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thedeevirus · 4 years

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Better Plot Developments Than Isabella (Gotham Season 3)

Rewatching Gotham and nearing the dreaded episode.

If all Isabella was intended to be was a plot device to make Ed and Oswald enemies (I assume she was because the writers/characters hardly ever mention her again afterwards), there is no denying it was a poor excuse and shoddily written.

So, I have listed some other (hopefully more plot relevant and character driven) reasons below as to why Oswald and Ed would have a falling out.

Let me know what you guys think.

? Oswald begins to believe his own publicity and Ed is annoyed by his increasingly ungrateful, greedy or dismissive attitude

? Oswald chafes at Ed trying to take more control of his schedule (maybe snapping he doesn’t need another mother) because it reminds him of dancing to someone else’s tune which he has always hated.

? Ed begins to resent being seen as Oswald’s number two and not his own man. He realises he hates how he owes his job, his home and the clothes on his back to someone else.

? Ed becomes disillusioned with the cushy law abiding lifestyle and longs to return to something more meaningful; ‘it was better when it was us against them’. He misses the chase but Oswald is tired of running and just wants to enjoy his throne/the adoring public.

? For some reason, Oswald’s approval ratings drop and Oswald takes it very badly. Ed is surprised at the strength of the reaction and grows concerned that Oswald now puts too much stock in what normal people think of him and believes he needs to be reminded of who he really is. His well meaning attempts to help Oswald behind his back are disastrous and damage their friendship.

? Or, leading on from the above, Oswald decides to regain his popularity through a method that Ed disagrees with and advises him against. Oswald does not listen (he is mayor after all) and when things end badly he lashes out at Ed in anger and embarrassment causing a rift.

? Ed begins developing his own supervillain persona secretly via criminal activities that the media quickly latches onto. This causes problems for Oswald (who quickly figures out who is committing the crimes) as it will endanger his position as mayor if Ed is discovered. He tells Ed to stop because they have a ‘good situation here) and refuses to keep covering for him but Ed can’t ignore how good it feels and must choose between the budding new him or his friend. Alternatively, this happens because Ed’s split personality resurfaces and Ed genuinely doesn’t know who is committing the crimes despite Oswald’s insistence that Ed must be responsible breaking their trust in each other.

? Butch tells Oswald that Ed engineered the Red Hood big reveal of Butch as a traitor at the mayoral party instead of coming straight to Oswald and telling him about it. Oswald, seeing this as another ‘told you so moment’ like with the little girl at the speech or Ed taking back the bribes, decides he can’t trust Ed anymore and keeps him at arm’s length

? The Court of Owls threaten Ed to make Oswald, the new mayor, compliant with their plans. Oswald does not tell Ed in order to protect him (just like Oswald did with his mother previously). He doesn’t want to lose anybody else he cares about. Ed doesn’t understand why Penguin is acting strangely/not including him/keeping something from him and thinks Penguin just manipulated Ed to get what he wanted (just like the GCPD always took him for granted) and never really considered them friends

? Oswald confesses his love for Ed successfully but Ed’s reaction is sheer shock; he is still haunted by what happened to Kristen, he worries about how the public/media will perceive the mayor being in a relationship with his assistant who is also a psychopathic murderer/cop killer, he has always thought he was straight but now he is starting to recontextualise his relationship with Oswald, etc. Ed overwhelmed, leaves the room with apologies. Oswald mistakes Ed’s reaction as disgust of him and this drives a wedge between them despite both of them not wanting to hurt each other. Ed is not emotionally intelligent enough to articulate/acknowledge the perfect storm of emotions inside him or how his reaction must have come across and Oswald is too hurt to see beyond his own heartbreak/fears.

#Gotham #Oswald Cobblepot #edward nygma #nygmobblepot #penguin #riddler #gotham season 3

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