Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Penguin episode 2The Penguin episode 2 further explains why Gotham now knows Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight by a different name after the events of DC Elseworlds‘ The Batman. Following Alberto Falcone’s death and its chaotic aftermath, The Penguin episode 2 reveals several key details about Gotham’s criminal business. The Falcone and Maroni crime families are restructuring themselves as they scramble to gain power and fill the vacuum left by Carmine and Alberto Falcone. Of course, Oz Cobb is at the center of it all, double-crossing both families and escaping unscathed by a hair’s breadth.
Oz’s attempts to pit the Falcones and the Maronis against each other bring rushed decisions that lead to unnecessary casualties on both sides. On top of that, the mayhem seems to be awakening Sofia Falcone’s dangerous Hangman persona. Gotham’s criminal underworld is a ticking time bomb, and Batman is nowhere to be seen at this point, but so is the GCPD. Before the Penguin’s plans inevitably culminate in a full-blown gang war, Gotham is enjoying a brief period of peace thanks to Batman’s defeat of the Riddler.
The Penguin Renamed Bruce Wayne From Vengeance To “The Batman Vigilante”
Batman Earned A New Title After Defeating The Riddler
In The Penguin episode 1’s opening sequence, a news report refers to Batman as “the Batman Vigilante”. Throughout Matt Reeves’ The Batman, Robert Pattinson’s hero was publicly known as “Vengeance” due to his tendency to say “I’m vengeance” while fighting crime. Defeating the Riddler and helping innocent people escape the aftermath of the villain’s terrorist attacks changed Batman’s public perception, earning him the title of “Batman Vigilante”.
Crime Has Gone Up 42% In Gotham
The Penguin Episode 2 Confirms Gotham Is Plunging Into Crime After The Batman
The Penguin episode 2 reveals another detail about Gotham’s current state. According to a radio report, crime has risen 42% since the events of The Batman’s ending. This is supported by the way Oz Cobb meets Victor Aguilar. Victor, an otherwise naive and innocent kid, lost his home and found himself in the Penguin’s way as he tried to steal the rims off the criminal’s sports car. According to Oz himself, Victor’s whole neighborhood was wiped out. Hence, it’s safe to deduce that many new Gotham criminals were created by The Riddler’s attacks and the subsequent flooding.
Gotham’s rise in crime might be the reason why Batman hasn’t been seen in a couple of weeks. Batman may no longer be known as another criminal or an urban legend, and he may no longer have to deal with the police trying to stop him, but he probably has his hands full with low-level and mid-level criminals on the newly flooded streets of Gotham. This is the perfect breeding ground for future criminals as dangerous as the Riddler and the Penguin, as well as for The Batman – Part II’s main villain, whoever that will be.
A vigilante who takes justice into his own hands is just what Gotham needs in times like these
The drastic rise in crime also suggests that the police are failing at a crucial moment for Gotham. After all, the GCPD is as corrupt as the rest of Gotham City, and there’s only so much James Gordon’s close circle can do to keep criminals in line. A vigilante who takes justice into his own hands is just what Gotham needs in times like these. The media, the police, and the public are now aware of this, which suggests that Batman will be a considerably different kind of hero in The Batman – Part II.
Batman’s Vigilante Name Suits Gotham Now More Than Vengeance
Batman Is Fighting His Way Toward The “Hero” Title
Both in Matt Reeves’ The Batman franchise and in the source material, vengeance is at the heart of Batman’s crusade against crime due to his parents’ murder. It could be said that cleaning up Gotham is in part just an excuse for Batman to let out his resentment against the same kind of criminals that killed Thomas and Martha Wayne. However, vengeance is just the start, as Batman sooner or later realizes that there’s more to crime-fighting than personal payback.
Batman introduces himself in
Batman: The Animated Series
as
“I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman.”
Leaving his vengeful desires behind and earning the “vigilante” title allows Batman to direct his efforts toward more constructive goals. Instead of spending his time beating low-level criminals within an inch of their death, Batman might neutralize them as cleanly as possible and move on to the source of Gotham’s problems — corruption and organized crime. As a vigilante, Batman can investigate and stop high-profile criminals independently, on behalf of the people, and without any of the obstacles in which Gotham’s police and politicians are involved. Whatever Batman is doing during the events of The Penguin, he must be on his path to go from vigilante to full-fledged hero.
