It’s the season finale of HBO’s The Penguin on this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast.
It worked pretty well last episode that we work our way through a summary and pause when we think we’ve got something to talk about.
“Top Hat” Episode 7 Summary of HBO’s The Penguin
- The episode starts with Oz–The Penguin–in a flashback as a kid. He wears a brace. He has two older brothers and there is some tension that the mother babies Oz because of the condition of his leg and/or foot. Oz’s mother Francis is working at the table and while it looks like she might be paying bills, she is actually doing bookwork for a local mobster whose name I think is Rex Calabrese. The Cobb brothers go down into the underground trolley system to play flashlight tag. The older brothers break the rules and go to a place that will be difficult for Oz to get to because it includes a ladder. Oz decides not to try and descend the ladder and instead locks the door for the boys to get out. Oz returns home and watches a movie with his mother Francis.
- We return to the present where is getting back to Crown Point and the power is on. The building is called “The Zoo” and the sign is all lit up. When he gets to the apartment, he finds Victor on the floor unconscious and bleeding and his mother missing. She has been taken by Sofia.
- Sofia makes breakfast for Oz’s mom Francis. They have her locked in a room in the family mansion. As Sofia questions Francis about Oz, something triggers Francis and she goes back in time to when she lost her boys. Does she know that her boys drowned because Oz locked them in the trolley tunnels? Francis slaps Sofia across the face and Sofia tells her guard to stand down. Dr. Julian Rush, who tortured Sofia then helped her get out of Arkham Mental Hospital and is now sleeping with her–comes in with the news that the child Gia might talk to the police about what she saw on the night Sofia killed their family. Dr. Rush offers to “handle” Gia but Sofia says she’ll talk to her and she asks Rush to talk to Oz’s mom.
- Oz gives himself up when he hears that Sofia and Sal have his mother. Sal drags Oz into the tunnels to the Bliss drug making home base. Oz continues to try and bargain with Sal after burning and killing his wife and son. One of Oz’s crew cuts the power. Oz and Sal fight and Sal dies of a heart attack during the fight. Oz’s men overcome Sal and Sofia’s henchmen.
- Sofia goes to see her niece Gia at whatever facility she is being held and Sofia has flashbacks to her time at Arkham. Sofia tells Gia, “Don’t hurt yourself because of them.” What is Sofia sorting through here?
- Oz calls Sofia from Sal’s phone. Doc Rush has a red light going as he interviews Francis. Sophia has an epiphany. She is playing her dad’s game. What is the new game? Sofia says she wants to be free. She also wants revenge and wants to see Oz suffer. This evokes the Batman theme of vengeance when Batman calls himself Vengeance.
- We have another swap in which Sofia will return Oz’s mom and Oz will giver over the bliss operation. What did you think would be in the van? Why? Turns out it is a bomb and the whole Bliss operation is destroyed.
- We return to little Oz and his mom on the night they went out dancing when his mother finally started to come back from the loss of her sons. The club is called Monroe’s. Oz promises he won’t quit trying to give his mother what she deserves. Why do people think they deserve stuff? Anne, do you deserve to be happy?
- Back to the present outside of Monroe’s again and Oz is covered in the dust of the explosion. It looks like 9/11. The dirty drop addict detective comes up to Oz and whacks him with some kind of stick weapon. Seems like they are going to drag him to meet with Sofia and Francis.
Episode 7 discussion questions:
- How malicious does Oz seem to be in this episode as a kid?
- Trauma is a major theme. Sofia. Francis. Gia the niece? What happened to Oz’s face do you think?
- Do we think all Oz really wants is to fulfill his childhood promises to his mother?
- Oz has inspired loyalty from his men.
- Sofia reminds me of 101 Dalmations’ character Cruella DeVil.
- At this point, what does Oz have? What’s up with Vic?
Summary for “A Great or Little Thing,”
Episode 8 the final episode of Season 1 The Penguin
- Doc Julian is talking to Oz’s mother Francis for Sofia, trying to learn whatever they can to make Oz suffer. We flashback to Francis talking to the neighborhood gangster Rex, and we learn that Francis knows that Oz killed his brothers. Rex offers to use Oz’s monster-ness or he says he’ll take care of the kid, as in kill him. Francis chooses to “let go” and have Oz killed for killing his brothers.
- Francis take Oz out for one last night on the town to the Monroe’s Club. Oz gives a speech about seeing his mother, and the speech is so powerful that Francis decides she wants Oz to live. Oz notably says, I mean what I say.
- Cut to the present: after being knocked out by Sofia’s men when they took Oz’s mom Francis, Victor is now directing cars to bring Oz an army to fight for their business and Oz’s mom. They come upon the explosion.
Oz–The Penguin–walks the streets of Gotham after
an explosion destroys his drug operation.
- Sofia plays a new game. She has brought Oz and his mother together, the game being to try and get Oz to tell his mom the truth about killing his brothers. The scene evokes some of the old Jerry Springer drama. Oz won’t do it. Francis tells Oz he is a disappointment. His mother breaks a bottle and stabs Oz in the stomach. She has a stroke. Oz’s chair falls and he is able to get away. Sofia escapes with Doc Julian.
- Oz puts his mom over his shoulder and walks out of Monroe’s. He shoots the crooked drop head detective we’ve seen a couple of times before. Oz takes his mom to the hospital. He and Victor reconnect. Oz is ready to give up but Victor gives a speech about Oz putting the people of Crown Point to work and getting the power back on. Oz makes a joke: you practiced that didn’t you, kid?
- Sofia meets the gangs and says the first group to bring her Oz gets everything. Sofia is going to leave to do, what? Ironic she already had the chance to leave. Link calls Victor to ask if he is with Oz. We might assume he wants to get Oz to turn him in so his gang can inherit Sofia’s gang kingdom.
- Oz goes to meet Councilman Sebastian Hady. He sets up a story where Sofia has sent explosives into the tunnels to blow up the Maroni drug operation. Oz and the Councilmen reach a deal about what the “truth” will be. When Oz comes out of city hall from meeting with the Councilman, the Triad gang is waiting for him. Victor is nowhere to be seen. The Triad calls Sophia to tell her that they have Oz. Sophie burns down her house and heads to the airport to leave town and retrieve Oz.
Sofia lights up cigarettes that she will use to burn down the family house
- The Triad gang–with Link–bring Oz to the hangar to meet Sofia. What do we think she’s going to do with Oz? Link has actually worked with Victor and they kill the gang leaders. Victor has worked with the foot soldiers of the gangs to assassinate the leaders so they can take over.
- Oz takes Sofia for a ride, we assume to kill her. They talk a lot. Oz says Sofia’s kind will never understand. Oz has Sofia turnaround for the shot. He actually deserts her. The police arrive to arrest her for the bombing of the tunnels and the Maroni family.
- Back at the hospital, Oz’s mom has had a serious stroke and is in a vegetative state. Vic and Oz go sit by the water and have a heart to heart talk. They both miss their families. Victor thanks Oz for taking a chance on him. Oz strangles Vic.
- Sofia is back at Arkham Mental Hospital. Doc Julian is back to waiting on her. He brings Julia a letter from her half sister Selina Kyle. She’s the bat girl, girl from The Batman movie who went opposite ways from Batman at the end of that film.
- Oz lives in the penthouse. He has his mom’s hospital bed all set up in front of the window looking at the city. Music plays. Oz goes to the next room where it appears Eve–his lover from before who was also a Madam–and she seems to be dressed as Oz’s mom and pretending to be her. Oz tells her to tell him she is proud of him. She tells him that Gotham is his.
- Cut to shot of Gotham. There’s the bat signal.
Discussion questions:
- You said you wanted to see Oz at his full powers. To what degree has he progressed toward that?
- This was supposed to be a mini series. Is this is it, are you satisfied?
- Where would we go from here?
- Want to talk character growth, track the season for them? Click here for list of characters.
Thanks for listening to the Torg Stories Podcast!
