Summary
One of the first entries into what is expected to be James Gunn’s new DCU,The Penguin,has been a groundbreaking series in large part because it’s managed to take traditionally over-the-top characters and add realism. Surprisingly, that’s made the show even better because a guy with penguin aspects in the comics, previous movies, and television shows is just a guy with a deformed foot. Beyond that, he stands out not because he has an uncontrollable urge to eat raw fish or laugh like a bird, but because the actor has made him a riveting character.
One interesting twist of this new, more realistic approach inThe Penguinis that some heroes and villains may not appear in the series because they are a bit too over the top. Even characters already established in this universe, likeBatman, aren’t expectedto appear. That leaves viewers to try and guess about some of the characters that already have appeared and whether they might eventually morph into a more realistic version of a popular comic book character. One such person who appears to be set to have a bigger role as the season progresses is Dr. Julian Rush. So who might he morph into? There are a couple of options right in front of the audience’s faces.
Minor Changes Are The Norm In The Penguin
Dr. Julian Rush haspopped up in recent episodesof The Penguin as the therapist for Sofia Falcone as she talks about her past both in and outside of Arkham Asylum. It also appears, considering their most recent scene together, that there might be a rather inappropriate relationship between the two. If Rush hasn’t seduced Sofia yet, it seems as though he would like to. And all of that seemingly sets up that this man isn’t a good person and could even go full villain.
The Penguin Cast
Colin Farrell (Oz Cobb) Cristin Milioti (Sofia Falcone) Rhenzy Feliz (Victor Aguilar, Theo Rossi, Dr. Julian Rush)
Where To Watch
Max
When discussing crooked therapistsinThe Batmanuniverse, the mind immediately goes to The Scarecrow. Still, it seems unlikely that the character will make an appearance, as it’s just a little bit over the top. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other villains who are a bit more down-to-earth and could be adapted forThe Penguin.
BecauseJulian Rush isn’t a characterin the DC comic books, making him another villain will require some adaptations. Though it’s not hard to imagine that just some little tweaks will still bring viewers to the same conclusion. After all, Oswald Cobblepot is known as Oz Cobb in The Penguin. It’s possible Rush could be the new name for two characters in particular that make the most sense, especiallywith their ties to Sofia Falcone.
Rush’s Hangman Ties Make Sense
The wayThe Penguinseems to have changed the backstory of Sofia might be the biggest clue of all as to just who Dr. Julian Rush is or will become. The mobster’s daughter-turned-crime lord has beenreferred to as The Hangmanseveral times in the show and the previews for the next episode show that she’s going to admit doing something that earned her the nickname.
The storyline that The Penguin is often thought to be emulating by bringing The Hangman into the show isThe Long HalloweenorDark Victory. Both of these focus on The Hangman going on killing sprees, but they also involve a serial killer called Holiday. In the comics, Holiday turns out to be Sofia’s brother, Alberto Falcone. However, Oz had already killed Alberto in thefirst episode of the series. If The Hangman story is going to go down the path of those comics storylines, it’s possible that in this universe, Rush might turn into the same kind of serial killer. That could also be why there seems to be an inappropriate relationship, because he wants to become like Sofia.
Arkham Asylum Ties In The Penguin
It doesn’t seem to be much of a stretch forThe Penguinto adapt Dr. Hugo Strange so that he is now Dr. Julian Rush. Strange is one of the most formidable Batman villains precisely because he understands the psychology of Bruce Wayne. He also understands how to get under the skin of others around him. There are also storylines where Strange oversees the entirety of Arkham Asylum, where Sofia Falcone, of course, spent at least a few years.
The Penguinseems poisedto reveal something about Falcone’s past, and it certainly wouldn’t be a total shock if one of the things they revealed alongside her backstory was that Rush is a bit more powerful and even more manipulative than he’s looked so far.
There’s no guarantee Dr. Julian Rush is an existing DC character.
Of course, it’s also possible that Dr. Julian Rush is just Dr. Julian Rush.The BatmanandThe Penguinhave both introduced well-known characters in new positions, and had plenty of new characters for the show and movie alone. Part of what makes the Max series so interesting is it really doesn’t seem all that predictable as to how things are going to unfold.
The Penguin
Cast
Created by Lauren LeFranc and starring Colin Farrell, The Penguin builds on 2022’s The Batman. The Max series chronicles the eponymous villain’s attempt to reach Gotham’s criminal peak, rising through the underworld in the middle of a power struggle.
