Warning! This post contains SPOILERs for The PenguinWith just four words,The Penguinconfirmed one of the worst things a Batman villain has ever done. As seen in the newDCshow, Colin Farrell’s Oz Cobb is willing to do whatever it takes to become the next kingpin of Gotham City. While this involves several cruel and truly heinous acts throughout the show, one, in particular, is notably evil on multiple levels.
Set in the immediate aftermath of 2022’sThe Batman,The Penguinsees Oz Cobb rising through Gotham’s underworld, removing his rivals and any obstacles in his path. To that end, The Penguin does plenty of things in his spin-off show that are quite despicable and horrific in his mission to be on top.However, the worst thing Oz Cobb does by far is one of his last, as seen inThe Penguinepisode 8, and was motivated by just four words.
The Penguin Made Oz Cobb One Of The Greatest Ever DC Villains
Possessing Great (And Incredibly Dark) Ambition
DC’sThe Penguinsees Oz Cobb taking advantage of thepower vacuum created in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s death, the head of Gotham’s largest and most powerful crime family. Joined by his new right-hand man, Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), the duo takes on Carmine’s daughter Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) as well as Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown).Having removed his rivals and unified Gotham’s gangs under his leadership, the gradual rise of Oz Cobb in Gotham’s underworld is quite impressive.
“The worst thing Penguin does surprisingly comes after he wins, having already killed Salvatore Maroni and sending Sofia back to Arkham State Hospital…”
However, Penguin getting everything he wanted by the show’s end wasn’t without its costs. He made some truly dark decisions along the way, like betraying those whom he’d convinced had his loyalty, and even burning alive those who opposed him.However, the worst thing Penguin does surprisingly comes after he wins, having already killed Salvatore Maroni and sending Sofia back to Arkham State Hospital.
Victor’s Death Is Easily One Of The Most Brutal Things DC Has Ever Done
Extremely Shocking (And So Personally Evil)
Tragically,Oz elects to strangle Victor Aguilar in the final scenes ofThe Penguin’sfinale. Having received everything he’d ever wanted, one would have thought Oz would keep Victor around. After all, Penguin wouldn’t have made it half as far as he did without Victor being there to save his life, keeping his mother safe, as well as being a key confidant. Likewise,Victor wouldn’t have been involved at all had Penguin not taken the young man under his wing, mentoring him to the point that it was Victor’s idea to ally with all the deputies of the Gotham gangs, offering them the chance to rule themselves after betraying the former gang leaders who were part of Gotham’s old regime/hierarchy.
The Penguin Episode 8: 10 Easter Eggs & DC References
The Penguin episode 8 is a major DC finale with key Easter eggs and references to the comics, 2022’s The Batman, and the upcoming sequel.
While he strangles Aguilar, Penguin claims that killing Victor is motivated by his desire to eliminate weakness now that he’s on top. However, this only serves to make Victor’s death even more awful becauseOz is still keeping points of weakness close to him: his comatose mother and his girlfriend Eve. Likewise, Oz has no idea that Eve sold him out to Sofia in earlier episodes ofThe Penguin, a secret betrayal that led to Oz’s mother being kidnapped, the truth about killing his brothers finally coming out, and his mother’s resulting stroke.
Victor’s Last Speech Makes Oz’s Crime Worse
“You’re Family To Me”
Tragically, it’s also worth noting that Penguin doesn’t kill Victor until after the young man tells Oz that he’s family to him.This is what makes Victor a weakness in Penguin’s eyes, as he’s someone who could potentially be used against him in the future. As Cobb himself says while killing the only one who’d been by his side since the very beginning:“That’s the thing about family. It’s your strength. It drives you. But f*** if it don’t make ya weak too. And I can’t have that no more.”
Oz also apologizes to Victor while he shockingly kills him inThe Penguin’sfinale, telling him that he’s a good man with a good heart (which only serves to make Oz’s murder even more evil and truly disturbing).There are plenty of horrible things that Batman villains have done on-screen. However,Penguin killing Victor undoubtedly ranks very high due to how personally dark and evil it is, while also serving as one of the show’s biggest twists and shocks.
The Penguin
Cast
Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022’s film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family’s empire.
