As a longtime Batman enthusiast who’s seen more than his fair share of Gotham’s underbelly, I’ve been captivated by HBO’s The Penguin series. It’s rare to find a show that can toy with my emotions so masterfully, and “Top Hat” was no exception.
Warning: SPOILERS for The Penguin episode “Top Hat” are ahead!
As a gaming enthusiast, let me express how captivated I’ve been by HBO’s “The Penguin” this year. Though I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Season 2 announcements as we stride into the new year and the 2025 TV lineup, I can’t help but shower this series with praise. It’s been a while since a show has stirred my emotions as deeply, and that was particularly evident in the second-to-last episode.
In a somewhat paradoxical manner, I have a complex affection for “Top Hat.” It irks me fondly, and as we seem to be nearing the end of its tale, I felt it appropriate to voice some concerns before the final act.
I Love And Hate How The Penguin Reminded Us That Oswald Is A Bad Guy
In the movie “Top Hat”, The Penguin character delivered a gut punch to me, and his actions were strikingly reminiscent of Oswald Cobb’s character. This is because I was reminded of the dark side of Oswald’s past when I saw him feeling jealous of his siblings sharing their mother’s affection, leading him to abandon them in a sewer so he could enjoy a peaceful evening with his mother alone. On multiple occasions, it seemed evident that he was aware of the fate that awaited his brothers, yet he showed no concern whatsoever.
I regretted feeling compassionate towards Oswald, as he has consistently proven to be deceitful and treacherous in all live-action Batman movies and projects I’ve seen. While the portrayal of him hasn’t varied much across these shows, I believe it was because he was manipulating only villainous individuals that made me view his actions differently.
In “The Penguin,” the narrative skillfully evoked empathy and understanding towards Oswald, but also subtly reinforced his villainous nature. As we approach the finale, it seems both Oswald and Sofia are in store for a challenging climax. It’s unlikely that I’ll experience such easy sympathy for another Batman antagonist soon. If Sofia manages to exact her revenge on Oswald, I doubt I’ll feel any pity for him.
I Love And Hate That I Have No Idea How Sofia Will Get Even With Oswald
Sofia Gigante might not be The Hangman, but in “The Penguin,” she demonstrates a propensity for violence that’s hard to ignore. Her unexpected killing of Batman’s foe Magpie and some unpredictable behaviors throughout the series leave me guessing about how she’ll eventually retaliate against Oswald for imprisoning her at Arkham Asylum.
Initially, it seemed like she intended to murder Victor, but since he’s currently amassing troops for Oswald prior to the final episode, I don’t foresee her having a better opportunity than when she struck him with a tire iron. It appears Victor will make it through the finale unscathed. However, given that he’s a unique character not directly from DC comics, there’s a possibility he might be eliminated before the next Batman film.
I can’t help but feel a mix of affection and annoyance as we don’t know what Sofia is planning for the next episode, but I do have some guesses. It’s possible that Sofia might take Francis, Oswald’s mother, as her victim, but not before she exposes that it was her own son who murdered her other sons. Oz will witness the sadness on his mother’s face moments before she dies, creating a chilling memory he’ll have to carry with him for the rest of his life.
Initially, I believed Sofia might show mercy towards Francis, but I’m not sure her retaliation against Oswald would have as much effect if she found out about his secret. Given that Francis has dementia, there’s a possibility he wouldn’t remember even if told, and over time, forget the revelation altogether. Considering Oswald’s nature, he might be content with his mother forgetting about it and carry on living in denial, believing himself to be the favorite among siblings.
I Love That I Don’t Know Which Of These Two Villains Will Be More Relevant In The Batman: Part II
Initially, when “The Penguin” was introduced, I believed it would effectively enhance Oswald Cobblepot’s menacing image for the 2026 version of “The Batman Part II”. And indeed, that’s still valid as we observe his progression from a Falcone family associate to constructing his own criminal empire dealing in Drops and joining forces with Gotham’s lower-tier gangs. It appears he’ll hold a stronger influence in Gotham’s underworld compared to the first film, and it’s not just him; others are also making significant strides.
In Gotham, the powerful crime dynasties have fallen apart, and Sofia Gigante is now stepping into the role of continuing traditional criminal activities within the city. As for the conclusion of the show, it remains uncertain how things will unfold for her, but there’s no shortage of speculation that Cristina Milioti’s character might play a significant role in Robert Pattinson’s upcoming Batman film.
Of course, we still have no idea precisely what The Batman Part II will be about. TopMob’s Mike Reyes has his own theories about who the sequel’s main villain will be, and he thinks The Penguin actually hinted at it. There are also a good deal of iconic Batman rogues who fans would love to see this iteration of The Dark Knight tussle with, so who knows how relevant either villain from The Penguin will be by the time this movie rolls around?
Don’t miss the final episode of “The Penguin” airing on HBO this Sunday, November 10th at 9:00 p.m. ET. A little voice inside me whispers that there might be a big twist in store towards the end of this episode, though I try not to let my expectations run wild. Maybe we’ll finally discover where Batman has been throughout this series. It would be delightful if we did, but even without it, I’d still enjoy the show.
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2024-11-07 22:07