The following contains spoilers for Gotham Knights Season 1, Episode 12, "City of Owls," which debuted June 20 on The CW.
As Season 1 of Gotham Knights progressed, Turner Hayes thought he could bring the Joker's Daughter to the light. Unfortunately, Duela kept leaning towards her more sinister tendencies. Even after Turner and Duela sparked up a romance, it seemed like she'd never fully gravitate towards being a hero.
It was disappointing because she showed potential, which is why the other Knights believed in her. However, after Duela met her mother, Jane Doe, and shot her biological father, Harvey Dent, this gave fans the impression she enjoyed the chaotic lifestyle more. Gotham Knights' penultimate episode has confirmed which side she's chosen. Sadly, there's a major obstacle to overcome if she's to achieve her true destiny and compensate for her past.
Gotham Knights' Duela Dent Is Betrayed By Jane
It's a shame Gotham Knights has been canceled because the Knights' rivalry with the Court of Owls is only just heating up. The sinister leader, Rebecca, plays her trump card by getting her Talons to kill the incompetent Court. She baits the Knights in, has the cops arrest them, and then sends the Talons to kill everyone to cover the drama up. But when Duela sees the news and tries to go help her friends, her mother drugs her.
Jane knocks her daughter out, citing the bounty is too good to pass up. It's quite heartbreaking because Duela loves her mother, but still believes the Knights are her family. This bond with Jane she blindly believes in has failed. Jane is all too eager to betray her daughter for cash after failing to turn Turner into the authorities. Clearly, finances come before family in Jane's priority list, which is sure to sting a Duela, who made it clear to Turner her mother was a victim and ultimately, a good woman.
Gotham Knights Creates Duela's Ultimate Test
Duela's entire journey has been about self-discovery and identity. It's why she burned the Joker card and left Harvey for dead, not wanting toxic men to define her. Of course, Duela has no clue the Two-Face persona sired her, but nonetheless, she thought she could be free to forge her own path in life. But with Jane backstabbing her, Duela now has to treat her like a villain.
She'll have to take out her mother to max out her altruistic potential, becoming the Knight the others backed her to be. The problem is, she may have to kill the sociopathic Jane, who has no boundaries when it comes to earning cash. The problem is, if Duela inherits the mental fracture from Two-Face -- which Harvey got from his father -- this trauma could splinter her beyond repair. This may well create the Joker's Daughter from the comics, toggling between being a female Joker and a female Two-Face with her anarchy-loving disposition.
In addition, even if Duela takes Jane down and emerges of sound mind, time is running out. The Talons are closing in on the arrested Knights, plus Rebecca has a ton of resources and corrupt cops on the payroll. It leaves Duela having to rush to take care of family business, her own mental health, and rescuing her friends. In the process, she'll have to be as efficient as possible, which creates a personal mission that'll determine if she's truly cut out for this vigilante life. If she can indeed recover from the traitorous Jane after trying to find her mother for so long.
Gotham Knights' series finale airs Tuesday June 27 at 9 pm ET/PT on The CW.