The Penguin episode 2 ending explained: Sofia takes Oz up on that dance

As a gamer who’s spent countless hours navigating the treacherous waters of the criminal underworld in various mafia-themed games, I must say that “The Penguin” has certainly caught my attention. The latest episode, “Inside Man,” is reminiscent of the classic mafia strategy: create chaos, point fingers, and ultimately emerge victorious.

MAJOR spoilers ahead for The Penguin episode 2

In the second installment of “The Penguin,” titled “Inside Man,” we find ourselves witnessing an hour where Oz must swiftly adapt to changing circumstances. Initially, none of his strategies unfold as planned.

The Maronis opted to admit guilt for Alberto Falcone’s demise and consented to seize control of their rival’s package deliveries. They believed it would be straightforward – they were supposed to confiscate the drugs during transit, disable the lead car, steal the contents from the FEMA truck carrying the packages, and let the follow car go since Oz was expected there. However, things took an unexpected turn when Johnny Viti instructed them to travel in the truck instead.

To escape the predicament, Oz had to trick the Falcone gang members in the truck without alerting the men in the lead car that he was collaborating with the Maronis’ accomplice. Remarkably, he pulled this off even amidst a hail of bullets and successfully made his exit, leaving everyone none the wiser. As it turned out, Castillo – Sofia’s trusted lieutenant who had previously beaten Oz – owed him his life, making things work out rather favorably for Oz in the end.

In this episode, Oz found himself in quite a predicament due to this event, but by the end, he cleverly controlled the situation that followed. Initially, though, he needed to eliminate two individuals – first, Ervad, the leader of the Maronis, and then someone else whose identity wasn’t specified, to divert suspicion from Sofia Falcone regarding her brother’s demise.

The Penguin episode 2 ending explained: Sofia takes Oz up on that dance

Ervad’s death in The Penguin gives Oz an opening with Sofia

Initially, we encountered Ervad when Oz had a meeting with the Maronis at the prison. That night, when the delivery operation went wrong, he was leading the team and got wounded by gunfire. Later, Sofia, who knew an addicted detective formerly employed by her father, rescued Ervad from the hospital and hid him in the basement of the Falcone mansion.

The detective thought that if she could get Ervad to speak, she’d discover the person betraying the Falcone family by revealing their plans to their adversaries. It was fortunate that Oz was introduced by the Maronis following Alberto’s funeral, as he wouldn’t have known otherwise. In the end, he had to hand over the file on Viti he’d been keeping for future negotiations with Luca, Sofia’s uncle who has taken over as don. However, this action gave him time to persuade the Maronis to spare his life.

In essence, Nadia Maroni, content with the knowledge that Viti had been involved with Luca’s wife for a long time, released Oz from his restraints. Yet, she assigned him a new mission: retrieving Ervad. To clarify, Oz was fully committed to accomplishing this task. He deduced that Ervad was being held in the basement, informed Viti and Milos about it to escalate the matter with Luca, and discreetly visited Ervad himself.

In a somewhat dazed state due to hospital-administered morphine, the capo was cooperative. He understood he needed Oz’s assistance and intended to inform the Falcones about his collaboration with Viti. However, Oz didn’t get the opportunity to incriminate Viti as planned. His scheme relied on Victor secretly hiding jewels in Viti’s vehicle, providing a motive for betraying the family. Unfortunately, this plan fell through because Victor was caught and had to flee from security.

In the heat of the moment, I found myself drawing my blade and striking Ervad before I made my exit from the basement. Upon arrival, Luca and Sofia discovered Ervad’s lifeless body. This chilling incident left no doubt in our minds that we harbor a traitor among us. At Luca’s command, everyone linked to the failed transportation missions was confined to a room for a thorough search.

In the performance typical of Oz, he feigned ignorance about the unfolding events. But when Viti entered the room, Oz deliberately picked a quarrel with him. He falsely accused Viti of being the spy and the two got into a scuffle. The other henchmen intervened, including Castillo. To an outside observer, it seemed that Oz was creating a ruckus to hide the fact that he needed to secretly stash his knife in someone else’s pocket. Interestingly, what might have been unexpected for some spectators is that he didn’t plant the knife on Viti, but rather on Castillo instead.

Castillo’s death leaves Sofia looking for an ally

In his effort to convince Sofia that he wasn’t responsible for her brother’s death or possessing the knife, Castillo found no success. Instead of handing over his gun as she demanded, the henchman refused. Eventually, it was Luca who ended Castillo’s life, an act which satisfied Oz’s desire for vengeance. However, this action also paved the way for Sofia to eventually betray Luca.

The Penguin episode 2 ending explained: Sofia takes Oz up on that dance

Ever since Sofia returned, Oz has been making efforts to win her favor. Similar to “Inside Man”, she was the one who uncovered that the family had a traitor but was sidelined by her uncle. His rise to the Falcone throne also felt like another insult, as she wasn’t even considered for ruling over the empire she was born into once more.

It’s not surprising that Sofia wasn’t chosen to lead, given the mafia’s traditional and patriarchal nature, but it does suggest she has unresolved issues. With Castillo out of the picture, her phone call to Oz, asking him to meet at her family’s mausoleum, now seems logical. Luca was apparently trying to get rid of Sofia, going so far as to involve his daughter and rekindle their old relationship with her in an attempt to persuade Sofia to leave for Italy and consider his proposal.

Apart from Selina, Carmine’s almost last successor is not someone who can be sidelined. Originally, she and Alberto were set to jointly manage the family. During their brother’s funeral, Oz was the only one to console her over the loss and shared a personal anecdote about his mother’s sorrow when his brothers passed away, hinting at his support for her as the new leader.

In a different manner of expression: They didn’t hold a formal funeral for his brothers. His mother stayed in bed for nearly a month, but then one night, she got up and fetched him. She was dressed elegantly and took Oz to a jazz club. The entire evening was spent dancing. That’s the philosophy that Oz lives by: instead of mourning, dance – a sentiment that reflects how Alberto would have preferred things. Sofia agreed that he wouldn’t have wanted a somber funeral; instead, he would have sought out an even better celebration.

It is due to this tale and his ongoing backing that Sofia decides to form an alliance with Oz. Her intention is to seize control of the Falcone empire, and she wants him by her side in this endeavor. The two of them appear ready for a dance together, but there’s uncertainty as to whether Sofia truly trusts Oz or if she intends to keep a potential adversary near.

The Penguin episode 3 airs Sunday, Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

2024-09-30 05:01