Review 47 – The Penguin, Episode 7, Dir. Kevin Bray
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I know I'm super late on this review. But honestly, after that episode, I needed a breather. I had my exams too, but now that they’re over, I’m back and ready to dive into this action packed episode with some seriously messed-up moments.
Let’s get into it!
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Let's address the elephant in the room : it’s now clear that Oz was born a psychopath. We get some great backstory that shows how much he resented his mom for giving attention to his other siblings. Locking his brothers in a drain tunnel and letting them drown. I was like "Oh Hell No" and had to pause and let it settle. The fact that he did it without an ounce of remorse showcases his ruthlessness and need for control come from a young age. Sure, his mom’s struggles and the messed-up conditions of Gotham played a role, but she also enabled him, seeing him as a ticket to a better life. That twisted dynamic still resonates in his present self, where he’d do anything for her.
The Oz and Maroni showdown was hilarious. You’d think it would turn into a brutal fistfight after everything Oz put Maroni's family through. To make it worse, Oz taunts him, describing the smell of his family’s burning flesh and hair! This guy does not read the room. Mid-fight, Salvatore’s age and health catch up with him, and he dies of a heart attack! Oz’s reaction is priceless, he can’t let it look like Maroni just dropped dead, so he shoots the lifeless body and loudly claims victory. Oz will go to any lengths to protect his ego. Also RIP Salvatore, and adieu to that father-daughter vibe with Sofia.
Sofia goes on an emotional roller-coaster this episode. She’s on a high from finally having leverage over Oz by kidnapping his mother, but Francis (Oz's mom) starts getting in her head. Francis tells her she's no better than her father, still living in his shadow and consumed by his revenge, and it shakes her. Sofia tries to move past it and reach out to Salvatore, but when she hears he’s dead, she decides to trade Oz his mother, admitting defeat. But then the scene with her niece is a big turning point. Seeing her in pain hits Sofia hard, she realizes she doesn't want to pass down the suffering she endured. By the end, she realizes that if she wants to escape her fathers shadow and be a new person, she needs to make Oz truly suffer. This character arc is brilliant.
In the final scene, Sofia blows up Oz’s tunnel operation, forcing him to escape through the same drain tunnel he once used against his brothers. This parallel is powerful, as his empire’s foundation is built in the same place he abandoned his family. It’s a brilliant visual. Oz may feel no guilt, but deep down, he’s haunted by the choices his mother has to live with.
With that bomb blast, I’m hoping for a Batman cameo to tie it all together. And I hope Sofia makes it out alive. Either way, it’s going to be legendary. I’ll review the finale as soon as I finish watching, I can’t wait!
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Check this out on Medium.
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