Throughout canon, James Gordon’s (Eric Morgan Stuart) and Barbara Gordon’s (Krystal Joy Brown) world views differ dramatically when it comes to whether people are inherently good or bad, especially in light of who Barbara becomes. In Batman: Caped Crusader Season 1 Episode 7, “Moving Target,” the police commissioner and the public defender are both forced to admit there’s a lot of gray area when assassins descend on Gotham, and they can’t trust anyone.
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At the courthouse, Barbara Gordon shakes her client’s hand reminding him that he’s more than his bad choices. After he leaves, Commissioner Gordon comments on how she gets criminals off on technicalities. They rehash an old argument over second chances and mistakes. As they leave the courthouse, still arguing, Montoya (Michelle C. Bonilla) and Corrigan (Roger Craig Smith) rush up to tell the Commissioner they’ve been tipped off that he’s in danger. A man steps out of the crowd and calls out, “Gordon!” before raising a gun to shoot. Corrigan shoots first and kills him.
Batman: Caped Crusader’s “Moving Target”
At police headquarters, the shooter is identified as Floyd Laughton, a local contract killer. Flass (Gary Anthony Williams) informs everyone that a hit was called on Gordon the night before. Montoya suggests following the money while Flass and Bullock (John DiMaggio) want to blitz the city with the task force. Commissioner Gordon refuses to turn the city into a warzone. He tells them to work the case smart.
Barbara’s waiting for him in his office when he comes in with Montoya. She insists on a protection detail and a safe house. He protests but Montoya backs her up. Still, he refuses to go into hiding. Barbara leaves, furious. Montoya follows her and promises she’ll do everything to keep her father safe.
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Late that night, Barbara’s working in her office and looking at a picture of her father and her at graduation. Batman (Hamish Linklater) appears next to her, frightening her to her feet. He tells her he’s discovered the hit came from inside Blackgate Prison. Since Commissioner Gordon’s been on the force for over 30 years, he’s put a lot of people away in Blackgate. Batman tells Barbara to get her father somewhere safe while he continues to investigate. He disappears.
Blackgate Prison
Batman takes out a couple of guards to get to the guy who put the hit on Gordon. The guy insists the hit was actually put out by Muller (Peter Jessop) who is locked in solitary and needed a middleman. He tells Batman that after the first hit didn’t work, Muller doubled the price. Now, assassins from all over are flocking to Gotham. In a montage of arrivals, Onomatopoeia (Reid Scott) steps off the train.
Batman pays Muller a visit in solitary. Muller tries to stab him but Batman beats him into submission and demands answers.
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Commissioner Gordon arrives home to find Montoya, Barbara, Corrigan, and Marcus (James Arnold Taylor) on his front step. They try to convince him to go into hiding. He’s resistant. Barbara points out that he’s a target and that puts their neighbors at risk. He acquiesces. As they drive off, the phone inside rings. In the Batmobile, Batman tells Alfred (Jason Watkins) there’s no answer but he should keep trying.
Safe No More
As Marcus drives them to the safe house, a police cruiser follows close behind. Neither Montoya nor Corrigan called for an escort. As the cruiser speeds up, the Commissioner realizes they aren’t GCPD and shouts a warning. The assassins open fire and hit Marcus. Barbara grabs the steering wheel and tries to get away.
Seeing a sharp cliffside turn ahead, Barbara makes a quick turn, and their pursuers go over. Montoya and Corrigan decide the safe house isn’t safe anymore. On their way to a hospital for Marcus, the car breaks down. Barbara proposes they find somewhere to hide out until morning. Climbing to the top of the hill, she sees a billboard for Wayne Gardens, a forthcoming housing development. Betting on there being a model home, they hide the car and head there.
At the site of the assassins’ crash, Onomatopoeia and his goons track the car Commissioner Gordon left in and also head to the future site of Wayne Gardens.
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Batman monitors the police scanner and hears the report of a police-involved crash in an area where no police are stationed. He turns around and heads out of the city.
Pow!
In the model home, Marcus is passing out from loss of blood. Montoya and Barbara discuss the idea of suburbs and how those with money flee the city so they don’t have to try to make it better. Corrigan tries to lighten the mood and turns on a light only to have it shot out. Commissioner Gordon peeks out and sees Onomatopoeia and his men set up outside. They open fire.
While Montoya and the Commissioner fire back from the front, Barbara and Corrigan head to the kitchen to cover the backdoor. Assassins start shooting from the backyard as well. They are surrounded and badly outnumbered.
Batman arrives. Onomatopoeia silently watches him take out his goons. When they finally face off, it’s a pretty even fight.
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Inside, two hitmen have broken into the kitchen and are fighting Corrigan and Barbara. Working together, they manage to knock out the hitmen.
The Real Target
Batman finally defeats Onomatopoeia. Commissioner Gordon and Montoya join him outside. Batman informs them the contract has been canceled. There won’t be any more killers coming at them. The Commissioner is relieved that everyone can stop worrying about him. Batman corrects him. The target was Barbara.
In the kitchen, Corrigan pulls his weapon on Barbara, explaining she was always the target. It’s a lot of money. He’s got it all figured out. He’s going to pin the murder on one of the hitmen and then he’s going to kill the hitman. A shot rings out and Corrigan drops his weapon. Commissioner Gordon’s in the doorway with his weapon smoking. Barbara punches out Corrigan. Commissioner Gordon comes over and they embrace.
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In the aftermath, Marcus gets medical attention, and all the assassins, including Corrigan, are arrested. Barbara goes to visit Muller. She points out she got the best deal possible for him and he put a hit on her because he wasn’t happy with it. He argues he doesn’t deserve to be in Blackgate because he made a few mistakes. She gets up to leave, stating she thinks he does. On the way out, she stops and considers, hanging her head with a sigh.
The entire 10-episode first season of Batman: Caped Crusader is streaming now on Prime Video at 3 am ET on August 1.
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