Even since The Batman, the character of Sal Maroni has been touted as this crime boss, and Matt Reeves finally gave him the face of Clancy Brown for The Penguin series.
With the Falcones running a traditional Italian Mafia, some fans have noticed that the gang that runs with Maroni is full of Persians, and it has something to do with how they cast Maroni’s wife.
The Penguin: Nadia Maroni and the Persian Mob
In a recent inside look at the second episode of The Penguin, it’s revealed that Sal’s connection with his wife Nadia Maroni (Shohreh Aghdashloo) is what led to him having a bunch of Persian members in his gang. Showrunner Lauren LeFranc explains, “Sal fell in love with a woman from Iran and she learned to love his Italian culture. To me that made it more unique and made it more specific than other depictions.”
Whereas the Falcones are pretty misogynistic when it comes to the return of Sofia (Cristin Milioti), Nadia has actual power with the Maronis and is able to give orders around like an actual boss. “Sal looks like he’s in control and he knows exactly what he’s doing in trusting Oz, but Mrs. Maroni knows better,” described Aghdashloo.
Brown also talks about the dynamic between the Maronis, “Obviously Sal was so smitten by her, he’s obsessed with her, he loves her still, and he’s replaced his entire Italian mafia family with the Persian mob, which I just think is so terrifyingly original.”
Penguin’s Game
With the series being described as a rise to power, it’s clear that the Penguin is just playing both sides of the Falcones and Maronis trying to get them to kill each other while he climbs the underworld ladder.
After all, Oz is the man on the ground who has more personal ties with the underworld workers, but the major crime families have the money and resources; so he definitely has to be smart if he ever wants to outplay any of them as the gangs resort to an all-out war for power.
Sofia The Hangman
While Oz also has his own arc to follow through, the series is also making sure that Sofia’s story is also getting the spotlight. Though she does have a huge mystique around her for being a former patient at Arkham, it does look like the show wants to slowly unravel her past and her relationship with her brother Alberto Falcone.
If anything, she’s the most dangerous person in the Falcone family right now. Oz may be able to run circles around the other major players, but Sofia seems to be the only one who doesn’t outright trust him, and she continues to be suspicious despite all of the legwork that Oz is putting down to pull off his lies.
It’s not clear where Sofia will be by the end of the series, but as of now, she has the Penguin in her pocket, and it looks like Oz is just waiting for the opportune moment to take what’s hers and claim it as his own.
Fingers are still crossed that Batman plays into all this somehow.
Catch The Penguin now streaming on Max with new episodes every Sunday night.