BWW Recap: Det. Gordon Busts Bad Cops and Mooney Escapes Torture and Bounces on GOTHAM

What a difference a couple of days make in the dark and corrupt streets of Gotham! After helping nab the "Electro-cutioner," Det. James Gordon is back in the Gotham City Police Department's good graces. As the good (or at least not "bad") detective once again takes his place serving and protecting Gotham, one of the key criminal elements seems to be going down. Thanks to that little bird, Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot playing every end against the other among the mobsters, his former boss Fish Mooney and her goon Butch have been cut off at the knees by crime kingpin Don Falcone. So not only has Gordon left his exile to Arkham Asylum, Cobblepot's stock has risen in the underworld.

Tonight on GOTHAM, we see how Gordon will proceed and just what fate awaits Fish Mooney and Butch at the hands of the Falcone mob family in episode 13, "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon."

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Opening: In an underground, scary lab, Mooney is taken off of a gurney and restrained waiting on "Bob," a torturer, so it seems.

Bullock and Gordon arrive on a murder scene, Pinky Littlefield is the victim, a small time drug dealer. Gordon finds some curious items hidden in the heel of the victim's shoe. A witness offers to talk at the station to help make a sketch of the murder suspect. But before he can talk, an unknown assailant stabs the man to death with an ice pick. Ed Nygma surmises the same murder weapon was used.

Back at the torture chamber, Bob lets Fish know he is to extract an apology out of her. Fish shows her strong and defiant side. Actually, Fish seems to be enjoying the idea of the rough trade a little too much.

8:10 pm EST: Butch is taken to a far-off warehouse by a couple of Falcone's henchman but Butch gets away, seeking out his boss, Fish.

The cops consider the situation where a potential witness was murdered in the station. Gordon thinks it may have been a cop, since the security cameras were off - and there are plenty of corrupt police.

We find Alfred driving around Master Bruce, the boy seeking out Selena but he finds Ivy on the street, For $20 Ivy will tell Selina they are looking for her.

Bob has covered Fish with a plastic bag but she just laughs at the the situation. He pulls out a saw and and hammer and - Butch arrives just in time to save Fish.

Gordon finds the cops pull on the old blue line and protect each other. Gordon plays the cops against each other to find Winkler's killer. It may be a cop named Delaware, who tries to run. Gordon stops him and looks in his car and finds not the weapon but the same items that were in the first victims shoe - little blue, plastic rectangles. No matter that the other cops may turn on him, Gordon throws Delaware into a cell.

The blue squares are the drugs being trafficked by the bad cops, BTW.

8:20 pm EST: The evidence Jim found are part of an undercover drug operation and Captain Essen is angry. She takes Bullock and Gordon off of the case and turns it over to Internal Affairs.

Nygma stalks Miss Kringle again in the file roon and he smiles his enigmatic smile once again.

Butch has taken Fish somewhere safe so she can recover from the torture. She just wants to eat but she is appreciative of Butch's help. Her new plan is to find Penguin and she won't go away until she cuts him open. Meanwhile, Oswald shows of "his" new club - formerly Mooney's - to his kooky Russian momma. She is proud of her icky little boy. He admits is it not completely his yet.

Bullock gives Gordon a talking to about how far up the corruption goes in the police department, possibly all the way to the police commissioner. Bullock and Gordon go to a stash house and are subdued by Delaware and some other cops on the take. No matter what Jim and Harvey do to them, the bad cops and their drup operation is safe. They have a paper signed by a judge and approved by Commissioner Loeb.

8:32 pm EST: Internal affairs rule Mr. Winkler's death a suicide which proves Loeb and others at the top are in on it. Captain Essen urges Gordon to move on this time so they can catch the big wigs at a later time. Gordon heads off. In the file room, other cops read the letter Nygma wrote to Miss Kringle. Oops.

At the Mooney/Cobblepot Club, Gordon drops in and is introduced to mom, drunk off her Russian fanny. Gordon has come only to ask a favor, to find out about Arnold Flask, the corrupt detective. Oswald said he will do the favor, as a friend. Gordon also looks concerned that Oswald is celebrating too soon. But Penguin does celebrate and even steps over in to fantasy land a bit.That is until Fish and Butch return, which cools off the Penguin like a glacier enema.

In the torture lab, Falcone's head assassin puts Bob out of his misery.

8:42 pm EST: At Wayne Manor, Bruce plays chess with himself until Selina sneaks in through the window. He admits Alfred took him to Switzerland for safety. He gives "Cat" a beautiful snow globe and invites her to stay in the house to help each other out. She pulls the tough, street kid routine and tells him to chill. She says she lied and did not see who killer his parents. Bruce is crushed by her response.

At the club, Penguin grovels to Fish. (Elsewhere, Penguin's henchman strong arms the cop.) Fish and Oswald go at it and then Victor arrives with his Falcone death squad. They leave Oswald laughing/sniveling in the club ad Butch and Fish head off pursued by the assassins. Fish goes out a window and Butch stays behind to slow them down. Victor shoots Butch and may take the wounded man back to their place to play, which I presume means torture.

8:52 pm EST - Closing scenes: Nygma is met by Miss Kringle who comes to apologize for Arnold reading his letter. Ed is hopeful.

Penguin's goon brings the ice pick and other evidence to Gordon in the station.

At Wayne Manor, Bruce tells Alfred what Selina said. Alfred uses tough love, as usual, and Bruce vows to find other leads without her help.

Gordon confronts Flask with the murder weapon and Delaware's confession. Flask is cocky and says he will not be touched. Gordon turns it around and pleads with the other cops. Essen and others come to Gordon's aid and they put Flask in the lock-up.

Down at the waterfront, Bullock has picked up Mooney and she tells her old friend she will go away for while and then return to kill Penguin. She askes Harvey to look for Butch. They kiss and Fish is left alone on the dock to get away quietly.

Gordon is met by Delaware in the alley who is desperate to save his wife and kids. The corruption among the police and the connections to the underworld run deep and Gordon has only scratched the surface.

LAST WORD: Episode 13 was another solid episode. The Bruce Wayne story line returned, with the boy claiming he will be more idependent in seeking clues to his parents' murders. After expecting Mooney to be killed by Falcone's men, Butch saved her, only temporarily. Butch may not be so lucky. And Gordon has shown once again he has the cojones to stand up to the cops on the take. I expect he will be gunning for the police commissioner and may be even the mayor before too long.

What do you think? Talk about the show in the comments below, or on Twitter @jeffwalker66. Be sure to follow @BWWTVWorld on Twitter and like us on Facebook for all the latest TV news, reviews and recaps.

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Here's a look at the upcoming two part episode:

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