In the gripping universe of The Penguin, the tension continues to rise as relationships become strained and secrets are revealed.
In the previous episode, Oz Cobb, portrayed by Colin Farrell, successfully gathers many of Gotham’s gang leaders to unite against the newly merged Gigante/Maroni crime family.
This critical move sets the stage for an intense power struggle in the criminal underworld, highlighting Oz’s ambitious nature and the stakes involved in maintaining his status.
Meanwhile, Vic, played by Rhenzy Feliz, finds himself in a perilous situation as he confronts Squid, a local drug dealer from Crown Point.
The situation escalates when Squid threatens to inform Sofia, played by Cristin Milioti, and Sal, portrayed by Clancy Brown, about Vic’s whereabouts.
Faced with this dire threat, Vic takes drastic measures and ends up shooting Squid, marking a turning point in his character arc.
At the same time, we witness a heartbreaking storyline unfold as Oz’s mother, Francis, played by Deirdre O’Connell, battles the effects of worsening dementia.
Her condition is deteriorating, and she approaches her son with a heavy request. Francis asks Oz to end her life when she can no longer bear the burden of living in a vegetative state.
This moment emphasizes the emotional weight that Oz carries, illustrating his deep love for his mother and the painful reality of watching her decline.
The request adds complexity to Oz’s character, as he grapples with moral dilemmas while trying to overcome the treacherous waters of his criminal life.
As the plot thickens, Sofia intensifies her search for Oz. She interrogates Eve Karlo, Oz’s lover, played by Carmen Ejogo, in an effort to discover his hiding place.
The tension mounts when the episode concludes with power being restored to Oz’s apartment, allowing Vic and Francis to dance in celebration, unaware that Sofia has already infiltrated the space, preparing to strike.
This cliffhanger sets the stage for the upcoming episode, titled “Top Hat,” which serves as the penultimate installment of The Penguin.
In this episode, Oz reflects on a devastating memory from his childhood, providing deeper insight into his character and motivations.
The episode opens with a lengthy flashback that introduces a young Oz, portrayed by Ryder Allen. In this flashback, we see Oz pestering his mother, Francis, played by Emily Meade, as she attempts to manage her tax responsibilities.
The dynamic between Oz and his mother is both playful and tense, illustrating their close bond but also the challenges they face.
The atmosphere shifts dramatically when Oz’s two brothers, Jack (Owen Asztalos) and Benny (Nico Tirozzi), burst into the room, acting like zombies. Initially, Francis pretends to be annoyed by their antics but quickly succumbs to their playful spirit, joining in their game.
However, Oz sits at the table, visibly jealous of the attention and affection his brothers receive from their mother. This moment captures the essence of sibling rivalry and the longing for parental approval that resonates deeply with viewers.
As the scene unfolds, Francis sends her sons outside and gives Jack a book to deliver to Rex Calabrese, portrayed by Louis Cancelmi.
The three brothers head to a corner store, where they witness Rex and his gang brutally attacking a man. In a moment of misguided bravado, Oz calls out to the gangster, who recognizes Jack and beckons him over.
This interaction reveals Oz’s deep-seated jealousy, as he watches Jack bask in the attention from someone he idolizes. The complexity of Oz’s emotions becomes evident as he grapples with feelings of envy and a desire for recognition.
As the rain begins to fall, the three brothers decide to play flashlight tag at an abandoned trolley station. Oz is instructed to turn around and count to ten while his brothers hide.
This game takes a dark turn when Oz, searching through the station, picks up a token and hears his brothers hiding in an overflow tunnel.
Frustrated by his inability to join them due to his deformed foot, Oz reacts out of anger and locks the door, sealing them inside. This moment marks a pivotal point in the storyline, showcasing Oz’s complex psychology and foreshadowing the tragic events that will follow.
Hours later, as the rain continues to pour, we learn the devastating outcome of Oz’s actions: Jack and Benny have drowned in the overflow tunnel. This tragedy casts a shadow over Oz’s character, as it becomes clear that he has unwittingly contributed to their deaths.
Throughout The Penguin, Oz has demonstrated a tendency towards selfishness and cruelty, yet he also exhibits a soft spot for those he cares about, like Francis and Vic.
The ambiguity surrounding his intentions raises questions about whether Oz is a sociopath or simply a man who has endured tremendous suffering. This moral complexity adds depth to the character and leaves viewers pondering the nature of good and evil.
After this flashback, we return to the present, where Oz arrives at his now-powered Crown Point apartment. Upon entering, he finds the place in disarray, and his immediate concern is for Vic, whom he discovers unconscious.
Vic eventually awakens and informs Oz that Sofia has kidnapped Francis, delivering a crushing blow to Oz’s emotional state.
With little time to process this shocking news, Oz must confront Sal and his men, who invade the apartment. Sal, aggressive and violent, strikes Oz with a silver golf club, demonstrating the danger Oz faces from his enemies.
Oz attempts to convince Sal that Sofia is manipulating him, but Sal refuses to listen. In a desperate move, Sal contacts Sofia, who is seen preparing breakfast for Francis.
This moment emphasizes the power dynamics at play, as both Sofia and Sal position themselves to gain control over Oz.
Oz, filled with panic, pleads for his mother’s safety and ultimately agrees to surrender his base of operations to Sal and Sofia, revealing his vulnerability in this high-stakes game.
As the story unfolds, we witness Sofia confronting Francis in her captivity. She tells Francis that Oz claimed she had died, and Francis responds with defiance, believing that Oz will come to her rescue before Sofia can carry out her plans.
The exchange between Sofia and Francis highlights the personal stakes involved, as Sofia questions Francis about what really happened to Oz’s brothers.
Francis breaks down, unable to contain her grief, and this emotional moment illustrates the profound impact of past traumas on the characters’ present circumstances.
Sofia, seeking to assert control, attempts to comfort Francis but is met with a slap across the face. Francis’s response showcases her anger and pain, emphasizing her status as a grieving mother who is unwilling to submit to Sofia’s authority.
The dialogue reveals the complexities of their relationship, as Francis chastises Sofia for clinging to her father’s legacy, arguing that the name Gigante holds no weight if she continues to play his game.
This confrontation deepens the conflict between the characters, as they grapple with their shared history and diverging paths.
Meanwhile, Sofia’s determination grows as she learns from Dr. Julian Rush that her cousin, Gia Vitti, is seeking to speak with the police about her family’s demise.
Sofia decides to take matters into her own hands, demonstrating her willingness to confront her past and protect her interests. The tension mounts as she continues to hold Francis captive while preparing to address Gia’s revelations.
As the episode progresses, Sal and his men confront Oz at the drug lab, announcing that they will work under the Gigante-Maroni family.
Sal’s authoritative presence becomes increasingly oppressive, as he orders his men to resume their work despite their desire to leave.
This moment underscores the power struggles within the criminal underworld, highlighting the desperation of those involved as they deal with the dangers of their lives.
In a tense exchange, Oz shares a look with one of his employees standing by the power lines. He begins discussing the horrific smell of Nadia and Taj’s corpses after he burned them alive, deliberately trying to provoke a reaction from Sal’s men.
This distraction proves effective, as one of Oz’s employees flips a switch, allowing Oz to charge at Sal and engage him in a fierce fight inside one of the trolley cars.
The intensity of the fight captures the chaos of their world, as both men unleash their pent-up frustrations in a battle for dominance.
However, the fight takes an unexpected turn when Sal suffers a heart attack during the confrontation. Oz, caught off guard, triumphantly yells “I beat you!” at the dying Sal, asserting his dominance in the moment.
Yet, to ensure Sal’s demise, Oz shoots him multiple times in the chest, solidifying his ruthless reputation. As he walks away from the trolley car, Oz informs his men that their war against Sofia is far from over, signaling his determination to reclaim control.
Meanwhile, Sofia arrives at Brookside Children’s Home, where she experiences a flashback that triggers minor PTSD symptoms.
The memories of her time in Arkham haunt her, reminding her of the trauma she has endured. This psychological turmoil adds layers to her character, showcasing the impact of her past on her present actions.
Eventually, she meets Gia, who reveals that she saw a gas mask inside Sofia’s bag on the night of her family’s death.
In a moment of confrontation, Gia directly asks Sofia if she was responsible for the killings. Sofia initially denies the accusation, but upon seeing Gia’s self-harm scars, she reluctantly admits to her actions.
Sofia’s admission is chilling, as she comforts Gia by telling her she should be glad her family is dead, asserting that they were bad people.
This moment illustrates the moral ambiguity that permeates the narrative, as Sofia grapples with her own guilt while attempting to justify her actions.
The conversation reveals the complexities of familial relationships within the domain of crime, where loyalty and betrayal often blur the lines between right and wrong.
Sal’s phone, and he informs her that Sal is dead but expresses his willingness to give her everything in exchange for his mother’s safety.
This conversation marks a significant turning point, as it showcases Oz’s desperation and willingness to negotiate despite his previously assertive stance.
Returning home, Sofia finds Julian performing red light therapy on Francis. She updates him about Sal’s death and Oz’s offer, signaling a shift in their plans. Julian warns Sofia that Oz is likely setting a trap, but Sofia, driven by her emotions, dismisses his concerns.
This moment captures Sofia’s internal struggle as she grapples with her desire for revenge against Oz, who she believes has wronged her family and seeks to undermine her authority.
In a moment of vulnerability, Sofia reveals to Julian that her father had intended for her to take over the family business before she was sent to Arkham.
This insight into her background adds depth to Sofia’s character, illuminating her motivations and the pressure she feels to prove herself as a leader.
However, her mental state begins to unravel as she contemplates Francis’s words and starts to panic. Julian tries to ground her by asking what she truly wants, to which Sofia responds with chilling clarity: “I want to be free. And I want Oz to feel pain, real pain, the kind that I have felt.
I need him to suffer for what he’s done.” This declaration sets the stage for the impending confrontation, revealing Sofia’s deep-seated need for vengeance and closure.
Meanwhile, back at the trolley station, Oz prepares his men for Sofia’s anticipated arrival. As the tension mounts, Oz receives a call from Sofia, revealing that she is not in the car as he expected.
She taunts him, showcasing her newfound strategic prowess from her time in Arkham, asserting her dominance in their ongoing power struggle. She informs him that she has left a present for him in the trunk of the car, heightening the suspense.
Oz hesitantly approaches the trunk, fearing it may contain a grim surprise. His heart races as he opens it, initially believing he might find his mother’s lifeless body.
Instead, he discovers a bomb, with only 20 seconds left until detonation. This shocking revelation underscores the extreme lengths Sofia is willing to go to assert control and eliminate her enemies.
As the clock ticks down, Oz narrowly escapes by going into the same overflow tunnel where his brothers had tragically drowned. This moment creates a haunting parallel between his past and present, highlighting the cyclical nature of his life’s tragedies.
In a poignant flashback shortly after the deaths of Jack and Benny, a young Oz knocks on his mother’s bedroom door, proudly announcing that he has made dinner for her. Francis emerges, dressed elegantly, and tells him to get dressed because she is taking him out.
They share a moment of intimacy and joy as they dance together at Monroe’s, a nightclub that holds significant emotional weight for Oz. Francis expresses her hopes for Oz, urging him to make a name for himself so that he can take care of her and provide her with everything she deserves.
This touching memory serves as a stark contrast to Oz’s current chaotic life and emphasizes the profound bond between mother and son.
Returning to the present, Oz awakens and walks through the now-destroyed streets of Crown Point, a grim reminder of the destruction caused by Sofia’s bomb. Detective Marcus Wise approaches him, calling him “the Penguin,” which annoys Oz.
Wise informs him that Sofia is looking for him, adding to the growing sense of urgency. Just as things begin to seem hopeful for Oz, he is knocked unconscious by Wise, leaving his fate uncertain.
The penultimate episode, “Top Hat,” suggests that the resolution of Oz’s struggles is far from straightforward. The episode plays with expectations, initially leading viewers to believe they are witnessing another flashback.
While the flashbacks provide important context for Oz’s character, the overarching narrative remains filled with tension and anxiety.
The pacing is relentless, mirroring the chaos of Oz’s life as he attempts to deal with the dangers posed by Sofia and Sal’s machinations.
The death of Salvatore Maroni may feel anticlimactic to some viewers, but this aligns with the overarching narrative of The Penguin, which centers on the complex dynamics between Oz and Sofia.
The emotional weight of the episode lies not solely in dramatic deaths, but in the intricate relationships and conflicts that define the characters’ lives.
The absence of Vic in this episode raises questions about his role moving forward, particularly after the intense events of the previous episode.
As the series approaches its finale, it becomes clear that The Penguin has skillfully woven a narrative rich with themes of betrayal, loyalty, and the quest for power.
The characters are deeply flawed yet compelling, each grappling with their own demons and the consequences of their actions. The juxtaposition of Oz’s past and present, along with the emotional stakes involved, ensures that viewers remain invested in the unfolding drama.
As we await the finale, the stage is set for a showdown that promises to resolve the tensions built throughout the season.
Will Oz be able to save his mother and reclaim his position in Gotham’s criminal underworld? Or will Sofia’s relentless pursuit of power lead to his downfall? The answers lie in the concluding moments of The Penguin, where the characters’ fates hang in the balance.
