In Season 2 of Gotham, Jim Gordon's former love interest Barbara Kean (played by actress Erin Richards) is locked away inside Arkham Asylum with all sorts of other baddies. It's kind of a long story, and it's probably best to not spoil it for those who might not be caught up.

Also in Arkham Asylum? Jerome Valeska (Cameron Monaghan), aka the psycho who will most likely become the Joker. It's pretty inevitable — and no doubt irresistable within the writer's room — that the two should meet. After all, Arkham has a long history of being a co-ed facility, and these two are both fairly recent additions to the population. So why not?

Apparently, Jerome feels the same way. In what appears to be a rec room or cafeteria inside the notorious asylum, he introduces himself. What happens next is sort of awesome — not so much for what happens, but for what it suggests about Barbara's future. (The clip is embedded below.)

Namely, this is a very different Barbara Kean than the one seen last season. She's strong, confident and manipulative, and seems almost like an entirely new person. This is also a pretty radical departure from Barbara's story in the comics, where she never committed any crimes.

So what is Gotham up to? We know from footage seen in previews for Season 2 that Jerome escapes from the Asylum. Will Barbara escape as well? Is she going to become a new supervillain in town, another evil-doer for Jim Gordon to fight — only with a more personal stake?

Gotham returns Monday, September 21 on Fox.

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