Sofia Falcone’s introduction in The Penguin has brought a Batman villain who I think is just as good as Heath Ledger’s Joker into live-action. Set outside James Gunn and Peter Safran’s mainstream DC Universe and following on from Matt Reeves’ The Batman from 2022, The Penguin has developed the criminal underworld of Reeves’ darker and grittier Gotham City to the extreme. Focused on Colin Farrell’s Oswald “Oz” Cobb, The Penguin has slowly been showing us the eponymous villain’s rise to power, though there are major obstacles in his way.

Oz Cobb has found himself opposed in The Penguin by the pre-existing crime families operating in Gotham City. Most notably, the Maronis and Falcones have been at the core of the series, with the latter continuing the story of John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone, who was killed by the Riddler in The Batman. It was a shame Turturro didn’t return for The Penguin, but I have enjoyed seeing a new member of the Falcone family step up. Sofia Falcone has very quickly managed to become one of the most terrifying, intense and interesting Batman-related villains in the Caped Crusader’s live-action history.

Sofia Falcone Has Taken The Penguin By Storm

Cristin Milioti Plays Sofia Falcone In The Penguin

Sofia Falcone has become one of my favorite characters in The Penguin, especially after episode 4, “Cent’Anni,” which explored Sofia’s time being falsely imprisoned in Arkham Asylum and her descent into darkness. Portrayed by Cristin Milioti, Sofia Falcone has been more pivotal to The Penguin’s storyline than she ever was in DC Comics. This rise to stardom has surprised me, given Sofia’s lack of prominence in the comics, but the small-scale, ground-level nature of the villain convinces me she is perfect for The Penguin, and could have a huge amount of influence far beyond the series.

Sofia Falcone Is Easily One Of The Greatest Live-Action Batman Universe Villains

Sofia Falcone’s Impact Has Come As A Huge Surprise

By making her mark on The Penguin in such a fantastic way, Sofia Falcone has become one of the most powerful and memorable Batman villains in the Dark Knight’s live-action history. The fact that she was twisted into the villain she is now by her family, who imprisoned her in Arkham after framing her for crimes she didn’t commit, endears her even more to me. Following her imprisonment, she has only blossomed. I thought it was incredible to see her come into her own, killing off the Falcones and declaring herself a Gigante, adopting her mother’s birth name.

After ridding Gotham of the Falcones and entering into a deal with Salvatore Maroni, Sofia Gigante has cemented herself as one of the most powerful and influential figures in the world of The Penguin. Sofia will present a significant problem for Oz Cobb as The Penguin continues to release, especially now that he has taken over her drug scheme. For me, Sofia rivals some of Batman’s most iconic and notable live-action villains. I reckon she could even knock Heath Ledger’s Joker off the top spot.

Why Sofia Falcone Is Just As Good As Ledger’s Joker (For Very Different Reasons)

Heath Ledger’s Joker Is Widely Regarded As One Of The Best Live-Action Comic Book Villains

Although wildly different characters, Sofia Falcone and the Joker from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight are just as good in my mind. The Dark Knight’s Joker has been widely regarded as perhaps the strongest comic book movie villain in history, with Heath Ledger’s performance earning him a posthumous Academy Award, but Cristin Milioti’s performance as Sofia Falcone will surely also earn her some accolades. While Sofia’s villainy stems from her trauma and dark origins, the Joker is chaos personified, but both give me that haunted and terrified feeling.

Sofia Falcone made her live-action debut in the Gotham series, where she was played by Crystal Reed, but Cristin Milioti’s version of the Hangman has been far more celebrated.

While Heath Ledger’s Joker holds a significant place in comic book movie history, Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone rivals him perfectly. She is just as terrifying, tactical and intelligent, and just as unafraid of power as the Joker from The Dark Knight. While the Joker takes violent and aggressive means to bring down the crime family structures in Gotham City, Sofia Falcone is just as capable of doing this by using just her influence and notoriety. This makes me think that Oz Cobb might not stand a chance in upcoming episodes of The Penguin.