Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Penguin episode 6, “Gold Summit.”
The Penguin may have further set up the Court of Owls as the perfect villains for Matt Reeves’ upcoming sequel, Batman – Part II. Set outside the mainstream DC universe, Batman and The Penguin detailed a darker, grittier Gotham City, tormented by villains like the Riddler, the Penguin, and the Joker. With Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader set to return in 2026 Batman – Part IIrecent HBO The Penguin the series may have set the stage for the introduction of new Batman villains.
The Penguin has detailed Oswald “Oz” Cobb’s rise to power in Gotham City’s underworld following his debut as owner of the Iceberg Lounge nightclub in Batman. The series shed a brighter light on the class divide and issues of elitism in Matt Reeves’ version of Gotham. The focus on disparities between rich and poor may have cast the Court of Owls as the villain of Batman – Part IIwith evidence of the mysterious group’s debut mounting even further after The Penguin episode 6, “Gold Summit”.
Matt Reeves’ Gotham has an elitism problem
Gotham City’s class divide in Batman and Penguin is huge
Both Batman and The Penguin focused on the huge gap between Gotham City’s rich and poor communities in Matt Reeves’ DC Elseworlds franchise. All over BatmanThe Riddler of Paul Dano, who was raised in poverty, targets Gotham City’s elite, resenting the rich and powerful for neglecting those less fortunate. It’s ironic that he opposes the reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne in his Batman persona. Although the divide between rich and poor was already immense, the Riddler’s actions only made it even more prominent..
This has been a significant storyline in The Penguinas the Riddler’s actions in Gotham City meant that more of the elite fell into corruption, with the divide becoming even greater. This has sparked theories that the Court of Owls will appear in Batman – Part II. At DC Comics, The Court of Owls is a secret organization made up of Gotham’s richest citizens who have influenced the city’s development since its founding. The Court of Owls carries out gruesome murders in Gotham City, which would make a perfect antagonist for Matt Reeves’ franchise.
Penguin Episode 6 Adds More Evidence to the Court of Owls Theory
Penguin Episode 6 Makes Gotham’s Elitism Even More Prevalent
Theories about the debut of the Court of Owls in Batman – Part II are supported thanks to the events of The Penguin episode 6, “Gold Summit”. During the most recent episode of the popular HBO series, power fluctuations and revelations of corruption revealed more about the divide between rich and poor in Gotham City. Oz confirms this, following the events of Batmanpoliticians were pressured to divert much-needed power and resources to wealthier communitieswhile the less fortunate were ignored.
Oz suggests that Gotham City’s politicians have become a conspiracy that can do whatever they want. The parallel to DC Comics’ Court of Owls is hard to ignore. The Court of Owls is based in hidden rooms in various Gotham City buildings, which could easily be the case in Batman and The Penguin universeperhaps reflecting Oz’s new base of operations beneath Gotham City, and the Batcave itself, which sits beneath Wayne Tower. Gotham’s elitism makes the Court of Owls a very likely addition.
Matt Reeves has already set up the Court of Owls
The Court of Owls would be perfect villains for Batman – Part II
It was revealed that the Riddler’s actions revealed widespread corruption in Gotham Cityand the debut of this corrupt elite lays the foundation for the debut of the Court of Owls. Now that Oz Cobb has a politician in his pocket, it seems likely that more of this corruption will be displayed in The Penguin and beyond, opening the door for the Court of Owls to finally make itself known. Robert Pattinson previously revealed the Geek’s Lair that he wants the Court of Owls in Batman – Part IIand this seems to be a very real possibility now.
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