From Oz Cobb himself to Sofia Falcone’s Hangman, The Penguin‘s DC Easter eggs were rife regarding connections to iconic Batman villains. Naturally, this got many, myself included, wondering about the story of The Batman 2, and which elements from The Penguin would be included in Matt Reeves’ upcoming film. Now, weeks on from The Penguin‘s initial air date, I cannot believe I have only just noticed teases for a potential villain in The Batman 2, or beyond.
The Penguin Hid Some Huge Teases About The Batman’s Scarecrow In Plain Sight
The Penguin episode 4’s Easter eggs were aplenty, from the inclusion of the obscure Batman villain Magpie to the other elements of Arkham Asylum highlighted by Sofia Falcone’s journey. However, the biggest tease at a major Batman antagonist, Scarecrow, was found outside Arkham in the home of Dr. Julian Rush. Rush was introduced in The Penguin as Sofia’s lead psychiatrist, with many wondering if the character would go on to become Scarecrow or another Batman villain like Hugo Strange.
WOW 🎃 Someone sent me this reddit post, and it shows an Arkham-esque inspired Scarecrow glove, and what appears to be a Scarecrow mask in Julian Rush’s office. I was told by a source a long while back that originally on the production details that Theo Rossi was written as… pic.twitter.com/yYrVBa83Zf — BobaTalks (@BobaTalks) November 15, 2024
While Rush did not transition into a more well-known Batman character, his office in The Penguin episode 4 hinted at the Scarecrow becoming a reality. When Sofia awakens in Rush’s office, the latter’s desk can be seen in the background of several shots. Standing on his desk is a large glove with long knives protruding from it, which is very reminiscent of Scarecrow’s fear toxin gauntlet that has become synonymous with the villain. Next to this glove is a mask, also known to be worn by Scarecrow.
The Penguin’s “Red Herring” Explanation Doesn’t Need To Stop Scarecrow From Appearing In The Batman
Scarecrow Could Still Appear
Naturally, these Easter eggs towards Scarecrow were picked out by eagle-eyed viewers of The Penguin. Since the show’s finale aired, some people involved in The Penguin‘s creation have been asked about the glove and mask, with the burning question being whether they were intentionally included to set up Julian Rush becoming the Scarecrow. On Instagram (via CinemaBlend) The Penguin‘s production designer Kalina Ivanov stated that these elements were intentionally placed, but as a red herring.
Ivanov stated that the gloves were open to interpretation, with audiences figuring out that witch doctors from Bali, known for therapeutic experiments like Julian Rush, wore these gloves as a reference to the Balinese demon queen Rangda. Ivanov then insisted that the glove and mask were also included as a red herring, cruelly taunting audiences with the possibility of Scarecrow. Regardless of this confirmation of the gloves as a misleading Easter egg, this does not mean Scarecrow cannot appear in the future of The Batman franchise.
The Penguin’s Ending Set Up The Perfect Justification For Julian Rush To Become The Batman’sScarecrow
When all is said and done, this glove in The Penguin episode 4 could still be retconned as a way of inspiring Julian Rush to become The Batman‘s Scarecrow, linking to the character’s ending in the spin-off show. As of The Penguin‘s ending, Julian Rush is working once more in Arkham Asylum, just as Scarecrow is known to do in DC Comics. Similarly, Rush now has a lot of experience exploring the fears of his patients, be it Sofia from the trauma induced during her time in Arkham or Francis Cobb and the tragic backstory involving her children.
All of this, combined with Rush’s obvious lack of morality that was shown when he joined Sofia’s criminal organization without hesitation, could see him become Scarecrow in the future. Despite being a red herring, the glove and mask could also come back. The real, aforementioned interpretation of why the gloves were used in The Penguin by Ivanov would explain why someone like Rush, a psychiatrist, had them initially given their basis in historical medicine.
If the future projects of The Batman turn Rush into Scarecrow, he could begin using the fear he explored via Sofia and Francis. He could do so by crafting gloves and a mask similar to the ones he has in his office, keeping The Penguin‘s props as a red herring while also having them directly inspire an iconic Batman villain. If all of this comes together, The Batman franchise may well have its Scarecrow after all, thanks to two elements of The Penguin that were hidden in plain sight.
