11 Easter eggs and DC references

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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS from episode 4 of The PenguinPenguin episode 4 contains some easter eggs with Batman along with references to the original DC Comics. In the new episode, Sofia Falcone's (Cristin Milioti) dark past is finally uncovered, including the 10 years she spent at Arkham State Hospital. As such, there are a few nods and teases along the way as he tries to maintain his sanity.

IN Penguin episode 4, Sofia is abandoned by Oz after revealing that he killed her brother, Alberto Falcone. The new episode, wounded and in need of help, takes place in the past, revealing the truth about Sofia's past as the Hanged Man and how she ended up in Arkham. To that end, here are 11 of the biggest Easter eggs and the references where you can find them Penguin episode 4

11 Summer Gleeson of The Gotham Gazette.

From Batman: The Animated Series

Speaking at a gala hosted by the Falcone Family Foundation in honor of her late mother, Sofia is approached by Summer Gleeson from the Gotham Gazette. Gleeson first debuted in Batman: The Animated Seriescreation for the show before it appeared in the comics (much like Harley Quinn). IN PenguinSummer investigates a series of murders in which women were strangled and hanged, each with ties to various companies run by Carmine Falcone. Furthermore, it is said that Sofia's mother committed suicide by hanging.

10 The Penguin debuts the younger Carmine Falcone

Played by Mark Strong

Coming home for dinner, Sofia eats with her brother Alberto and her father Carmine Falcone. The action takes place 10 years before the events of Batman, Carmine is alive and played by Mark Strong (not John Turturro). Mark Strong, who played Sinestro in 2011, is no stranger to DC projects Green Lantern and Doctor Sivana w Shazam! cinema. As such, it's very exciting to see Strong take on a brand new DC character, especially one that doesn't necessarily stop him from taking on a bigger role in the upcoming DCU from new DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran.

9 Congressmen's Hill

Hamilton Hill from DC Comics?

IN Penguin episode 4, Carmine mentions Congressman Hill, who finally started answering the phones thanks to Sofia. This is most likely Hamilton Hill from the original DC Comics, the corrupt politician and mayor of Gotham seen on the page, and Batman: The Animated Series. Although Alberto was supposed to look into Hill's financial holdings, he has not yet done so. Regardless, Carmine's answering of his calls implies that Hill is similarly corrupt in this universe as well.

8 Carmine and Alberto's relationship

Similar to the original comics

Carmine and Alberto in episode 4 of Penguin

Dissatisfied with Alberto's partying, irresponsibility and general lack of interest in the family business, Carmine reveals that he ultimately wants Sofia to take his place, not his son. This mirrors the original comics, where Carmine similarly did not want Alberto to get involved in the family business. However, the reasoning is different because Carmine in the comics believed that Alberto could be better and do more with his life than crime. Regardless, Alberto became bitter because his father kept him at a distance, resulting in Alberto becoming Holiday Long Halloween.

7 Detective Kinzie

First seen in Batman

Detective Kinzie in episode 4 of Penguin

After Oz confronts Sofia about Carmine about talking to reporters about the deaths of multiple women associated with Carmine, Sofia suggests that she remembers that her father killed her mother. Due to this, Carmine arrested Sofia and placed her in the Arkham Detention Center. However, the policeman who makes the arrest Penguin Episode 4 is none other than Detective Kinize (Peter McDonald) who is on Carmine's payroll and first appeared in 2022 Batman.

6 Gotham papers teasing Firefly?

Big industrial fire

Sofia newspapers tease the firefly

Every newspaper in Gotham begins calling Sofia the Hanged Man, and her father's murders are pinned on her thanks to Carmine's various connections with the police and courts, as well as his family being forced to testify due to his history of mental illness (except for Alberto). . However, it is worth noting that each article also mentions a large industrial fire this is currently being investigated. This could be a nod to the infamous Gotham arsonist and classic Batman villain known as Firefly, who may have caused the fire.

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In the comics, Firefly's real name is Garfield Lynns, and he is a sociopathic pyromaniac with an obsessive compulsion to start fires throughout Gotham City. A professional arsonist, Lynns is sometimes depicted with a jetpack and his signature flamethrower, allowing him to evade capture and set Gotham on fire as a major threat. As such, he's a notable member of Batman's rogues gallery, and it would be very exciting to see him in Matt Reeves' future Gotham.

Brendan Fraser played Firefly in an unreleased film
Batgirl
movie from Warner Bros.

5 Doctor Belly

Perhaps named after Floyd Ventris, also known as Mirror Man

DC Comics Mirror Man

The corrupt head doctor at Arkham State Hospital introduces himself to Sofia as Dr. Ventris Penguin episode 4, the task of which is to subject her to a series of psychological tortures. Having a rather unique name, it is possible that he will be named after DC Comics' Floyd Ventris, also known as The Mirror Man. Not to be confused with Flash's Mirror Master, Mirror Man simply used mirrors in his crimes and eventually used them to discover Batman's true identity (though no one believed him).

4 Magpie is Sofia's neighbor in Arkham

A classic Gotham thief

Magpie in the Penguin, episode 4

In Arkham, Sofia mostly interacts with Magpiethe patient next door to the cell next to hers (played by Marié Botha). In the comics, Magpie is a notorious Gotham thief with an obsession with everything shiny. She was also one of the first criminals captured in the comics, thanks to the joint efforts of Batman and Superman. However, Sofia murders her at the end Penguin a flashback sequence from episode 4 when she realizes that Magpie has been spying on her for Doctor Ventris in exchange for drugs (the same drug that Sofia has now introduced to Gotham's underworld).

3 The same visiting room in Arkham

When Batman confronts the Riddler

Alberto in the visiting room in Arkham. Penguin, episode 4

When Alberto finally gets to meet Sofia, the siblings meet in the same visiting room where Batman will face the Riddler in 2022 Batman following the arrest of Edward Nashton. It's also the same scene from Penguin episode 2, when Sofia had a nightmare about her brother's death (although this time Alberto has all his fingers). Unfortunately, Alberto is there to tell Sofia that she won't be considered, thanks to Dr. Ventris' evaluation (which was probably paid for by Carmine).

2 “Death of a Parent”

Dr. Rush might as well be talking about Batman

Dr. Julien Rush Penguin, episode 4

While Doctor Ventris is quite sinister and most likely works for Carmine, Doctor Julien Rush is much more sympathetic and seems to genuinely want to help Sofia (even in the present). At one point, Rush makes a touching comment to Sofia: “The death of a parent can be traumatic, and it is not unusual for that grief to translate into anger or even violence.” While Rush is talking about Sofia and her mother's death, he might as well be talking about Batman and his crusade for revenge following the death of his own parents in Crime Alley when he was a child.

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End Batman saw Bruce Wayne seemingly learning to balance his desire for revenge against Gotham's corrupt with his mission to seek justice and protect Gotham's innocent citizens. That said, Rush's diagnosis can still be applied to Batman much better than to Sofia Falcone. Apparently, the death of his parents sent Bruce Wayne into a spiral of anger and violence, which became a vehicle for his grief, while Sofia was simply saddened by her mother's death (even if she is blamed for doing otherwise).

1 The Hanged Man replaces the holiday

Killing Falcones

Sofia Falcone gasses her family in episode 4 of Penguin

In the present, Sofia returns to the Falcone mansion after being rescued by Julien (who quit his job at Arkham due to guilt over what happened to Sofia). She confronts her entire family, expressing her anger that they all signed statements claiming she suffered from mental illness. Sofia then claims that she intends to go to Italy to finally be free from them all, seeing herself as the only true innocent in the entire family.

However, Instead, Sofia kills the family with gas in their sleepexcept Johnny and Gia Viti. As such, this mirrors her brother's actions in the comics as one of the Christmas Killers. Instead, it is Kat who kills members of the Falcone family Penguin episode 4, clearing the way for Sofia Falcone to finally take the place she was always meant to occupy.

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