Over the years, Bruce Wayne - or Batman as he's otherwise known - has amassed numerous allies in his quest to fight crime in the city of Gotham. Gotham Knights focuses on four of these, and protagonist duties are split between Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, and Red Hood. There are also appearances from the likes of Alfred, Wayne's butler, and Lucius Fox, his ex-employee who has access to high-tech weaponry and technology. However, there are some notable absentees from Gotham Knights' cast, and Commissioner Jim Gordon, one of Batman's only allies in the Gotham City Police Department, is one of the most prominent.
Jim Gordon has been a mainstay in the Batman universe since his debut in 1939. While he isn't necessarily the most exciting character on the roster, especially compared to some of his more extravagant counterparts, he has always provided a level of control on proceedings and usually exudes a calming influence on all of those around him. His commitment to making Gotham a better and safer place, no matter the insurmountable odds, has often put him at loggerheads with other authority figures in the city.
Commissioner Gordon is Absent in Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights is under its own narrative umbrella, and is not part of any other DC Comics canon. That gives it a degree of creative freedom, and it immediately utilizes this by killing off two of the main protagonists in the series, Batman and Jim Gordon. It is not known what, if any, other events have occurred to these characters in the time leading up to Gotham Knights. It can be assumed though that Gordon is still the same beacon of righteousness and hope in Gotham City that he has always been, and his absence will have certainly shaken up the GCPD's hierarchy.
It is made apparent right from the start of Gotham Knights that Gordon is deceased. In Batman's own pre-recorded video, which plays to the four protagonists after his death, he makes it clear to them that Gordon is also dead, meaning they are now effectively working alone. It isn't immediately obvious how Gordon died though, although there are subtle clues on display, such as the fact that the GCPD is hostile toward the Bat family and treats them as enemies of the police numerous times throughout the story.
Over the course of the campaign, it is eventually discovered that Gordon died approximately two years before the events in Gotham Knights. He was apparently killed in the line of duty while protecting Batman. This goes some way to explaining why his colleagues in the department are so hostile toward vigilantes now, with them seeing Batman as being indirectly responsible for the Commissioner's death. This tragic event had a silver lining, though: it served as the perfect motivation for his daughter, Barbara Gordon, to recover from injuries that had left her wheelchair-bound and return to active duty as Batgirl in order to help keep Gotham safe and continue her father's legacy.
Jim Gordon's absence makes for an interesting narrative, compounding Batman's death and almost elevating the likes of Alfred and Lucius Fox into more prominent roles. Almost all versions of Batman, whether in movies, TV or comics, include the commissioner alongside him, and while Gotham Knights has had its fair share of critics since its launch, it should at least be commended for going in a different direction with the narrative, shaking up a tried and tested formula by leaving out a couple of key players.
Gotham Knights is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.