Everyone wants to be first in television. Not only are the writers, actors, and producers scurrying toward that first novel pilot, premiere, or episode release numbers week by week, but critics and content creators salivate at the prospect of having the first and final say. Considering this week’s episode, I thought it would be wiser to take my time and gather my true feelings. In the same breath, Rhenzy Feliz similarly gets a chance to reflect on the future of his character with clarity in this critical episode.
The Penguin episode three detaches from Oswald’s point of view to saddle closer to Vic. On the heels of literally and figuratively digging his own grave, Vic is left to reconsider his choice in following a madman like Oz Cobb. In fact, the episode primarily surrounds Victor’s tragic backstory and circumstances that led him to the streets of Gotham. The Aguilar family may not have had much money, but they were a proud Puerto Rican family. Specifically, the show characterizes Vic’s father as a humble chef who’s dreams may have been deferred like a “Raisin In The Sun,” but somehow retains his integrity in spite of the desire to chase more. Most poignantly, this very characteristic is a point of contention between Vic and his father. You see, like many poor immigrants, the promises of America aren’t the greatest, but most often appreciate whatever wishes they can fulfill as “more than enough.” In contrast, as children growing up in America, knowing little of the arguably worse conditions their parents escaped, Victor and his sister see their social class as only something to resent. Namely, their lowly project housing. Tragically, the old sayings are usually true; “you never know what you have until it’s gone.” In this case, the schemes of The Riddler in The Batman demolishes Crowne Point and washes The Aguilar family away. An event that continues to haunt Victor throughout his life.
In the present day, Victor second guesses the costs of seeking more. As the cunning Penguin begins his plan to use Sophia’s drug to take over Gotham, Victor entreats an old flame who gives him an option to refuse Oswald’s call to action, and escape the city. For all intents and purposes, Vic is basically Oswald’s hostage, but Oz doesn’t see it that way. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, to Oswald, Victor is his henchman, confidant, mentee, and genuinely his only friend. Curiously, this is the same delusion Oz has about his relationship to the Falcone family. They fed him, and he nestled closer to them, woefully believing he was a friend to Carmine, Alberto, and Sophia. However, to them he was always scum. Something Sofia’s uncle Johnny Viti spares no time reminding Penguin every chance he gets. Perhaps the most telling, yet heartbreaking parallel is how Oswald’s closeness with Sophia as her driver compares to Oz and Vic now. Spitefully, only seeing the slimy Penguin as nothing more than a driver who screwed her over to save herself. Surprisingly, Oswald sees a chance to treat his partner like he should have been treated, protecting him from ridicule and supporting his desires for change. It is even possible to argue, he even supports Victor leaving him, sorrowfully acknowledging his inability to please a single soul.
As for Sophia, Oswald delights in potentially regaining her trust, while simultaneously plotting her downfall. To this end, he lets his former boss behind the curtain, and inadvertently shows her the bottomlessness of his lies and depravity. It is nothing short of brilliant to watch Colin Farrell operating as the duplicitous con man, especially from the perspective of Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone slowly realizing the irresponsibility of trusting him in any way. Moreover, Sofia watches Oswald make moves against the family with no remorse, further stoking the fires of doubt in her mind. Yet, by this time it is too late, and she exposes her and Alberto’s secret drug, Bliss, and their secret chemist named Trey Bloom. Now, in the comics there is a villain named “Bloom” and a drug named “Bliss,” but for all intents and purposes, are unrelated. In this universe, Bliss is an Arkham Asylum sedative derived from mysterious mushrooms. Worse still, Oswald and Sofia must convince Johnny Viti and distributor Zhao to go against the Falcone family in the middle of a gang war for the profit of shrooms.
“Bliss” provides unexpected insight into the heart of the show. The audience knows Oswald isn’t trustworthy, the Falcone family knows, and Sofia knows, but Vic desperately wants to believe that trusting in this man will work in his favor. Victor has been virtually at gunpoint in every episode of the show thus far, but despite acknowledging how aligning with Oswald goes against what his family stood for, he still chooses to trust in his new opportunity. For Oz, Victor accepting the call reaffirms his faith in their similarities, which to be honest helps reinforce his belief in himself. Unfortunately, no matter how long he took to process it, it very much feels as if last chance to leave has passed.
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