What’s Cooking in Gotham?

So, there’s this moment in Peacemaker season 2 episode 2 where Leota Adebayo has a chat with her ex, Keeya. And let me just say, it’s not your average heart-to-heart. They’re going back and forth about their lives and future plans, and then boom! Keeya throws out, “We were supposed to go to Gotham!”

Gotham? Really?

Now, anyone familiar with Gotham knows it’s basically the superhero version of a dumpster fire. It’s filled with corruption, villains, and enough chaos to make you question humanity. Why on earth would these two want to vacation there? Are they planning to take a tour of the city’s hottest crime spots?

People Still Head to Gotham?

It’s funny, because this isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone actually want to hop on over to Gotham in James Gunn’s new DC Universe. In Superman, just when the city of Metropolis is about to become a giant puzzle piece thanks to Lex Luthor’s shenanigans, we spot some folks zooming off the highway towards—wait for it—Gotham City. Like, are they crazy? Who takes a trip to crime alley when they’re fleeing from danger?

A New Gotham? Maybe!

So, what’s the deal? Could it be that James Gunn has plans to spice up Gotham City a bit? We know Gotham has seen better days—like when it was just a regular city with a hint of crime. But then came the Bronze Age, and suddenly Gotham morphed into a hot mess of danger. Frank Miller really set the tone there with stories that made Gotham synonymous with darkness.

Is There Hope for Gotham?

Even when well-known sites like Gotham are beautifully designed in movies, they still ooze cynicism. Just look at the recent The Batman movie; it had epic visuals yet was drowning in Gotham’s bleak corruption.

So What’s Next?

Gunn seems to be dishing out a different version, maybe a happier Gotham? Or at least, a Gotham that isn’t an absolute nightmare. But just when you think that illusion is true, you get hit with the terrible origin story of Doctor Phosphorus in Creature Commandos. Talk about a bummer!

Final Thoughts

In the end, Gotham is still shrouded in mystery. While we’ve seen glimpses of the gloom, perhaps Gunn has something more intricate in mind—an enticing mix of good and bad parts that could surprise the world. And until Brave and the Bold finally hits the big screen, all we can do is wonder what the new Gotham will really look like!

Peacemaker airs new episodes every Thursday at 9 p.m. on HBO Max.