With Sofia Falcone's story, Batman spin-off The Penguin offers an unexpected twist on the Joker and Harley Quinn's twisted romance

EntertainmentTVSuperhero ShowsThe PenguinWith Sofia Falcone’s story, Batman spin-off The Penguin offers an unexpected twist on the Joker and Harley Quinn’s twisted romanceWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. EntertainmentTVSuperhero ShowsThe PenguinWith Sofia Falcone’s story, Batman spin-off The Penguin offers an unexpected twist on the Joker and Harley Quinn’s twisted romanceWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: HBO/Max) Warning: the following features mild spoilers for The Penguin episode 6. Culminating in a BDSM scene this week, this relationship is a compellingly twisted detail in Sofia’s storyline. And in a show that’s generally light on Batman callbacks, it offers an unexpected remix of the Joker and Harley Quinn’s origin story – a tale that began with the Joker as an Arkham patient, seducing his psychiatrist into a toxic romance. A dark past (Image credit: HBO/Max) We first meet Rush as Sofia’s therapist, comforting her after a traumatic flashback inepisode 2. Once we learn how they first met, their intimate dynamic becomes significantly more unsettling. Visiting Rush during a moment of crisis in episode 4, Sofia pokes at his creepy motives. “You miss how it was at Arkham, don’t you?” she teases, perversely flirtatious. “The control that you had. Rehabilitating me.” When Rush objects, she implies that he now has her exactly where he wants her: unstable, isolated, and coming to him for help. “I haven’t forgotten the way you looked at me,” she adds. “So curious. What did it feel like, to get to watch a person unravel?” Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox A mirror image (Image credit: HBO) Unlike with the Joker and Harley Quinn, we can’t slot these characters into straightforward roles of victim and abuser. In Harley’s origin story, the Joker is an unforgivable monster who manipulates her into a full personality breakdown, abandoning her career as a psychiatrist in order to become his girlfriend/sidekick. Wary of lingering on this abusive dynamic, a lot of Harley-centric spin-offs now dump the Joker so she can strike out on her own, casting her as a fun-loving antihero who’s finally escaped her controlling ex. In some ways Sofia Falcone represents a similar tale of trauma and empowerment, retaking control of her life and family legacy. Meanwhile her romance with Rush flips the script on the Joker and Harley’s roles. His interest in her may be unethical and somewhat predatory, but Sofia is clearly into that. Hell, their flirtiest scene revolves around her accusing him of enjoying her mental breakdown. One of the darkest elements of their relationship is how she keeps him at arm’s length, implying that she no longer feels able to trustanyone. Standing toe-to-toe with Milioti’s powerhouse performance, Rossi’s reptilian vibe is a crucial factor here. In Marvel’s Luke Cage he played a similar role as the subordinate lover of a powerful female villain, and his covetous, soft-voiced Rush makes an outsized impact with minimal screen-time. Built around the classic Gotham trifecta of mental illness, kinky power dynamics, and organized crime, it’s exactly the kind of relationship we want to see in an adult Batman spin-off. Whether you interpret it as romantic or repulsive is up to you, and as the season enters its final act, there’s plenty of room for things to get even weirder. The Penguin airs weekly on Sky and NOW in the UK, and on HBO and Max in the US. Stay up to date with ourThe Penguin release schedule. For more streaming picks, read our lists of thebest movies on Maxand thebest shows on Maxthat you can watch right now. 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