Sept. 21 is just a few short weeks away, and the premiere of "Gotham" is in arm's reach.

In anticipation of the upcoming season, FOX has released 14 images of some of the series key characters, just in time to spark conversation about what's next.

Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie), Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) and several other characters appeared in the images ahead of the second season. Also, while Edward Nigma (Cory Michael Smith) and Jerome (Cameron Monaghan) were noticeably absent from the promo photos released, newcomers Theo Galavan (James Frain), Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) and Nathaniel Barnes (Michael Chiklis) are represented in the recently released images.

The sophomore season of the dark Batman origin tale will draw out an array of recognizable villains, and fans will learn details about their beginnings. Drew Powell, the actor who portrayed 'Butch' Gilzean, the right hand man of Fish Mooney, will return during the second season with a larger role. The second time around, Butch will serve as Penguin's number two, and he will blossom as an independent criminal.

"Well, when we left Butch, he was a quivering mess on the rooftop, with really nobody left but Penguin. When we open season two, he'll be with Penguin, Victor Zsazz's conditioning still intact. The interesting stuff is what happens from there, which I can't tell you much about," Powell told Comicbook during an interview that investigated Butch's future on "Gotham." "But I can tell you, some interesting stuff is going down. You know, they're calling this season the "rise of the villains," and it sure is! It's really neat how they've pushed the meter even further in terms of the darkness and villainy that's happening."

Additionally, Powell said that the new season of the series has proven to be "a heck of a ride already." According the actor, every episode recorded thus far has been pedal to the metal. Gotham will be flooded with career villains, who mean only to create chaos and destruction, in an effort to destroy the city to prepare to rebuild. Theo Galavan's new character will be at the forefront of the chaos, perfecting the role of maestro.

"Gotham" will air Monday evenings on FOX.

Related