colin farrell as oz sitting in a room
(HBO)

Nothing but respect for my favorite ally, Oz “The Penguin” Cobb

Oswald Cobb is a lot of things. He’s a man who doesn’t really have much loyalty, he will criticize your bad Spanish, and he is an ally. Yes, you read that correct. Colin Farrell’s take on The Penguin is, in fact, an ally. We love to see it.

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Oz Cobb as a character is a very fun guy. Farrell’s take on the iconic Batman villain is a bit different from other versions before him but he still has that charm that fans of the Penguin know and love. The deeper we get into The Penguin on HBO, the more we learn about Oz and, well, everyone loves that he is an ally to all.

During the first episode of The Penguin, Oz is walking with Vic (Rhenzy Feliz) when they come across two sex workers on the street. Oz politely says hello to them and walks in. Many are calling Oz an ally for the scene. They also pointed out that not only is he Pro LGBTQ and sex work, but he is also working with a young man of color who has a disability. Oz Cobb is a man of the people.

No really, he is. Not only is he a king of the darker side of Gotham but he also hates QR codes when they are forced into his face.

He’s just a single guy who works too hard and loves his mom

Sure, if we stop and think about Oz for too long, we might not love that he is a mobster. Actually…that’s not true, we all love Tony Soprano despite that fact so what makes Oz any different? What we really love about him though is that, right now, he’s just a guy trying to navigate where he fits in in Gotham and he’s not exactly the best at doing it.

But he tries. He supports sex workers, doesn’t discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and really just wants to protect his mom. That’s my Ozzie boy!

Did I think in 2024 that I’d find the Penguin relatable? No but he just kind of fumbles his way through Gotham when it seems like he really wants to just be watching old movies with his mom.

It is kind of funny to see people tweeting about Oz like this. But then again, we came out of The Batman and were obsessed with whatever Farrell was doing as the Penguin. Remember that interrogation scene between him, Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), and Batman (Robert Pattinson)? We love a bilingual king like Oz!

Anyway, Batman isn’t supporting the community like Oz is! He’s too busy being moody about his dead parents and eating blueberries while wearing sunglasses inside of Wayne Manor. He should be out on the streets, helping Gotham like Oz is. (I know Oz is not helping Gotham but he would if he could!)

So here is to our guy: Oz, you’re perfect. Don’t let Gotham change you. Just stay being the icon you are forever and always.


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Rachel Leishman
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Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.