Gotham Knights, which airs on the CW, wasted no time in drawing viewers into a surprising mystery. In this mystery, the offspring of some of Batman’s most infamous adversaries, as well as Bruce Wayne’s adoptive son, will strive to clear their families’ names.
In the opening voiceover of the episode, Turner explains that after the murder of his parents, he was accepted by the wealthiest man in the city, who offered him all he could desire with the exception of the reason why, and it ended up turning out that the reason why was not the only mystery he was continuing to keep. He flips a gold coin in his hand as he thinks. After that, there’s a quick transition to a fencing match, where Turner easily defeats Brody (Rahart Adams). Turner’s father wasn’t able to attend the game, so the triumph isn’t completely sweet. Disappointed, he changes course and throws a party at Wayne Manor for his friends.
Turner, who is keeping an eye on the celebrations, gives Carrie Kelly (Navia Robinson) a compliment for her quick reflexes when she recovers a vase that was knocked over by some noisy jocks. Although their time together is limited, comic readers can rest assured that Carrie will play a significant role in the future of the series. Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan), Harper Row (Smythe), and Cullen (DiChiara), all teenage thieves, enter a safe at Wayne Tower and steal the gun with which Joe Chill murdered Thomas and Martha Wayne. Duela and Harper examine the firearm and determine it was recently shot. A ruckus outside draws their attention to the glass, where the horrific statement “Your Bat Is Dead” has been smeared.
We won’t award the murderer any extra credit for originality, but that’s sure to attract the attention of any Gothamite. The three people hurry to the window and see a crushed body on the ground below. The police, led by Harvey Dent (Misha Collins), arrive and, upon learning that the body is Bruce Wayne’s, make a beeline for Wayne Manor. After realizing they’ve been set up, Duela along with the others quickly leaves. They take down a few obnoxious cops and stole a squad car but we are quickly brought back to the party at Wayne Manor before we see how their escape goes. It is at this time that Harvey arrives to break the news to Turner that his dad has passed away and that the truth about Bruce is soon to be revealed to the public. As a result of not knowing that his dad was Batman, Turner’s downward spiral accelerates. As soon as he hears the news, he and his best friend Stephanie (Anna Lorel) go out to find the Batcave to investigate Bruce Wayne’s death.
Turner delivers an emotional eulogy at Bruce’s funeral, and brief clips of Duela, Harper, and Cullen getting arrested are intercut throughout his address. They are all questioned one by one; it is via Duela that we learn that the Joker’s father was a member of the family. More background about Harper’s violent father is provided in her journal entries. Cullen’s account reveals that he and Harper planned the heist as a one-and-done operation.
When Brody starts making fun of Turner at school, Stephanie steps in to calm things down. In the future, Stephanie uses the Batcave computers to discover who hired Duela and the Row brothers to rob Wayne Tower. In a short amount of time, she finds a result, but it’s not the one she was hoping for: Turner Hayes. Turner had been baited by whoever hired the crooks, and the police fell for it. Once the police show up, Turner is taken into custody. The latest disclosure that Bruce Wayne attempted to change the beneficiary on his will prior to his death only strengthens their case against him (in their eyes, at least). Not a good look for Turner, but certainly there was some interference behind the scenes.
It turns out that Turner will be locked up in a cell with Duela, Harper, and Cullen. Duela gives him some backstory about how the Joker left her when she was a kid and how, despite being related by blood, she despises him more than Batman does. She then claims that Turner had them all setup, an assertion that is enthusiastically backed by Harper and Cullen. The argument quickly turns physical, and Detective Ford, the officer in charge of their case, is forced to step in. Meanwhile, Harvey is thinking about running for mayor and considering how Turner’s trial may affect his plans.
Duela admits that the brawl she started in their cell was staged as they are taken away to Blackgate Prison. She assures Turner that she is aware of his lack of a murderous nature and that they need each other to make it. The three of them (Duela, Harper, and Cullen) break out of their restraints and start a brawl with the police officers inside the van. Together, they are able to overcome their captors and nearly escape, but Turner’s poor judgment allows their adversaries to regain the upper hand. They are saved by Carrie Kelly, dressed as Robin and armed with some cool devices, and are able to regroup and return to the Batcave.
The first episode of Gotham Knights ends with a number of chilling hints about what’s to come in the second episode. The first hint is provided by the emblem of the Court of Owls, which suggests that the organization was responsible for hiring the law enforcement officers who were in control of their transportation to Blackgate. The second piece of information is that Cressida, Turner’s butler, appears to be working in conjunction with the individuals responsible for Bruce’s death.
