The Penguin has drawn to a conclusion and given fans a much-needed nod to an outstanding character from the show while also solidifying the titular character, played by Colin Farrell, as a major villain in The Batman universe.
Warning: This article does contain spoilers forThe Penguin episode 8.
The thrilling finale, titled “Great or Little Thing”, sees Oz’s truly evil intentions manifest themselves as he outsmarts rival Sofia Gigante (Cristin Milioti) and returns her to Arkham Asylum while reaching the summit of Gotham’s criminal underworld.
Perhaps the darkest moment comes when Oz kills his personal enforcer, the homeless teenager Victor, who viewers had come to love and care for throughout the season, in a gut-wrenching scene.
The final shot then sees the Bat signal in the sky as Oz dances in a tuxedo, similar to the more traditional attire that the character wears in the comics, with his lover Eve Karlo.
A plethora of reactions have since been shared online about the show with many praising it for finally showing that Oz is pure evil and not a sympathetic villain.
“The Penguin reminding us that villains are not anti-heroes because Oswald Cobb is a mother f***ing villain,” said one viewer.
A second person wrote: “I was getting tired of sympathetic villains and villains we root for. The Penguin had the guts to bring back spineless villains who we absolutely hate. No tragic backstory. Just psychotic!”
A third added: “This show didn’t hold back ever. It didn’t give us a kinda bad, but also a kind of good anti-hero. Colin Farrell’s portrayal of Penguin is as deplorable a villain as you can get and I’m glad they didn’t shy away from making him that way.”
Elsewhere, the inclusion of the Bat signal, although only briefly, was praised by fans who were happy that that superhero was finally acknowledged in the show ahead of the release of The Batman: Part II in 2026.
“I said it once and I’ll say it again, this was one of the BEST finales I’ve seen in so long and this ending was PERFECT!! And the icing on top was the DAMN BAT SIGNAL IN THE SKY!!!! One of the BEST COMIC BOOK SHOWS EVER”
“Just watched The Penguin finale. Wow just wow. It was probably one of the best season finales ever. So many emotions and the Bat signal was chef’s kiss.”
“The Penguin show ending with the bat signal popping up was the cherry on top. Perfect set up for The Batman Part II,” exclaimed a third.
On X/Twitter, The Batman director Matt Reeves also praised the show and the performances of Farrell and Milioti and showrunner Lauren LeFranc.
“Thank you so much to all the incredible fans who have been watching The Penguin. Getting to follow Oz through Gotham’s back alleys with you on HBO has been a dream come true.“And thank you to the astonishing Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti, and our entire cast who brought these characters so beautifully to life... and to our wonderful writers, directors, and crew... and to our amazing showrunner, Lauren LeFranc. It has been a privilege.“We are excited to share tonight’s finale with you. And we look forward to bringing you the next chapter of our epic crime saga in The Batman: Part II”.
