Is Victor really dead? The Penguin ending explained

As a seasoned observer of human behavior and a connoisseur of dark tales, I must say that The Penguin has proven to be a captivating exploration of the complexities of the human psyche. The character’s journey, fraught with guilt, obsession, and an unquenchable thirst for love, resonates deeply with my own understanding of life’s intricacies.

At the conclusion of The Penguin’s eighth episode, Oz finds himself in possession of all he desires, proclaiming his triumph as “the king,” but the burden of ruling is significant, and the power he has gained carries an immense cost.

In the second-to-last episode of The Penguin, the ground beneath my beloved clubfoot was cruelly swept away: Sofia kidnapped my mother Francis, gloated about Oz’s murder of her brothers, and, in the final moments, one of her soldiers detonated a car bomb within my underground Bliss operation, leaving a massive hole in Gotham’s streets.

Without any reference to Batman (for those fond of Robert Pattinson), the situation seemed grim approaching the finale. It begins with Francis rummaging through her recollections, recalling an instance where she almost persuaded Rex Calabrese, her childhood idol, to eliminate Rex – until she chose to awaken his inner beast instead, aiming to construct a more promising life for herself.

Simultaneously, Oz stirs awake surrounded by Francis, Dr. Julian Rush, and Sofia. Despite any mishaps, he manages to maintain a somewhat cheerful demeanor in the end.

Is Victor dead at the end of The Penguin?

I’m starting to wonder about my own fate, as Oz apparently choked the life out of Victor and left a nameless body by the riverbank. Yet, there’s a slim possibility that I might end up being a replica of Victor Zsasz within this universe.

Let’s discuss what befell poor Vic in detail. Following Sofia placing a substantial reward on Oz (her entire empire goes to whoever locates him first), Link contacts Vic. Not long after, Link locates Oz and directs him to get into the car, giving the impression that he might be given over to Sofia.

As I soon discovered, it was all a meticulously planned charade orchestrated by Link and his deputies among the crime bosses. In return for their allegiance, Oz, in his own words, gives them an opportunity – they assassinate their leaders at the airport, thereby ensuring Oz’s survival and ultimately deciding Sofia’s destiny (which I’ll explain later).

It’s clear: Why did Oz murder Vic? Because Vic considered Oz like kin to him, and such a bond hindered Oz from maintaining his position as a kingpin effectively. As Oz puts it, family motivates you, but it also weakens you. So, in the end, he strangles Vic as Vic pleads for mercy on the riverbank, crying out as he fades away.

In a heart-wrenching moment, I reach for Oz’s wallet as his body falls lifelessly to the ground. I grab the cash and his ID, subtly reminiscent of our first encounter when I clung onto Vic’s license. With a heavy heart, I toss it all into the river, acknowledging that he seems truly gone.

Could you give it a moment’s thought: What if the character Victor Aguilar is actually a modern take on Victor Zsasz, and we might witness him fully embracing his psychopathic, murderous destiny in The Batman 2, The Penguin Season 2, or another upcoming project?

Ponder this: Victor resided in Crown Point, one of Gotham’s poorest neighborhoods, and he constantly yearned for his parents to strive for something more. Tragically, they were lost in the flood that ensued from the Riddler’s explosions, leaving him to cross paths with Oz during an attempted theft of his rims.

Victor placed complete faith in Oz, but later betrayed him. In the comics, Victor Zsasz resorted to gambling at the Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge and, when he lost all his possessions, he chose to end his life by leaping from the Gotham Bridge, a sight that was witnessed when Vic met his demise.

Before he could step off, a homeless man tried to stab him when he refused to give him any money. He took the knife and killed the man, and from then on, he dedicated his life to “liberating” people from their meaningless existence. Every time he killed someone, he’d scar a tally mark into himself, leaving a special spot for Batman (and earlier in The Penguin, after Vic killed one of the Maronis’ men, the crash left a scar on his head).

Oz killing Vic is more proof that he’s a monster

I stood by as he callously took Alberto Falcone’s life… yet, somehow, I found myself justifying his actions, believing he had provoked it. I sewed up Sofia’s right-hand man when he was on the verge of being exposed, but I rationalized that it wasn’t such a terrible thing, as I sensed he might cause trouble for Oz in the future. He repeatedly betrayed Sofia, yet there were moments when it seemed as though he felt remorse for the harm inflicted upon her.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: The show sometimes paints Oz as a character that walks the line between hero and villain – Sofia even calls him “a man of the people” in the final episode. But there have been two instances where his actions undeniably make him seem like a villain: the cold-blooded murder of his brothers during childhood, and the ruthless killing of Vic.

In the course of the series, Oz consistently worked on building up Vic’s self-assurance. At fancy restaurants, instead of rushing him or apologizing for potential stutters, he encouraged him to occupy space by himself when placing an order. Moreover, rather than expressing regret over something beyond his control, he would tell him to be proud and assertive. During the launch of Bliss at the Triads’ nightclub, Oz entrusted Vic with managing both the drugs and the money, and on that occasion, he expressed his admiration for him.

In a blend of characters like Batman and Robin, Tony Soprano and Christopher Moltisanti, there’s an intricate dynamic between father figure and sidekick for the character, Oz. The show didn’t hint at Oz being the one to kill Vic, but here’s the twist: he hadn’t intended to or even wanted to. However, when Vic referred to him as family, the implications of their bond suddenly became clear. Unlike Spider-Man protecting Mary Jane from his enemies, Oz doesn’t simply let Vic escape – instead, he takes his life, demonstrating that for him, death is an expression of affection.

Why didn’t Batman show up at the end of The Penguin?

At the final moments of “The Penguin” series, instead of Robert Pattinson’s Batman appearing as expected when the Bat signal was activated in Gotham City, he remained unseen. Matt Reeves and showrunner Lauren LeFranc decided that his presence would have overshadowed the storyline and turned the focus towards Oz, rather than Batman.

Speaking to Esquire, Reeves explained: “He’s more of a specter in the city.

One aspect that made the prospect of creating this show particularly thrilling was the chance to delve deeply into the rogues’ gallery character, offering diverse perspectives. Throughout the film, we intentionally present events primarily through Batman and Bruce Wayne’s eyes. The rare instances where this isn’t the case are when we explore the Riddler’s viewpoint.

Here’s one way to rephrase it: “That action was designed to briefly confuse you: Hang on, is that Batman or the Riddler speaking? It was as if we were contemplating whether we could sneak down that alley and trail Oz, given the events in the movie.

During an interview with CinemaBlend, LeFranc concurred with Reeves’ viewpoint that “Batman isn’t omnipresent… it’s a vast city! Additionally, it’s been shown in the movie that he doesn’t seem to focus much on Oz.

He feels unimportant enough for notice, as far as that’s concerned. Frankly, we never considered the possibility of Batman observing us. Instead, we were primarily concerned with developing our own show’s characters.

Colin Farrell shared this perspective with IGN during a group discussion, stating that he found the role unnecessary and also highlighted that it presents a distinct aspect of Gotham City.

While Batman undoubtedly operates in Gotham’s murky corners, I’ve come across an entirely new side of the city – one I’ve never encountered before. This part is more like the underside or the grimy underbelly of the city, lurking deep beneath the surface.

How is Selina Kyle related to Sofia?

Towards the finale of “The Penguin”, Oz falsely accuses Sofia of most of the incidents throughout the series. Instead of punishing her with death, he confines her once more in Arkham Asylum. There, she gets a letter from Selina Kyle – her long-lost sister.

Reflect on a past event from The Batman storyline: It was unveiled that Selina, also known as Catwoman, is the illegitimate child of Carmine Falcone. His wife Maria worked at the Iceberg Lounge, but one fateful night, Carmine (alias the Hangman) brutally murdered her mother.

In time, Selina Kyle transformed into a skilled cat burglar, amassing success, yet she pursued employment at the Iceberg Lounge in search of her lost roommate. This path led her towards a confrontation with her father, who attempted to take her life. Fortunately, Batman intervened and prevented the attack.

In the final episode of “The Penguin,” Selina pens a letter to Sofia, who resides in Arkham Asylum, to disclose that she has kin living somewhere else. Since there are whispers suggesting that Sofia could be crucial in “The Batman 2,” this might be laying the groundwork for an important relationship development in the upcoming film, but as of now, it remains undetermined what prompted Selina to contact Sofia.

The Penguin finale fully reveals Oz’s mommy issues

It’s quite evident from The Penguin’s portrayal that Oz harbors a deep, problematic affection for his mother, suggesting an intense Oedipal dynamic.

In the flashback scenes of Episode 7, Oz showed an intense and clingy affection towards his mother, which she appeared to value just as dearly as laughter. Remarkably, his loyalty was such that he was content to abandon his brothers to their fate, if it meant having his mother solely to himself.

Following the passing of both Jack and Benny, Oz vowed to his mom that he would grant her the lifestyle she deserved, filled with luxuries such as exquisite jewelry, stylish attire, and a penthouse dwelling boasting panoramic views of Gotham City.

At the end, he ultimately reaches his goal… following her suffering a grave stroke and slipping into a vegetative condition, only managing to produce a solitary tear of anguish as Oz stands above her, more accurately symbolizing her resting place.

A short while later, clad in a stylish tuxedo and carrying his hat, he descends the stairs to greet Eve, who is dressed identically to his mother. He requests her to express affection and pride, feelings his mother seldom vocalized during their conversations.

He craves his mother’s affection, but it comes from a complicated place; his guilt over his brothers’ deaths undoubtedly plays a role. He just wants to feel loved, something that Eve is all too happy to give him, and it’s hard not to feel a bit icky in the finale’s closing moments as they dance together, Eve sultrily whispering Oz’s sought-after words while his mother lies alone above them; silent, trapped, and terrified of what she raised.

Stay informed about The Penguin’s launch timeline, delve deeper into Magpie, and explore our top-rated superhero films of all time.

2024-11-11 06:20