Forget the Joker, the Penguin just created the best villain for The Batman: Part II

There was a lot of hype among DC fans about the Joker’s potential as a main villain The Batman: Part II. Director Matt Reeves created a scary moment for the character The Batman (as well as a deleted scene) that features rising star Barry Keoghan as the latest version of DC’s most iconic villain. While there’s no shortage of excitement for Keoghan to take on a larger role in Reeves’ version of Gotham City, “The Penguin” proved to everyone that the Clown Prince of Crime isn’t the villain that “Batman: Part II” needs or deserves . After the Riddler terrorized both Bruce Wayne and Gotham City in The Batman, Oswald Cobb must take on the same role Part II.

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for the finale of “The Penguin”! Read more at your own risk…

Videos from ComicBook.com

After the events of The Penguin, Colin Farrell’s crime boss was definitely intended to be the main villain The Batman: Part II. Other villains like Joker, Riddler or whoever may well play a role in the film, but now it seems impossible that anything can happen without Penguin being the focus.

At the end of The penguinOswald Cobb flipped the script on organized crime in Gotham City. The Falcones and Maronis were stripped of their power and control, and Oz helped lead a revolution among the underappreciated right-wing hands of Gotham’s other gangs. He also engaged in a power struggle with Gotham City’s politicians, made contact with the right people, and found himself in a place where he was nearly untouchable.

The Penguin is in control of the city, but that’s not the main reason Reeves has to rely on him to take on Bruce Wayne The Batman: Part II. Over time The penguinOswald has gone out of his way to prove to fans that he is just as dark and devilish as everyone else. Sure, the Joker has a twisted sense of humor, but Oswald is a frightening, stone-cold killer who can squeeze the life out of the people he loves most without even batting an eye. No, literally – that’s exactly what he just did to the only person who actually cared about him.

[RELATED: Is The Penguin Getting a Season 2?]

Reeves, Farrell and The penguin Creator Lauren LeFranc has put together a story that turns a sometimes funny gangster into one of the most complex and terrifying villains we’ve seen in live-action DC stories. Now he has a dangerous combination of drive and strength that makes him the most dangerous opponent for a detective like Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne. He is simultaneously everything Bruce hates about Gotham City while also being just like Bruce in many ways. Both men are deeply rooted in the essence of Gotham itself. One could argue that the city created and raised each of them, making them more ideal rivals than Batman and Joker.

It’ll be fun to see Keoghan’s Joker running wild on the big screen, but he’ll have to wait The Batman: Part III really take over. Oswald Cobb has earned the right to take the lead in Part II.