Robert Pattinson's Batman passes on his original epithet from The Batman to a DC villain in The Penguin. After a long wait, Sofia Gigante starts to execute her grand plan to exact revenge on Oz in The Penguin episode 7. Although Sal Maroni dies of a sudden heart attack before he can injure Oz, Sofia manages to destroy Oz's entire base of operations and kidnap him. Frances also remains in Sofia's control, and Victor Aguilar recovers from a beating. Meanwhile, Batman is completely absent during the events of The Penguin, despite all the chaos.
Batman has been known by many names in the comics and the movies. "I am Batman" is probably the line most commonly associated with Batman ever since Michael Keaton's Dark Knight introduced himself in Tim Burton's Batman. Since then, DC movies have addressed DC's most famous hero as both Batman and the Dark Knight, with "Caped Crusader" notably absent since 1966's Batman movie. Matt Reeves' The Batman presented a brand-new name for the Dark Knight on the big screen, and The Penguin now transfers it to a different DC character.
Batman's First Nickname In Matt Reeves' Universe Explained
Bruce Wayne Used To Misunderstand The True Purpose Of His Batman Persona
In Matt Reeves' The Batman, Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight makes his first on-screen appearance fighting a group of thugs who try to mug an innocent man. After beating them up, Batman introduces himself saying "I am Vengeance". Apparently, this isn't the first time Batman uses this line while crime-fighting, as both Catwoman and the Penguin address him as "Vengeance". Although Alfred Pennyworth and James Gordon respect the bat imagery to address him, Bruce Wayne seems to be publicly known as "Vengeance" until the Riddler helps the "Batman" name catch on.
Batman: The Animated Series popularized Batman's motto: "I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman."
Batman's "Vengeance" nickname refers to his quest to end Gotham's crime in order to avenge his parents' deaths. While Batman doesn't acknowledge the Waynes' murders explicitly, it's his personal trauma that drives him to fight the same kind of criminals who murdered Thomas and Martha Wayne. From the perspective of his enemies, "vengeance" signifies an inevitable punishment for their crimes. The Batman's opening sequence perfectly captures this meaning, with various criminals shown visibly terrified at the thought of Batman hiding in the shadows, waiting to punish them for the crimes they're committing.
Sofia Gigante Has Stolen Batman's Nickname
Sofia Gigante Admits Revenge Is Her One And Only Goal
Custom image by Andy Behbakht After being betrayed a second time by Oz in The Penguin episode 4, Sofia Falcone decides to be done with her pre-Arkham life and start anew. Sofia Falcone abandons her Hangman infamy by replacing her original surname with "Gigante", killing every Falcone and Johnny Viti, and announcing the start of her empire. As a Gigante, Sofia's main goal becomes exacting revenge on the people who wronged her, and she isn't afraid of admitting that she only seeks vengeance. After killling her family, Oz was next.
Similarly to Bruce Wayne in The Batman , Sofia Gigante lets her pain dictate her actions, and she releases all her frustrations in the form of violence against those she believes deserve punishment
Sofia Gigante beats up Victor Aguilar and kidnaps Oz's mother Frances between The Penguin episode 6's ending and The Penguin episode 7. Sofia also gains the upper hand when she lures the Penguin into a trap in his own headquarters, delivering a bomb that blows up a whole neighborhood. Similarly to Bruce Wayne in The Batman, Sofia Gigante lets her pain dictate her actions, and she releases all her frustrations in the form of violence against those she believes deserve punishment.
The Penguin Episode 7 Cleverly Copies The Batman's Message
Both Batman And Sofia Gigante Realize Vengeance Will Lead Them Nowhere
Batman's character arc in Matt Reeves' The Batman begins with his fixation on vengeance and ends with his realization that what Gotham actually needs is hope and protection, not justice by force. The Batman's final battle concludes with Batman rescuing the Riddler's victims, who start to see him as a hero instead of a vigilante. After the events of The Batman, Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight will likely continue to focus his efforts on helping and rescuing innocent people, as well as diving deeper into the roots of Gotham's crime and corruption instead of just fighting low-level criminals.
Related
DC Just Killed Off The Last Excuse For Batman Not To Appear In The Penguin
Robert Pattinson has yet to appear in The Batman's spinoff series, and The Penguin has set up the perfect reason for the Dark Knight to show up.
In The Penguin episode 7, Sofia visits Johnny Viti's niece Gia, whose life she spared when she murdered the Falcone family. As soon as Sofia begins to talk to Gia, she realizes that the girl has injured herself to cope with her family's tragedy. Once Sofia learns that Gia understands what really happened to her relatives, Sofia's stoic, vengeance-seeking facade breaks, and she cries in the hallway. Sofia realizes that her quest for vengeance has made her a reflection of her family, but unlike Batman, she quickly resumes her plans and delivers an almost fatal blow to Oz.
Showrunner Lauren LeFranc
Directors Craig Zobel
Release Date September 19, 2024
Prequel The Batman (2022)
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