Among the subtleDCComics references in HBO’sThe Penguin, there’s an interactive secret that leads to a huge revelation concerning The Riddler. The spin-off is the first DC TV show to be released under the DC Studios banner - though not as a part of James Gunn’s main DCU timeline, dealing with the fall-out ofThe Batman’s ending. And it seems there are some significant loose ends beyond Oz Cobb’s story.
The Penguin’s Easter eggsinclude a QR code confirming that while Batman caught The Riddler, he never won. Gotham’s destruction is a very tangible indication of that, but on top of that, it seems - chillingly - that The Riddler’s army is still active in Gotham. It is perhaps an overlooked part ofThe Batman’s lore, but The Riddler’s battle against Gotham’s corrupt heart could have major consequences for the Dark Knight’s new Rogues Gallery.
Where The Penguin’s QR Code Is
Which Scene You Can See The Riddler Secret Message In
TheQR code and its secret message can be seen where Oz and Victor (Rhenzy Feliz) get on Gotham’s metro train system, roughly 40 minutes intoThe Penguinepisode 1. They’re approached by a young man wearing a black mask, who is handing out flyers emblazoned with a QR code. The flyer also copies one of Paul Dano’s Riddler quotes inThe Batman: “the true face of Gotham”, which the villain used as a mantra for the city’s corruption.
“You’ve seen Gotham’s true face now. Together, we’ve unmasked it. Its corruption, its perversion masquerading under the guise of renewal”. -The Riddler, The Batman (2022)
The Riddler vowed to show the truth of Gotham - its “true face” - and he was successful in uncovering malignant corruption up to the highest levels of power and collusion with the city’s crime families. But there is more to that corruption, asMatt Reeves recently revealedwhen talking aboutThe Batman: Part II’s story:
“We’ve shared [the script] as we’ve been going along with DC, and they’re super excited. It’s going to dig into the epic story about deeper corruption and it goes into places [Bruce Wayne] couldn’t even anticipate in the first one.
The seeds of where this goes are all in the first movie & it expands in a way that will show you aspects of the character you never got to see. Batman is constantly battling these forces. But those forces can’t be entirely exorcised. So the next movie delves deeper into that.”
The Penguin’s QR code and the secret message it leads to all-but confirms that The Riddler’s mission will continue in the upcoming sequel.
What The Penguin’s QR Code Leads To
The Riddler’s Army Is Going To Be A Problem For Batman
When youfollow the link from the QR code, you’re taken to the Rataladaa websitethatThe Batman’s release in 2022 used for marketing to build The Riddler’s mythology ahead of release. A new message posted to the site references the start of a “revolution”, prompting remaining followers to meet at the metro outside Crown Point.
XxREIGNITINXx: “Arkham’s releasing patients and Blackgate is a mess… no one’s really a prisoner in there. Not even our old pal Sal Maroni.”
HOLDTHELINE81: “People say they want the truth but they shield their eyes when we shine the light”
DETERMINATOR: “Let’s verify they’re not blinded again to the corruption, the killings, the Falcone_power_grab…”
HOLDTHELINE81: “We start in the streets. Tonight at 9 p.m. Meet at the metro outside Crown Point.”
Clockbreak3r: “Done and done. The revolution is just getting started.”
Crown Point was one of the areas of Gotham City most affected by The Riddler’s attack at the end ofThe Batman, and is where both Oz Cobb and Victor are from.
What The Secret Message In The Penguin Means
Expect The Revolution To Continue In Gotham
Most importantly, just as the masked figure’s presence and message about the “true face of Gotham” confirm, the secret message confirms that The Riddler’s imprisonment in Arkham at the end ofThe Batmandidn’t end his influence. While it’s somewhat illogical that Riddler’s followers would still follow his philosophy after his plan targeted them and the people they were supposedly saving, it’s clear the message here is about the persistence of extremism.
This, of course, leads to speculation that The Riddler could yet return in Matt Reeves' Batman trilogy, and that his followers still present a problem for Robert Pattinson’s Batman. Interestingly, of course, this could also explain why Batman is missing fromThe Penguinentirely. He still has active fallout from the events of 2022 to sweep up. It sounds very much like The Riddler is indirectly building an army again.
On top of that is the consideration of what The Riddler’s plans had on the make-up of Gotham’s society. Quite apart from the turmoil among the existing crime families in Gotham, a single man standing up to “fight back” - just as Batman did on the other side of the moral code - will have a catalytic effect on other potential DC villains to emerge. The Riddler’s attack on Gotham was just the start, as the message says, and it’s surely not long until more criminal groups and individuals rise.
The Penguin
Cast
Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022’s film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family’s empire.
