The entire Gotham series was built around the idea of young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) growing into the role of Batman as he got older. In the fifth and final season of the series, that future is going to become a reality.

When Gotham was renewed for its final season, ahead of last week's finale, it was reported that the last installment would feature Bruce's transition into the Caped Crusader. We decided to go straight to the source about these developments, and asked executive producer John Stephens what sort of Bat-like future was in store for Bruce next season.

"You know, I think what we're gonna see, and again I don't wanna like spoil anything for fans who are never gonna get to watch it," Stephens responded. "We are gonna get to see him make the final steps you know? We are not gonna leave anything on the table or whatever the phrase is. We're gonna put it all on the table, take it off of the table, yeah. I mean there are not going to be any steps for Bruce Wayne to take to becoming Batman that don't get taken this season. We're gonna see him go all the way."

Additionally, Stephens peeled back the curtain on the mysterious final season, opening up about the journey Bruce will embark on as No Man's Land continues.

"No Man's Land doesn't necessarily change all that much for us," the EP told us. "Honestly we've done so many of the big signifiers it's like changed our Bruce on his journey you know? That for our point of view, through the final steps that Bruce is gonna take before he really sets off on his journey to become Batman are much more emotional steps than are plot steps, if that makes sense. So, in a weird way we could have told a variety of different stories to cause the emotional triggers that we need finally for Bruce before he takes his last steps to become the Dark Knight and in a weird way it's hitting at the right moment. Just for us, whenever you tell these stories that involve a teenage character, whether it's Batman, or I mean it's Bruce Wayne or it's somebody else, you're telling a coming of age story.

"You know? And so, David [Mazouz] and Bruce are both 18 this year and that's really that last cusp age when someone is stepping from being a boy to a man. And so all those things that a young man would be going through at that time, searching for his independence, carving out the idea of his identity, those questions of when he's gonna leave home again for the first time you know? All those things we could almost dramatize and tell those stories in a variety of different plot ways. And No Man's Land actually provides a really nice crucible for us to put Bruce under a great deal of stress so he has to make those choices."

An official premiere date for the final, shortened season of Gotham has yet to be revealed, but it likely won't return until early 2019.

Are you excited for Bruce to finally make his transition into Batman on Gotham? Let us know in the comments!