The Penguin episode 7 ending explained: What does Sofia do with Oswald's mother?

The Penguin episode 7, titled Top Hat, premiered on HBO and Max on November 3, 2024.

As the penultimate episode of the series, Top Hat picked up after the events of the previous episode. In episode six, Sofia found out that Oswald's mother, Francis Cobb, was alive. She took Francis to her house and held her captive while Salvatore Maroni headed down to make quick work of Oswald.

Warning: Spoilers for The Penguin episode 7 to follow.

In The Penguin episode 7, fans saw exactly how Oswald Cobb got himself out of another difficult situation. While Sofia kept Oswald's mom captive to hurt him, Sal Maroni headed down to Crown Point to take him in as well and show him his Bliss operation. However, this also came with a major moment in the episode, which saw Sal Maroni die during his fight with Oswald.

The episode also focused on Oswald's past and his relationship with his brothers. The episode dove deep into how his brothers died—something which Oswald was responsible for as well—and how this developed his mother's guilt and worsened her health.

---

What happened in The Penguin episode 7?

The opening of The Penguin episode 7 revealed what happened to Oswald's brothers and how his unhealthy relationship with his mother was formed at a young age. As a child, it was pretty clear that Oswald craved his mother's love and affection and how he got it in abundance. However, it also showed how he was never going to be considered as his brother, as his mother trusted him more with important work.

The jealousy was explored further with an emphasis on Oswald's bad leg.

Later on, Francis asked Jack to take Oswald and his little brother out while he completed some work for her. This was where Jack met Rex Calabrese, a gangster, and Francis is on his payroll. Rex intrigued Oswald and kept looking at him with enthusiasm. However, Jack shuts him down quick, saying that he was a bad guy.

The three brothers then went down into the sewers to play tag as it was raining outside. Oswald was chosen as the seeker, and when his brothers go down to the lower levels of the sewers, he cusses them out as they know he can't get down there due to his bad leg. He thought that he was being mocked, and then, in anger, he headed out while locking the door behind them as the place started filling up with water.

Oswald then headed back home, and Francis asked him where his brothers were. Oswald tells her that Jack and his little brother went to the movies, but drowned in the underground sewers as the rains filled them up up. The opening concluded with Oswald cozying up to his mother and watching a movie with her.

---

Sofia kidnaps Oswald's mom

A still from The Penguin episode 7 (Image via @TheBatman on X)

The Penguin episode 7 then picked up straight from the events of episode 6. Sofia met Francis Cobb who antagonizes her after by saying that Oscar would come back and kill Sofia. Sofia responded to the threat, which led to Francis suffering a breakdown.

Sofia then learned about Francis' illness and asked Julian Rush to help her, who comes with his own bad news. Apparently, Sofia's niece Gia saw the gas mask in her bag and suspects that she killed the Falcones and wanted to talk to the police as well. While Julian does therapy on Francis, Sofia goes to visit Gia and assures her that she had nothing to do with the death of her mother and father.

She then noticed that Gia has self-harmed herself and realized that she is just manipulating her like how her father did. She then comforted Gia and tells her that while it's okay to feel sad, the Falcones deserved their deaths because they were bad people and the life that she will be getting now will be better than whatever she would have gotten in that household.

Sofia then has a panic attack after leaving the place, but it was a call from Oswald who told her that Salvatore Maroni died. He then proposed that she should face him herself, as the keys to the city were in his palms, and that if she wanted the drugs, she would have to let go of his mom.

---

How does Salvatore Maroni die in The Penguin episode 7?

After Oswald made it back to Crown Point in The Penguin episode 7, he saw that Victor was hit in the head and his mom was gone. Victor told Oswald that Sofia took his mother and he then saw Salvatore Maroni coming up to his apartment with his men. Oswald told Victor to go and seek out the other crime families to let them know what's going on and he faces Sal alone.

Sal then came up and held Oswald at gunpoint. He asked him to showcase where he was running his Bliss operation from or his mother would get hurt. Oswald took him down to the sewers and Sal proposed that he esd their new boss to Oswald's men. However, a gunfight broke out when one of Oswald's men shut off the lights.

Oswald and Sal then get into a fistfight and while Sal is getting the upper hand, he suffers a heart attack mid-fight. Oswald then proclaims victory over him and tells his men to get ready for what's going to come next.

---

Sofia further torments Oswald in The Penguin episode 7

While it looked like Oswald has the upper hand in The Penguin episode 7, Sofia was quickly able to turn the tides. After getting back from visiting Gia, Sofia sought out Julian's help to further hurt Oswald. She then sent a car down to Oswald's headquarters, and the gangster thought that his mother might be in there with Sofia. However, it turned out that there was a bomb inside of it with a few seconds still left for it.

Sofia told Oswald that he should come and see her soon after escaping the bomb. While Oswald can save himself by climbing under a hole, a good block of the city still ends up exploding. The Penguin episode 7 then presented another flashback. This scene saw Francis taking Oswald out to dance at a certain club.

There, Francis' guilt of losing her sons was explored further. She then made Oswald promise her that whatever happens, he would give her the life she deserves.

Back in the present day, it cut to Oswald waking up from the explosion to see rubble everywhere around him and it was revealed at the end of The Penguin episode 7 that Sofia has taken Francis to the same club that she took Oswald dancing to.

---

The Penguin episode 7 is currently streaming on HBO and Max right now.