Victor, as I have said before, is the Audience Surrogate for the Prime Video Series that is Penguin, So it is therefore very poignant that this episode opens with Victor's View of the main inciting Incident of this series essentially.
The breaking of Gotham's sea wall.
This episode Focuses on fleshing out the Motivations and Backstories of all the Characters, Victor, obviously, but more importantly, Sofia and the Penguin.
Victor is where he is, and who he is, because his Family is Dead, they died when the Sea wall exploded, at least that is what it appears to be, Comic book movies have taught me to never believe in a Death unless you see a body.
But from Victor's perspective, his Family is gone.
Another thing that I caught, although this might be a superficial similarity, is that Victor is a lot Like Miles, you know Miles Morales.
He has a Black Father and a Spanish speaking mother, and he is very Young, being trained by an older, animal themed Mentor, I mean Penguin is not Spider-man, but Okay.
Maybe I'm being superficial but there is also this General "Feeling" that I can't put my finger on, and I don't think that is a coincidence.
Miles Morales is the version of Spider Man that finally made the Identity of the Hero about being Yourself, self expression, when it was Peter, it was mostly Responsibility, and Growing up, the reason being of course, Miles was at his core made to relate with the Younger Audiences and their need for Self Expression and freedom.
Victor, a lot like Miles, dreams of bigger things, a bigger life.
Unlike Miles, this takes him further away from his Friends and Family, because while Miles follows the Example of Peter who fights for Others, Victor has Oswald Cobblepot, who Fights for Himself in a cruel and unfair world.
And that brings me to the Penguin, Oswald is not the Happy Octopus we thought he was (HAHA!! I KNOW! I AM SO FUNNY!!!) It is quite Obvious the Oswald is Lonely, I mean the way he fought his way to the top is by tearing every other person Down, so Obviously, no one trusts him anymore.
Especially Sofia Falcone.
Who doesn't seem to Trust absolutely anyone, Seeing some unaddressed Trauma there.
The Penguin's Motivations, are the Same as Victor's Except Victor is also Motivated by trying to save what little is left of his old life, which would be his almost girlfriend Garciella.
With whom he has one last Chance to escape his life, but he Doesn't
Surprisingly a lot of this Story from Victor's perspective follows the Hero's Journey, this would of course be the point from which the Hero cannot return.
Once again, something Heroic, turned on its head.
Just like the main plot of this episode.
Bliss is a Drug that was given to Arkham inmates, it is made from the Basidiospores of a Certain Mushroom.
And this Drug that was once used to keep Prisoners Satiated is now being used willingly by Party Goers to Satiate themselves, and Gotham is going into an even Darker place, Going through to an even Darker place.
Going through it's own Villain's Journey of Sorts.
And nothing shows this reversal of Roles more than the Ending.
An emotional Heart to Heart is Generally a point where a certain Relationship becomes set in stone, It is a sign of emotional and intellectual intimacy, and it also Generally includes telling how every single time the other party though they were being betrayed, they were actually doing the exact opposite.
Or if it isn't the exact opposite there is usually some intense condition that forced ones hand.
Not this one I'm afraid, but the relationship was going in a positive direction, until of course.
The Maroni's show up and ruin everything, and the Penguin has to escape.
You know, I'm beginning to think, Maybe Sofia will somehow turn out to be not as bad as we thought she was, I mean she is still a Serial Killer though... Right?
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