In the exhilarating and deeply stirring conclusion of "The Penguin," titled "A Great or Little Thing," Oswald Cobblepot's (Colin Farrell) dark and convoluted odyssey toward supremacy reaches its zenith. This episode intricately crafts a narrative of ambition, betrayal, and the unyielding chase of a dream, against the grimy backdrop of Gotham City's criminal underbelly.
The episode kicks off with a chilling flashback, conjured by Dr. Rush, where Francis Cobb (Deirdre O'Connell) experiences a harrowing revisitation of the fateful moment she decided to terminate her last living son's life. This haunting scene sets the stage for the episode, revealing the genesis of Oswald's monstrous persona, forged in the crucible of his mother's abandonment and his innate sociopathic traits. These flashbacks starkly contrast with the present, where Oswald awakens bound to a chair in the decrepit Monroe's, now serving as the venue for Sofia's (Cristin Milioti) makeshift kangaroo court, draped in an air of menace.
Sofia, adorned in a red scarf and a black dress, dominates the space with the aura of a fully realized comic supervillain. She torments Oswald with a tale from her childhood, drawing eerie parallels between the ruthless conduct of birds and Oswald's own deeds. In a moment of clarity, Francis confronts Oswald with the stark truth about the fate of his brothers, leading to a raw and emotionally charged confrontation.
As the episode unfolds, we witness the crumbling facade of Sofia's empire. Her proposal to the triads and other gangs to deliver Oswald to her first sets a snare for herself, as Zhao's right-hand man, Link, weary of being overshadowed, decides to betray her by alerting Oswald. This betrayal underscores the potent theme of the overlooked rising up, a recurring motif that resonates profoundly throughout the episode.
The climax of the episode unfolds dramatically at the airport, where Sofia and Oswald engage in an exhilarating, electric confrontation. Even with foreknowledge of the show's moniker, the resolution of this showdown remains a pulse-pounding moment, underscoring the exceptional acting prowess of Farrell and Milioti. Sofia's defeat is a harsh, bitter pill to swallow, yet the unexpected arrival of a letter from her estranged half-sister, Selina Kyle, hints that her saga is merely paused, not concluded.
However, victory proves to be a harsh mistress for Oswald. He discovers his mother in a catatonic state following a devastating stroke, and in a shocking, jaw-dropping twist, he chokeholds Victor Aguilar (Vincent D'Onofrio) to death, severing all ties to his tumultuous past. This brutal act cements his ascent to power but at the expense of his own humanity.
The episode concludes with Oswald, clad in a penguin suit, waltzing with Eve (dressed as Francis), repeating the accolades he yearns to hear with all his being. The bat signal pierces the night sky, heralding future clashes with even greater adversaries. This leaves us pondering Batman's absence throughout the series while simultaneously highlighting the triumph of "The Penguin" in crafting a compelling Gotham narrative without the Caped Crusader.
"A Great or Little Thing" serves as a potent, resounding finale that encapsulates the very essence of "The Penguin." It's a tale of a man fueled by ambition and rejection, who ascends to power through cunning manipulation and ruthless violence, only to realize that victory is a hollow, empty victory indeed. This episode, and the entire season as a cohesive masterpiece, stands as a testament to the unparalleled power of character-driven storytelling and the enduring, magnetic appeal of Gotham City's shadowy underworld.
