‘The Penguin’ Delivers a Brutal, Shockingly Violent Finale

(Warning: Spoilers ahead.)

Colin Farrell tried to warn us: “I would be surprised if anyone liked him [Oz] by the end of [Episode] 8.”

He was right.

Even though everyone is the hero of their own story, during The Penguin press tour, Farrell seemed certain the audience would find Oswald “Oz” Cobb’s actions in the finale hard to reconcile. Anyone watching the HBO spinoff of The Batman should listen to the Irish actor because this monster tease is no exaggeration.

Throughout The Penguin, Farrell’s Oz has tossed aside allies without a thought. Still, nothing is as devastating as what takes place by the river to resident sweetheart Victor (Rhenzy Feliz). Yep, somehow, Oz commits an act as horrifying and brutal as the two counts of fratricide he racked up as a kid. Back then, he could blame that impulse on his youth. Now, he has no excuse.

Showrunner Lauren LeFranc packs the finale with double-crossing, bombshell revelations, a return to Arkham Asylum, emotional stakes, and a familiar symbol lighting up the Gotham sky. While Robert Pattinson is nowhere to be seen, the Caped Crusader is finally summoned—not that we need Bruce Wayne when Cristin Milioti commands the frame as Oz’s number one adversary, Sofia Falcone.

Here are the most shocking revelations and moments from the terrific limited-series finale.

Frances Cobb Almost Had Oz Killed in the Past

Oz’s mother, Frances (Deirdre O’Connell), initially came across as a matriarch in the mold of Livia Soprano, whose rage toward her only living son is unwarranted and possibly tied to her Lewy Body Dementia diagnosis. While she has certainly shaped her son’s desire for power, something darker is behind her intense mood swings. Frances’ loathing is decades in the making, rooted in Oz leaving his two brothers to die in a storm drain during a torrential downpour.

Not only did Frances know the truth, but planned to have Oz killed. Without realizing it, young Oz (Ryder Allen) saved his own skin with his pledge to take care of his ma. Revisiting this scene within the context of the death sentence opens the door for sympathy—but with a healthy dollop of yikes.

As the person holding Oz and Frances captive, Sofia playfully takes on the air of a family therapist who wants to f--- over one client (hello, Sofia spinoff idea). When Sofia threatens to cut off Frances’ finger, Oz still won’t tell his mother the truth, and Sofia can’t hide her visible disgust. After all, Oz is meant to love his mother more than anyone.

And Tries to Kill Oz in the Present

“I already f---ing know!” screams Frances. You can call this a breakthrough, if a breakthrough means verbalizing your hatred. Decades of bottled-up anguish, regret, and venom spill out. Not even the best psychiatrist could heal these mental wounds, particularly after Oz blames it on her “disease talking.” It is no wonder Frances stabs Oz in the gut with a broken bottle.

Before Sofia can meddle further, Frances collapses, giving Oz added motivation to break free of his restraints and shoot his way out—driving the unresponsive Frances to the hospital. It is quite the emotional and action-packed opening.

Sofia’s Enticing Deal

Let us take a moment to salute costume designer Helen Huang, who continues to take Sofia’s power dressing to new sartorial heights in this episode’s smoldering Vivienne Westwood tartan. Milioti also makes shots of Hendricks gin while chomping on olives look incredibly appealing, so I guess I know my next bar order. Beyond fashion and booze inspo, Sofia offers her entire empire to the first gang that brings her Oz. Sofia does not need these assets as she is moving to an unspecified location. Later, watching Sofia burn down her father’s mansion in a to-die-for crimson ensemble is thrilling.

Double Cross

Oz is motivated by self-interest, but has branded himself the man of the people, with sidekick Victor reinforcing this message with Feng’s (François Chau) number two Link (Robert Lee Leng). It is quite the coup getting every second-in-command to kill their boss, and the timing gives Oz the upperhand over his primary foe.

Milioti and Farrell going toe-to-toe with a brief allyship give this final drive a heightened potency. Telling Sofia to get out of the car, he clues her in on her new destination: “You’re going to hell, sweetheart.” The first time Sofia was arrested, Oz could claim he didn’t know what Sofia would endure. This time he is the architect of her inevitable imprisonment. Sofia is charged with the bombing and sent back to nightmare-inducing Arkham.

Oz Kills Victor

Villains often have their edges softened by sad backstories or emphasizing their humanity. Farrell rises to the occasion to depict Oz’s inner conflict, but it will be tough to forgive how the gangster chooses to reward Victor’s loyalty. Lovely, naive Victor has bought the “man of the people” BS, thanking his boss for taking a chance on him. All this talk of family is red flag territory; if only Victor knew what Oz did to his own flesh and blood. “F---, if it don’t make you weak too,” says Oz about close bonds.

That sound you hear is me yelling at the screen for Victor to run. Instead, Oz takes a page from the Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong) murder book and has already wrapped his hands around Victor’s throat. Victor’s struggling and pleading gasps add to the horror, hammering home the monster Sofia described. It is a lot, but the brutality ensures any sympathy Oz has earned is gone—even if he vocalizes regret.

Sofia’s New Penpal

A brief glimpse of Sofia back in asylum stripes reveals she is not doing well, but Dr. Rush (who is back at his old job) brings some mail that puts a smile on her face. We don’t get to hear the contents of the letter from her half-sister Selina Kyle, which means, sadly, no Zoë Kravitz voiceover. But this does mean there is a future for this character alongside her cool af Cat Woman sib. Putting a Milioti-Kravitz team-up at the top of my wish list for The Batman sequel.

Penthouse Paradise with a Freudian Twist

Even though Frances is in a permanent vegetative state after having a stroke, Oz delivers the penthouse paradise with a view of the city. If this wasn’t already a depressing visual, then the single tear falling down his mother’s cheek suggests some awareness of her bleak existence.

Oz has everything he ever wanted, including a purple Rolls Royce and a flashy new wardrobe, and Eve (Carmen Ejogo) is back on the payroll doing whatever Oz asks, including wearing Frances’ sequin dress. The twisted fantasy takes a turn for the psycho-sexual as Eve role-plays as Frances, telling Oz how much she loves him and is proud of him. “I did it, ma,” he says. Yep, the ick is at an all-time high.

“Gotham’s yours, sweetheart. Nothing’s standing in your way, now,” Eve tells him.

Well, tell that to the Bat-Signal flashing across the Gotham sky. It is about time Bruce Wayne did something.