Gotham: 10 BEST Changes To The Comics
2. Theo Galavan ( Azrael)
The nefarious Theo Galavan and his path to becoming Azrael is arguably one of the biggest changes from the comics to the show. First of all, Theo Galavan is essentially an original character to the show, only borrowing certain aspects of Jean-Paul Valley (the comic book Azrael), such as his allegiance to the Order of St. Dumas.
Secondly, Galavan is not as morally grey as Valley, substituting an any-means-necessary attitude to dealing with crime for a cunning scheme to present himself as a hero, while secretly supplying the criminals he stops.
Galavan's scheme isn't really that unique, and the basic outline of his scheme is used by many criminals in literature. Fortunately, the deception of his contrived "Maniax" group is only the tip of the iceberg. Galavan comes into his own when running and being elected as mayor of Gotham, coercing the Penguin - by holding his mother hostage - into eliminating his opponents. Theo Galavan cements his legacy in the moulding of The Penguin, with the eventual loss of the latter's mother shaping his dedication to ruling Gotham with nothing else to lose.
Even after being resurrected as Azrael, Galavan persists as one of the series' most devastating foes, trading a suit in for an armoured cloak and an unlimited supply of blades. The true beauty of Azrael is that he never overstays his welcome and goes out with a bang.