Things are getting out of control on Gotham these days. Master manipulator Theo Galavan’s (James Frain) goal of becoming Mayor of Gotham and killing young Bruce (David Mazouz) has taken front seat. All other storylines, sort of, now revolve around this. Theo is everywhere and is very much starting to grate on me with his over-the-top line delivery and omniscient knowledge of everything. Can’t the other characters get a clue? Find out in this episode, which is appropriately titled, “Mommy’s Little Monster.”

*** SPOILERS BELOW ***

Looks like the information Butch (Drew Powell) gave Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) last week was accurate. His beloved mother, Gertrude (Carol Kane), is being held captive in a random warehouse. Gotham is full of those empty warehouses. They are really useful in times of kidnapping, mass weapon movements, and gathering your local underground gang or brothel. What Butch didn’t tell Penguin — oh, that it’s a trap. Theo and Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) are there. Looks like Butch no longer has to blindly obey Penguin. Hooray for the end of that horrible plot point. Anyways, Tabitha ends of killing Gertrude and Penguin loses his mind. He escapes by slashing away with a knife and jumping out a glass window. Look at you go, Penguin! And not gonna lie, it was a sad and tender moment when Gertrude died. I’m gonna miss her weird, weird self.

Later, we see that Theo is most likely going to be elected mayor. Who is voting in this election? Tabitha, and even Silver St. Cloud (Natalie Alyn Lind), are in on it. Aha, so the little vixen is playing young Bruce. Theo is proud. By the way, where the hell is Barbara (Erin Richards)? Is she written off the show again? Poor Erin Richards.

We finally catch up with Jim (Ben McKenzie) and Harvey (Donal Logue) who are discussing Penguin’s odd behavior. Jim can’t wrap his head around why Penguin would set fire to Wayne Enterprises buildings. All is interrupted when Theo and Harvey Dent (Nicholas D’Agosto) enter. Theo reveals that Penguin attacked him and he wants to set a curfew and find him when he is elected mayor. Jim is uncomfortable with setting a marshal law. Something isn’t right. Of course, the new captain, Nathaniel Barnes (Michael Chiklis) stupidly agrees to the plan. Can you tell I hate him?

Later, Selina (Camren Bicondova) pays a visit to Bruce, but finds Silver St. Cloud in his company. Silver sends Bruce out of the room and proceeds to call Selina gutter trash (LOL) and tells her to stay away. Later, Selina calls Silver a two-faced slut and makes a biting joke about Alfred (Sean Pertwee) slapping her. Am I starting to like Selina? What is happening here? Of course, Bruce in unawares that he is being manipulated and sends Selina away. Later, he even shares a kiss with Silver as Selina stares angrily from a ledge/tree branch/fence(?).

In the one day since his freedom from Penguin, Butch has apparently formed his own gang. Before Jim and Harvey go to accost him about the Penguin, Lee (Morena Baccarin) shows up and gives Jim a key to her place. Let’s be real for a second: Is that all you guys are really going to give Lee to do? That’s it? She and Jim have great chemistry, but she’s not just his one-dimensional girlfriend/damsel-in-distress. She deserves MORE!

Jim figures it all out in his head: Theo has been orchestrating all of these events to become mayor. Harvey shoots him down, but then Butch straight up confirms everything after Victor Zsasz (Anthony Carrigan) tries to attack/bring Butch back to Penguin after a massive (and dare I say, unnecessary gun fight). Butch escapes as well, but Jim now knows Theo is the one causing all of this. Meanwhile, Tabitha worries about catching the Penguin, but all-knowing Theo has a plan. And the angered Penguin falls right into it. He gathers guns and followers. Where were they when his mother was gone?

As he prepares his guns, the cops prepare to protect Theo at his celebration party because he suddenly is now mayor! Balloons cascade down, Harvey Dent cheers. It’s all weird. Theo later asks Jim about confronting Butch, but Jim lies about it. Before anyone can blink, an army of lookalike Penguins, all toting guns, converges on the compound. One of the rookie cops, Martinez, alerts Jim about the impending attack but quickly gets killed by the (literal) heel of Tabitha, who is on the roof with a sniper rifle.

Chaos reigns. Blood is shed. It is all bad. It all comes to a head with a standoff between the real Penguin and Jim, who is protecting Theo. Penguin tells his tale to Jim, who says he knows the truth. Theo keeps urging Jim to shoot Penguin. Before anything can happen, Tabitha shoots Penguin in the arm from the roof. Penguin jumps into the waiting car and escapes. He almost gives up Theo’s master “Wayne” plan, too. Jim is all anti-Theo now and even tells him he is going after him now, a “monster” of Gotham. Good for Jim. Let’s bring down Theo.

And in the unrelated side story of the week, Ed (Cory Michael Smith) is grappling hard with the fact that he “accidentally” killed his girlfriend, Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack) last week. He is dealing with it so hard, that he is experience some straight up “Gollum” realness, talking to a cooler, meaner version of himself. The meaner Ed hid Kristen’s body while the nice Ed was sleeping. And thus begins a quest to solve the riddles he set for himself to find Kristen’s body.

After finding her hand in a vending machine, he is led to her body in the Medical Examiner’s office. He almost gets caught by Lee, who really, really should have known something was wrong (because of the sweaty, nervous Ed), but apparently had no idea. “Mean Ed” makes “Nice Ed” realize that he liked the thrill of lying to Lee and being devious. He calls it “beautiful.” The two Eds meld into one and laugh as they pick up a device that looks very unpleasant to saw open Kristen’s body with. Yikes. Bravo to Cory Michael Smith for an electric and captivating performance. The future Riddler’s descent into madness is quickly becoming the best thing about Gotham.

The episode wasn’t the best and it wasn’t the worst. It was very needlessly graphic and violent, but I guess Gotham is going in that direction.

What did you guys think of the episode? Are you already over Theo’s elaborate plan? Are you Team Selina or Team Silver? Are you also wondering where the heck Barbara is now? Let me know in the comments below.

Gotham airs Mondays at 8/7c on Fox. Watch full episodes on Fox.com, Hulu Plus and On Demand (check with your local cable provider).