Oswald Gobblepot is a predator hiding in plain sight. While everyone sees a pathetic nobody, he’s carefully setting the traps and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The scary thing is that people like him are very common in the real world.
They are cunning, ruthless, and dangerously charming. If you don’t know how they operate, you will never see them coming.
So here I’m breaking down how The Penguin took over Gotham.
You might like to watch the video
Step #1 Control the frame, control the perception
The sad reality is that people don’t necessarily believe what is true, but rather what is most convincing.
If you speak with absolute certainty, craft a compelling narrative, and persist in your version of reality, people will buy into it, even if it’s complete BS.
And no one knows this better than Oswald. He positions himself as the forgotten, underestimated outsider who clawed his way up from nothing. A scrappy survivor in a city that rewards only the ruthless.
And he knows that Gotham is full of people who feel powerless, so he exploits that frustration by making them see themselves in him.
And like any master manipulator, he doesn’t outright lie.
He always carefully omits the inconvenient truths; the parts of his story that might make him look like an opportunist or a traitor.
Oswald also knows that other crime lords see him as a bottom-feeder who doesn’t belong in the same room as them.
But he doesn’t waste time arguing. He doesn’t beg for validation or try to convince them that he’s earned his seat at the table.
What he does is lean into their perception, letting them overlook the gaps in his story because they think he’s insignificant.
And by the time they realize what he’s really capable of, it’s too late.
Step #2 Manufacture Authority
People instinctively obey those who project power.
The Milgram experiment proved that humans will go to shocking lengths if someone they perceive as an authority figure tells them to. The key word here is perceive.
You don’t need to have actual titles or status to influence others.
The first strategy is that he makes people depend on him for survival, success, or simply emotional validation.
Here are some examples.
When Alberto Falcone becomes the new boss of the family, Oswald offers his support while subtly undermining his confidence…
He’s a great man. You got some big shoes to fill. Staying off the drops. Good on you. But booze don’t count, does it?
When Sofia suspects that he had a hand in her brother’s disappearance, he masterfully shifts the focus away from himself and plays the role of a guilt-ridden ally.
Alberto trusted me and my stupid mouth. You know, I screwed up.
After he realizes that Victor is a very ambitious young man, he uses that insight to recruit him. He presents himself as the only way out of Victor’s current situation, preying on his desperation for a better life.
The world wasn’t built for guys like us. That’s why we gotta take whatever we decide is ours.
The second strategy in manufacturing authority is to always look the part.
He has managed to cultivate a visual and psychological aura of power that forces people to treat him as a leader even before he’s in charge.
He makes people meet him at the Iceberg Lounge, ensuring every interaction happens on his terms and in his domain.
He drives a custom-colored luxury car, which makes him stand out in Gotham’s grimy streets like a man who’s already won.
Even his body language is carefully calculated. He doesn’t rush, doesn’t fidget, and always speaks calmly, even when the situation is incredibly tense.
As we have explained before, if you project confidence and maintain composure, people will instinctively trust you even if you’re lying.
Step #3 Amplify the Chaos
Most people behave like headless chickens when they encounter challenging situations.
They are overwhelmed by fear and look for someone to follow. So, chaos is an excellent opportunity to take over and be the person in charge.
Oswald is aware of this tendency but takes things to the next level.
He’s actually creating chaos and presenting himself as the undisputed solution. Later, Sophia wipes out his lab and his men, leaving Oswald in a desperate position.
If he doesn’t find allies, he’s dead.
The solution is this… He organizes a meeting with the smaller gangs in Gotham, and even though they all hate each other, he must convince them to form an alliance.
He reminds them of how the big families always treated them as disposable allies. And now that Moronis and Gigandus have joined forces, they will come for their territory and their lives. So their only option is to form an alliance under his leadership.
They accept, and we can see the Penguin’s manipulative abilities at full effect.
After he successfully eliminates all of his rivals, it’s time for the final step.
Step #4 Consolidate The Power
With the major crime families destroyed, no one else has the capacity to challenge him. So he seizes full control of Gotham’s underground economy. But Gotham is also desperate for stability, and Oswald knows that he cannot rule it through sheer force alone.
So he meets with high-ranking officials and offers them protection. The proposal is simple. They will stay in power as long as they cooperate with him.
Otherwise, they will end up like the rest. Look, he doesn’t need to make propaganda campaigns to win over the citizens of Gotham. He just buys their politicians.
It’s the same thing in real life, right? The oligarchs or crime lords don’t need the masses to like them. They simply buy the individuals you have voted for.
