The Penguin: 10 Best Quotes Ranked

:0:1

The Penguin has come to a close with an ending that cements it as one of the best DC television series of all time, in no small part due to its fantastic scripts, which featured many iconic quotes. With the finale of The Penguin setting up prospective plotlines for the story of The Batman - Part II, there is much to be gleaned from the details and characterization found in the HBO series. The tightly and smartly written program crafted a story that is well-worth revisiting in detail.
While every episode of The Penguin kept a consistent level of quality, there were many moments that stood out in the series. Embodying a dark style, with an unpredictable and dastardly character at the center of it, The Penguin made for an engaging television experience unlike any other. Many believe that The Penguin may be the greatest comic-book television series of all time, and discussions about The Penguin season 2 have already arisen, suggesting the show may return. Reviewing The Penguin"s incredible dialogue, it"s clear why the story is held in such high regard.
10 “They're Gonna Tell Stories About Us One Day, Kid.” Oz Explains Their Success To Vic After Gaining Loyalty In Episode 6, “Gold Summit” Close Oz"s plan begins to come to fruition with this episode, and his line here explains what it"s all about for him. In The Penguin episode 6, Oz crafts some important relationships in an iconic scene that sees the heads of several different gangs coming together and sharing a beer. In the aftermath of this, Oz revels in his own success, explaining to Vic that this consolidation of power is such an incredible achievement for the lower-class crooks of Gotham.
Oz"s entire motivation is based on wanting to prove himself as better than those around him. He is a smooth talker, but at the heart of every one of his actions, there seems to be an uncomfortable insecurity that is always just about to emerge. While questions remain after The Penguin"s ending, the villain does get exactly what he wants in the end. Though it comes at the cost of so much, Oz becomes someone genuinely terrifying and important in Gotham.
9 “I Asked For Extra Pickles And They Gave Me Two. So A Normal Amount Of Pickles Is One?” Oz Defuses The Tension With Vic In Episode 1, “After Hours" Close The first few scenes with Vic and Oz are some of the most tense in the entire series. Audiences could already feel the volatility that Oz carried after a scene where he killed Alberto in cold blood, leading to questions about what he may do to Vic even after having the young man help him. Vic is nearly killed by Oz, but he eventually relents when Oz sees a bit of himself in the kid, demonstrated by Vic"s stutter.
Oz"s casual and funny reaction to the food that the two of them are sharing is meant to defuse the tension between him and Victor in the midst of all of this. While Oz is a truly horrendous villain, who seems to have no reluctance to kill even those who are closest to him, he is excellent at presenting a facade that says otherwise. The line successfully defuses the tension for a moment, even if it doesn"t ultimately prevent one tragic character death that occurs later in The Penguin.
8 “I Got The Devil In My House, Rex. What The Hell Am I Supposed To Do?” Francis Makes Plans To Kill Her Son In Episode 8, “A Great Or Little Thing” Close The finale of The Penguin revealed the terrifying fact that Francis knew all along that Oz had murdered his brothers in cold blood, and had not done anything about it. In a dark scene, she discusses her options, which seem to be outlined as either to use her son as a lackey to further herself or to have him killed. The heartbreak and tension that Francis feels while speaking with Rex are made evident in her describing Oz as "the devil", reinforcing the dilemma she faces in this dark scene.
Ultimately, realizing his obsessive devotion to her, Francis backs away from her plan to have Oz killed. However, the idea she considered it - and indeed seemed close to going through with the plan because of what Oz did - drastically changes what the dynamic looks like between the mother and son. The relationship between Oz and Francis quickly becomes reframed in the most upsetting way, especially as young Oz looks up at his mother with disturbing love in his eyes. Francis is truly in a difficult place, although she certainly does not address it well at all.
7 “I Refuse To Let These Old F***in' Men To Push Me Aside Again Like I'm Nothing, So I'm Gonna Take From Them Now. And I'm Gonna Force Them To Their Knees. It Should Be Fun.” Sofia Falcone Outlines Her Motivations In Episode 2, "Inside Man" Close Sofia Falcone is a terrifying villain, with her Penguin origin inspired by a real-life tragedy. At this point in the series, she is treated with fear by those around her and looked at as a monster. This makes sense to audiences at the time, who are informed that she is The Hangman. As further details are revealed, however, lines like this begin to become more human, and this dialogue becomes a reaction to being hurt by her own family rather than the rantings of a bloodthirsty villain.
Sofia"s quote about being pushed around serves to explain the person that she has become. While formerly an altruistic and intelligent young woman with many prospects ahead of her, her father Carmine Falcone takes all of that away from her after she begins to work out he is in fact The Hangman. As she is hurt and beaten down for something that she never did, she comes out of Arkham looking for revenge. Without her father there to destroy, she looks to take down everyone just like him.
6 “How's Anyone Supposed To Know Your Worth Unless You Tell 'Em, Huh?” Oz Teaches Vic To Demand The Best In Episode 3, “Bliss” Close As things begin to develop for Oz in his plans, he takes Vic on in a more official capacity in The Penguin episode 3. Following his hiring, he pays Vic for his work and advises him to ask for more. This follows Oz"s own path in the series, where he feels that he is owed more than he receives. Beaten down and looked down on for his appearance, Oz feels that he has a great deal to prove, and this line perfectly encapsulates that.
Oz knows that nothing will be handed to him, and that he will have to lie, cheat, and steal to make his own way to the top of the criminal underworld. He thinks that no one will respect him simply for who he is, and that he must take distinct and memorable action to prove the worth that he knows that he has. Oz firmly believes himself to be the most important person in the world, and will do anything that he can to communicate that, no matter the cost.
5 “What You Did To Me. Was It Worth It? Did You Get Everything That You Wanted? 'Cause It Seems Like You Just... You Want More.” Sofia Calls Oz Out In Episode 3, “Bliss” Close Sofia knows that Oz has double-crossed her in the past, but she still makes the choice to work with him again in the early portion of the show"s story. Much of this is because she knows that she has little choice; virtually everyone she has trusted has stabbed her in the back, putting her away in Arkham. Still, she does not trust Oz, which speaks to her intelligence. Even if she is going to work with him, she wishes to call him out and to ensure that he knows this.
Like many scenes where Oz is called out for his duplicity, he talks his way out of it in the end. Despite this, the question Sofia asks is left hanging, and remains significant in showing how she sees Oz throughout the rest of the series. It is true that nothing seems like it will ever satisfy him, and that contributes to what a horrific and terrifying villain he becomes. Looking at him, even making plans with him, Sofia feels this bitterness and reluctance tied in, which is expressed so succinctly and effectively here in the show"s dialogue.
4 "You Have To Promise Me That You're Gonna Make Something Of Yourself, That You'll Get Me Every Goddamn Thing I Deserve." Francis Gives Oz His Motivation In Episode 7, "Top Hat" Close With this dialogue - and the later context provided - Francis suggests that she does not truly care about Oz, but is rather using him as a means to an end. While the original line seems to serve as an inspiration for Oz, it becomes clear later that this is a delusion, and he is simply being used. Francis, like her son, cares more about herself than for anyone else. Despite horrific events in episode 7 of The Penguin, this line is still hard to hear, as it reinforces the motivations that Oz uses to justify his actions to himself and those around him.
The Penguin"s origin here is sad in ways that make perfect sense for the character. Oz comes from a family where using one another is the heart of their relationship. He only wants his mother to himself, so he has taken away everything else that she loves. In response, Francis chooses to use Oz, to prod him along until he makes something of himself, in order to get herself the life and the penthouse suite that she has always wanted. There is no love in any of this.
3 “Tomorrow, I'm Starting A New Life. For The First Time, I Have Hope.” Sofia Subtly Tells Her Family That She Plans To Kill Them In Episode 4, “Cent’Anni” Close Sofia’s family has betrayed her, and in this iconic speech, where she stands at the end of the dinner table and announces a renouncement of her past life, she hints at her plans to come. The entire family, including Luca, the new head, severely underestimate Sofia, and only look to use her as a means to their own ends. Clearly, Sofia is a more terrifying and formidable opponent than this, leading to the scenes that would follow, where she gases the entire house.
With this speech, and these words specifically, Sofia changes from a Falcone to a Gigante. As the entire family looks on, entirely unsuspecting, she makes a toast and a pronouncement to her own future. As the series follows from this point, the tension grows, as the unspoken becomes realized on screen. Sofia murders her entire family in cold blood, and moves on with a new family name and an entirely evolved outlook.
2 "That's The Thing About Family. It's Your Strength. It Drives You. But F*** If It Don't Make Ya Weak, Too. And I Can't Have That No More." Oz Tells Vic Why He Has To Kill Him In Episode 8, “A Great Or Little Thing” Close Oz states in The Penguin episode 8 that his motivation and drive come from his family. However, that loyalty appears to be darkly realized, mostly as an oedipal attraction to his own mother. Still, Francis becomes the only character by which Oz can be exploited. The entire climax of the series, and Sofia"s leverage over Oz, would not have occurred without his mother to use against him.
This leads perfectly into the close of the series, where DC makes it very clear that this Penguin is evil, through and through. Following an entire season of development and affection between Vic and Oz, and a close bond growing between them, Oz speaks these words before murdering Vic with his bare hands. This is in response to the acknowledgment that Vic sees Oz as family; following the murder of his own brothers, Oz sees even a familial link to be not enough to restrain him.
1 “In My Neighborhood, They Throw A Parade In His Honor. A Friggin' Parade. It Wasn't Fancy, But It Was A Gesture, A Show Of Love, Of What He Meant.” Oz Explains His Motivation To Alberto In Episode 1, “After Hours” Close One of the best scenes of the entire DC series occurred in The Penguin episode 1, where Oz ran into Alberto and had a long, tense conversation with him. After being caught trying to rip Alberto off, Oz was able to talk himself out of a difficult situation. All appears to be well until Oz genuinely shares his motivations with Alberto. With this dialogue, Oz shows that his desire is to be looked up to and celebrated. All that Oz wishes is to be seen as someone important and dignified.
Unfortunately, Alberto laughs at this, and Oz shoots him multiple times in a violent rage. It is one of the most effective scenes in the entire show and sets up the trajectory of the whole series of The Penguin. In this, audiences are quickly given details about who Oz is as a person, what drives him, and how far he will go to get it. Audiences quickly see what a smooth talker he is, and how terrifyingly quickly these moments can turn from a peaceful conversation to a violent reaction, defining the very spirit of the entire series.

[圖擷取自網路，如有疑問請私訊]