The fourth episode of HBO’s “The Penguin” series focused on developing important characters from the show’s fictional Gotham City. Titled “Cent’Anni,” much of the episode took viewers back in time through a lengthy flashback. This flashback revealed the traumatic past of Sofia Falcone, portrayed by actress Cristin Milioti.
Scenes set in the infamous Arkham Asylum mental hospital uncovered the disturbing events that led to Sofia’s decade-long commitment there. The flashback showed Sofia approaching by a journalist named Summer Gleeson. Gleeson presented a disturbing theory – that Sofia’s father, the notorious crime boss Carmine Falcone, was responsible for killing dozens of women over many years. This included Sofia’s own mother.
Hearing this revelation had serious consequences for Sofia. The episode implied that Carmine Falcone was truly behind the murders, showing his willingness to go to extreme lengths to maintain power. However, Sofia was wrongly framed for the crimes and sent to Arkham Asylum instead.
While the “The Penguin” series creator Lauren LeFranc aims to make it stand on its own, the show still delicately includes nods to the extended Batman world. One example involved a brief cameo by the character Margaret, housed next to Sofia in Arkham. Comic fans recognized her as Magpie, a lesser-known villain who also appeared on other Batman television programs.
The dark revelations about Carmine Falcone’s misdeeds connect back to events in director Matt Reeves’ recent film “The Batman.” They provide new context for Selina Kyle/Catwoman’s motives in the movie, as her mother was reportedly one of Falcone’s victims too. This shared trauma between Sofia and Selina hints at future storylines between the characters.
Overall, “The Penguin” continues crafting character-driven stories about Gotham’s criminal underworld, apart from Batman himself. How these developments shape the city’s power dynamics and Penguin’s ongoing rise remain to be seen as the series moves forward. New episodes air Sundays on HBO and through streaming on Max.
