“ | I'm a businessman. You can't have organized crime without law and order. | „ |
~ Falcone's most famous line |
“ | Men who are about to die are very honest. You should listen to them. | „ |
~ Falcone giving Jim Gordon advice |
Carmine Falcone is a recurring character in the television series Gotham, in which he appears as a major antagonist in the first season, reappearing in the later seasons as a supporting character. He is the show's incarnation of the DC comics character Carmine Falcone. He is the father of Mario Calvi and Sofia Falcone and a unnamed son (the show's version of Alberto Falcone).
Having been the driving criminal power in Gotham for several years, Falcone's reign is eventually contested by younger men, primarily Salvatore Maroni. In addition, traitors in Falcone's organization, like Oswald Cobblepot and Fish Mooney, are after his position as well. Although Falcone survives the power struggle, which Penguin eventually wins, Falcone retires for good from his criminal life - although temporarily resurfacing for revenge after Jim Gordon kills his son Mario. However, Falcone eventually calls off the feud and leaves the city for Miami, having been diagnosed with a deadly sickness.
He was portrayed by John Doman.
Biography[]
Control slipping[]
During their investigation of Thomas and Martha Wayne's murder, GCPD detectives Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock consistently come at crossroads with Fish Mooney, who orders their execution when Gordon blames her for framing an innocent man, Mario Pepper, as the Waynes' murderer to quickly close the case. As Mooney's gang are about to kill Gordon and Bullock in her isolated plant, Falcone arrives with his men, gunning down Mooney's men while saving the two detectives. While confronting her right-hand man, Butch Gilzean, Falcone orders him to remind Mooney that she would need his permission if she wants to kill policemen in the future.
Meeting James Gordon[]
After the rescue, Falcone credits his friendship to Gordon's father - a former district attorney in Gotham City who knew how to manage the criminal element by working with Falcone - as the reason why he saved him and Bullock, and explains how "Gotham is on a knife edge." Falcone informs Gordon that Mario Pepper was framed for the Waynes' murder because the city needed to see swift justice done, ending their conversation by saying that there cannot be "organized crime without law and order.” Later, he orders Bullock to make sure that Gordon kills Oswald Cobblepot (Mooney's lackey, who had snitched on her) as a test of loyalty, and to be a "part of the program." While faking Cobblepot's murder, Gordon learns from him that Falcone's power is slipping, to the point where his rivals and even his subordinates like Mooney are about to rise up in a mob war. Unknown to Bullock and Falcone, Gordon defied his orders and faked his murder, and because of this Gotham will now get itself thrown into a crime war between Falcone and everyone else.
Falcone later makes a visit to Mooney's nightclub, where he reveals to Mooney that Cobblepot told him about her plans to take over the control of the mob from him. After Mooney denies saying so, Falcone seemingly forgives her. However, this was a ruse as Falcone slyly extorts the identity from Mooney about her latest lover, a waiter in her club named Lazlo, and has him beaten by his men as a means of showing Mooney her place. After Falcone leaves, Mooney plans to bide her time until she has enough power to take him on.
Falcone visits his main rival Salvatore Maroni at his restaurant. He later visits Mooney at her restaurant to make sure there are no hard feelings while mentioning that his comare (mistress) Natalia had an accident in the mugging. Falcone vows to find the person responsible and the ones who helped him.
Mob War[]
It is revealed that Falcone is backing the Wayne plan for the Arkham District that Mayor Aubrey James is endorsing. When Maroni's restaurant is attacked, Maroni claims that Falcone's men are responsible. After James' plans for the Arkham District are announced, Gordon mentions to Bruce that Falcone will control the small housing development while Maroni will handle the refurbishment of Arkham Asylum.
Maroni plans to rob a casino that is owned by Falcone's family. Later Falcone meets with the mob leaders on his side, including Mooney and a Russian mob boss named Nikolai. Falcone discusses with them about what to do with Maroni. A disguised Liza later visits Falcone in the park where she hums, and then shares, the aria "O Mio Babbino Caro" with him.
Alliance with Penguin[]
After finding out that Cobblepot is alive, Mooney meets with Falcone telling him to kill Gordon. Falcone sends hitman Victor Zsasz to kill Gordon. Later in the episode, Gordon and Bullock apprehend James and use him to get to Falcone in order to bring him in. Falcone anticipated this and revealed that he has Zsasz keeping an eye on Gordon's ex-girlfriend Barbara Kean, who had returned to Gotham in an attempt to talk Falcone into sparing Gordon. Desperate to save Barbara, Gordon and Bullock to give up their plan so that Falcone will let her go.
Around the final moments of the episode, it is revealed that Cobblepot is working for Falcone. A flashback reveals that the night that they had met Gordon, Cobblepot and Falcone formed a deal that Falcone would place Gordon in charge of killing him, since he knew that Gordon would spare him. In exchange, Cobblepot would infiltrate Maroni's gang as Falcone's spy, and tells him that Mooney and Nikolai are conspiring against him. After the flashback, Falcone tells Cobblepot that everything is going as planned. However, he has reservations about sparing Gordon, though Cobblepot assures him that in time, "he'll see the light.".
Murdering Liza[]
Falcone receives a phone call that his housekeeper Liza has been "kidnapped", which scares Falcone has he cares deeply for her as she reminds him of her mother. He deduces that the "kidnapper" is Fish Mooney, but agrees to sign over all power to her so he can get back Liza and finally retire from a life of crime. When Cobblepot finds out about it, he informs Falcone that Liza is actually a mole working for Mooney. Falcone is hesitant due to Cobblepot's hatred of Mooney, but when confronting the two at Fish's nightclub he realises Cobblepot is lying by their facial expressions and strangles Liza to death, much to his dismay. Falcone then orders Victor Zsasz and his associates to take Fish and her right-hand man Butch Gilzean away and deal with them and compliments Cobblepot on being right and later lets him have Fish's club. However Mooney and Gilzean escape capture to exact revenge against Cobblepot, only for Gilzean to get captured again by Zsasz, although he manages to help Fish escape. Before she leaves Gotham, she informs Maroni on Cobblepot's alliance with Falcone.
After Cobblepot attempts to betray him, Maroni approaches Falcone and wants to kill Cobblepot. Falcone makes a deal for Maroni to spare Cobblepot's life, and instead gives him a corrupt judge for them both to torture and kill. Maroni agrees, although he confronts Cobblepot later on and assures him that when Falcone dies, he is going to kill him.
Retirement[]
Unknown to Falcone, Cobblepot is planning to betray and kill him in order to take over his criminal empire. Cobblepot initiates a full-blown mob war when he sends an assassin to kill Maroni and making him think Falcone is behind it. He has one of his own assassins fire a rocket launcher at Falcone, injuring him.
Falcone wakes up strapped to a table. Cobblepot and a brainwashed Gilzean arrive, with Cobblepot revealing to Falcone his plans and prepares to kill him, only for Gordon to arrive and rescue him.
Captured[]
Gordon wants to keep Falcone alive in order to bring stability to Gotham and prevent Maroni from coming into power. Falcone, Gordon, Cobblepot, Gilzean, and Bullock managed to escape the hospital to a warehouse, only to find Mooney alive with her own crew. She has them captured and reveals she has allied with Maroni. But when Maroni makes sexist remarks and refers to Fish as his "Number 2", she flies into a rage and shoots him in the end, which provokes a shootout between the two gangs.
Falcone, Gordon and Bullock escape, only to be recaptured by Mooney's minion Selina Kyle. Falcone makes it clear she has won and intends to leave. Before Mooney can do anything, however, Cobblepot fires upon them and ultimately kills her. Gordon and Bullock escapes with Falcone and they head to Barbara's apartment, where they find her being knocked out by Gordon's girlfriend Leslie Thompkins after Barbara had tried to kill her.
Once everything is over, Falcone says goodbye to Gordon and leaves Gotham. After Falcone's retirement, Cobblepot takes over his empire and becomes the self proclaimed "King of Gotham".
Approached by Bullock[]
After Gordon has been framed for murder by Edward Nygma, Bullock tries to get him out of prison but to no avail. At his wits end, Bullock meets with Falcone in a diner and asks for help. Together with Falcone's men, Bullock stages an attack on Gordon during movie night in the cinema. After Gordon supposedly died, he is brought out of prison in an ambulance.
On a bridge outside the city, Gordon's car stops and he meets Falcone, thanking him for his freedom. Falcone claims that he was glad to help an old friend and offers him to either set him up with a safe place in Gotham or to bring him out of the country. To clear his name, Gordon chooses to return to Gotham.
Mario's engagement[]
It is revealed that Falcone has a son named Mario Calvi, an emergency room doctor who who has nothing to do with his father's business. Mario gets engaged to Leslie Thompkins, and the couple eventually returns to Gotham City. Leslie is unaware of Mario's ties to the Falcone family, until he brings her on a dinner date to meet his father, and she is shocked to see it is Falcone. Leslie tells Falcone that she has moved on from Gordon, and he toasts to their relationship.
The engagement is reported in the papers, and Falcone begins to organise a party to celebrate.
Falcone Funeral[]
Moments before the wedding, Gordon approaches Leslie and tells her that he still loves her, also claiming that Mario is affected by the insanity inducing virus created by Jervis Tetch. Lee does not believe him, and accuses him of trying to break up her marriage so he can have her for himself. She asks Falcone to take care of the problem, and he agrees,
Eventually, Gordon approaches Falcone and tells him that Mario is infected with the Tetch virus. Gordon wants to know where Mario and Leslie are located as he fears for Leslie's life. Falcone is unwilling to betray his own son but eventually gives in. However, before he tells Gordon where the two are, he makes Gordon promise that he will not hurt Mario. Despite his promise, Gordon is forced to kill Mario when he attacks Leslie.
After attending Mario's funeral, Falcone sends Zsasz to kill Gordon. Although Leslie supports this at first, she later urges Falcone to call off the hit. Falcone grudgingly agrees and heads to Gordon's apartment, where he resolves a standoff between Zsasz and Gordon. After Zsasz is gone, Gordon tries to explain Mario's death to Falcone, but Falcone coldly claims that, were it up to him, Gordon would be dead.
The Court of Owls[]
After learning that the mysterious Court of Owls killed his father, Gordon visits Falcone, who paid off the lawyer when it happened. Falcone claims that Gordon has some nerve showing up as he killed Falcone's son but Gordon replies that Falcone killed his father and that they seem to be even. After Gordon reveals what he knows, Falcone orders his men to leave the room. He reveals that the Court of Owls ordered him to do what he did. Falcone reveals that while he is not a member of the Court, he has a partnership with them and does their bidding. Ultimately, he reveals that the man who came to Falcone to order the hit on Gordon's father was none other than Frank Gordon - Gordon's uncle. After Gordon has left his home, Carmine calls Court leader Kathryn Monroe and informs her that Gordon is investigating them.
Living in Miami[]
After Cobblepot takes over Gotham, Gordon travels to Miami in order to convince Falcone to return. Arriving at Falcone's mansion, Gordon asks him for help taking down Cobblepot, before meeting the Don's daughter Sofia. Falcone refuses James' request and reveals that he is dying. Sofia offers to go to Gotham in Falcone's stead, but he forbids it, claiming that she is not ready.
Despite Falcone's best efforts, Sofia heads to Gotham anyhow in order to help Gordon defeat Gotham City and to rebuild her father's criminal empire.
Assassination[]
Falcone then returns to Gotham to prevent a gang war between Cobblepot, Sofia, and the GCPD. It is revealed that Cobblepot called Falcone and informed him that Sofia was going to lose, and Falcone tells Sofia that she has brought shame on the Falcone name. When they are about to leave Falcone's home, Gordon arrives to see Sofia, only to be surprised that Falcone is leaving with her. As they are leaving, a black van drives by and a sniper opens fire, injuring Sofia and killing Falcone. It is revealed at the end of the episode that Sofia herself ordered the hit, desiring her father's empire for herself.
Personality[]
Falcone is the most powerful crime lord in Gotham City. He is an old-fashioned, conservative gangster, with a firm belief in respect, integrity, and honor. He has ruled Gotham City for several decades, managing to keep the crime mostly under control. However, now getting on in his years, Falcone can sense his control slipping, as Gotham begins to edge closer and closer to anarchy. Falcone has to deal with up-and-coming mob boss Salvatore Maroni and with his own traitorous and dishonest caporegimes, such as Fish Mooney, trying to usurp his position as Don.
External Links[]
- Carmine Falcone at the Villains Wiki
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