Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Penguin.
The Penguindid not shy away from Oswald Cobb’s many crimes, with the show even having him kill a beloved character, but his worst was highlighted by the time of the show’s foreboding ending. Played by Colin Farrell inThe Penguin’s cast of characters, Oswald Cobb has always been depicted as a villain in Matt Reeves’The Batmanuniverse. However, many assumed thatThe Penguinwould make Oz somewhat more sympathetic given his tragic backstory, yetThe Penguinepisode 8’s endingproved the opposite.
Although Oz does have a sad past, it does not make him any less deplorable. The writers understood that the titular character is still a villain, makingThe Penguin’s set-up ofThe Batman 2all the better given that audiences leave the show with only hate in their hearts for Oz. This hate was built up over the show’s eight episodes - and likely those ofThe Penguinseason 2, should it happen - with Oz slowly dropping the act of a benevolent, albeit illicit, kingpin and committing several heinous crimes, but the worst of all is not the most obvious.
Oz’s Worst Crime Is Breaking The Promise He Made His Mother
InThe Penguinepisode 8, Oswald killed Vic after the latter kept him alive multiple times throughout the show. This is naturally the scene people will point to when proving why Oz is an awful person. The scene comes directly after Vic and Oz have a sweet heart-to-heart, with the betrayal hitting even harder because of this explicit act of violence. All that said,Oswald breaking the promise he made to his mother, Francis, inThe Penguinepisode 6 is arguably the worst crime he commits throughout the entire show, despite not being as overtly evil.
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The promise in question came after Oz returned to his temporary residence in Crown Point to find his mother, who suffers from a debilitating illness such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, in an ice-cold bath.Francis, in a brief moment of lucidity, makes Oz promise that should she deteriorate further, he will kill heras she does not want to live this way. Oz agrees, telling his mother that he will do this for her should the need arise. InThe Penguinepisode 8, Francis deteriorates further by suffering a stroke.
Oz breaks the earlier promise and forces his mother into a life of seclusion, made worse by the fact she cannot speak, move, or likely even think for herself…
This leaves Francis bedridden, unable to speak or move at all. Instead of keeping his promise, Oswald keeps her secluded in a penthouse in Gotham with no carers or any comfort. In keeping Francis in this state, Oz breaks the earlier promise and forces his mother into a life of seclusion, made worse by the fact she cannot speak, move, or likely even think for herself. Many would agree that this is a fate worse than death, especially as she asked to be killed if this exact scenario arose, proving this to be Oswald’s worst crime inThe Penguin.
Why Did Oz Go Back On His Promise To His Mother In The Penguin?
Oz’s Broken Promise Stems From His Childhood Issues Or His Lack Of Humanity
AfterThe Penguinepisode 8, the natural question is why Oz did not kill his mother as she asked him to, a question that has several potential answers. One of these answers stems from Oz’s childhood, specifically the connection he has with his mother. One of the main explorations ofThe Penguin’s Easter egg-filled storywas Oz’s need for Francis' attention. Oz has somewhat of an obsession with Francis' approval, an obsession that is unhealthy enough to drive Oz to commit awful acts, such as killing his brothers, or strange ones, such as having his girlfriend Eve dress as his mother.
This obsession could be one reason why he kept his mother alive. Oz needs her there and has even twisted his own mind to believe that she would want to be kept in this penthouse regardless of her physical or mental state. In an interview withCollider, Colin Farrell echoes this sentiment, stating that he thinks Oz believes his mother is crying tears of joy in that final scene. Oz’s need for his mother to be part of his life and his need for her approval are the reasons he did not kill her as she asked.
Farrell also states in this interview that he believes Oz could have kept his mother alive out of punishment too.
Admittedly, this reasoning links to very deep-rooted elements that can only ever be implied. Another reason that could be more explicit is that keeping Francis alive is a form of revenge for Oz. Francis lets the mask slip inThe Penguin’s finale, revealing that she hates Oz for what he did to his brothers, that he is the devil, and that she should have let a gangster named Rex kill him when the offer was there. Oz does need Francis' approval, but this specific interaction could have led him to keep his mother alive out of spite.
Oz’s Other Worst Moment Makes The Breaking Of Francis’ Promise Even Darker
The other awful act Oz commits inThe Penguinepisode 8, the murder of Vic, makes his breaking of Francis' promise that much worse. Oz’s reasoning for killing Vic is that family makes people like him weak. Oz kills Vic as a means of removing this vulnerability yet is willing to keep Francis, his last remaining true family member, alive in his penthouse. This typifies not only Oz’s obsession with his mother, as he is willing to go against his family rule for her, but his hypocritical nature and straight-up villainy, proving thatThe Penguin’s worst crime does revolve around a broken promise for a multitude of reasons.
The Penguin
Cast
Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022’s film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family’s empire.
