The Penguin: Is Victor Aguilar Secretly a Major Batman Villain?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Penguin Episodes 1-3.

A popular fan theory links The Penguin‘s Victor Aguilar with one of Batman’s most chilling villains: Victor Zsasz. But is Vic really the future Victor Zsasz, or is The Penguin‘s fanbase wide of the mark?

Who Is Victor Zsasz in The Penguin’s DC Source Material?

Before we get into whether Victor Aguilar is really Victor Zsasz, first let’s rewind for a second and consider another, equally question: who is Victor Zsasz? After all, it’s not as though Zsasz is a household name in the way that, say, the Joker or the Riddler are. So, for the more casual Bat-fans among you, here’s a brief overview of Zsasz’s backstory.

Created by DC Comics writer/artist team Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle, Zsasz lived a charmed life until his parents died in boating accident. Overcome with grief, he soon gambled away his family’s fortune. Depressed and penniless, Zsasz contemplated suicide, only for a homeless man to attack him with a knife. In the ensuing struggle, Zsasz got the upper hand and killed his attacker. His takeaway from the whole encounter? Life is a pointless exercise and it’s his duty to free people from it. From then on, Zsasz kept score of how many folks he “saved,” carving a fresh tally mark into his skin after each murder.

As gimmicks go, it’s pretty grisly – but also much less flamboyant than acid-squirting flowers and puzzle-based death traps. That’s probably why Zsasz hasn’t yet appeared as the central villain in any Bat-media to date. He has, however, cropped up as a supporting or minor antagonist in a bunch of movies, TV shows, and video games. This includes Batman Begins, Gotham, Birds of Prey, Batwoman, Harley Quinn, and Batman: Arkham City.

Related: The Penguin: What’s the Deal with Sofia Falcone’s Neck Scratches?

So, Is Victor Aguilar the Bat-Verse’s Victor Zsasz?

Possibly – but don’t count on it. That’s not to say that the “Vic is Zsasz” theory’s proponents don’t make a decent enough case. For example, it’s true that Penguin plays a part in Zsasz’s comic book origin; he’s the guy Victor loses the last of his money to. It’s also fair to say that Vic having a different last name to the comics’ Zsasz isn’t a deal-breaker (just look at Oz Cobb). And yes, Vic does have a prominent cut on his forehead after taking down a Maroni family bodyguard at one point, which could be the first of many tally marks to come.

Related: The Penguin: Why Did the HBO Series Recast Carmine Falcone?

But as the theory’s detractors are quick to point out, Vic would have to undergo a pretty drastic personality shift in The Penguin‘s remaining installments for a Zsasz-type arc to stick. Sure, we’ve seen the rookie criminal’s innately decent nature gradually erode with each passing episode. Yet it’s a big jump from pushing Bliss and ditching your girlfriend to nihilism-fuelled killing sprees and self-mutilation. Not an impossible jump, but a big one. So, we’ll just have to watch Penguin Episodes 4-8 to find out!

The Penguin is currently streaming on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.