Fox's Gotham is a Batman show not actually about Batman – at least, not yet – but it certainly puts the spotlight on the villains. Not only have we seen some famous Batman bad guys on the series, the show also strives to give us a look at who they were before they became the iconic characters of the comic books and movies.
We've seen a teenage Selena Kyle — who eventually grows up to become Catwoman. We've also seen Oswald Cobblepot, who already has the nickname of the Penguin (and after the season finale, we know that he's the power behind Gotham's crime syndicate). We've also gotten a tease of the Joker – as a young crazy boy named Jerome – who should have a bigger role next year.
But there is still a host of Batman villains we haven't yet seen on the series — so here's our list of the baddies we'd like to see in Season 2.
Note: Fox has confirmed some of these villains for the second season of Gotham, but the others we've listed here would also fit the show's setting and tone.
Mad Hatter
A tweet from the official Gotham Twitter account confirmed the appearance of the Mad Hatter next season (along with Clayface, whom we'll get to later). As the name suggests, the comic books based the character on the Mad Hatter of Alice in Wonderland fame. In the Batman world, though, the Mad Hatter is a mad scientist who uses technology to create devices that controls the minds of others.
Clayface
In the same tweet, Gotham promised a Clayface appearance for Season 2. There are however several people who have taken the name of this villain. There's Basil Karlo, an actor who went insane. Then there's Matt Hagen, who starts out as an adventurer and treasure hunter — but falls into a radioactive substance in a cave that turns him into a clay-like creature.
Preston Payne actually attempts to cure Hagen by using the resources of his workplace, STAR Labs. Of course, his experiments go wrong and he ends up becoming Clayface himself.
One of the more interesting versions of the character is Sondra Fuller. She works for Kobra, which uses its technology to make her a shapeshifter. In the comics, she falls in love with Preston Payne. The two marry and have a child, who eventually becomes another Clayface.
There are a few others with similar abilities, but one of these four would probably fit the universe of Gotham the best. It's likely the series will start with Karlo or Hagen.
Court of Owls
Of all the Batman villains, the Court of Owls probably fits best in the Gotham television series setting. This is a secret society of Gotham's wealthiest families that has controlled the city for many years. They have their own group of assassins, a group of deadly men and women who wear owl masks. Considering that there's already a storyline of a group of people who have infiltrated Wayne Enterprises (as well as the city's police and justice departments) and are secretly controlling things — it would be a no-brainer for the show's writers to have them be members of the Court of Owls.
Rupert Thorne
Gotham has no shortage of corrupt politicians, so what's one more? Enter Rupert Thorne, who, in the comics, attempts to gain control over the city by becoming its mayor. Gotham thrives on such characters — so an introduction to Thorne just makes sense.
Terrible Trio
Originally, the Terrible Trio is composed of three famous inventors: Vulture, Shark and Fox. Their names come from the masks they wear when they indulge in criminal activities. As they're "low-key" villains – and as Gotham seems to want to stay away from over-the-top characters – they'd fit into the show very nicely.
Maxie Zeus
Maxie Zeus is another simple villain. He starts out as a teacher, but goes nuts when his wife leaves him. He turns to crime and becomes a viable part of Gotham's criminal underworld. On Gotham, he'd be a good rival for Penguin, don't you think? It's unlikely that the show's writers will leave Penguin unchallenged as the sole ruler of Gotham's criminal element.
Roxy Rocket
Roxy was once a Hollywood stuntwoman. She was a little too dangerous for Hollywood's tastes, and so she found herself out of work. To indulge her desire for thrills, Roxy took to crime: robbing jewels for Penguin. That means she would fit into the Gotham setting quite nicely. Penguin needs a few more lackeys in his arsenal now that he's become the head of Gotham's crime syndicate.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
