Fans wonder how accurate the brutal murder of Oz's brothers in The Penguin Episode 7 is to DC Comics.
HBO and DC joined forces to create a gritty new chapter in The Batman universe. The Penguin has been a critical hit on streaming and has drawn in fans for weeks.
The show also introduced Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, highlighting her journey through Arkham Asylum without any reference to the Joker or Riddler.
As the never-ending onion of Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) has been peeled back, Episode 7's opening offered a chilling origin story for the sinister Batman villain.
How Oz's Brothers Died in The Penguin
Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for The Penguin Episode 7.
In The Penguin Episode 7, titled "Top Hat," viewers learn the disturbing truth about Oz's role in his brothers' deaths.
HBO's DC series isn't shying away from flashbacks, with The Penguin Episode 4 focused on Sofia Falcone's backstory.
This episode also opens with a flashback to a young Oz (played by Ryder Allen) struggling with jealousy and insecurity due to his physical limitations.
His older brother, Jack, and younger brother, Benny, are visibly more athletic, and the two are shown playfully taunting him, mainly focusing on his leg brace, even though Jack and Benny both seem to love Oz based on the limited time on screen.
After their mother sends the boys off to entertain themselves while she works, Jack suggests they play "flashlight tag" in the abandoned trolley tunnels beneath Gotham.
When they hide in a drainage tank that requires climbing down a ladder, Oz becomes furious that his brothers would force him to go down there, telling them, "You know it's hard for me to get down there."
Despite Jack's immediate apologies and suggestion to restart the game, Oz, in a fit of frustration, locks his brothers inside the tank and leaves them trapped.
Heavy rain causes the tank to flood, and despite his mother’s growing concern, Oz lies, saying his brothers went to the movies. As the storm intensifies, Jack and Benny’s desperate pleas for help are unheard, and they ultimately drown.
Oz's cold decision to do nothing, even as he safely watches Top Hat with his mother, reveals the depth of his ruthlessness from a young age.
The Penguin Killing His Brothers in DC Comics
In the comics, Oz's brother meets a fate similar to their betrayal in The Penguin.
Penguin: Pain and Prejudice delves into the dark and complex family dynamics that fuel Oswald Cobblepot's villainous arc.
In issues 1 and 2 of the series, readers learn that the Penguin’s brothers—Jason, William, and Robert—were relentlessly cruel to him, inflicting physical and emotional pain.
Their bullying, including a particularly brutal incident that pushed Oswald to his breaking point, led him down a dark path.
Unable to tolerate their torment any longer, Oswald orchestrates their deaths, staging each one as an accidental demise: Jason dies from poisoning, William in a hit-and-run, and Robert at the bottom of a lake.
This narrative sheds light on the motivations behind Penguin’s hatred for his family, illustrating how his brothers' abuse left a mark on him.
The twisted portrayal of Penguin's family history in Pain and Prejudice offers a nuanced perspective on Oswald’s character, providing insights into the depths of his resentment and eventual transformation into a criminal mastermind.
A similarly dark take was utilized in The Penguin series, furthering the complexity of the character to audience members and reminding fans this isn't a hero.
The finale of The Penguin will stream on Max on Sunday, November 10.
