The Penguin Episode 4 reveals huge change to Sofia Falcone & the Hangman story
HBOThe Penguin Episode 4 finally explains exactly how Sofia Falcone became known as the Hangman, and it’s a massive change from the comics.
Sofia Falcone is an intimidating character in The Penguin. After all, she’s not just the daughter of the late Carmine Falcone: she spent 10 years in Arkham for (allegedly) murdering seven women.
In Episode 3, having lost patience with the family’s animosity towards her, she reluctantly teamed up with Oz to pedal their new drug, ‘Bliss’. However, there was still tension between them, and in the closing seconds, it was made clear that Oz Cobb played a major role in putting her behind bars – something he regrets, despite enjoying the rewards of his betrayal.
Episode 4 doesn’t pull any punches, revealing Sofia’s tragic, often brutal backstory and the true identity of the Hangman.
Sofia isn’t the Hangman in The Penguin
Carmine Falcone was the real Hangman. Sofia Falcone suspected her father killed those women (and her mother), but when he found she’d spoken to a reporter, he framed her for murder and exiled her from the family.
HBOYears before The Penguin, Sofia was a respected, esteemed member of the family. Not only was she the chairwoman of the Isabella Falcone Foundation, a charity dedicated to women’s mental health, but she actively assisted her father with other duties. She was also pally with Oz, her driver at the time, even telling off Alberto when he called him the Penguin.
It went downhill quickly after she was approached by Summer Gleason, a reporter investigating the deaths of several women at the Iceberg Lounge, all of whom were seemingly hanged. She refused to speak to her… at first, but she met her later that night.
The photos of the corpses’ hands (bloodied as if they were frantically scratching for survival) reminded her of her mother’s when she died, convincing her that Carmine was responsible for all of the deaths, including Isabella’s.
However, she didn’t assist Summer any further. She got back in the car and, in a serious mistake, lost her temper at Oz after he told her to be careful. Oz told Carmine about their late-night meeting and the next day, she was arrested for the murders and sent to Arkham, with her father spreading lies about her history of poor mental health.
While Carmine roamed free, Sofia was stuck in Arkham; stripped bare every day, eating slop, dealing with violent inmates, and enduring electroshock therapy with Dr Julian Rush. She was supposed to stand trial after six months, but the head of Arkham argued she was unfit to stand trial, so she was imprisoned for 10 years.
Sofia gets her revenge
Later in Episode 4, Sofia crashes a Falcone dinner the night before she’s supposed to leave for Italy. It’s awkward, and it only gets worse when she delivers a toast scolding everyone in the room (apart from Gia, Carla’s sweet daughter).
HBO“I was stuffed in Arkham for a decade, convicted of murdering seven women… I’ve had a lot of time to reflect, and I have to say, I was genuinely surprised at how many of you wrote letters telling the judge I was mentally ill like my mother,” she says.
“I trusted you, I loved you, and yet not one of you tried to help me – except for my brother, the man you all flew in to mourn. The real thorn in my side [is] unlike everyone here, I was innocent.”
Sofia tells them she doesn’t fit into the family anymore and that she’s planning to start a new life – but she’s not going to Italy.
After everyone goes to sleep, she wakes up Gia and takes her outside to sleep in the greenhouse. The next morning, Sofia goes back inside… and everyone is dead. She gassed the house, killing everyone as they slept.
She leaves one person alive though: Johnny Viti, but it’s unclear what she has in store for him.
Sofia Falcone’s story in the comics
Sofia Falcone was introduced in 1996’s Batman: The Long Halloween. Just like in The Penguin, she’s the daughter of Carmine Falcone who helps out with the mob’s dealings.
DCSpecifically, she helps her father track down the Holiday Killer, a murderer who starts targeting members of the Falcone family. It turns out to be her brother Alberto, who ends up in Arkham. Meanwhile, Harvey Dent (who becomes Two-Face after his face is splashed with acid) kills Carmine, and Sofia falls out of a window after she’s attacked by Catwoman.
She returns in Dark Victory, a 1999-2000 series continuing the story of The Long Halloween. With Carmine dead and Alberto behind bars, she becomes the new head of the family. This comes as a new killer emerges in Gotham, picking off police officers and hanging them with a noose.
In the end, it’s revealed that Sofia is the Hangman. She tries to kill Two-Face to avenge her father’s death, but he shoots her in the head.
Check out our recaps of The Penguin Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3, and find out when you can watch Episode 5. You can also read why Batman won’t appear in The Penguin and what’s happening with The Batman 2.