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In 'Two Birds, One Throne,' the backup story that began in Batman #125, Selina Kyle has been hired by the Executor to track down the 10 people named in the will of Oswald Cobblepot, AKA the Penguin. If you recall, the Penguin died in issue #125 and framed Batman for murder, triggering a backup system for rogue Batman called Failsafe to come online.
In the first installment of 'Two Birds, One Throne,' written by Chip Zdarsky, drawn by Belén Ortega, colored by Luis Guerrero, and lettered by Clayton Cowles, the Executor informs Selina that the 10 people named in Penguin's will are his children.
Spoilers ahead for Batman #127: Two Birds, One Throne
The final person Selina tracks down… is Oswald Cobblepot.
And no, he isn't six feet underground or in a jar of ashes. He is, oddly enough, working at a flower shop he owns, under the name Paul Meredith, with a fresh nose job to hide his most tell-tale facial feature.
That's right: Penguin not only framed Batman for murder but faked his death, all so he could leave behind his villainous alter ego and stop obsessing over Batman… or so he tells Catwoman.
In actuality, Oswald seems to be handing the reigns of his criminal enterprise – and his ongoing battle with the Dark Knight and his former love interest – to his children.
Although he tells Selina that he won't stand in the way of any justice served to Aiden and Addison Cobblepot, the new owners of his former nightclub, he says after she leaves the flower shop that he hopes his children destroy the Bat and the Cat.
Meanwhile, the conclusion to 'Two Birds, One Throne' also marks a potential change in attitude for Selina, whose relationship with Bruce has been in a liminal space since they broke off their engagement. Penguin compares Batman's rogues' gallery to thorns, and she says she plans to become an even bigger one…
So perhaps seeing Penguin leave behind his villainous activities has driven Selina to reevaluate her relationship with Bruce. She seems newly determined to at least force Bruce into some kind of confrontation, which could set the course for their combined future for better or worse.
As for Oswald, we're not going to place bets on whether he will stick to his new civilian life, but it seems unlikely that he can leave villainy behind forever.
Penguin becomes the second classic Batman supervillain to return from the dead on September 6 alone.
Ra's al Ghul appears to also be alive after his recent 'death' in the 'Shadow War' crossover. However, because his return appears in the Flashpoint Beyond limited series, there are still many questions to be answered about it from a continuity standpoint.
Batman #127 is available now.
Reformed or not, Catwoman and Penguin are two of the best Batman villains ever.
