Victor Aguilar, portrayed by Rhenzy Feliz, is a character introduced in HBO’s series The Penguin. Set within the universe established by Matt Reeves’s The Batman, this character is depicted as a teenager from a low-income background who becomes orphaned due to the Riddler’s catastrophic flooding of Gotham City, ultimately becoming The Penguin’s protégé.
Victor Aguilar is an original creation specifically for the series, lacking a direct counterpart in the traditional DC Comics. In contrast, The Penguin made his debut in the early Batman comics, with Bill Finger bringing him to life in 1941 as a cunning thief and crime lord.
Victor Aguilar’s Path from Orphan to Crime Lord’s Protégé
As an original character created for HBO’s The Penguin, Victor Aguilar’s backstory intertwines significantly with the events of Matt Reeves’s The Batman. In this narrative, Gotham is gripped in terror by Edward Nashton, also known as The Riddler, who embarks on a murderous crusade against the city’s corrupt elite.
After Batman deduces his identity and initiates his arrest, The Riddler unveils a far more sinister plan involving the manipulation of Gotham’s citizens.
Unbeknownst to the city’s authorities, The Riddler had amassed a group of terrorists and strategically placed car bombs across Gotham that were designed to destroy the seawall, resulting in catastrophic flooding.
This designed act of terrorism indiscriminately targeted Gotham’s population, leading to tragic losses, including the parents of young Victor.
In HBO’s The Penguin, Victor Aguilar becomes The Penguin’s protégé following an ill-fated attempt by him and a crew of thieves to steal the tires from the crime lord’s vehicle, resulting in Victor’s abduction and captivity.
This incident marks the beginning of a mentor-student relationship, with Oz Cobb, aka The Penguin, recognizing Victor’s potential as a key player in his schemes, while Victor understands he has much to gain from Oz’s criminal knowledge.
Although Victor Aguilar is not directly inspired by an existing DC Comics character, there are striking similarities between his narrative arc and that of Jason Todd.
The Penguin’s Victor Aguilar: Echoes of Jason Todd
Jason Todd, recognized as the second Robin in Batman comics, shares an intriguing parallel with Victor Aguilar. Both were introduced with intentions to steal the tires of their future mentors—Bruce Wayne in Jason’s case, and Oz Cobb for Victor.
Victor’s dynamic with The Penguin is notably darker, considering that The Penguin is a criminal who coerces Victor into dangerous undertakings, including body disposal. The trajectory for Victor Aguilar appears to be more violent and perilous compared to that of Jason Todd.
Despite this, the similarities between Victor Aguilar and Jason Todd prompt speculation about whether Victor will turn out to be a dedicated sidekick or perhaps a henchman, akin to Jason’s evolution into the second Robin.
Given that Matt Reeves’s The Batman initially establishes the titular character operating solo without a partner, there is ongoing speculation regarding the potential emergence of a Robin in this universe, and if that figure could indeed be Victor Aguilar.
Overall, despite Victor’s status as an original character, his narrative reflects the journeys of existing DC figures, paving the way for compelling developments in his future storyline.
The Penguin airs every Sunday at 9 PM EST on HBO.
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