‘Gotham’ Season 4 Spoilers: What Made Professor Pyg Go Against The GCPD?

Professor Pyg (Michael Cerveris) is not an easy villain to catch, and even Detective Jim Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie) smarts and relentless approach to the job are not enough to take him down.

But what made Pyg so antagonistic towards the Gotham City Police District (GCPD)? A lot of people don’t like law enforcement, but Pyg has taken things to the next level by capturing, torturing and killing them before putting severed pigs’ heads on top of their own.

During an interview with Collider, Cerveris said that Pyg’s motive will be revealed in the upcoming episodes.

“It’s clear that there’s a deep and painful history for him in Gotham. There was that line in the first episode, ‘Hog Day Afternoon,’ where he says, ‘I’ve suffered greatly at the hands of the Gotham elites,’ or something like that, so you know that he’s had a troubled past, as far as the city, the people and Gotham. Why it’s happening right now, I think is a combination of opportunity and access that comes his way, as we will learn in the next few weeks,” he said.

Cerveris added that Pyg has a good grasp of self, although he might not be comfortable about who he is. Because of this, Pyg resorts to drama and showmanship. “There’s definitely a past and an original self that he doesn’t want anybody to know, doesn’t want anybody to know about, and doesn’t want to acknowledge, if he doesn’t have to,” he continued.

Meanwhile, executive producer John Stephens told USA Today that Pyg’s plan will change “episode by episode.” But for now, he is creating “the fantastic, weird buddy movie” with Gordon - someone he views as an ally.

“He is almost looking at Gordon as an ally, like ‘I’m on your side, Jim.’ And Jim is saying, ‘No, you’re actually a sociopath.’ So it works in many ways as a seduction on Pyg’s part as he tries to pull (Jim) in,” said Stephens.

In the comic books, Pyg also goes by the name Lazlo Valentin. He wears a pig mask and is the leader of the Circus of Strange, according to TV Line. He has a small army of “Dollotrons,” comprised of victims who wears doll-like masks.

“Gotham” Season 4 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. EDT on Fox.