‘Gotham’ Teases a Horrific Look at Their Series Finale Joker, “J”

The reports of Jeremiah Valeska’s (Cameron Monaghan) death have been greatly exaggerated. Actually, that’s not true — April Fool’s and all — because we knew that Gotham‘s proto-Joker was alive… And as the Batman prequel series gears up for its final two episodes this month, the surviving Valeska twin is coming back in his final form.

Monaghan has played the man who inspired The Joker (or maybe is The Joker) through various incarnations, first as Jeremiah’s insane twin Jerome, and then later as Jeremiah. Through each “death” and reinvention, we’ve gotten a different look at the classic villain… And this final one is the most horrific yet, taking cues more from the “Arkham Asylum” video games than anything else.

Here’s a full look at the horrifying costume:

When last we saw Jeremiah, he was tussling with Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) at Ace Chemicals, trying to insert himself into the soon-to-be-Batman’s origin story, before tumbling into a vat of chemicals and coming out horribly burned. Based on a short teaser provided to Decider by FOX (you can watch it above), looks like he’s mostly comatose in Arkham Asylum when we find him next. That, true to form, doesn’t last long as he’s seen in full Joker regalia, cackling like a madman. Oh, and in one scene… That sure looks like a batarang stuck through his hand.

Confused? That’s because Gotham will be back for one more episode to deal with the city’s Bane (Shane West) problem when the show returns on April 18. Then, for the series finale on April 25, the show will jump forward a decade to include Bruce in that much-teased Batman suit. Mazouz himself will provide close-ups, and voice; while a larger body double will fill out the full suit for wider shots.

We’ll find out the fates of all of the characters, but of course you can’t end a Batman series without him taking on The Joker. Or at least, “J” if you can’t legally use the full name.

Gotham airs on FOX on Thursdays at 8/7c.

Where to stream Gotham