Reunification and the Supervillains.
In the TV series Gotham, when Gotham was reunited with the mainland, the show never fully explained the fate of each villain’s territory. The finale jumps ahead after the city’s reconnection, leaving many details to the audience’s imagination. However, based on the series’ established lore, here’s the most likely outcome.
During the No Man’s Land period, Gotham was divided into territories controlled by figures like Oswald Cobblepot, Barbara Kean, Edward Nygma and other gangs. These territories existed due to the absence of a functioning city government or police force.
Once the military and federal government reopened access to Gotham, these territories became unsustainable. The return of the Gotham City Police Department, the military and federal authorities would have overwhelmed most gangs. Criminals who depended on controlling neighbourhoods faced arrest, hiding, or a return to traditional organised crime rather than ruling districts. Some were killed or betrayed during the transition.
The finale confirms some individual fates: Oswald Cobblepot and Edward Nygma are imprisoned in Arkham Asylum by the time of the ten-year flash-forward, though they later escape. Barbara Kean survives, becomes a successful businesswoman and distances herself from her criminal past. Selina Kyle becomes a skilled cat burglar instead of a gang leader. Jeremiah Valeska disappears after his confrontation with Bruce and is later revealed to be incarcerated before his final escape.
One notable shift is the show’s deliberate transition from Gotham being ruled by warlords to the more familiar comic-book status quo. Instead of territorial kingdoms, the villains become independent rogues who periodically escape custody to challenge Batman. This aligns with traditional Batman mythology, where Gotham is governed by legitimate authorities but constantly threatened by recurring supervillains rather than permanently divided into criminal fiefdoms.
While the series doesn’t show the cleanup in detail, it implies the reunification effectively ended Gotham’s gangs’ territorial rule. Their empires crumbled once the city restored functioning government law enforcement and external support.