The Penguin Episode 7 unveils one of the most critical moments from Oz’s past and demonstrates exactly who he is as a person. Colin Farrell’s portrayal of the character makes him relatable and likable, so the audience almost forgets that he is a villain in Matt Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga. But, Episode 7 makes it clear that he is ultimately irredeemable by revealing how his brothers, Jack and Benny, died.
How did Oz’s brothers, Jack and Benny, die in The Penguin?
The episode begins with a flashback sequence depicting the day of the deaths of Oz’s brothers. A young Francis Cobb (Emily Meade) sent her children out to play and deliver a “book” to Rex Calabrese (Louis Cancelmi), a late Crown Point gangster that Oz spoke about earlier in the series. After their errands were done, the boys ventured into the abandoned trolley station to take shelter from the coming rain and play “flashlight tag.”
However, Oz became angry at his brothers for hiding in an overflow tunnel that could only be accessed through a ladder. He shut the door to the tunnel, locking them inside, and left. The rain continued through the night, and Jack and Benny drowned.
Did Oz want his brothers to die in The Penguin?
The Penguin Episode 7 doesn’t explicitly reveal that Oz wanted his brothers to die, but it undoubtedly hints toward it.
In the flashback sequence, Oz looked on with what is most likely envy as his mother interacted with his brothers. Later, it is revealed that he was intelligent enough to figure out that Rex was a gangster. He must have known what could potentially happen to Jack and Benny when he closed the overflow tunnel behind him. He subsequently went back to his mother and lied to her about where his brothers were, painting himself as the dutiful son. Although he looked out the window a couple of times before watching a movie with his mother, it was probably not out of guilt. He likely feared that his brothers would return and tell Francis what really happened.
By showcasing Oz’s past, Episode 7 establishes that Oz is as much a monster as some of the others we have encountered in the Batman Epic Crime Saga. It’s easy to forget this because of his inherent charm and the fact that the odds always seem to be against him. But that just makes him a relentless survivor and not a potential candidate for redemption.
