Oswald “Oz” Cobb’s true power was finally confirmed in the finale of The Penguin, and this perfectly sets him up to be a major villain for Robert Pattinson’s Batman in Matt Reeves’ upcoming DC Universe Elseworlds sequel. Colin Farrell first appeared as Oz Cobb in 2022’s The Batman, where he was introduced as a minor antagonist and the lieutenant to John Turturro’s more-prominent crime family boss, Carmine Falcone. Following Falcone’s demise at the hands of the Riddler, The Penguin series featured Oz Cobb’s rise to power in Gotham City’s criminal underworld.

Throughout The Penguin, it seemed hard to imagine how Oz Cobb would go toe-to-toe with Robert Pattinson’s Batman as a major antagonist in The Batman – Part II. However, The Penguin’s dramatic finale marked Cobb’s full transformation into the Penguin, and set him up perfectly to be Batman’s next big nemesis. While Oz Cobb isn’t expected to have a large appearance in Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman – Part II, The Penguin putting Cobb’s true power on full display ensured that he will be a formidable threat to Batman nevertheless.

The Penguin Confirms The Most Valuable Weapon In Gotham

Oz Cobb’s True Power Was Put On Full Display In The Penguin

While Oz Cobb has no superhuman or supernatural gifts in Matt Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga, The Penguin did confirm that he has one innate power that has proven to be incredibly valuable. This is knowledge. Oz Cobb has a huge wealth of knowledge, being finely tuned to the goings-on in Gotham’s criminal underworld, having connections and networks with many different crime families in Gotham City, and having a natural gift for reading people. This allows him to leverage secrets and blackmail his targets, which he uses throughout the series for his own benefit.

Over the duration of The Penguin’s eight episodes, Oz Cobb uses his gifts of knowledge to cultivate a fabricated war between the Falcone and Maroni crime families, to continue to manipulate Sofia Falcone after becoming aware of her drug operation, and even to keep a hold over his ailing mother. Cobb also uses his knowledge to threaten Councilman Hady, and eventually expresses his own political aspirations. It’s this power that the Penguin eventually uses to unravel Sofia Gigante’s schemes, leading to her being recommitted to Arkham Asylum, making Oz Cobb’s official twisted victory.

Oz’s True Superpower In The Penguin Is The Same As The Batman’s

The Penguin & Batman Share The Same Superpower

Oz Cobb’s clever and thought-out use of knowledge and secrets in The Penguin is very reminiscent of Bruce Wayne’s own command over this same gift in The Batman. Robert Pattinson’s performance is perhaps the most prominent display of Bruce Wayne being the World’s Greatest Detective, as he uses real research, knowledge and intelligence to work out the schemes of the Riddler. Oz Cobb and Bruce Wayne share this remarkable gift, and both of them use their knowledge to their benefit and to further their causes, though Cobb’s purpose is far more nefarious.

How Oz’s Strongest Power Will Make Him A Formidable Match For Batman

The Penguin Set Up Oz Cobb As A Truly Terrifying Villain

Batman easily brought Oz Cobb to his knees in The Batman, meaning it seemed impossible to imagine Colin Farrell’s version of the Penguin being a threatening foe to Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight. The Penguin series has changed this significantly, as Oz Cobb has put his brilliant use of knowledge on display, proving that he will be a strong villain opposite Batman in Matt Reeves’ upcoming sequels. Most notably, Cobb has used his intimate knowledge of Gotham City’s criminal workings to infiltrate Gotham’s political sphere, which may make him too powerful for Batman to bring down.

As well as Colin Farrell, the Penguin has also been played in live-action by the likes of Burgess Meredith, Danny DeVito and Robin Lord Taylor.

If the Penguin rises to a position of real political power in The Batman – Part II or beyond, there’s no doubt that a more prevalent conflict with the Caped Crusader will be established. After The Penguin, Oswald Cobb’s evolution into a powerful and influential villain has been completed, though there is still plenty of room for him to continue to amass power. While Batman may face more physically powerful antagonists, such as the Joker and the Scarecrow, Colin Farrell’s Penguin could be a more sinister, scheming threat working in the shadows.