Lauren LeFranc, showrunner of The Penguin, recently opened up about the show’s ending in an interview. LeFranc discussed key twists in the season finale, explaining Oz’s decision regarding his protégé, Victor (Rhenzy Feliz), and the fate of his rival, Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti).
Lauren LeFranc explains why the Penguin kills Victor in the finale’s ending
In The Penguin finale, Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) makes the shocking choice to eliminate his protégé, Victor (Rhenzy Feliz).
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Lauren LeFranc explained the decision, stating, “Oz kills Victor because Victor has seen him at his most vulnerable and because Victor really cares about him and loves him.”
LeFranc continued, “Oz believes that for him to achieve the next level of power, he cannot have weakness. And he views love and affection and family as weak.” This act exemplifies Oz’s ruthless drive to eliminate any perceived vulnerability on his path to power.
The finale also reveals the cost of Oz’s ambition. Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), one of Oz’s chief rivals, is returned to Arkham Asylum. LeFranc calls this her “greater death” as it takes away the freedom she briefly experienced. She explained, “To me, for Sofia, the greater death is going back to Arkham after she experienced freedom and saw the potential of what she could have.” Oz’s mother, whom he also imprisoned, declares her hatred for him, isolating Oz further in his self-created power structure.
Each character’s fate underscores the personal costs of Oz’s victory. LeFranc noted, “This is a ‘rise to power’ story. But it needs to feel like there was a cost to the choices he made and to what he achieved.” Oz’s power comes at the cost of broken relationships, leaving him with only his ambition and illusions of control. The showrunner further explained that in Oz’s world, where he manipulates every connection, “he’s creating his own narrative and his own world of what is acceptable.”
The Penguin finale leaves Oz victorious yet profoundly isolated, showcasing the chilling depths of his transformation.
