Who deserves judgment? The ghosts of the village that was, or the city that is? Eda Gotham? 
- — Ikkondrid the Corpse
Gotham by Midnight #5 is an issue of the series Gotham by Midnight (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 2015. It was published on March 25, 2015.
Synopsis for "Judgment on Gotham"
Gotham City is now under threat by something far more dangerous than any of Arkham Asylum's inmates. The spiritual embodiment of all of the genocide that occurred in Gotham's history seeks judgment against the city, and The Spectre stands ready to mete that judgment out. All that remains to be seen is what the spirit of divine judgment decides.
Coming at Det. Jim Corrigan's call, Lisa Drake and Dr. Szandor Tarr find him unresponsive after having released the Spectre from within. Nearby, Sgt. Rook of internal affairs has long since collapsed, and Dr. Tarr discovers that his heart has stopped, requiring immediate action.
Jim, meanwhile, can see though the Spectre's eyes. He can hear the Spectre's thoughts. He knows that the spirit thinks he is weak and stupid. Pushing through that, he tries to get a handle on what's happening high above the city. The Spectre declares that the monstrous spirit must be destroyed for unleashing horrors upon the living. The creature pleads its case, explaining that it is Ikkondrid, the spiritual embodiment of the village that was ravaged and destroyed in order that Gotham could be built.
Sister Justine and Lt. Weaver soon arrive with the intention of shooting Jim dead in order to prevent the Spectre from acting. Angrily, Dr. Tarr wonders how Weaver could have kept the secret Jim was hiding from them. Unwilling to let Weaver kill him, Lisa lets out a scream.
Above the city, Batman tries in vain to blow up the monstrous Ikkondrid, and finds himself attacked instead.
Lisa's shrill scream causes Weaver to relinquish his gun, and he gives up his initial plan. Instead, he tries to get through to Jim on a conscious level, trying to convince him to reign in the Spectre's power and prevent the very likely judgment against Gotham City. Lisa, though, is aware that her scream is part of her supernatural ability. When she screams like that, someone is destined to die. Frustrated that his attempts aren't working, Weaver begs her to give him the gun back so he can kill Corrigan and stop the Spectre.
Ikkondrid explains how the children of thye village were stolen away, and the language of their ancestors was beaten from them. They were sickened with disease and poisons, murdered in the night. The spirit challenges the Spectre to determine who deserves judgment - the ghosts of the village that was, or the city that was built on that village's back. The Spectre admits that only evil should be punished.
Worriedly, Lisa turns the gun on herself as Sister Justine prays to God for mercy on Gotham. Dr. Tarr tries harder to get through to Corrigan, wondering if the people of Gotham City are guilty for the sins of their fathers.
The Spectree turns its eyes to heaven and every living human falls to their knees as the city goes silent as the sound is replaced by The Voice. Jim looks on through the Spectre's eyes with wonder, as Ikkondrid turns away and returns to Slaughter Swamp. He senses that despite a sense of resolution, nothing was forgiven.
Despite the end of the apparent conflict, Lisa is still manic, knowing that somebody has to die as a result of her scream.
Jim senses, as Ikkondrid voluntarily dismantles itself, that it is not satisfied. All he can get from the Spectre is that humanity must remember the innocents who were sacrificed on their behalves. When Jim recovers, he finds that the others have already discovered Sister Justine's body. She sacrificed herself for Gotham's sins. For the time being, the city is safe, but it paid a dear price for that safety.
Appearing in "Judgment on Gotham"
Featured Characters:
- Midnight Shift
- Det. Jim Corrigan
- Det. Lisa Drake
- ** Lt. Weaver
- Dr. Szandor Tarr
- Sister Justine (Dies)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Spectre
- Ikkondrid the Corpse
Other Characters:
- Sgt. Rook
- The Voice
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
See Also