“ | We will not let these killers and these robbers and these rapists and these thugs win...Not on my watch. | „ |
~ Mayor Aubrey James to the citizens of Gotham. |
Aubrey James is a supporting antagonist in the TV series Gotham.
James is the corrupt Mayor of Gotham City who is in the pocket of mob boss Carmine Falcone. Despite his title, he is little more than a cog in the great machine of corruption that has developed in Gotham. He has very little control of his city, but his lack of proper management is partially why Gotham is such a terrible place to live.
In Season 2 he is abducted and forced to resign by Theo Galavan. However, he is saved by Detective Jim Gordon and identifies Galavan as his kidnapper which leads to Galavan's arrest, although he later revokes that statement in front of the court. In the third season, James is once more on his way to become mayor again, but is opposed by Oswald Cobblepot, who announces his candidacy as well. Cobblepot wins the election, succeeding James as mayor of Gotham City. After Cobblepot disappears and is presumed dead, James becomes mayor once more, only to be kidnapped by Edward Nygma. With Gordon's help, he escapes captivity unharmed.
He was portrayed by Richard Kind, who also played Longbourne in Treasure Planet, Tom in Tom and Jerry: The Movie, and Molt in A Bug's Life.
History[]
Season 1[]
Following the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne, Mayor James assured the public that the killer would be caught, while putting great pressure on the police force to find him. Knowing that the death of the city's most beloved philanthropists could cause outright rioting.
Later on, when The Dollmaker began kidnapping homeless children to use in his experiment, James devised a solution in which he would publicly "rescue" photogenic children and pass them off as kidnapping victims, while imprisoning the real victims in a juvenile detention facility. Nevertheless, he was genuinely horrified when the kidnappers managed to take a whole school bus of children, and demanded they find them.
James was later caught in a power struggle between mob bosses Carmine Falcone and Sal Maroni over the Arkham land deal. Maroni put a hit out on him and sent hitman Richard Gladwell to kill him. Gordon arrived in time to save him, but James insisted on taking most of his money with them, delaying them long enough for Gladwell to arrive. Gordon's partner Harvey Bullock managed to kill Gladwell, but, fearful of the two crime lords, James organized a compromise so that both parties would walk away with profits.
Later on, as part of their plan to bring down Falcone, Bullock and Gordon arrested James, and took him with them when they went after Falcone. Falcone however managed to outmaneuver them, however, and forced them to let James go.
James then began putting pressure on Captain Essen to find the Russian mafia, who had kidnapped bomb specialist Ian Hargrove. Gordon called him out on the fact he used Blackgate prison to keep the criminally insane in despite having no facilities for helping them. Which is how they managed to break Ian out. James reopened Arkham Asylum, even though the facility was not fully refurbished.
Following the murder of Dick Lovecraft, James forced Assistant District Attorney Harvey Dent to stay out of the investigation, and framed Gordon for the murder, pushing the idea that Gordon was an overzealous cop who had driven Lovecraft to suicide. He then gave Gordon the choice of either quitting the GCPD or taking a job as head guard of the newly opened Arkham Asylum. Gordon took the job, but promised he would be back.
Season 2[]
“ | Don't fret so! You're part of a great endeavor. A great cleansing. Monsters are coming Mr. Mayor...Monsters who will cleanse this city in blood and fire! | „ |
~ Galavan to Mayor James when he asks why Galavan is doing this to him |
At the retirement ceremony of Commissioner Loeb, it is noted that Mayor James could not attend, sending his friend Theo Galavan instead. At night at Galavan's apartment it is revealed that Theo had the mayor kidnapped and forces him to wear a box over his head. Galavan then blackmails James into calling his secretary, telling her that he run off with a woman. Mayor James agrees. The next day, James is on the front page of the newspapers.
While Galavan talks to four of The Maniax, they are disturbed when Mayor James enters the room, followed by Galavan's sister Tabitha and Barbara Kean, who whip him just for fun. James, due to the box on his head, can't see where he is going and runs into a wall which knocks him out.
At the gala at the Gotham Children's hospital, Tabitha Galavan asks Deputy Mayor Kane if there is any word on James' disappearance. Kane says that the whole case is a mystery.
Weeks later, in a conversation with his sister, Theo revealed that James is still alive. Theo managed to succeed as Mayor as part of his plans for taking over Gotham. However, the police managed to track down James, who gave Theo's name as his kidnapper, subsequently leading to his arrest.
However, while everyone expects James to give the necessary statement to put Galavan behind bars forever, James instead says that crime boss Oswald Cobblepot kidnapped him and forced him to lie. Due to this testimony and the lack of evidence, Theo is released.
Season 3[]
Mayoral Campaign[]
Aubrey James is present at a GCPD press conference regarding the escaped Indian Hill experiments. He takes issue with reporter Valerie Vale calling the experiments threats, as they are victims of rogue scientist Hugo Strange. He tells the reporters that he approves of the "bounty hunters" searching for the experiments, because the sooner the experiments are captured, the sooner they can get help and proper treatment. He ignores reporter Valerie Vale when she reminds him that all the experiments were former Arkham inmates. Vale continues bombing James with questions until he claims that the situation is firmly under control. He is called a liar by the arriving Oswald Cobblepot, who reveals that he saw Fish Mooney leading the experiments. As police and the mayor ignored his pleads, he now directly implores every citizen in Gotham to find Fish Mooney.
At a press conference in Gotham, James reminds the people that since Galavan's death, the office of mayor has been vacant. He tells them that the council that has ruled Gotham since, has come for him, offering him to become mayor until the elections and that, against his will, he has decided to accept. The conference is once more disrupted by Penguin, who openly calls out James about the corrupt past of Gotham under James' leadership. After a short argument, Penguin reveals that he has come to announce his candidacy for mayor, and that the mayor should be chosen by the people of Gotham, thus he announces that an emergency election should be held forthwith.
Later, Aubrey James calls at Cobblepot's election office and asks to speak with Penguin alone. He chooses a restaurant, a public place, fearing that Penguin might kill him should the two be alone. Once Cobblepot sits down, James calls him an unstable lunatic and claims that people will see right through him. He also claims that he has the judges, unions and the GCPD behind him and that Cobblepot has nothing. When Cobblepot replies that he has himself, James laughs and calls him psychotic. Cobblepot jumps up, but three of James' thugs storm into the room and the bartender also grabs a gun. All four aim their guns at Cobblepot to prevent him from harming the mayor. Cobblepot smiles, sarcastically commenting that James seems to be always a step ahead, only to reveal that every other patron in the restaurant is one of his men and equally armed. Cobblepot calms the frightened James, claiming that he will not spoil the election by killing him. He pins one of his campaign buttons to James' breast pocket before leaving.
Kidnapped by the Riddler[]
James later loses the election and Cobblpot becomes mayor. After Cobblepot is shot and nearly killed by Edward Nygma, however, James is re-instated as mayor. When Gordon and Bullock visit James and warn him about Nygma's plans, he dismisses their concerns. Eventually, he starts to feel his stomach cramp and tries to his blood-sugar pills, only to discover that each pill is stamped with a small question mark; James and Gordon then realize that Nygma is indeed after James. They deliver James to the nearest hospital, where Nygma has already taken over the communications room. Gordon is being distracted by a tape Nygma plays over the hospital's loudspeakers. Meanwhile, dozens of injured bikers are brought into the hospital as a result of the bomb Nygma had Barbara deliver. The remaining bikers who are not injured swiftly provoke a fight with the GCPD when the police refuse to let them into the hospital and during the chaos, Nygma, who is disguised as a police officer, confronts James. He kills James' two guards and flees with the mayor while the police are still fighting the bikers.
James is brought to Nygma's lair, where he is interrogated by Nygma and his partner-in-crime Barbara Kean. When Barbara speaks, James recognizes her voice from his captivity by the hands of Galavan. James is afraid to betray a group he refers to as "The Court", claiming that they will know, but when Barbara threatens him with another box for his head, he reveals all he knows. After Nygma now has proof the Court exists, he openly challenging them by hijacking a tv broadcast, showing himself with James as his hostage and asking rhetorical questions about the Court that rules Gotham.
To prevent Nygma from revealing the existence of the Court, Gordon calls him and promises to reveal everything about the Court if Nygma comes to the GCPD precinct. Nygma agrees but orders the precinct to be evacuated. When he arrives, he arrives with James who has a bomb strapped to his neck to which Nygma holds the trigger. Nygma orders Gordon to tell him what he wants to know, threatening to blow up James should Gordon refuses, but Gordon just tells Nygma to go through with it and kill the mayor. Nygma does not believe that Jim is being serious and once again threatens to blow up James. When Gordon still does not reveal anything, Nygma presses the trigger but nothing happens. Gordon then reveals to Nygma that there is a radio frequency jamming the signal of Nygma's trigger. Although temporarily set back, Nygma regains his composure and claims that this changes nothing. He aims his gun at James, still threatening to kill the mayor if he does not get answers about the Court. Gordon pulls a car key out of his pocket and tells Nygma that he will drive Nygma to the Court if he lets James go. Although Nygma senses a trap, he is not able to let the riddle go unsolved, and thus agrees to Gordon's proposal. He gives James permission to flee and James immediately runs out of the building.
Weeks later, the Court of Owls activates a bomb in Gotham spreading Jervis Tetch's "Alice" virus, and James calls in the National Guard to deal with the situation.
Season 4[]
Three months after the deployment of the virus in Gotham, James is no longer mayor. His successor, Burke, is just as crooked and corrupt as James, however.
Season 5[]
Ten years following the cataclysm, James had been reelected as mayor of Gotham. Gordon, now Commissioner of the GCPD, met with Aubrey revealing his plan to resign. James later attended the opening of the new Wayne Tower in which Bruce Wayne was expected to put in an appearance after being away a decade, however ended up being kidnapped again by a recently released Edward Nygma, who tied up James and planned to blow him up with a bomb during Bruce's arrival. Nygma's schemes were stopped by Barbara Kean, Lee Thompkins and Selina Kyle. James later ordered Bullock to be taken to Blackgate Penitentiary following him being set up for the murder of an Arkham Asylum prison guard.
Episode Appearances[]
Season 1[]
- "Pilot"
- "Selina Kyle"
- "Arkham"
- "Penguin's Umbrella"
- "Harvey Dent"
- "Lovecraft"
Season 2[]
- "Rise of the Villains: Knock, Knock"
- "Rise of the Villains: Tonight’s the Night"
- "Rise of the Villains: The Son of Gotham"
Season 3[]
- "Mad City: Better to Reign in Hell…"
- "Mad City: Look Into My Eyes"
- "Heroes Rise: The Primal Riddle"
Season 5[]
- "The Beginning..."
Gallery[]
Images[]
External Link[]
- Aubrey James - Gotham Wiki