Colin Farrell unpacks ‘The Penguin’s’ shocking finale: ‘It was really, really ugly’

Colin Farrell Reflects on the Shocking Finale of The Penguin: “It Was Really, Really Ugly”

After our interview wrapped up, Colin Farrell turned the tables and asked me a question. With a thoughtful look, he guided me to one side of the crowded junket room. “What did you think of The Penguin’s finale?” he asked, concern evident in his furrowed brow. “I know it was dark, but was it too dark?”

We were talking in September, just after the premiere of HBO’s The Penguin—a gritty spin-off of The Batman—when few could predict just how dark the series would become. Set in Gotham’s corrupt underworld, the show followed Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot’s rise from a petty criminal to a feared crime kingpin. While the grim tone of the Batman universe is familiar, the final episodes of The Penguin took it to a harrowing new level, introducing shocking acts of violence and betrayal.

The show’s finale stunned audiences with its brutality, including fratricide, attempted infanticide, and an unsettling kink involving Oz’s mother. But it was the murder of Oz’s right-hand man, Victor Aguilar, that became the episode’s most gut-wrenching moment. Even months after filming, Farrell still seemed shaken by the scene.

“That day on set was probably the hardest for me,” Farrell confessed. “It was emotionally draining. You go home, you take off your costume, and you try to move on, but some scenes leave a deeper mark.”

To provide context, Victor, played by Rhenzy Feliz, had entered Oz’s world after attempting to steal Oz’s Maserati in the first episode. A naïve teenager orphaned by the events of The Batman, Victor found a mentor in Oz, who took him under his wing and pushed him into more dangerous territory. Despite their rocky relationship, Victor and Oz shared a bond that stood in stark contrast to the other fleeting alliances in the series. But as Oz solidified his grip on power, Victor became a liability—a link to his former life and a reminder of his humanity.

In the tense, heart-wrenching scene, Oz strangles Victor to death, making the murder appear as a random mugging. Farrell recalled how the entire set felt the gravity of the moment. “The crew was incredibly invested. We’d all spent so much time together, and the atmosphere that night was palpable. It was dark, it was ugly, and it felt unjustifiable.”

The scene’s emotional weight was amplified by Victor’s desperate final words. As he gasps for air, he thanks Oz for taking a chance on him, calling him “family.” Oz’s response—“Family: It’s your strength, but f–k if it don’t make you weak too”—underscores his cold pragmatism. Farrell acknowledged that, although the act is horrifying, Oz’s justification lies in his desire to protect his remaining vulnerabilities, particularly his mother, whom he keeps alive under tragic conditions.

Farrell reflected on Oz’s mindset, noting that love can make a person capable of extreme actions. “You realize when you become a parent, you might be capable of doing anything to protect your child—even murder,” he said. “But you’re also vulnerable in ways you never expected because of that love.”

Oz’s decision to kill Victor—someone he considered family—marks a chilling turning point. It reveals Oz’s self-serving nature, as he chooses to eliminate his weakness rather than protect it. Despite his earlier proclamations about helping others, Oz ultimately prioritizes his own survival over any altruistic ideals.

As Farrell explained, Oz’s belief that he could be a benevolent figure—someone who lifts others from poverty—was sincere. “He genuinely wants to make a difference, to be the guy who helps people,” Farrell noted. “But when push comes to shove, he will always choose himself.”

By the series’ end, Oz stands alone at the top of Gotham’s criminal world, having sacrificed his humanity for power. His character arc raises a crucial question: Can The Penguin—a man who has traded everything for control—ever redeem himself? Fans will have to wait for The Batman Part II in 2026 to see how far Oz can fall from his lofty perch.