'Gotham' season 3 spoilers: the first Batman vs. The Joker encounter to unfold in winter finale

The preview of Batman and The Joker's lifelong clash with each other will be seen in the upcoming winter finale of "Gotham" season 3.

Jerome Valeska (Cameron Monaghan) returned from the dead in the previous episode of DC Comics-inspired crime drama with a blast. He managed to cause a major blackout in the city when he came back from the grave, and it seems like he is prepared to cause more problems in the upcoming episode as the rumored early version of The Joker.

Based on the trailer for the episode titled "Mad City: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies," Jerome and the young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) will have their first face-to-face encounter at the carnival. The two will eventually end up in a room full of mirrors, where Jerome will be seen pointing a weapon toward the young billionaire.

It can be noticed that Jerome is wearing a colorful suit, which could remind Batman fans of the classic appearance of The Joker. This means that his transformation as the future Clown Prince of Crime could soon begin to unfold.

Comic Book released the synopsis for the upcoming episode, which reads: "With Jerome on the loose with one target in mind, Bruce and Alfred's (Sean Pertwee) safety is compromised. Meanwhile, Gordon's (Ben McKenzie) uncle Frank (guest star James Remar) pays him a visit, and Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) and Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) are forced to confront their issues face-to-face, with possible deadly consequences."

On the other hand, the series of still photos from the upcoming episode that was released by FOX and posted on Movie Pilot showed that Gordon will try to pacify the chaos in the carnival. But he needs to act fast in order to protect Bruce and the rest of the Gotham residents from further harm.

FOX will air the winter finale of "Gotham" season 3 on Monday, Jan. 30.