The Penguin quotes

Eve

The Falcone underboss? He's untouchable.

Oz

No one's untouchable.

Eve

Then neither are you.

If my sons are nothing, what am I?

Oz

We didn't have a service for my brothers. My Ma said she didn't wanna deal with the pity. Well, my Ma, she, uh... She didn't get out of bed, y'know, for weeks. Maybe a month. I tried all kinds of shit to get her up and going, but... Y'know, nothing took. Then, one night, out of the blue, she came to me, she was all dolled up. She goes, "Oswald, we're going out," she says. I was fuckin' thrilled. She took me to a jazz club on the east side. Monroe's. Yeah, it was the first time I ever heard live music. Whoa! And we danced all night.

Sofia

You and your mom?

Oz

It's what we did. How we celebrated 'em, you know? Jack and Benny. They would've fuckin' loved it, too. Anyway, after that, y'know, she started getting out of bed, she went back to work, she took care of me...

Sofia

What do you think it was that changed for her?

Oz

I'd like to think it was me, but I don't know. She died a few years back. I never asked. Shit like this, the pain of it, you gotta be careful. 'Cause it'll eat you alive if you let it. It's a hell of a lot more fun to dance.

Oz

It's gotta be Sofia running a little game. We could be driving to our deaths right now.

Vic

Sh-- Should we turn around?

Oz

Nah, the only way out of this is through, kid.

Oz

We all gotta make sacrifices, pal.

I told you to come to me, not go behind my back!

Sofia

Well, I did go to you and you told me to weep about my dead brother and do nothing.

Oz

[after forcing Vic to lay down with Ermad and Castillo's bodies] How does it feel, Vic, huh? Nah- hey, hey, don't close your eyes, look at them, remember, this is what happens when you choke, you understand!? That's a one-way street, Vic! You know how close I got to get popped tonight!? 'Cause you fucked up!? Then I gotta plant the blade and the jewels, a lotta work for me, Vic! A lotta work!

Vic

Look, I'm-- I'm-- I'm sorry, okay? I mean it!

Oz

You know what? Fuck apologizing. You wanna survive? You gotta adapt. You gotta respond to the environment of the situation! You gotta think on your feet! You gotta be quick! Otherwise, this is what happens! Whatever Carmine threw at me, I delivered on, every goddamn time! You get what I'm saying?

Oz

There ain't no playbook for this shit, kid. I saw something in you, maybe I was wrong. You tell me.

Sofia

We were gonna run the family together. But 'Berto was taken from me. And I refuse to let these old fuckin' men to push me aside again like I'm nothing, so I'm gonna take from them now. And I'm gonna force them to their knees. This should be fun. What do you say, Oz? You in?

Oz

Let's dance.

From up here, it's really nice.

That's 'cause you're looking far away, at the rich neighborhoods. If you were out there, looking back at Crown Point, you'd say "Man, what a shithole."

[laughs] C'mon, I like it here! Y'know, I do. The city, it's... The city's wild. It's like anything could happen.

Is this you trying to be smooth?

Is it working?

Oz

All these fucks are related, you know? I mean, 60 years ago, two Sicilian brothers jizzed all over the toe of that boot, now I got three dozen Falcones breathin' down my neck.

Three days. Go to Italy. Or I'll tell people that's where you went.

Oz

Look, fuck... The world ain't set up for the honest man to succeed. Mechanic's a good job. That should be the American Dream right there. Y'know, a beautiful story with a happy ending. But that ain't the way the world works, Vic. America's a hustle.

[to Sofia, about Oz] Y'know, after you got locked up, Carmine, he let him run the 44. But he never respected him. I bet you don't respect him either, do you? Hmm? [to Oz] Look, you're fun at a card game, or over drinks. I'll give you that. But people don't keep you around because they think you're smart. And they sure as shit don't trust you. Nah... People keep the Penguin around as entertainment, because everybody knows that you're a goddamn joke.

Sofia

I can't tell who wants this more. Me or you.

Oz

I want this for you.

Sofia

You say all the right things, don't you, Oz?

Oz

...So, listen, Zhao's gonna wanna see that we're serious. Y'know, that we're a team--

Sofia

Was it worth it?

Oz

What's that?

Sofia

What you did to me. Was it worth it? Did you get everything that you wanted? 'Cause it seems like you just-- You-- You want more.