The Penguin, set in the same universe as Matt Reeves’ 2022 superhero feature The Batman, debuted on HBO, on Thursday, September 19, and people want to know what happens at the end of Episode 1. The series takes place a week after the events of The Batman, in the aftermath of the Riddler’s actions that left a considerable portion of Gotham underwater. The Riddler also killed Carmine Falcone, creating a power vacuum in the criminal underbelly of Gotham. And in The Penguin, Oswald “Oz” Cobb (Colin Farrell) seeks to fill that void but faces opposition from all sides, including from Carmine’s psychotic daughter, Sofia (Cristin Milioti).
Who dies at the end of The Penguin Episode 1?
Alberto dies in The Penguin Episode 1.
Initially, Carmine’s son Alberto, a young man struggling with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and other addictions, is the heir presumptive of his father’s criminal empire. But, Oz kills him and spends the rest of the episode in a desperate attempt to cover up his deed. He recruits Victor, a youth with a stutter, off the streets after catching him trying to steal his car with his friends and forces him to help him get Alberto’s body to a junkyard. Afterward, Oz weighs the option of killing Victor before deciding to keep him around. It ultimately turned out to be an excellent decision as Victor proves his worth later in the episode.
After killing Alberto in the heat of the moment, Oz realizes his mistake and sets out to orchestrate things in a way that will help him survive the ramifications. He secures an alibi with Eve, the sex worker he evidently frequents. When he inevitably gets a call from the family, he seems to be prepared for it. However, as it turns out, they called him not to question him on Alberto’s whereabouts but to tell him they are shutting down his operation. He gets further surprised when he discovers that Sofia is there, having been freed from Arkham.
In the comics, Sofia is a serial killer called the Hangman, and it is implied that The Penguin’s rendition of her has somewhat of a similar backstory. She seems to genuinely care about her brother and correctly suspects Oz is responsible for Alberto’s sudden disappearance. Toward the end of the episode, she tortures Oz to force him to tell her what happened. However, Oz’s plans work out and Victor comes through for him, helping him put the blame for Alberto’s death on someone else.
Why does Oz kill Alberto?
As mentioned above, Oz kills Alberto in the heat of the moment, after Alberto insults him. However, inspired by his mother’s words, Oz later decides to take advantage of the situation. After watching the 1946 noir romance Gilda, featuring Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford, Oz realizes he needs a scapegoat, which he manages to find.
Who gets the blame for Alberto’s murder?
Salvatore Maroni, Falcone’s one-time biggest rival, and his family are framed for Alberto’s murder.
Oz meets with Maroni in prison where the latter is incarcerated and declares that he is ready to switch sides. When he leaves, Oz hands Maroni back the ring that Falcone took from him, and Oz took from Alberto’s corpse. While Oz is being tortured, Victor drives a car into the Falcone family’s property with the corpse in the trunk. As Sofia notices Alberto’s missing finger, she concludes that the Maronis are responsible for her brother’s death, just as Oz had hoped.
