The Penguin’s journey in The Batman universe has concluded with the finale episode titled Great or Little Thing. A show designed to expand on the intense world of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, The Penguin has cemented itself as an addition to the DC Universe.
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The Penguin’s storytelling has been sharp allowing complex character arcs that go into Gotham’s crime underworld without overly romanticizing its villainous protagonist, Oswald Oz Cobblepot.
The finale stayed true to this narrative arc, revealing Oz’s descent into cruelty and moral corruption. By avoiding a heroic villain trope, the show maintains its integrity.
Oz is humanized but remains unapologetically ruthless.
The Penguin captures the shadowy, neo-noir tone of The Batman film. Director Jennifer Getzinger brings a calculated, artful approach to the scenes especially in the final episode.
The journey of Oz, from an underling with grand ambitions to the ruthless crime boss he becomes, is filled with both brutal actions and hollow victories.
The finale intensifies his path culminating in his hollow success, where he is left alone, feared and fundamentally corrupted.
Alongside Oz, the cast of The Penguin contributes to the show’s weight. Characters like Sofia Falcone, Victor Aguilar and Francis Cobb are well-developed.
Victor Aguilar, played by Rhenzy Feliz, provides an emotional anchor throughout the series. His relationship with Oz is nuanced and he becomes a casualty of Oz’s ambition.
The last scene between Oz and Victor is emotionally charged. As Oz betrays Victor, viewers witness the complete dissolution of any remaining humanity within Oz.
The Penguin ends with a powerful commentary on power and corruption. Oz’s rise in Gotham’s criminal underworld comes at a steep personal cost.
Unlike typical anti-hero narratives, The Penguin resists redeeming its lead character, showing him as detached, morally desolate and entirely self-serving.
While the finale nods toward the upcoming The Batman Part II, it avoids heavy-handed fan service, choosing subtle clues like the note from Catwoman to Sofia Falcone.
The conclusion bridges the series with the future of the Batman universe. The Penguin maintains a clear vision, staying aligned with the mood and aesthetics of Matt Reeves’ vision of Gotham.
One of the show’s strongest attributes has been its patient unfolding of characters, though the finale’s pacing could have been tighter. The slower moments toward the end build tension but, at times, detract from the climax’s impact.
Despite some pacing issues, every scene in The Penguin finale has a purpose, layering in psychological depth to every character and relationship.
As Sofia Falcone, Milioti gives one of her most intense performances, portraying a vengeful and determined woman whose interactions with Oz reveal hidden vulnerabilities and long-seeded family resentments.
Sofia’s pursuit of power and her complicated family history position her as Oz’s perfect counterpart. She survives but is confined to Arkham, trapped by her own desire for control.
Francis Cobb, portrayed with both cruelty and vulnerability, ends up in a vegetative state, left to watch Gotham she will never truly experience again.
Her fate underlines the series’ dark, unrelenting atmosphere. The conclusion of Francis’s storyline is an indictment of Oz’s ambition.
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Farrell’s performance as Oz in the finale’s interrogation scenes is a masterclass in emotional range. Even under extensive prosthetics, Farrell brings depth to a role that captures monstrous cruelty.
Rhenzy Feliz as Victor, Deidre O’Connell as Francis and Cristin Milioti as Sofia each bring performances that anchor The Penguin’s dark world.
The finale unveils the disturbing relationship between Oz and his mother, Francis. Played by Deirdre O’Connell, Francis knew all along that her son was responsible for his brothers’ deaths.
Haunted by the deaths of Jack and Benny, she harbors dark suspicions confirmed by discovering a yellow torch in Oz’s coat. Francis confronts her doubts, sharing her worries with gangster Rex, contemplating a plan to eliminate her only remaining son.
Francis can’t bring herself to follow through, sealing her own fate in the hands of Oz.
Francis and Oz’s reunion by Sofia Falcone-Gigante culminates in Francis confronting Oz about his actions. Sofia forces Oz to confess by threatening Francis, but even with his mother in danger, he remains unrepentant.
Francis, devastated by her son’s deception and cruelty, attacks Oz in a moment of desperation. Her final attempt to stand up to him, however, fails as she succumbs to a stroke, rendering her physically incapacitated and under Oz’s control.
Sofia Falcone-Gigante, a standout character in The Penguin emerges as both powerful and flawed. Her obsession with avenging her family and gaining control of Gotham’s underworld leads her to put a bounty on Oz’s head.
In the finale, Oz cleverly manipulates City Hall, shifting blame for the gang wars onto Sofia, portraying her as an unhinged woman responsible for Gotham’s chaos.
Sofia’s fierce pursuit of revenge ends as she finds herself betrayed by those around her. Vic, Oz’s confidant, collaborates with the Triads to set up a staged handover leading to a final confrontation.
Oz arranges for Sofia to be arrested rather than killed. In a twist, she is taken back to Arkham Asylum, the very place from which she had escaped.
One of the most unexpected moments in The Penguin finale is the death of Vic, Oz’s young mentee. Played by Rhenzy Feliz, Vic has loyalty and genuine admiration for Oz, but that bond becomes his downfall.
In a cold-blooded move, Oz murders Vic, symbolizing the lengths he will go to protect his dominance. By eliminating Vic, Oz extinguishes his last genuine connection, believing that trust and loyalty are weaknesses.
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