This story will get into spoilers for The Penguin, so stop reading now if you have not caught up on the show.
Here’s one word that I think you can use to describe The Penguin through the seven episodes of the first season: Unpredictable. Few probably thought that they’d emotionally side with Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) until they watched the downfall of the crime boss’s daughter in The Penguin Episode 4. Then there was Sofia’s decision to murder the majority of her family members, as well as crime boss Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly), whom she shot point blank in the back of the skull. Even though we are primed to expect surprises, few of us could have predicted that Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) would drop dead of a heart attack mid fight against Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell), preventing the mafioso from bringing the full weight of justice down on the Penguin.
I was a little disappointed. For a moment, it looked like Oz would figure out how to prevail against Sal, even though Sal was in a rage. And rightfully so, because Oz had burned Sal’s wife and kid to death. And he was about to bring the hammer on Oz. Following the release of The Penguin Episode 7, which concluded with Sal’s death, I got the opportunity to speak with Clancy Brown about his work on the show, and his character’s untimely demise. And when I asked him who he thought would have won the fight had Sal not had a heart attack, he thought about it and replied to CinemaBlend:
Oh, that’s a really good question. I want to say, because I played him, I would say Sal. Because he's so infuriated, and so energized by his hatred and emotion. I think he would've eventually overpowered him somehow. I mean, he's so rageful. He hates Oz so much. Hates him so much . And I think sometimes, that berserk energy can win. I think that's also why Colin had that dialogue at the end of (the scene), that monologue at the end of it. Because it was so unsatisfying for him. That whole scene was kinda intense.
To say the least. One reason why I can say that I was disappointed in the outcome of Sal Maroni is that Oz always figures out a way to get out of tight situations. But in this fight, fate stepped in and took Sal off the board for Oz, an unusual turn in this otherwise brutal show. When I asked Clancy Brown if he was dissatisfied with the way the show took Maroni out, he dutifully replied:
By that time, I'm completely trusting the writers. I'm completely trusting the director. It's not Sal's story. It's Oz's story. And I think that that frustration is important to the character, and kind of motivates him.
Motivates him to do what? We will find out soon enough, as The Penguin glides in for its conclusion on Sunday night. This is easily one of the best shows available on HBO at the moment, so make sure that your Max subscription is fully up to date, and prepare for the conclusion of this incredible DC story as it comes your way soon.
