Macall Polay/HBO
Warning, spoilers ahead! This piece will delve into key plot twists from the season finale of “The Penguin.”
After the dust has settled and the waters have receded, Oswald Cobb’s ambitious Penguin finds himself precisely where we predicted post his final scene in “The Batman” — with a clear path to ruling the city’s criminal underworld. HBO’s “The Penguin,” an eight-episode series, added depth and nuance to the character of Oswald Cobb, played by Colin Farrell, transforming the previously one-dimensional mobster into a complex character. The series provided viewers with a character study of how an overly ambitious mama’s boy morphed into a man hell-bent on proving everyone wrong through his bloody rise to power. Yet, for those who only watch the original movie and the planned sequel, “The Penguin” offers something far more intriguing.
With a captivating finale, the series proves that DC has managed to outperform Marvel in their own arena. Over the years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been pushing the #ItsAllConnected narrative, making its Disney+ shows essential viewing to make sense of the movies’ plot. However, instead of following this strategy, the creators of “The Penguin” resisted including major plot twists or reveals that would impact the larger story. The result is a refined representation of a shared universe, as seen in “The Batman” and “The Penguin.”
“The Penguin” strikes a perfect balance — it is essential viewing for anyone invested in Oz Cobb’s emotional journey, and yet, it can be skipped by anyone who prefers to stick to the movies. This proves that DC has managed to beat Marvel at their own game.
The Penguin’s Triumph over MCU’s Biggest Flaw
Marvel Studios
When the next installment of Robert Pattinson’s masked vigilante, “The Batman: Part II,” finally hits the theaters after its recent delay, you know what will be the most refreshing aspect? It’s the fact that the only pre-requisite to understanding the plot will be having watched 2022’s “The Batman.” It might seem like a no-brainer, but this hasn’t been Hollywood’s standard approach to superhero sequels in recent times. When “The Marvels” was released last year to lukewarm reviews, part of the reason was the plot’s reliance on viewers having watched 2019’s “Captain Marvel” and the Disney+ series “Ms. Marvel.” When “Thunderbolts*” is released next year, viewers will need to have seen “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” “Black Widow,” “Hawkeye,” and various “Avengers” movies.
Fortunately, “The Penguin” adopts a completely different approach. Granted, the DC spinoff series didn’t come with headline-grabbing plot developments that hyped up its importance to viewers. Instead, HBO focused on the existing interest among fans who enjoyed Farrell’s portrayal of the Penguin and naturally wanted to see more of it. Similarly, the writers focused on developing the character, rather than establishing numerous links with “The Batman: Part II” through the plot. The results are self-evident.
The Character-Driven Approach of The Penguin
Macall Polay/HBO
Some readers may dispute the main argument of this article, pointing out that “The Penguin” includes multiple significant events and introduces several pivotal characters that will undoubtedly be mentioned in “The Batman: Part II.” To some extent, this is true. After all, Gotham has just weathered a brutal gang war that destroyed a neighborhood, decimated the Maroni and Falcone crime families, and introduced significant characters like rival Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) and Oz’s Robin-esque sidekick Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz). It would be odd if these events were not referred to in the next “The Batman” sequel, right?
Not necessarily. A detailed examination of the events in “The Penguin” reveals that the overall plot ends exactly where “The Batman” concluded, with no further explanation required. In broad terms, the only “significant” event that occurred throughout the series was Oz stepping up to fill the power void left by Carmine Falcone’s death (John Turturro). Everything else, from Oz’s Oedipal relationship with his mother Francis (Deirdre O’Connell) and the murder of his brothers to his rivalry with Sofia and his mentoring of young Vic, merely serves as background details pushing the Penguin from the mere henchman he was in “The Batman” to the crime lord he will likely be in “Part II.”
However, these tiny details were what made this season so enthralling and worthwhile. For viewers who invested their time and effort into this series, they were treated to some of the best character development that Marvel or DC has ever produced. And when Oz reappears, as ruthless and powerful as ever, we’ll be able to appreciate every detail and every tragic decision (like his cold-blooded murder of poor Vic) that shaped his character. Yet, the beauty of it all is that casual viewers won’t feel like they’re missing out on anything. Like Oswald Cobb himself, underestimate “The Penguin” at your peril.
All episodes of “The Penguin” are now available on Max.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
