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The Batman spin-off show The Penguin may be titled after Colin Farrell’s gangster Oz Cobb, but he’s arguably not the real star of the show. Ever since Cristin Milioti’s mobster daughter Sofia Falcone fiercely entered the scene, calmly strutting in with quiet menace to question Oz about the disappearance of her brother Alberto during the first episode, it’s been hard to take our eyes off her. That has now become impossible with the most recent installment episode 4, titled ‘Cent’anni’, which further cements Sofia as the best character in this gripping crime drama.
This chapter firmly places Sofia in the spotlight and essentially serves as her ‘origin story’ episode. Not only do we dive into her history, but we witness a pivotal turning point with Milioti’s character during the present day timeline too – one that affects all of Gotham. As I said to myself at the jaw-dropping conclusion of the episode, "shit’s about to get real".
Ahead of ‘Cent’anni’, Sofia was a mysterious figure who loomed over each episode, the disillusioned child of crime boss Carmine Falcone, who is haunted by accusations that she is a serial killer known as 'The Hangman.' All that we had surrounding Sofia were questions, not answers, but we couldn’t help but be drawn to her, thanks to a majestically magnetic performance from the incredible Milioti.
The Hangman
Episode 4 provides us with these answers, as it brings us closer to Sofia than ever before in what is arguably the darkest hour yet of The Penguin. We learn about her relationships with both Oz and her family, as well as more about her time at Arkham. And yes, it’s crucially revealed that the Falcone family framed an innocent Sofia as 'The Hangman' after she stumbled upon hideous truths about her father, which naturally has dramatic consequences at the end of the episode.
The clever thing about ‘Cent’anni’ is that whilst we are fully aware that Sofia is incredibly dangerous, I can’t help but feel for her, although crucially this never becomes pity. Not only do I now understand her, but I even at times relate to her. By letting us inside her mind, we can connect to Sofia on a deeply personal and emotional level, truly making Milioti’s antihero the beating heart of the show.
During episode 4 this begins to happen even outside of the flashback, as the opening picks up after the events of the last installment. As Sofia learns about Oz’s betrayal against her, with the truth being revealed by Nadia, the camera zooms in on Sofia’s eyes, revealing the hurt and the pain behind them. The actor plays it beautifully showing that like all of us, Sofia has her vulnerabilities meaning that even though we know she was wrong to trust Oz here, she is in no way a fool. Instead Sofia is a woman who is always underestimated, particularly by the men surrounding her, which leaves her alone and – this is then emphasized as we take a look at her past.
We see Oz and Sofia bond over the Falcone family’s treatment of them during the flashback scenes, as they both exist on the exterior of the crime syndicate. It’s clear that Sofia here feels that she has a connection with Oz, as they are on the same playing field, which makes his later (and numerous) betrayals against her even more hurtful. What is also transparent is that Sofia knows how the world she exists in works, telling Oz that although they both deserve better since he "has a dick" he’s eligible for the promotion, not her.
Breaking point
This is clearly something that frustrates Sofia, which is why later when Carmine asks her to run the family, saying he wants to change tradition, her eyes light up. Once again, Milioti plays it perfectly, showing that Sofia finally feels she has the respect she has long deserved, especially from her father. However, whilst this means she feels she can open up to him about a topic that has long troubled her, the death of her mother, Sofia swiftly realizes that in fact nothing has changed at all as Carmine coldly shuts the conversation down.
It’s a pivotal point in the episode as Sofia learns that she is never going to get what she has long been wanting for – understanding and respect. That frustration soon erupts in the first act of violence that we see from Sofia in the episode, when she threatens the questioning journalist Summer Gleeson. This moment shows just what Sofia may be capable of if she’s pushed hard enough, which is exactly what happens later when her family claim that she’s a hysterical killer, sending her to Arkham.
Sofia’s time in Arkham changes both her and us, as she’s isolated more than ever. It’s brutal to watch but that’s the point – she is forced to transform herself into the villain in order to survive, as we see when she brutally murders Magpie in an act of desperation. Being pushed to breaking point Sofia feels she has no choice but to choose the path of violence, being left with no allies or resources. The only person who stood by Sofia’s side during this dark time is Alberto who in the present day timeline has been murdered, truly leaving her completely alone.
The sickness
In both the flashback and present day scenes, Milioti could have easily given a more extreme performance as Sofia is pushed to the edge. But instead she is more nuanced, rather underplayed, which somehow makes Sofia even more terrifying. However, whilst she clearly is a 'villain', brutally gassing her family to death during the episode’s concluding moments, somehow it kind of feels wrong to call Sofia that. As she tells her family at the dinner table before their murders: "For 10 years men have lied to me, then I come home and it’s all the same. They think I’m broken but I’m not the one who is sick."
Sofia is the product of the actions of those surrounding her and although violence might have always been deep inside of her heart, it’s clear that it’s the crime family that has unleashed this within her, not Falcone herself. There are no heroes here, only poison.
Milioti’s character could have easily been a more straightforward villain but instead she’s infinitely more knotty and complex, which only makes her more fascinating. And as her transformation becomes complete during the episode’s final minutes, it feels like we are only just beginning.
The Penguin airs weekly on Sky and NOW in the UK, and on HBO and Max in the US. Stay up to date with our The Penguin release schedule.
For more streaming picks, read our lists of the best movies on Max and the best shows on Max that you can watch right now.
