@ Shaun
2024-11-14 09:25:34
## Oswald: Ruthlessness in the Pursuit of Power and Survival
In Gotham City, Oswald Cobblepot, known as “The Penguin,” lives by the unrelenting rules of the mob: ruthless, without compromise or boundaries. For him, survival demands sheer will, extreme cunning, and coldness. He will do anything to achieve his aims, even betray those closest to him—like his mother, who has profoundly influenced him. His attachment to her is rooted in a twisted, obsessive need for approval, and his ruthlessness is not only a survival strategy but also an expression of his deeply embedded self-centeredness.
The Penguin maneuvers through the shadows of Gotham City with manipulation, deceit, and vengeance, like a serpent coiling around its prey. His every success is built on a disregard for humanity and a relentless thirst for power. Though he appears to show devotion to his mother, this is only another facet of his self-serving nature. He cherishes her only so long as she provides him with a sense of security; the moment she becomes a liability, he discards her without hesitation. This twisted complexity makes him a character who elicits both fascination and repulsion.
The Penguin’s unique blend of cruelty and contradiction separates him from the typical mob character. His ruthless selfishness is rooted in self-preservation. He is capable of manipulating or even betraying those closest to him. His “loyalty” is merely a mask for his unyielding self-interest. This guise of loyalty makes him more isolated and untrustworthy than those around him, ultimately marking him as a true antihero—someone who cannot be trusted and who feels no attachment even to those he holds dear.
## Sofia: A Tender Wound in the Cold Reality
In contrast to the Penguin’s dark nature, Sofia, the female lead, presents a softer, yet no less complex character. Like him, she exists within Gotham’s shadows, but she retains a degree of innocence and kindness. Sofia, too, has a damaged side, but hers is gentler, perhaps even curable; her inner nature is resilient and compassionate. The Penguin, however, is wholly different—cold and selfish, with his inner darkness shaping every decision and action. Where Sofia struggles within Gotham’s corruption but maintains her inner light, the Penguin is the opposite, allowing his cruelty to permeate every aspect of his life.
Sofia’s presence is like a quiet undercurrent, casting the Penguin’s icy nature in sharper relief. She occasionally brings light into his shadowed world, though her warmth is ultimately no match for his darkness. Sofia’s compassion exposes the Penguin’s pathological selfishness, and her fleeting kindness only emphasizes his chilling indifference.
## The Solitude of a Drifter
With its muted color palette, the film portrays Gotham as a city almost devoid of life, where the clamor of daily existence only serves to conceal an underlying emptiness. The city’s visual loneliness, along with a slow, deliberate narrative and moments of silence, subtly reflects the Penguin’s inner struggle. His journey for power begins with a warped attachment to Gotham, and as the story unfolds, we see him descend into total darkness, losing all semblance of warmth. The scattered plot structure and somber music shape his evolution into a kind of melancholic, fragmented poem.
In this solitude, the director refrains from casting the Penguin in simple moral terms. Like life itself, the narrative is complex and fragmented, juxtaposing Gotham’s wealthy and impoverished neighborhoods to create a blurry psychological divide. In this “ruin” of Gotham, some people drift, some settle, while the Penguin himself wanders, searching for a place to belong. The pacing and cinematography draw the viewer in as though they are walking Gotham’s desolate streets, accompanied by a haunting piano melody.
## The Paradox of Power and Loneliness
The Penguin’s loneliness is not merely a result of Gotham’s darkness; it is the byproduct of his dependence on power. His need for control and his fixation on security bind him, like twin shackles, to his misery. He cannot escape his solitude even when perched at the top of Gotham’s hierarchy. His attachment to his mother is merely an extension of his self-interest; he has never truly known love or warmth. His cold and selfish nature is not a choice but an innate part of him, driving him inevitably toward isolation.
The series offers no definitive moral compass nor romanticizes any side. The Penguin’s relationship with Sofia and the sacrifices, betrayals, and suffering they both endure on the road to power seem to reflect the harsh realities of life. Gotham’s “ruinous” stage presents each character grappling with their choices and their costs.
## Moving Forward in the Darkness
The allure of The Penguin lies not only in its portrayal of an antihero but also in its exploration of the character’s inner lives. The Penguin’s turbulent life as a mobster intertwines with his attachment to Gotham, echoing those who search for belonging in places that feel forgotten. Sofia’s gentleness and fragile compassion, like a tender blade, continually pierce the Penguin’s illusions about power and loneliness.
The Penguin does not rise to power swiftly; instead, he edges toward a deep, inevitable abyss. The director’s pacing, intense and deliberate, brings the Penguin closer to the heights of power while making his solitude more profound. The Penguin strikes at the heart of adult disillusionment, showing us that the world will not soften simply because we yield. We can only stumble forward in the dark, perhaps even make peace with it.
***— Written by @Shaun on November 13, 2024***
[Chinese version](https://testenv.yakihonne.com/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzptuawpq8gepy05vl6fpu7xlws8nd78nrjgtace3kd0eh4fpdqhf4qq2ngvrhv4y5ykp4gfp8wnn0vceyuenfwqeyucg6zfv)