HBO’s latest DC series, The Penguin, got off to an explosive start last night. While most eyes will be on Colin Farrell’s incredible transformation into Oswald Cobb, one of the key characters in this story is Sofia Falcone.
Played by Cristin Milioti, this DC villain has a rich history and backstory. We’ve already been given a few teasers about how she fits into the Penguin’s world of Gotham, while the source material may be a taste of what’s to come.
If you’re looking to learn more about Hangman, we’ve got you covered. We’ve watched all eight episodes of The Penguin – you can read our glowing review here.
What has The Penguin revealed about Sofia Falcone so far?
The first episode reveals that Sofia is a formidable opponent. She is attentive to small details and knows how to put pressure on people. She was also very close to her brother, Alberto Falcone.
She makes her debut in the series as a ghostly white figure, standing over Oz’s shoulder as he attempts to start a new drug deal. We discover that she has recently been released from Arkham, having been “rehabilitated”.
Macall Polay/HBO
Macall Polay/HBO
Macall Polay/HBO
She pushes Oz to tell her where his brother is. The Penguin begins to weave a web of lies, as unbeknownst to Sofia, he shot and killed the new head of the Falcone family in a fit of rage and hid the body.
Despite her escape, she notices a bullet mark on the hood of his car and notices his nervousness, but at first, she lets him go thanks to his alibi. She also notices that she has been nicknamed “the executioner” with some disbelief.
Eventually, she captures Oz, strips him naked, and tortures him to give him a taste of what she experienced in Arkham. Sofia regrets that Alberto visits her every week and helped her hold on to the last parts of herself.
In an attempt to get Oz to admit her crime, she shoots a teenage witness, claiming that this is what the Penguin wanted, so that her “reputation would precede her, even at the cost of someone’s life.”
As she is about to kill him, a car crashes outside – the car is driven by Victor, who flees before being discovered.
When she opens the trunk, her brother’s rotting corpse greets her, missing a finger and the word “revenge” etched on the door, pinning the blame on a rival gang – the Maronis (even though the whole thing was orchestrated by Oz). Sofia lets out a bloodcurdling scream.
Macall Polay/HBO
Macall Polay/HBO
Macall Polay/HBO
Who were the Falcones in The Batman (2022)?
Sofia does not appear in the 2022 Batman film, but her father does. Carmine Falcone (played by John Turturro) was a Gotham crime lord who blackmailed many politicians and businessmen. He also managed to get his biggest rival, Salvatore Maroni, arrested.
The Riddler discovers these connections and begins killing those involved in Falcone’s circle of corruption, leaving behind cryptic messages to cause mass panic and gain a following.
Eventually, Bruce Wayne has Carmine arrested. As he is taken away, things get heated between him and the Penguin. Then, Carmine is shot by the Riddler, denying anyone a chance at revenge. This means he is dead by the time we meet Sofia in The Penguin.
Carmine’s story in The Batman is largely tied to his affair with a waitress named Maria Kyle, whom he later murders. However, before her death, she had a daughter, Selina, who tried to kill him at one point in the film.
This is of course Catwoman, played by Zoë Kravitz. She is therefore Sofia Falcone’s half-sister.
This hasn’t been revealed to Sofia in the series yet, and we can only continue to watch to see if this will be a central point of the story.
What is Sofia Falcone’s story in DC comics?
Sofia Falcone made her comic book debut in 1996, in the story arc The Long Halloween. During this adventure, her father frees her from prison to help him unmask Holiday’s killer. It is later revealed that it is her brother, Alberto. She then falls out of a window after being attacked by Catwoman.
The Dark Victory arc seems to have closer ties to The Penguin. In this arc, she is a serial killer who evades suspicion by pretending to be paralyzed. Her murders earn her the nickname “The Executioner”, as she kills police officers in Gotham with a noose.
We don’t yet know if this origin story is exactly the same as in the HBO series, but we do know that Sofia did something to earn this infamous nickname.
Macall Polay/HBO
Macall Polay/HBO
Macall Polay/HBO
The Penguin is now available on HBO and Max in the US and on Sky and Now in the UK. Episode 2 will air on Sunday, September 29, 2024, and weekly thereafter.
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