a few of the boys got arrested... Yoongi really wasn’t happy with that last I heard.” I nodded. It made sense. “Look, I think you should just try not think about it, he’s not a dude you want to do digging on.” I laughed nervously, “you know me, I can’t help but be nosy.” “But somehow you make it charming,” he chuckled, his hands going into his pockets as his laughter dropped off sadly. “Hobi? What’s up?” I asked, the mood shift hard to miss. “I-I am truly sorry [y/n]..” I smiled kindly and brought him into a hug. “Don’t be sorry Hobi.” I felt him hug me back. “No, not about that... I’m sorry about what’s going to happen.” I went to step back, but his hug was tight, constricting. “I actually quite like you, you’re a good friend, but a job is a job.” His last four words struck me, fear filling my body as I quickly tried to fight back, but Hoseok was stronger than I was. Short conversations with Namjoon about self defence popped into my head, and I instinctively brought my knee up in between his legs with force. He let out a shout and released me, and I didn’t hesitate to break into a sprint. Unfortunately, Hoseok recovered quickly and spent no time catching up to me. I let out a yell as he grabbed my wrist, pulling me flush against his chest. “Shhh, shhh, you’re ok,” he whispered, putting something over my mouth. I had seen enough movies to know this was bad news, so I held my breath for as long as I could. Hoseok however, wasn’t letting up. He held strong against every attempt at escape, and eventually my lungs needed to be filled and I took in a deep breath. Almost instantly I felt off, the world in front of me beginning to grow odd. I was dizzy, and wanted nothing more than to close my eyes. “I’ve got you [y/n], just sleep.” That was the last thing I heard before I was plunged into darkness.

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sunlitroom · 7 years

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Gotham s3e12 - Ghosts

As I watched it, and some random observations here and there.

Previously on Gotham.

Jerome's rampage at GCPD. Jim at Jeri’s club. We see residents influenced by Jerome, and hear his words again: sanity is a prison. We meet Selina's mum. Ed resigns his post, and vows to destroy Oswald. Jim swears that he’ll bring Mario in alive. Lee is leaving Gotham for good. Jim shoots Mario.

As always, long post will be long - reaaally long. There are likely to be rambling digressions. Gobblepot may appear (although I welcome all shippers and non-shippers alike :)). There will be naked favouritism and naked not-favouritism. Broader comments at the end on plotlines and parallels and general direction.

We open on Mario’s funeral.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death

Lee is crying. Falcone is grim-faced. Jim watches from a distance. Harvey approaches him, and tells him he shouldn’t be here. Jim justifies his killing of Mario, but Harvey tells him to back off. The law is one thing – but this is about family. They lost a son, a husband. Now is not the time to talk to them about the past, or try to apologise.

Oswald walks through revolving doors into City Hall. He phones Ed - who is not available.

Fuck's sake Ed, that’s the ‘leave a message’ of an edgy 14 year old.

Oswald's perky assistant greets him, and tells him that the press is here. Oswald bristles, clearly anticipating criticism. As he strides into the room, his assistant tells him crime is down, employment is up – he’s doing well, in short.

Oswald can’t believe it, and enjoys the moment in front of the cameras. His deputy Chief of Staff bustles in.

You did it! Cash in on this good news. I’m here to help.

Oswald wishes aloud that Ed were there.

His deputy, Tarquin, tells him that Margaret Hearst wants an interview. She has sway – can help him become known nationally. If he turns her down now, she won’t come back. Oswald falters momentarily, but then decides to go for it.

How's my hair?

Jim arrives home. As he takes off his coat, he hears bottles clank in the kitchen. He draws his gun and approaches to find Victor drinking some milk from the bottle. I’d shoot Mario if Victor showed up in my kitchen as a result.

Victor is here as a messenger. Jim messed up. Falcone is beside himself: Victor’s never seen him like this. He matter-of-factly tells Jim it’s only a matter of time until the hit is ordered.

Jim tells him he’s welcome to try. Victor turns more serious

I don’t try, and I never stop.

*Bites lip*

He walks past Jim, stopping to say that it was

Nice knowing you, you're a good egg. And nice shot on Mario. I Never liked him.

We’re at Selina’s home. Her mum says it’s a nice place, but asks,

What's with the raggedy clothes?

Well fuck you, Selina’s mum - where was your support?

Selina asks her why she waited 11 years to see her. Maria asks her if she knows how many times she thought of her. She had no choice but to leave. She left Selina at same orphanage her mother left her.

Selina asks who her father is, but her mother dodges the question and asks if he’s dating ‘that kid.’

Selina sighs. Maria tells her she got into serious trouble and had no option but to run, and you can't run with a five year old. Your five year old, Selina points out. Maria says that she just wanted to come and tell her she loved her.

(An aside – this all stinks to high heaven. After so many years, she just pops back? Nope)

Selina brushes off her ‘I love you’

Alright then. It’s been so fun. Bye

Selina’s mother sighs, and says goodbye. Selina holds her head in her hands.

Oswald meets Miss Hearst. She clearly dislikes him. She opens by commenting that he seems to have found his calling in office – but wonders whether he just has the knack of showing people what they want to see. She wants to get inside his mind and share what she finds with the citizens of Gotham. She also wants the interview live, at City Hall.

Oswald is rattled, and starts to say he wants the interview at him – but for some reason allows himself to be talked over and told what to do.

As she leaves, Hearst comments that Gotham will see the Mayor as he truly is. Oswald tells her to dig deep, and that he has nothing to hide.

As he watches her leave, though, he sees a vision of his father watching him and walking away. He gasps.

The morgue at GCPD. Lucius is acting as medical examiner.

There’s a young woman on the table. From where she was found last night, she had been wandering along the train tracks in a state of undress. Does this automatically make anyone else think of Ronette Pulaski, or just me?

She apparently had a coronary due to electric current being applied to her. Harvey asks if it was torture. However, Lucius continues. The young woman – Melanie – was stabbed to death three days ago. She was in the morgue two days ago. Harvey is incredulous

Doesn’t anyone die in Gotham anymore? (Don’t you dare be foreshadowing). It’s not a morgue, it's a motel.

Jim and Harvey leave, but encounter Lee - looking for acting captain Harvey to arrest Jim for Mario's murder. Lee is protesting – asking why Mario was murdered and not Barnes. Jim looks like he’s hurting, but doesn’t respond. She steps towards him and tells him:

You're the real virus, Jim. You seep into people’s lives until you destroy them. You haven’t heard the end of this.

Aw - Jim teared up.

Van Dahl mansion – complete with gothic thunderstorm. Oswald sleeps fitfully in the sofa, still dressed. He hears a noise, and wakes with a start.

He gets up off the sofa, and we see he’s in his socks – spiked shoes by the sofa. It makes him look vulnerable and normal - humanising him. It also emphasises the odd way he has to hold his foot, reminding us of his injury – and he limps badly here. He’s without neck-tie too – again reminding us how much of him is image and outer shell.

Ghost Elijah walks past. Oswald sees him.

Father?

Help me

Oswald gasps. Of course. How?

Ghost Elijah tells him only one thing: he's not to be trusted.

Oswald asks who – but Elijah disappears. There’s a hammering at the door. A shaken Oswald answers, only to be told that someone has dug up his father's remains.

At the city morgue with Jim and Harvey. Jim introduces himself to the assistant- Dwight. They ask to see Melanie, but she – of course – isn’t there – which Dwight seemed unaware of. He comments that there’s no security cameras here – so there’s no way to know what happened.

Jim looks suspicious – he doesn’t trust this guy. He jumps at hearing the janitor’s mop hit a locker. His eye is caught by the Jerome type sticker on a trolley. Harvey comments that he seems jumpy.

Wayne Manor. Bruce is wondering why the owl is important to the court. Alfred suggests that they hide it, perhaps in the cave. Or – you know – just leave it on a side-table, like they do two minutes later when the door is knocked.

It’s Selina’s mum, arriving just as they were discussing the owl. Alfred greets her, and we see that he plainly has a crush on her. She’s got a box with her that she wants to leave for Selina. Bruce asks her to stay, but she says she has a train to catch. She tried reaching out to Selina, but she’s too angry.

(An aside - Selina’s mum gets massively on my nerves. Yes, your teenage daughter, who has fended for herself on the streets, is angry because you abandoned her as a child. You don’t get to act all wounded because she knocked back the first effort you made. Ugh.)

Harve and Jim are following Dwight, who worked at Indian Hill before the morgue. He leaves the morgue, talking to someone on the phone, asking angrily how she got out? Harvey and Jim follow.

Falcone household, I guess? Lee says the autopsy shows Mario was infected. Carmine doesn't care. Mario was his son. He does admit:

I cared for Jim Gordon. In some ways, he’s more like my son than Mario. But it’s natural law - blood for blood

Lee says she hates him. Everything bad that happened in her life is due to him. Or, you know, her conscious adult decision to continue to pursue a relationship with him – but anyway.

Falcone says that doing this will be a weight they'll have to carry for the rest of their lives. Lee’s not used to this burden

Can you live with it?

She apparently can. Carmine says he will kill him, by his own hand.

Selina is crying alone in apartment when Bruce brings the box by. Bruce comments that he knows she’s missed her mother for years, and that he can’t imagine how she's feeling. Selina angrily says that she left her here alone. Bruce replies:

It’s hard to forgive. The hardest thing any of us have to do in this life

He tells her that this might be the only chance she has to reach back to her mother. Selina says that she's a crook. Bruce counters that she’s still her mother. Maria enters as Selina opens the box, finding her baby things. She embraces her mother and cries.

A city street. Dwight enters an abandoned theatre. Jim and Harve follow. There’s a crowd there, in vague clown/asylum get-up. Harvey comments that this is weird. A guy gets up on stage, turns on a light. Harvey comments that it’s even weirder. The guy gives a speech tailored for teenage edge-lords and those in the throes of a mid-life crisis.

People of this city are slaves. They go to work to pay taxes, mortgages. They believe newspapers, fear who politicians tell them to. They’re mentally shackled. But someone understood and spoke out. He stood up to jailers and puppets.

We see the Jerome footage, with the speech he gave at GCPD.

They all repeat it. Yes, they are all individuals.

You know, if they like dressing up and audience participation, they should try Rocky Horror instead.

Harvey takes mercy on us, and fires at the ceiling.

Jim starts beating people, and really, I’m on board with this. The crowd try to rush them, and Jim and Harve run. As they reach the alley, though, they’re not safe, because there’s Victor shooting at them from a ledge.

Jim quickly tells Harvey that Falcone put out a hit – but that he’s only after Jim, because,

Zsasz is very professional that way.

Zsasz’s henchwomen chase Jim into a restaurant kitchen. Jim shoots one, and uses another as a human shield, which does not go down well with Victor. He stalks hm

It's an inevitability, Jim. Embrace it. You’ve had a good run, you should know that.

Jim pushes a cart out to distract him, and they have a punch-up. Jim pulls the trigger when Victor is out for the count on the floor – but there’s no bullets left. Victor’s left all dishevelled on the floor.

Oswald sits in his in his father's study. He’s wearing the dressing gown his father gave him when he first went there after Arkham – again reminding us of his vulnerabilities - even more so because it looks 2 sizes too big for him.

He hears the faint sounds of someone singing ‘happy birthday’ and startles. Elijah appears again. He says he needs his body back in the earth to be at rest. He also tells him ‘he cannot be trusted’. He then follows this with something about ‘Isabella is on the other side with us, telling dark tales of murder’ – and wraps up by telling him not to trust the birthday boy.

(An aside - The bit about Isabella sticks out like a sore thumb, but Oswald is distressed enough that he is probably unlikely to notice. Again – you’re invited to sympathise with him, trembling and tearful.)

Lee visits Barnes in Arkham. He seems calmed. He says that Lee wants to know whether Mario was diseased, and would have killed her. He comments that he feels better and clearer than he ever did. Lee seizes on this.

So he could have lived a normal life!

Barnes says the virus is not a disease, but a cure – and then unravels right in front of us. The whole town – full of murderers, thieves, rapists. James Gordon is one of them

When I get out, he'll be the first that I judge.

Everyone will be tried, convicted, executed. The city will be purged. Innocents will thank their saviour, the executioner.

Lee watches him wide-eyed and leaves hurriedly.

Selina's mum at dinner at Wayne Manor, reminiscing about her crimes. Bruce is entertained. Alfred asks her to stop – and she apologises and compliments the meal. Selina banters with Alfred, and demonstrates how easy he is to pickpocket. Maria repeats the trick while hugging him. They have a flirtatious moment. Bruce asks her to stay, and Alfred will drive her home in the morning.

Oh – Selina’s so happy. This is doomed.

City Hall. Oswald climbs the stairs, clearly exhausted. He’s white-faced and limping badly. His assistant greets him, but he dismisses her. Looking round the corner, he notices an impromptu celebration and sees a group of people with birthday cake for Tarquin.

Oswald breaks into Tarquin’s office and follows muddy footsteps to a closet. He pulls a body bag from it. Opening it, he finds his father's corpse. Oswald is – of course – horribly traumatised.

Tarquin enters. He seems to have no clue what’s going on. Oswald says that he’s sick and asks who he’s plotting with. He tells Oswald he’s mistaken. Enraged, Oswald beats him to death with a trophy and screams with rage over the corpse.

There’s a knock at the door. Oswald flees, leaving the bloody trophy behind.

Lee bursts into Falcone's house. Barnes is insane – he needs to call it off. Falcone points out that she said she hated him, and wanted revenge, but it was to mask what really scares her: she still loves James Gordon. God, this story again. Someone hire Zsasz to kill me.

Oswald staggers into his interview:

Sorry I'm late - mayor stuff

We see people watching at home – a family apparently stuck in the 1950s, and some cops at GCPD. Oswald loses it slightly – spilling water down his front, and spotting a bloodstain on his cuff, but manages to pull it together.

Jim arrives home. Harvey comes in just behind him with a shotgun. He asks Jim why he didn’t say anything about Victor. Jim says it’s his business – but Harvey points out that’s a bit ridiculous, seeing as how he’s usually standing next to him.

Victor arrives and shoots everything in sight with a machine gun. Running out of bullets, he switches to his normal double gun set-up. Spotting Harvey, he offers an amiable ‘what’s up?’ – and points a gun at his head. He tells Jim to drop his gun – it’s his time to die today, not Harvey. Harvey tells Jim to shoot Victor, but is interrupted by…

Carmine

Relax Zsasz. Job's cancelled. You can go home

Victor leaves, perfectly happy, with a perky OK boss.

Jim walks up to Falcone and apologises. Falcone is unmoved, and says that if it were up to him, he’d be dead.

Harvey knocks back a whiskey.

(An aside. I’m a little confused here. Suspecting as he does, and did before, that Lee is still in love with Jim – surely he’d just order the hit anyway?)

Oswald’s interview continues, and Hearst is needling him, looking for a reaction. The talk of murder behind his rise to power, the murder of Galavan…. She manages eventually to score a hit by talking about his father, and the insinuation that Oswald murdered his stepfamily for inheritance reasons. She pushes, telling him that the people want the truth.

Oswald, meanwhile, is completely distracted and agitated – because he’s spotted Elijah’s ghost again. He replies:

To hell with the people

We see shocked responses from the TV audience, and Hearst smirks.

Oswald doesn’t care, and chases his father ghost.

Oh Oswald

Both bodies are gone, and an aghast Oswald runs from the building.

Outside, Ed smirks from a distance. Opening a car boot, we see Elijah’s remains and Tarquin’s corpse in the boot

(An aside - And it makes sense, really, that Ed would manipulate Oswald’s grief like this. He did it first in his apartment, gleefully seizing on Oswald humming his mother’s lullaby and using it to exploit his weakness and get what he wanted. He did it again when he saw Oswald gazing at his mother’s statue and confessing his loneliness – using her exact words of love and support to again exploit him and make himself seem indispensable. There’s no reason he wouldn’t continue to use the same strategy when it's worked so well in the past.)

We get a brief explanation of what happened. Ed employed Clayface to impersonate Elijah, and played on Tarquin’s ambition to secure his help. Tabs and Babs approach

Why not leave the bodies for cops and have him arrested?

Ed says that’s too easy. He wants a slow, painful death by a thousand deep cuts. They’ll destroy his mind. Then his empire – Babs interjects. And finally, when’s he’s broken and alone, they’ll do the humane thing – and put him out of his misery. Babs and Ed laugh in anticipation

Dramatic tension demands a downfall here - they're too smug, and Oswald has been made too sympathetic in comparison. I would guess Ed and Babs will not get things all their own way.

Maria kisses Alfred on the cheek as thanks for the car ride. As they reach her apartment, Maria asks Selina to wait behind. We hear an angry conversation about owing money. Again – I think this is a stitch-up. Selina’s just as exposed to this situation waiting outside as she would be just entering, and Maria knows she’ll come in as soon as she hears her threatened.

Selina says that Bruce will pay the money her mother owes. The man – Cole – says that seeing as it’s Bruce Wayne, he’ll ask for more cash. Maria tells Selina they need to warn her friends, and that her past is coming back to punish her. Selina is understandably irritated:

Good job, Mom

Jerome’s priest is at Indian Hill. He seems irate, but the morgue assistant assures him that his designs work. He protests, however – saying that the currents are too strong, and wind up killing them. They need to move quickly – apparently. It’s time to get ‘him.’

We move to a warehouse and see a row of containers – one of which contains Jerome.

My past is coming back to punish me.

Restless ghosts, in one form or another, show up repeatedly throughout this episode. We have the very literal ghost of Elijah, conjured up by Ed to terrorise Oswald. Its very real echo is Oswald’s actual grief over the loss of both parents – which makes him vulnerable to Ed’s manipulations. There’s the ghost of Jim and Lee’s past. The ghost of Isabella, the motivation for Ed’s actions. Jerome – still haunting the city. Selina’s mother delivers the ghost of the little girl she abandoned in the box of mementos. Alice’s ghost haunts Barnes through her her virus. The girl in the morgue gets up and wanders alongside the railway tracks after her death. Everyone must deal with the spectre of their past, in one way or another.

It’s hard to forgive. The hardest thing any of us have to do in this life.

One way to leave the past behind and put restless ghosts to bed is through forgiveness. We see Selina forgive her mother immediately after the scene where Lee refuses to forgive Jim – although Lee changes her mind later, resulting in Jim’s life being spared. Ed cannot forgive Oswald for what he did, and pursues revenge instead. Oswald is nowhere near being at peace with his past, and so is easily tormented by it.

Jim

Doesn’t have the easiest time, this episode. He’s chased by Victor, Lee tells him he’s a life-wrecking virus, and Falcone says he’d like him dead. I’m assuming he’ll figure out Lee called off the hit, which might boost his mood a little.

Is he going to interact with Bruce at all this season, incidentally?

Oswald

Oh dear. Gotham loves woobie-ing Oswald, and they’ve really gone for it here. We are fully aware that Oswald did a terrible, unforgiveable thing – but they were at pains here to show us Oswald tormented, vulnerable, and alone. We’re reminded of his past in Arkham, the loss of his parents. His physical disability is played up. Even after you’ve watched him bludgeon some guy to death with a trophy – you’re still on his side, because the writing very much pushes you there.

I’m hoping Oswald rallies soon. Too much suffering is no fun to watch – and Ed and Babs were far too smug in this episode. Oswald played mob bosses off each other and enjoyed the thrill. He can outwit this pair.

Not seeing any of the inner-conflict I saw in the previous episode, sadly. Ed’s enjoying himself. Even if he can’t go through with murdering Oswald, this manipulation is as unforgiveable as Isabella’s murder.

#gotham commentary #gotham s3e12 #ghosts

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