In a continuation of my last column, this week I will be discussing the evolving relationship between Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) and Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) in season three of Gotham.
Now in their mid-teenage years, the future Batman and Catwoman start to act on their feelings for one another. However, as their communication skills continue to lag, underlying issues threaten to tear the duo apart.
To give you a taste of their sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking exchanges, I’ve decided to analyze key moments in their relationship through quotes. (Warning: spoilers.)
Bruce: “It’s just not a good time.”
Selina: “You’re a selfish son of a bitch. You know that, right?”
While Selina and Bruce begin season three on good terms, secrecy drives a wedge between them in “Look Into My Eyes” (3x03).
Selina comes to Wayne Manor in tears, worried about her missing friend Ivy, whom Selina last saw fall off a ledge into rapidly flowing water. Bruce listens to her sympathetically and even holds her hand, but he gets into trouble when Selina asks for help searching for Ivy.
Unbeknownst to Selina, Bruce is hiding a clone of himself, known as Subject 514A, at Wayne Manor. After breaking out from the research lab Indian Hill, 514A breaks into Wayne Manor where he is confronted by a perplexed Bruce and Alfred.
Bruce feels he can’t leave 514A alone but refuses to tell Selina about the situation, not wanting to drag her into it. Understandably, Selina believes Bruce simply doesn’t want to help her and is especially hurt given all the sacrifices she has made on his behalf.
Bruce: “So you do have feelings for me? I’m confused.”
Selina: “Good.”
This playful exchange takes place in “Anything for You” (3x05). Bruce runs into Selina at a party and tells her that he has hired Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie), now a P.I., to look into Ivy’s disappearance.
Bruce also confesses that he likes Selina and insists that Selina must see that there’s something between them too. Ever resistant, Selina pushes back, telling him that he should “never tell [her] what to do” but then kisses him.
Selina: “This — me and you — it’s weird for me.”
Bruce: “It’s weird for me, too.”
Bruce excitedly plans an elaborate first date for himself and Selina in “Red Queen” (3x07). But Selina doesn’t show.
Hours later, a hurt and angry Bruce confronts her when she finally arrives, unapologetic.
In a rare moment of openness, Selina admits that she is feeling anxiety over their relationship. In doing so, though, she actually helps improve it. Knowing that they are on the same page, the two only grow closer.
Selina: “You and her — you both lied to me.”
Bruce: “But for very different reasons.”
Selina is wary when her mother Maria (Ivana Milicevic), who abandoned her as a toddler, suddenly waltzes back into Gotham, hoping to reconnect. However, with Bruce’s encouragement, she soon begins to bond with her.
When Maria claims to need money to get out a bad situation, though, Bruce realizes why she really came back. Not wanting Selina to be abandoned again, Bruce plays along and gives her the money, hoping she’ll stay.
However, in “Smile Like You Mean It” (3x13), Selina realizes its a shakedown just in time to catch her mother preparing to skip town. Maria admits that the only reason she returned was to exploit her daughter’s relationship with a billionaire.
Feeling betrayed by the one person she had allowed herself to rely on, Selina physically attacks Bruce. She yells at him to hit her back instead of merely deflecting her blows, but he refuses. Selina storms out in tears.
Selina: “That’s the difference between you and Bruce Wayne. He would try and save everyone.”
After avoiding Bruce for weeks, Selina agrees to speak with him at her crash pad in “The Primal Riddle” (3x17). But soon she realizes it’s actually 514A, who warns her that something terrible is about to happen in Gotham.
Selina immediately demands to know where Bruce is, and 514A admits that he’s been captured but refuses to say more. Having developed feelings for Selina after an earlier mistaken-identity encounter, 514A begs her to leave the city and save herself.
Selina spurns him and tries to tell Alfred (Sean Pertwee) what’s going on, but 514A pushes her out of a three-story window to keep her quiet.
Bruce: “You sure as hell don’t care about me. I know you better than that.”
Selina: “Yeah, I thought you did.”
In “Heavydirtysoul” (3x22), Bruce is reeling after having stabbed Alfred under duress. The mysterious Ra’s al Ghul (Alexander Siddig) claimed he could train Bruce to become a warrior if Bruce fulfilled his destiny by killing “his past.”
After realizing in horror what he’s done, Bruce rushes Alfred to the hospital. Selina, fully recovered, shows up in the hopes of comforting Bruce. But, still hurt that Selina stopped speaking to him after the Maria incident, Bruce brutally rebuffs her.
Gotham is currently airing the back half of season four. I will discuss where Bruce and Selina stand now in my next column.
