The sixth episode of Fox’s Gotham season three travels further down the rabbit hole as Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter (Benedict Samuel) continues to seek revenge for the death of his beloved sister, Alice. Episode six titled ‘Follow the White Rabbit’ opens with a bride and groom entering a limo outside the church where they were wed, unaware Tetch is their driver. He tells them they won’t be able to attend their reception because they’re due elsewhere, and the bride asks that he not hurt them. It’s apparently up to James Gordon to determine their fate. In the front seat of the limo, Tetch spins the propeller on a kid’s beanie cap and reminds the child to buckle up.
At Penguin’s place, he’s thrilled about the beautiful new day. Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) has found someone special, but thinks the love is one-sided. He needs to confess his feelings to Edward Nygma.
Valerie Vale (Jamie Chung) is questioning Jim over breakfast at a diner, asking if he can set up a meeting with Lee about Alice’s blood. Jim’s pretty non-committal and when Valerie leaves, an albino stranger approaches Jim (Ben McKenzie) with a message from Tetch. Jim’s led to a payphone and Tetch tells him he’s been studying him. Tetch promises to drive him mad as he forces Jim to confront his past. The newlyweds stand on the ledge of a bridge high above where Jim is on the phone with Tetch. Jim has to choose whether to save the couple or the boy with the propeller cap who is about to be hit by a semi-truck. Jim chooses to save the little boy and snatches him out of the way of the truck while watching the newlyweds leap to their deaths.
Jim runs back to the phone and Tetch gives him an address where he must go alone or else more people will die.
Lee (Morena Baccarin) shows Mario their announcement in the newspaper and Mario says his dad wants to throw them a party. He didn’t think Lee would want an engagement party but she’s unexpectedly happy about the idea.
Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) is busy at his desk, asking one of his underlings to deliver what looks like a bomb to Mickey the Nail’s place. Mayor Cobblepot arrives and receives two schedules from Edward: one as the Mayor, the other as leader of Gotham’s underworld. Edward confesses he still hasn’t found Butch, and Penguin has his own confession. He pauses and finally says he forgot what he was going to say. So much for telling Ed how he feels about him.
Harvey (Donal Logue) and Captain Barnes (Michael Chiklis) are among the investigators on the dead wedding couple’s case. Harvey says a little kid just told him Jim Gordon saved his life and Barnes wants Jim brought in for questioning. Just then Harvey spots the albino stranger across the street and they try to question him. He just keeps repeating, “James Gordon, I have a message for you.” They realize Tetch has hypnotized the man.
Jim makes it to the meeting place and finds a bulletin board with details on his life and his father’s death. The phone rings and Tetch tells Jim to look through the telescope so they can chat face-to-face. Jim thinks Tetch blames him for Alice’s death and that Tetch wants revenge. Jim keeps pissing off Tetch by hanging up on him and finally Tetch says if he does it again, “she” dies. Who is she? Why it’s Valerie Vale who Tetch has taken hostage.
Jim meets with Barbara (Erin Richards) at her club to try and get info on where Tetch lives. When she won’t answer, Jim starts breaking things. He knows Barbara has talked to Tetch because Tetch knew things only Barbara could have told him. Barbara continues to claim she doesn’t know where he is but does admit she spilled the beans on Jim when Tetch came in days ago and asked all sorts of personal questions about her former lover. Jim wants to know if she told Tetch about Lee and she says, “Of course.” Jim leaves, immediately calling Lee but it’s Tetch who answers her phone. Jim has 10 minutes to make it to Gotham Water and Power or else.
Tetch has both Valerie Vale and Lee Thompkins tied up in the back of van, calling them two halves of Jim Gordon’s heart.
Captain Barnes continues to try to interrogate the albino stranger, getting increasingly upset as he doesn’t answer. Barnes grabs a chair so hard he leaves finger marks etched in the metal. Harvey interrupts the interrogation to say Jim was spotted pulling up to Gotham Water and Power.
Inside the Gotham Water and Power building, televisions are set up with Tetch on screen. Above him, Tetch has a pediatrician and a journalist tied up, symbolizing Lee and Valerie. Jim has to choose which one dies but he refuses, with Tetch yelling that he has to pick up the gun and fire or else. Jim says he’s done playing Tetch’s game just as Captain Barnes, Harvey, and the officers rush in. Tetch throws a switch and both people are zapped. Jim tells Tetch he will find him, and Tetch replies, “Just ask an old friend how to get to the end.”
Mayor Cobblepot and Ed visit the elementary school and Cobblepot’s not at all happy about being around kids. The Mayor spots one boy sitting alone and introduces himself, asking why he’s not playing with the other children. He gives the kid questionable advice, telling him if the other kids don’t like him, push them down the stairs. Ed’s impressed with his boss and Penguin once again tells him he needs to discuss something. They set a date that night for dinner at the mansion.
Jim explains to Captain Barnes that Tetch is trying to drive him insane by kidnapping Lee and Valerie, and he’s angry at himself for not doing anything to save the two innocent people Tetch just fried. Captain Barnes doesn’t blame Jim and says it’s all on Tetch. Jim knows now that Tetch is going to make him choose between Lee and Valerie, and Captain Barnes promises they will find them.
Lee and Valerie are being held hostage in Lee’s house, chained but loosely enough so that Lee can look through the medicine cabinet. Valerie tries to get info out of Lee on Alice’s blood but Lee’s having none of it.
Captain Barnes touches base with Lee’s boyfriend, Mario, who says he hasn’t heard from Lee since this morning. Barnes rallies the troops, telling the Gotham City Police that they need to find Tetch now. Jim spots the albino stranger in a cell and figures out he might be part of the answer. Jim asks how he gets to the end and the stranger makes a writing motion. Jim hands him a pad and he writes “the true test will be revealed.” It also says the tea party begins once more when you walk through Lee Thompkins’ door.
Mario grabs Jim as he’s trying to leave but Jim won’t tell him what’s going on. Instead, Jim says he has to trust him. Jim can’t go in with all the cops but he thinks Mario might be able to help him after all.
Valerie and Lee are doing a little weird bonding while they try to break out of their chains. Valerie wants to know why Lee returned to Gotham, as Lee works herself free from her chains. Valerie broke the tool Lee used and is stuck but tells Lee to go without her. Just then Tetch appears in the bathroom and says the guest of honor will be there shortly.
Jim walks up to Lee’s door, enters her house, and a record is playing. He heads to the dining room and sees Tetch, Lee, and Valerie seated around a dinner table. Jim’s told to have a seat while Tetch’s two associates are armed and ready to shoot if necessary. Jim turns over his gun and sits opposite Tetch. Tetch begins telling the story of a brother and a sister but warns it has a sad ending. He says Jim poisoned his sister against him, and now the woman Jim loves is going to die.
Meanwhile, Mario is sneaking around with a gun.
Tetch discusses Lee and what she got out of being with Jim. Valerie Vale’s up next, and Tetch says Valerie still has hope for Jim. Now it’s up to Jim to choose which one has his heart. Jim asks that Tetch’s men lower their weapons because they could shoot him accidentally and Tetch agrees. After they do, Jim tells Tetch to lower his. Mario’s made it to the room and has his gun pointed at Tetch. Tetch says the problem with this plan is the gun Mario grabbed from downstairs is empty.
Mario is escorted to the bathroom to be locked up. Tetch then demands Jim say who it is he loves. Jim talks about love, but turns it around and makes it about Tetch and Alice’s relationship. Jim lets Tetch know Alice told him what he did to her as a child and it was disgusting. Tetch becomes more and more upset as Jim continues to speak, and Jim says Alice killed herself rather than being with Tetch. Jim says her face was peaceful when she died because she was away from her brother. Tetch puts the gun to Jim’s forehead and Jim grabs his arm, forcing the gun to stay on his head. He wants Tetch to let the women go and shoot him instead. Tetch almost falls for it but doesn’t. He wants Jim to live on and choose one of the women. Jim says he won’t choose and Tetch assures him he will. On the count of three, Jim has to say which one Tetch should kill or else he’ll just shoot both of them. One, two, three … and Jim says to kill Lee. Tetch is happy the truth has come out but instead of shooting Lee, he shoots Valerie. Tetch says Jim’s always known he’s a villain. Tetch and his men leave as Lee tries to help Valerie.
Valerie makes it to the emergency room where Mario takes over trying to save her.
At Mayor Cobblepot’s the dining room table is set for a romantic dinner. Penguin practices his speech to an empty place setting, telling the absent Ed that he loves him. The real Ed is selecting a bottle of wine for dinner when a woman who looks exactly like Kris Kringle begins talking to him about wine. That throws Ed for a loop and when she says a riddle, it appears Ed has fallen in love at first sight.
Harvey asks Jim how Valerie’s doing and he wants to know why Jim didn’t come to him for help. Harvey’s not upset because Jim did what he thought was right, and Jim realizes he actually did exactly what Tetch wanted.
Jim tries to talk to Lee about telling Tetch to kill her, but Lee doesn’t want to hear about it just now.
