John is once again a free man, but as he seizes the opportunity to recreate himself, the risk of being re-incarcerated looms in his mind. Meanwhile, Bruce splits his time between keeping an eye on John and dealing with an uptick in crime, and both have him struggling to reconcile his longings with his fears. Inevitably, both men will be caught up in the plans of a Gothamite who revives the idea that the only way to fix the city's disorder is by taking control.