Fandom Ships: Gotham Edition

Every fandom has its range of relationships, from the romantic to the platonic, the positive and the negative. Today we'll take a look at the many ships inside Gotham. Let's get started!

The OTPs of Gotham

Romantic Relationships

Bruce/Cat

The ship as old as the comics themselves — the iconic Batman/Catwoman pairing. Only this time, it comes in a fun-sized package. Really, is there anything cuter than the baby Cat and Bat first getting to know one another? Already they have a chemistry similar to their older counterparts. A shared playful spirit, a simultaneous trust and suspicion. We just can’t get enough of young Bruce Wayne and Selina “Cat” Kyle together.

The Lee/Jim/Barbara/Montoya Quadrangle

Some of the most infamous ships are those inside this complex relationship quadrangle. The relationship between Barbara and Montoya is the most controversial, of course, as it is one of the few female/female relationship depicted on television. Some relish the representation it brings, while others argue it horribly misrepresents the LGBT community due to the couple’s instability and poor choices. Jim and Lee’s growing relationship, however, is quickly gaining popularity. Most viewers find Lee’s inner strength and enthusiasm for life to be refreshing, and enjoy seeing her with Jim; while others say that, considering some of Jim’s misogynistic tendencies, she deserves better. All things considered though, it’s a far more popular ship than the much derided Jim/Barbara pairing. Despite having the most canonical support from the comics, viewers loathe Barbara far too much for most of them to ship her with the show’s main protagonist. As for me, I think both Jim and Barbara have some growing up to do before they can even hope to have a healthy romantic relationship with anyone; while Lee and Montoya would be better off finding love interests who are more stable and better suited for them.

The Butch/Fish/Harvey/Scottie Quadrangle

A quadrangle with more than a few surprising turns, and many questions as well. Who would have guessed Harvey would genuinely fall in love with Fish? Or that Butch was in love with her either, for that matter? And to which of them (if any) does Fish return the affection? Will we ever see Harvey’s other love interest, Scottie, again? Personally, I find all of these relationships quite unexpected and strange, but interesting as well. I don’t know if I personally ship any of them, per se. But I am very intrigued to find out what direction the show takes each of these dynamics.

The NoTPs of Gotham

Doomed or Unpopular Romantic Relationships

Jim/Barbara

As mentioned above, a ship almost universally disliked. With Barbara’s life in such disarray, how will she and Jim ever get back together?

Eddie/Kristen

A ship liked by many people, but on the whole too problematic for me. Don’t get me wrong — Eddie and Kristen would be perfect for one another… if she returned his feelings. However, she doesn’t. And that is (or should be) the end of it. It may be unfair how often she has misunderstood Eddie, but she is under no obligation to like him back. Meanwhile, Eddie needs to understand that you can’t win a woman’s heart by further persuasion once she’s given her rejection. And he deserves to be with someone more on his personal wavelength anyway.

The BroTPs of Gotham

Famous Friendships

Jim/Harvey

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What started out as a FoeTP is now one of the most famous friendships on the show. Despite having complete opposite personalities and goals, Jim and Harvey have become inseparable. You can always count of them to have each other’s backs. Well… usually.

Cat/Ivy

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Cat was wary of Ivy at first. But after finding her ill in a back alley and helping her regain her health, the two girls are quickly forming a newfound friendship. Now all we need is a young Harley Quinn, and the Gotham City Sirens will be complete.

Jim/Oswald

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The relationship may be a bit one-sided, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fan favorite. Though Jim doesn’t trust Oswald in the least bit, his connection is invaluable to solving many of his cases. Oswald, on the other hand, is obsessed with Jim, and cherishes any opportunity that will bring them closer together.

Eddie/Oswald

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So far they've only had one scene together, but viewers haven't stopped talking about them since. It's clear they don't quite trust each other yet, but both are mutually intrigued. I'm sure there will be plenty of fighting and friendship between the two before the show is over.

The FoeTPs of Gotham

Famous Enemies

Fish/Oswald

The most famous FoeTP on the show. The two once shared a sort of mother/son relationship. But now Fish Mooney has resolved to never rest until she gets revenge on Oswald, after he betrayed her and used her as a stepping stone to gain more status. Their game of cat and mouse is the main focus of the Penguin’s journey to power.

Maroni/Falcone

Of course, a list of FoeTPs wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the two Dons. The rivalry between Falcone and Maroni is the driving force behind the show’s main plot. Falcone has always been the number one underworld figure in Gotham City. But once the Waynes are taken out of the picture, a hole is left in his net of power. A hole Don Maroni will do anything to exploit.

Oswald/Zsasz

A newly forming FoeTP, but still a fun one. One has to wonder why Falcone’s two head men are so dead set against each other.

The PsychOTPs of Gotham

Relationships So Disturbing You Can't Help Loving Them

Oswald/Gertrud

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On one level it’s a close and loving mother/son relationship. On another, it’s an obsessive, abusive, and dependent relationship with subtle hints of possible incest. Despite its disturbing nature, the relationship between the Penguin and his mother is one of the most intriguing aspects of the show. And one of the few glimpses we get into Oswald’s personal life outside his plans for gaining power.

The FamTPs of Gotham

Related Or Not, They're Family

Alfred/Bruce

When Bruce’s parents died, Alfred’s treatment of the boy was initially quite stern. That, along with the fact the two had an employer/butler relationship, made it look like any kind of emotional bond was far off. Yet it became evident quite quickly how much the two cared for one another, and how each was needed in the other’s life.

Falcone/Liza

What you’d expect to be a father/daughter relationship, considering that Falcone is a powerful Don and Liza is a young woman, is actually an unusual mother/son relationship. Liza bears a striking resemblance to Falcone’s dear departed mother, and was trained by Fish Mooney to act like her as well. Her original intent was to serve as a mole for Fish, but the young woman soon began forming a genuine bond with the old man. Unfortunately, this was a relationship doomed to end in tragedy.

Which relationships are your favorites? Tell us in the comments!