Oh ffs, they're killing me with these breaks between episodes!

Eh. Idk. I thought that was the weakest ep of the season so far. It seemed like a bridging episode - starts with a big time-jump and ends with a massive cliffhanger, just to set things up for the final two eps. It was also pretty lacking in humour. I dunno, I didn't hate it, but it felt a bit flat to me.

Stuff that made me go nahhh:

+ How did Babs know what the hell a pressure regulator valve was and how to locate and remove it anyway?

+ Bane: simultaneously extra and dull af

+ Me: oh god, he's totally gonna get halfway through this process and then be interrupted so we're just gonna get super-powered Jimmy G, aren't we? As if he needs to be even more of a fanboy Mary Sue... (Sure enough, yes, that's exactly what happened... although I also predicted 'he's gonna have a homoerotic head-to-head with Bane now isn't he?' and that didn't happen. Yet.)

+ I mean I didn't HATE the Walker-is-Nyssa revelation, but I was totally unmoved by it too.

+ Seriously, wouldn't Jim et al just at this point STOP preemptively saying 'it's all over, we're saved'?

+ Strange is gross and the amount of non-con medical procedures in this show is gross. That said, I also think Strange is awesome so, yeah.

+ Bruce Wayne, tied to a really rickety wooden chair, deciding that the best way to free himself is to set himself on fire. Ok. Ohhhh kay. I was shouting at the screen at that point of idiocy.

+ Everyone constantly applauding Jim as LORD AND SAVIOUR OF GOTHAM when Lucius has pretty much single-handedly saved everyone's arses if you actually look at it and nobody ever thanks Lucius I'm really mad about it.



Stuff I liked:

+ Lee's totally done face when Jim said 'I love you' to her on the walkie at the start was EVERYTHING.

+ 'I haven't got any children. That I know of.' Oh Harvey, you total ho, be mine?

+ Babs still being perma raging and badass when she's literally in labour. Shooting two firearms while she's incapacitated in a wheelchair <3 She's really grown on me, despite this shitty stupid storyline they've subjected her to (perhaps tbh because of it) and I'm going to miss her when she inevitably karks it.

+ I will say, having Babs die because of Nyssa wanting revenge is way more palatable to me than just biting it in crossfire because the writers wanted her out of the picture for Jim to be daddy. I do wonder what the original full storyline would have been if Gotham hadn't been cut radically short by the cancellation though.

+ The reasonably believable sort-of reconciliation/bonding between Babs and ~Aunty Lee.

+ Os and Ed are adorable lately. That little look they exchange about the gas tanks, aw.

+ Ed and Lee - very slight acknowledgment of their history?

+ Harvey running after the van shooting at it all by himself. Harvey continuing to be a one-man Jim Gordon fanclub. Also it's precious how genuinely joyful he looks any time the baby is mentioned.

+ Alfred being a total sweetheart yet again, with yet another lovely little monologue. Also Alfred driving straight to Babs's aid and just diving right in there (like Jim Gordon down a garbage chute...) and FISTFIGHTING BANE. I mean, I didn't enjoy the extreme level of violence with which he was taken down, but I'm also not too worried by it because he's definitely not gonna die because Batman, right?

+ Harv, that's not how you pronounce Coventry (map!!!!)

+ Mainly, Harvey still being alive.

Edited 2019-03-22 06:58 pm (UTC)

It was also pretty lacking in humour.

Really? I thought that the Oswald/Ed scenes and the wheelchair chase were pretty funny. Naturally, the whole thing would've been a lot more entertaining if they hadn't played these two villains so terribly straight. That was a bit underwhelming.

How did Babs know what the hell a pressure regulator valve was and how to locate and remove it anyway?

One of the few details I didn't have that much trouble with. That said, it would have made a lot more sense if Selina had still somehow been a part of the submarine plan. Because I'd totally trust her to steal that part for Babs in advance.

Me: oh god, he's totally gonna get halfway through this process and then be interrupted so we're just gonna get super-powered Jimmy G, aren't we?

Hey now, I'm really interested in all those, uh, "physical improvements"!

'he's gonna have a homoerotic head-to-head with Bane now isn't he?'

Technically, we already got that in 5x06 with But I am gonna shut your mouth, didn't we? Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if they powered Jim up for another manly-man face off.

Bruce Wayne, tied to a really rickety wooden chair, deciding that the best way to free himself is to set himself on fire. Ok. Ohhhh kay. I was shouting at the screen at that point of idiocy.

Not gonna lie, my edgelord self thought it was cool as fuck.

Everyone constantly applauding Jim as LORD AND SAVIOUR OF GOTHAM when Lucius has pretty much single-handedly saved everyone's arses if you actually look at it and nobody ever thanks Lucius I'm really mad about it.

Yeah, I mean, Jim was not even around to establish Haven... It was also a choice to let Bruce directly talk to the General about the water toxicity levels. I bet Lucius would have made a better impression.

and I'm going to miss her when she inevitably karks it.

I still have the faint hope she survives because the Lazarus Pit made her immortal. Or some other ridiculous comic shit. I kind of want Oswald to save her, so she has a reason to give him the club back and I can make my peace knowing that the Iceberg Lounge of the future doesn't just exist because Babs conveniently died and "made room".

I do wonder what the original full storyline would have been if Gotham hadn't been cut radically short by the cancellation though.

Well, for one, Tabby wouldn't have died. :(

Harvey continuing to be a one-man Jim Gordon fanclub.

Jim doesn't deserve him. At this point, I only wonder why they made shit so angsty between those two as soon as Eduardo arrived. :/

Mainly, Harvey still being alive.

For what it's worth, I assume we will see the 5x01 opening in the next episode

Edited 2019-03-23 10:48 am (UTC)

"I thought that the Oswald/Ed scenes and the wheelchair chase were pretty funny. "
Yeah, I guess now that you mention it, it wasn't technically lacking, but... idk, I guess I just didn't FEEL it as much this episode? Although yes, Ed and Os were the standouts in the humour stakes for me this week.

"it would have made a lot more sense if Selina had still somehow been a part of the submarine plan. Because I'd totally trust her to steal that part for Babs in advance."
See THAT would have worked. Also, I know Babs is stil super capable and stuff, but dismantling and stealing machinery covertly has gotta be more difficult when heavily pregnant as well, surely? Like, I guess, maybe she didn't do it personally... but then, who would she trust to tell about the sub? I'm overthinking it, I know.

"Hey now, I'm really interested in all those, uh, "physical improvements"!"
HAHAHAHA tiny angry goat can now headbutt people through walls...

"Technically, we already got that in 5x06"
We diiiiid. I'm just so totally still expecting them to rerun it now, with them both being all ~super strong~

"Not gonna lie, my edgelord self thought it was cool as fuck."
LOL well I guess it was a cool visual but I just... Bruce, dude, that would not have been my first or safest thought for an escape. You seriously could have just smashed that chair and at least had the rope in front of you before you burnt it. The burning thing could have gone SO wrong...

"Yeah, I mean, Jim was not even around to establish Haven... It was also a choice to let Bruce directly talk to the General about the water toxicity levels. I bet Lucius would have made a better impression."
All. Of. This.

"I still have the faint hope she survives because the Lazarus Pit made her immortal."
That would be cool.

"I kind of want Oswald to save her, so she has a reason to give him the club back"
That would also be cool.

I'm pretty convinced she's gonna die at this point but also I wouldn't discount them surprising us, so there's still hope maybe.

"Jim doesn't deserve him. At this point, I only wonder why they made shit so angsty between those two as soon as Eduardo arrived. :/"
Jim really doesn't. I require some proper acknowledgment of this before the end of the show. A couple of manly shoulder slaps this episode is not adequate.

"For what it's worth, I assume we will see the 5x01 opening in the next episode"
Ughhhh I'm scared again. I don't think they'll kill him. I don't THINK so.

I'm overthinking it, I know.

No worries, I'm a fan of overthinking this ridiculous show. It's what I'm here for!

LOL well I guess it was a cool visual but I just... Bruce, dude, that would not have been my first or safest thought for an escape.

Let's be real, he's just another one of Gotham's dangerously self-destructive heroes.

I'm pretty convinced she's gonna die at this point but also I wouldn't discount them surprising us, so there's still hope maybe.

I'm just hoping that the writers aren't that terrible or clueless. Surely they must know that it's a terrible look to kill off your only two wlw characters in one season. Not to mention the unfortunate optics of making one of them the incubator of your Great Hero's spawn and then killing her off as soon as she's popped it out. Idk. The longer I think about, the more I would have liked for Babs to have her baby before the wheelchair chase. Lee having Babs's back throughout the entire ordeal would have meant so much more if it hadn't directly been tied to the child's safety.

A couple of manly shoulder slaps this episode is not adequate.

I agree. Jim should at least find time to thoroughly demonstrate his new ~improvements to Harv!

Ughhhh I'm scared again. I don't think they'll kill him. I don't THINK so.

It doesn't seem likely to me considering what Bane already did to Alfred. If they do it, it's just to stoke the unnecessary man pain.

"Let's be real, he's just another one of Gotham's dangerously self-destructive heroes."
Very true.

"Surely they must know that it's a terrible look to kill off your only two wlw characters in one season."
I'm not even sure they DO realise. Or if they realise, they don't care.

"the more I would have liked for Babs to have her baby before the wheelchair chase. Lee having Babs's back throughout the entire ordeal would have meant so much more if it hadn't directly been tied to the child's safety."
Yepppp. Although I guess the 'baby comes first' thing isn't /solely/ to do with Lee and Jim (definitely) being arseholes about 'their' child being more important than Babs - I mean, it's a general thing that people always put children's lives first, right? (Kinda irks me, but it's a thing.)

"Jim should at least find time to thoroughly demonstrate his new ~improvements to Harv!"
Uh huhhhhhhh >:) For real though, I want at least a hug between those two before the end. Forehead touching optional but highly encouraged.

"It doesn't seem likely to me considering what Bane already did to Alfred. If they do it, it's just to stoke the unnecessary man pain."
Very true. Although as I've said, I'm weirdly not even worried for Alfred because I'm just assuming he recovers because Batman? Saying that, if they go wildly off-canon and he dies I will LOSE MY SHIT.

I'm not even sure they DO realise. Or if they realise, they don't care.

Sigh. I guess I consistently underestimate the levels of not-caring some people are capable of.

I mean, it's a general thing that people always put children's lives first, right? (Kinda irks me, but it's a thing.)

It is a thing. But, come on, after the show killed that little boy for Bruce's ~angsty character arc in 4x04 or Will Thomas in 5x03, they cannot suddenly expect me to believe that the lives of children are of particular importance in this universe. So I really don't get why Jim had to make that unnecessary baby appeal. It was ridiculous and only put Babs, Lee, and the baby into more danger.

I'm weirdly not even worried for Alfred because I'm just assuming he recovers because Batman? Saying that, if they go wildly off-canon and he dies I will LOSE MY SHIT.

Didn't mean to imply that I think Alfred could die. IMO, it just would be a terrible combination to hurt the trusty sidekicks to both of our heroes so shortly after each other. At this point, we don't need Jim and Bruce to go through such similar conflicts. Plus, considering Jim just became a father and still has to fac off against Bane, he should have enough on his hands already.

"It is a thing. But, come on, after the show killed that little boy for Bruce's ~angsty character arc in 4x04 or Will Thomas in 5x03, they cannot suddenly expect me to believe that the lives of children are of particular importance in this universe. So I really don't get why Jim had to make that unnecessary baby appeal. It was ridiculous and only put Babs, Lee, and the baby into more danger."
I totally agree with you on all this. But I still can't feel like it's ooc of Jim to do the ~think of the baby~ appeal. He really is the kind of dumb that would naturally expect anyone (even a programmed psychopath) to suddenly go 'oh, she's pregnant? Well that changes everything!' :\

"IMO, it just would be a terrible combination to hurt the trusty sidekicks to both of our heroes so shortly after each other."
All of this is true, but I still wouldn't put it past those writers. I guess we shall see!

Yeah. I agree re: Jim. Just like his unnecessary wedding is morale-boosting, I guess.

Damn. I'm currently at this point where I'm thinking that the writers ~surely cannot be terrible enough to kill Babs in the next episode. If she dies, I wish they had done it in this episode. That way, it would already be over. I also hate the prospect of her last scene being some heartwrenching stuff with Jim. I don't want Jim there. He didn't give a fuck when she was alive and he doesn't deserve to be with her when she dies. Fuck his crocodile tears.

Btw, in that scene with Nyssa at the end, I shortly thought it would have been cool to learn that she still somehow has control over Lee.

LOL, so much.

I'm hoping they'll surprise us, but I'm bracing for the worst, tbh. It's not too bad for me - I'm still getting something out of the show at least. But I hope they don't write too much shitty stuff in.

Haha, I've seen that ER is credited for the two last episodes on imdb.com and, even though I know that imdb credits are usually speculative bullshit before anything has aired, I'm totally keeping my fingers crossed here. :x

Yeah... I think they tend to list main cast members for all episodes anyway, irrespective of if they appear or not. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed too, she may just survive!

Ugh. I was already annoyed before I got really annoyed.


Stuff I liked:

- The Don't point at the baby scene.

- Oswald and Ed had the best-looking hair of this episode.

- Babs and Lee bonding time, particularly:

BABS: Hey, baby, this is your Auntie Lee. Mommy tried to kill her once, maybe twice.

I really hope someone writes fanfic about these two. Their relationship has so much potential! 🔪💘💋

- Lee and Ed having a scene that finally recognized their romantic past. I also liked the implication that Ed might care about Lee's survival. That said, I don't give a shit about why he intervened because, either way, he helped my girls out here, and just for that, he's A+ in my book. (By the way, he could have simply said that he still owed Babs for finding Strange's lackeys for him.)

- The Jim Gordon Suffering^TM scenes. Not because I hate him. I just think he suffers so prettily. 🥂

- Bane's mask is a definite improvement to the Riker beard. I also just generally dig how ridiculously Big'n'Bad he is. 👀👌🏼

- Jim's happy smile when Harvey told him he's the father of a baby girl.


Stuff I hated:

- How all the (IMO) interesting problems got ~magically solved off-screen:

JIM: Over the past year, you've all done good work. We've made Gotham a safe place for kids and families. We've given people the food and medicine they needed.

- The Walker reveal. I'm generally tired of Ra's al Ghul and would have enjoyed a season without any of his shit. Nyssa's approach here also didn't make a lot of sense to me considering that she already previously planned to kill Jim with chip!Lee's help and, strangely enough, that didn't involve forcing Bruce to watch him suffer.

- The same complaint we already had for 5x07: Why the hell does everyone suddenly think that Jim is this special father figure to Bruce? This is blatant Alfred erasure!

- Jim making it a point to mention Babs's pregnancy in order to lead Bane directly to the hospital. WTF?!

- I generally disliked how Jim and Lee mostly seemed to care about the baby's safety. (One example: If he touches a hair on that child's head, I will destroy everything you have.) I mean, I get it, and it's in line with their asshole selves characterization, but I also thought it was a bit gross how they always just focused on "the baby first!1". Majorly side-eyeing Lee for pretending as if the "marriage" isn't a gigantic power move in the context of a potential, future custody battle. Why wouldn't Babs assume that Jim wants the baby for himself in order to play house with Lee?

- Why would Babs and Lee return to the Sirens of all places?! I also think it's pretty ridiculous that Babs leaves her gang of murder ladies at the club while she's out and about on her own and ready to pop any minute.

I swear if they're making Babs's death a goddamn, cliché Harry Potter scenario, I will be sick. Doubly so, if Lee managed to radio Harvey so that he could inform Jim about the birth of his daughter, but somehow Babs didn't get the time to name her baby girl off-screen. Priorities.

I want her to be named after Tabitha. Yep, idgaf about comic canon.

- The fact that I already knew General Wade would end up being a baddie because he had a scar. The good guys rarely have one.

I realize that it's a petty, little detail to complain about, but I guess it's also tied to my general frustrations about how the reunification is handled on the show. For example, we still don't know if Nyssa was ever formally a part of the military or how she infiltrated it and succeeded in fooling Jim as this "Secretary Walker" character for so long. Plus, I mean, if she was always able to control people that easily, why didn't she simply brainwash every military official on the mainland from day one? I will also never understand why Strange is still in Gotham.


Headscratchers:

- Why did they suddenly decide to relocate the GCPD? On the left, you see the map from this episode. Right is a map from either 5x01 or 5x02. I mean, if the GCPD had always been there, little Will wouldn't have had to walk nines miles through the Dark Zone in order to find Jim.



Still, it's probably a change they made to underscore that, according to General Wade, the Green Zone stretches to every corner of the island. Which means that Jim and the GCPD somehow suddenly managed to rid Zsasz, Freeze, Firefly, and Scarecrow of their respective territories. And we didn't get to see any of it. Bummer.

- Why didn't Jim tell Eduardo that he was also buried alive and, for a while, stopped "being human" (= Tetch Virus)? I would have loved a scene in which he admits to regretting his actions while under the influence of the virus, most importantly Fish's death. Plus, it just came up as a joke in 5x09.

- Why would Jim assume that General Wade needs a scar on his neck to prove that he was chipped? As far as I remember, Ed also didn't have one?! Or at least the audience was never made aware of it. Aw. Would've loved to see it as an early clue.

- Why wouldn't Babs choose to have a C-section if she has tangible plans to leave Gotham? I'm also wondering why they didn't already know the sex of the baby.

- BABS: Oh, if only there were two able-bodied men who could buy us some [time].

Last I checked, Oswald wasn't able-bodied.

- If Selina is not a part of Oswald's submarine scheme anymore, why wouldn't she tell someone else about it? Or at least spoil his plan to take off with all his riches? I'm also a bit miffed that she's, for whatever reason, hanging out with Alfred while everyone else is in trouble. Would've preferred her to have Babs's back here right from the start.

- Why wouldn't Nyssa make Bruce another member of her army? It felt more than senseless to just leave him tied up like that.

- IMO, there was something off about Alfred's appearance in this episode. But I don't know what it was.

- The complete and utter lack of Lucius. I really hope we will get to see him in the next episode.


Suggestive line of the week:

NYSSA: But he's more than just a friend, isn't he, Bruce?

I'm not even shipping it, but you can't expect me to hear this line and think about a father figure.


Suggestive gesture of the week:




Edited 2019-03-23 12:29 pm (UTC)

"The Don't point at the baby scene."
Ahaha I'd forgotten that! Yes, that was quality. Poor Os.

"Oswald and Ed had the best-looking hair of this episode."
Truth, and I will never stop being grateful that Ed had a haircut.

"That said, I don't give a shit about why he intervened because, either way, he helped my girls out here, and just for that, he's A+ in my book. (By the way, he could have simply said that he still owed Babs for finding Strange's lackeys for him.)"
I mean, I just read it as Because Babies because that's how people generally seem to operate? But yeah, it was good no matter what the motive.

"Bane's mask is a definite improvement to the Riker beard."
SO MUCH. He does look kinda hot now. But his indistinct voice bugs me and as far as huge camp leather-clad villains go, I preferred Barnes.

"FUCKING WHEN, JIM? Because a few episodes ago, you still behaved like a fuckboy."
THIS THIS THIS. The time-skip was so annoying.

"I'm generally tired of Ra's al Ghul and would have enjoyed a season without any of his shit."
Word. Ra's was my least fave story arc of the whole series.

"This is blatant Alfred erasure!"
Yes. Dumb.

"Jim making it a point to mention Babs's pregnancy in order to lead Bane directly to the hospital. WTF?!"
Again, I'm assuming it was because 'appeal to everyone's better nature, nobody would hurt a baaaaabyyyyy' (yes, wtf, because Bane really looks like the kind of guy who would care about babies.)

"If he touches a hair on that child's head, I will destroy everything you have"
This is stupid but the first thing I thought at that was 'it's a newborn, it probably doesn't have hair'. But anyway yes, I agree, it was gross.

"Why would Babs and Lee return to the Sirens of all places?!"
Soooo much this. As if you wouldn't hole up somewhere that wasn't like, your actual address and the first place anyone looking for you would look?

"I want her to be named after Tabitha. Yep, idgaf about comic canon."
I waaaaaaaaaaant it.

"The fact that I already knew General Wade would end up being a baddie because he had a scar. The good guys rarely have one."
I never even clocked that, but that's some Dennis Wheatley level shit right there.

"I will also never understand why Strange is still in Gotham."
It makes zero sense from the point of view that he's 'mainly interested in survival'. But I'm getting the impression from him (and ngl I kinda love this about him) that he's just a straight-up sadistic arsehole and he loves any excuse to experiment on people, so staying in Gotham would at least provide him with a lot of jollies in that respect.

"Why did they suddenly decide to relocate the GCPD?"
AMAZING. (I'm obsessed with these maps). Tbh I'm just calling continuity error.

"the GCPD somehow suddenly managed to rid Zsasz, Freeze, Firefly, and Scarecrow of their respective territories. And we didn't get to see any of it. Bummer."
:((((( now THAT would have been entertaining viewing.

"Why didn't Jim tell Eduardo that he was also buried alive and, for a while, stopped "being human""
Yeah, that thought did cross my mind too.

"Why would Jim assume that General Wade needs a scar on his neck to prove that he was chipped? As far as I remember, Ed also didn't have one?!"
I thought Ed's chip was planted right into his brain, which necessitated the skull-unscrewing whilst not bothering to even cut his hair (see also: rats running around in Strange's 'operating theatre' how is everyone not dead of infection? I guess Strange has a lot of fancy drugs to prevent it.)

"Why wouldn't Babs choose to have a C-section if she has tangible plans to leave Gotham?"
Maybe they didn't have the facilities/drugs anymore? Lee does say they'd run out of the painkillers she'd need to aid the labour...

"I'm also wondering why they didn't already know the sex of the baby."
Maybe she chose to not know? As I'm guessing they'd at least have the necessary equipment for a scan. Pretty sure at least Lee must have known ahead of time.

Agreed to all your other points too. Pretty holey plot right here.

"Suggestive line of the week:
NYSSA: But he's more than just a friend, isn't he, Bruce?
I'm not even shipping it, but you can't expect me to hear this line and think about a father figure."
Yes, fact. Absolutely 100% do not ship, but also cannot think of Jim as a father figure to Bruce. Only Alfred gets to be that in my mind. Like, caring uncle figure, or big brother, perhaps. He's not remotely involved enough in Bruce's life to be a father figure though?

"Suggestive gesture of the week:"
I laughed out loud. A+ screencap, would lol again.

I mean, I just read it as Because Babies because that's how people generally seem to operate?

Could be the case. I mean, I definitely want a scene that involves Oswald, Ed, and the little one because I find Oswald continued exasperation with Babs's pregnancy and Ed's, uh, excitement (?) funny as hell.

But his indistinct voice bugs me and as far as huge camp leather-clad villains go, I preferred Barnes.

Yeah, not a fan of the voice, but otherwise, he does push several of my buttons. I'm not proud of it.

Ra's was my least fave story arc of the whole series.

I have consistently hated every single plot he was involved in. >:(

This is stupid but the first thing I thought at that was 'it's a newborn, it probably doesn't have hair'.

My first thought was to question whether Jim would be okay with anything Bane will do to Babs as long as the baby isn't harmed.

It makes zero sense from the point of view that he's 'mainly interested in survival'. But I'm getting the impression from him (and ngl I kinda love this about him) that he's just a straight-up sadistic arsehole and he loves any excuse to experiment on people, so staying in Gotham would at least provide him with a lot of jollies in that respect.

Totally agree with you. I was mainly talking from Nyssa's perspective. Why would she allow an asset like Strange to remain in Gotham? He'd be much more useful and effective with a properly stocked laboratory and a higher number of test subjects.

I thought Ed's chip was planted right into his brain, which necessitated the skull-unscrewing whilst not bothering to even cut his hair

Yeah. So why does Jim think that a neck scar is an indicator for being chipped by Strange?

Maybe they didn't have the facilities/drugs anymore? Lee does say they'd run out of the painkillers she'd need to aid the labour...

Can I just say that this is a bunch of convenient bullshit when we have to assume that they're despite all shortages somehow still able to keep dear, ~brain-dead~ Jeremiah alive for months? You're of course absolutely right, but stuff like this frustrates me.

I laughed out loud. A+ screencap, would lol again.

Thanks for validating my terrible sense of humor.

"I have consistently hated every single plot he was involved in. >:("
Same.

"My first thought was to question whether Jim would be okay with anything Bane will do to Babs as long as the baby isn't harmed."
Yepppp. Not a fan of Jim rn.

"Why would she allow an asset like Strange to remain in Gotham? He'd be much more useful and effective with a properly stocked laboratory and a higher number of test subjects."
Yeah, you raise a very valid point. I mean, I guess she might want him close to hand in Gotham to target the people who are still in Gotham..? But you're so right. Just whisk them away down the secret tunnel and let him mess with them on the mainland.

"Yeah. So why does Jim think that a neck scar is an indicator for being chipped by Strange?"
...Jim is a dumbass..? (I got nothing.)

"Can I just say that this is a bunch of convenient bullshit when we have to assume that they're despite all shortages somehow still able to keep dear, ~brain-dead~ Jeremiah alive for months? You're of course absolutely right, but stuff like this frustrates me."
Yeah, you are also so right. It's so infuriatingly inconsistent.