Everything to Remember About The Batman Before Watching Penguin

Sunken City

In the finale of “The Batman”, Gotham City was left devastated by The Riddler’s bombings, submerged under floodwaters. The movie dramatically portrayed the climactic flood, but it’s the aftermath – life in Gotham post-flood and the struggles of its less fortunate residents – that will be explored in “The Penguin’s” narrative.

Drug of Choice

In the story of “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne and Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle, they delve into the criminal empire of gang lord Carmine Falcone, portrayed by John Turturro. It’s revealed that a significant part of Falcone’s illegal operations involves a narcotic eye drop known as “Drops.” This substance is noticeable among club-goers at Oz’s nightclub, The Iceberg Lounge, and among the wealthy and influential members of Gotham society at Carmine’s hidden club, 44 Below. The Falcone and Maroni crime families were fighting over control of these drops when Falcone died. After his death, this drug trade is the most coveted power struggle in the underworld.

The Falcone Empire

Carmine Falcone ruled Gotham City’s Underworld after finally besting his mob rival, Sal Maroni, and taking control of all major vice trades in the city (drugs, prostitution, gambling, arms dealing, etc.). Carmine did more than just control the unlawful aspects of the underworld: he collected information on major power players across Gotham: government officials, politicians, law enforcement rank-and-file – anyone with any hint of corruptibility ended up being leaned on by Falcone. That list includes Batman’s father, Dr. Thomas Wayne, who once saved Falcone from a near-fatal gunshot wound. Wayne asked Carmine to stop a press expos? about Martha Wayne’s mental health troubles, which ended with the reporter being killed. When Thomas got angry about the outcome, it’s suspected that Carmine had him and Martha killed, as well.

In a surprising turn of events in The Batman, it’s unveiled that Carmine Falcone has been the city’s most treacherous informant all along. He skillfully navigated between legal and criminal circles (Gotham City Renewal Corp. and the drug trade) to establish, fund, and sustain his dominion. Towards the end of The Batman, Carmine is killed by The Riddler during an arrest, yet his illicit enterprises, the connections he built with influential figures, and the damaging secrets he held over nearly everyone remain up for grabs.

The Iceberg Lounge

In The Batman, there was a recurring plot point where Bruce Wayne needed access to Penguin’s Iceberg Lodge nightclub and also Falcone’s hidden club, 44 Below, within it. Given that Riddler has inundated the city, the status of these clubs is uncertain. However, what’s clear is that Oz had been using this location to spy on influential individuals, sell drugs, and arrange meetings and transactions. With Falcone out of the picture, the future of Iceberg Lodge seems precarious.

The Mayoral Elect

In the side plot of “The Batman,” Bella Reál (Jayme Lawson) was depicted as a candidate challenging the corrupt mayor Don Mitchell Jr. (Rupert Penry-Jones). By the conclusion of The Batman, it seemed that Reál had become Gotham’s new mayor, heralding an age of optimism, openness, and anti-corruption for Gotham City. However, this development didn’t sit well with the criminal underworld, as the Falcones, Maronis, and Oz continued their longstanding conflicts amidst the shifting times.

The Maroni Bust

Salvatore Maroni was THE don of Gotham City, who created the drops narcotic and controlled its distribution. Maroni hired the reporter to discredit Martha Wayne and ruin Thomas Wayne’s mayoral campaign – and possibly had Wayne killed to keep Falcone from having a mayor in his pocket. After the Waynes died, Maroni was part of the Gotham Renewal Fund scam and seemed to be unchallenged in his rule of the underworld. However, Falcone used his political influence – while having Penguin befriend Maroni personally – to set his rival mob boss up in a sting operation that landed Maroni in prison with a life sentence.

In Gotham City, the mayor (Don Mitchell Jr.), the district attorney (Gil Colson), and the police commissioner (Pete Savage), who were all associated with each other, built their careers around the Maroni case. However, the Riddler exacted revenge on each of them by taking away their lives. As a result, the public learned the truth about the Maroni bust. Previews for the upcoming show The Penguin hint at Sal Maroni’s (Clancy Brown) reappearance, and as expected, he’s furious about the deception that took place.

Selina Falcone

In the world of The Batman, I found myself connected to a notorious figure like Carmine Falcone through an unexpected twist: Selina Kyle, who is none other than the daughter of Maria Kyle, a lady from the 44 Below club, and the ruthless mob boss himself. Growing up, Selina bore the brunt of Carmine’s cruelty when he choked her mother to death at a tender age of seven. Seeking vengeance, I found myself in a life-threatening confrontation with the man who took away my mother. After escaping Gotham following our clash, the Falcone blood that courses through my veins could potentially resurface in the future.