The Penguin Episode 5 Ending Explained: Why Does Sofia Change Her Name?

The Penguin Episode 5, titled “Homecoming,” just aired on HBO and is now available on Max. In this episode, things suddenly turn for the worse for Oz (Colin Farrell), and he is forced to return to the impoverished area of Gotham City he once called home. Meanwhile, Sofia (Cristin Milioti) again rebels against expectations and makes an unlikely alliance.

Here is everything that happens at the end of The Penguin Episode 5.

What happens at the end of The Penguin Episode 5?

As we predicted after the fourth episode, Oz sees Sofia murdering most of her family as the opportunity it is and decides to make a move against the Maronis by abducting Salvatore (Clancy Brown) and Nadia Maronis’ (Shohreh Aghdashloo) son, Taz (Aria Shahghasemi).

Unlike Carmine, Salvatore genuinely cares about his family and gives in to Oz’s demands to return the mushrooms. However, during the exchange, a shootout breaks out, and Oz burns Nadia and Taz to death. He orchestrates Salvatore’s death as well in the prison, but the Maroni patriarch manages to escape. Later, Sofia, now the head of the newly established Gigante family, visits Salvatore and convinces him to join forces against Oz.

Elsewhere, Oz discovers that most of the mushrooms that produce Bliss have been destroyed during his encounter with the Maronis. For the first time in the series, he feels truly threatened and returns to Crown Point, where Victor had taken Francis for her safety. In a candid moment, he even speaks to Victor about his brothers, Jack and Benny, who were seemingly not as lucky as Oz and didn’t get out of Crown Point alive.

Toward the end of the episode, Oz finds a token/coin for the Gotham City Trolley. Ever the survivor, Oz leads Victor to the underground tunnels and trolley hub that once used to be the playground for him and his brothers. Although it’s now part of the city’s sewers, Oz decides that the humidity of the place makes it perfect for his new base of operations, as the mushrooms can grow there in abundance.

Why does Sofia change her name to Sofia Gigante?

After gassing her family, Sofia tortures Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly) for the whereabouts of Carmine’s untraceable cash. When she learns he was supposed to help her mother get away from Carmine, she lets him go. But the moment he openly disagrees with her plans, Sofia kills him. With Julian Rish by her side, Sofia Falcone becomes Sofia Gigante after her mother’s maiden name and establishes a new crime family, underscoring the end of the Falcones, who betrayed both women.