HBO's The Penguin showcases a sneak peek at the origins of Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) and his unusual limping condition.
The next chapter in Robert Pattinson's DC universe spotlights Cobblepot, who deals with the ramifications of The Batman's ending and chronicles his rise to power in Gotham's crime underworld.
Aside from the expected bloody power grab in the streets of Gotham, a small yet important detail about Cobblepot's foot answers a huge question about how he walks.
The Penguin's Limping Condition in The Batman Explained
Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for The Penguin.
The Penguin Episode 1 revealed that Oswald Cobblepot was born with a clubfoot deformity that causes him to limp.
The condition was shown when Cobblepot arrived home with Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz) after dispatching Alberto Falcone's (Michael Zeger) body before sunrise.
Cobblepot's clubfoot deformity is on his right foot, rotating inward and downward.
Speaking with Digital Spy, The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc explained why she finds it interesting that the titular character has a clubfoot, noting that Cobblepot's mother pointed out that this specific difference in him "would make him stronger:"
"What we establish in the first episode is that he has a clubfoot, and to me what I found interesting about that, in present times, often people get surgery and often fix a clubfoot. But in my mind, his mother, who didn't have a lot of money, decided that the difference in him would make him stronger. That he didn't need to change an aspect of himself in that regard."
As for the clubfoot's design, The Penguin's prosthetic makeup designer, Mike Marino, told The Wrap that he sculpted the clubfoot himself in just 20 minutes:
“I had sculpted like 20 minutes before [Colin] came — a foot that I thought was crazy. He sat in the chair and I was working in the corner and I showed him and I was like, ’What do you think of this thing?’”
Colin Farrell also chimed in during the interview, applauding Marino's effort by describing his work as "highly brilliant" and "real hands-on art:"
"It’s so lofi and yet so highly brilliant. It’s real hands-on art the way artisans envision it. Not to deny the advent of technology and the benefits of it as well in all sorts of realms of experience – but the hands-on makeup that this guy designs and applies, what Dick Smith did, what Rick Baker did, all these geniuses. I just hope that all filmmakers choose to use practical, in-camera stuff."
Why the Penguin’s Clubfoot Makes Him an Even Stronger Character
Both The Batman and The Penguin established the idea that Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot is being underestimated in the crime underworld, and the fact that he is limping also doesn't help.
However, Oz embraces how his enemies and even allies underestimate him, using those factors, including his condition, to fuel him in making calculated choices to rise to the top of Gotham's crime underbelly.
Oz is dangerous because he knows what it feels like to be at the bottom and is not scared to do whatever it takes to reach his goal.
As his enemies continue to underestimate him, it is the perfect set-up for him to continue his scheme behind the scenes before waiting for the right moment to strike and take everything.
Oz knows how to play the game, which he makes clear to Sal Maroni (played by Clancy Brown) by saying, "Maybe I'm more than what you think."
New episodes of The Penguin will be released on Max and HBO every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
