The Penguin's Shocking Twist: Magpie's Actor Breaks Down That Killer Episode 4!
The Penguin Episode 4: Magpie's Explosive Introduction (and Even More Explosive Death!)
The Penguin, that awesome spin-off from Matt Reeves' The Batman, keeps building that dark, gritty Gotham City world!Episode 4 brought another iconic villain into the mix:Magpie, played by the amazing Marié Botha. We recently got a chance to chat withBotha, and she spilled the tea onMagpie'ssurprisingly short but impactful appearance – and that brutal death scene! This is where things get really interesting.
Magpie, known to comic book fans as a jewel thief, gets a darker makeover inThe Penguin. She's a connection forSofia Falcone(inArkham Asylum). But asSofiabegins her descent into madness,Magpiebecomes collateral damage, meeting her end atSofia'shands. That death is brutal! It also makesMagpie'sintroduction short and totally unexpected! That kind of storytelling really highlights just how effectively this kind of writing works for creating surprise!
Magpie's Fate: Real Death or Arkham Asylum Illusion?
SinceThe Penguinis a comic book show, death isn't always permanent. We askedBothaifMagpie'sdeath was a hallucination, a product ofSofia'strauma. This would easily allowMagpie'sreturn. Bothabrought up the famousBlackest Nightcomic storyline (where characters get resurrected!), acknowledging that this is completely possible within the narrative continuity and overall DC context. ButBothaalso makes it clear that, as far as she knows,Magpie'sdeath inepisode 4is 100% real.
Here’s whatBothasaid: "Anything is possible. However, I think in this particular show, Sofia really did murder Magpie. In the comics, Magpie is resurrected again later on during Blackest Night, but I am more interested in her backstory and digging deeper into what that is. I have only played it out in my own mind, I would love to see what that would look like in the mind of Matt Reeves or Lauren LeFranc. What I do know, is that there is a part of me that feels not quite ready to say goodbye to Magpie just yet."
Magpie's Untold Story: A Villain's Backstory
IfMagpiedoesn't stay dead (which is always a possibility in these types of shows!),Bothahas some amazing ideas about whatMagpie'spast could be. She really wants to exploreMagpie'searly life; mentioning the scar on her face, her stepmother, and the many possible traumatic events that shaped her character. She wants to fully flesh out this particular character in those very early years, long before becomingBatman'siconic foe, emphasizing that many villains' motivations and actions are ultimately shaped by early traumas in life.
Here's whatBothashared: "I see a lot of myself in her. I was teased quite a bit in school and felt isolated for a long time as a kid. I’d like to investigate and take a deep dive into her past, for sure. She has that scar on her cheek for a reason, where did it come from? Who was her stepmother, and what did she do to her?"
She also mentioned a very interesting thing from the comics, Batman'skindness towardsMagpie, sparking an obsession! That would be totally fascinating inReeves'world. And of course, there’s that classic origin story– working at theGotham Museum of Antiquities, going mad from all those unobtainable treasures, wanting thatJudith Leiberbag so much she steals and replaces it with an explosive fake! Now that’s a deep backstory!
Magpie's Audition: From South Africa to Gotham City!
Bothashared her interesting audition process. She got the part while visiting family inSouth Africa; the character names got changed, needing her to basically be a detective to understand what the audition was really for! It was set inArkham Asylum, so she knew it must be a villain. She then combined her knowledge ofReeves'Arkhamworld with her favorite villains, likeBellatrix Lestrange, to fully create her own interpretation ofMagpie! Now that's creative!
The callback? Midnight her time, 6 pm inNew York! She napped, drank espresso, took a cold shower! It worked because that disheveled look was perfect. She collaborated withHelen Shaver(the director), they discussed the character, andBothagot the part! What a ride!
Conclusion: Magpie's Short but Memorable Reign in Gotham
Magpie'sdeath might seem like a sad ending, but it was memorable! Botha'sperformance and that amazing backstory really made this character really stand out! And that ending? It could be just a temporary exit! That leaves us wondering what might happen. The overall mystery adds another layer of intrigue to this amazingThe Penguinseries! We might just get moreMagpie! And her story could continue, even if she ended up dead in this specific episode!