In the previous episode of “Pennyworth,” a number of revelations were made, along with the return of several characters from the last season. Alfie finds himself in a tricky situation as he not only hooks up with Zahra Khin, the rival political leader of the island nation of Kalpoor he was supposed to protect, but also reckons that he might have played a huge role in her father’s abduction ten years ago. Bet Sykes manages to discover John Salt’s location but gets caught with her infant companion Julie. Now a PWE (Persons with Enhancements), John Salt catches her off guard. Thomas returns to Gotham to settle scores with his father. The mysterious buyer of Dr. Glubb turns out to be renowned artist Francis Fuchs, who seems to have ulterior motives regarding his usage and experimentation of a psychokinetic “lullaby” drug. The sixth episode takes the stakes up a notch further and ends with the biggest plot twist of this season.
Spoilers Ahead
‘Pennyworth: The Origin Of Batman’s Butler’ Season 3 Episode 6: Recap And Ending
The episode opens with a flashback sequence from ten years ago in Morocco. Alfie, as a part of the British SAS, leads his squad to abduct Zahra Khin’s father, who was the rival leader of Kalpoor back then. They are assisted by a renegade associate of the leader, who helps them to locate and extract their target. The next scene jumps back to the present day, where Zahra has been able to communicate with the person who knows about her father’s whereabouts and also claims to be her father’s close friend. As Alfred feels guilty over his past actions and ponders how the event changed the fate of Zahra and her country, he tries to distance himself from the entire ordeal. He states his wish to relinquish the job, first to Zahra and then to PM Aziz. Alfie speculates that the government is holding Zahra’s father captive, as all those years ago, he and Daveboy handed him over to MI6. PM Aziz denies these allegations and states he doesn’t have any idea of the former government’s skullduggery. Alfie tries to tell Zahra the truth but ends up getting intimate with her once again.
Bet wakes up entrapped inside John Salt’s hideout in Northern England. It is revealed that after the Civil War, Salt had gone into hiding and created an army of enhanced individuals, also while enhancing himself with advanced weaponry. A PWE is then summoned to blackmail Bet into giving up the name of her informant, Frances Gaunt. Even after she reveals the name, the sadistic Salt decides to torture Bet mentally by faking Julie’s death at the hands of a PWE. Bet manages to free herself by shooting two guards to death. She finds out about a nursery where Julie is kept along with John Salt’s babies. As she is about to rescue Julie, Salt stabs her and beats her up. Almost on the verge of death, Bet manages to overpower Salt and presumably (?) kills him. Severely injured, Bet finds herself unable to move forward to a safe location and decides to send Julie to her elder sister, Peg Sykes, via public bus. In a tragic moment, Bet collapses as the bus moves on toward its route.
Thomas arrives in Gotham as the scene opens in Wayne Manor. The interior design of the manor is akin to the comic portrayals of art deco-styled gothic arrangements. He finds his father, Patrick, in a repentant and sorrowful state. Thomas urges his father to remind him of any fond childhood memories that they share. As Patrick shares, it becomes clear that even though he was involved in the making of the drugs and the CIA’s ploy to use them as experimental test subjects, he had very little say in his own life or decisions. Father and son seem to have reconciled as they hug each other and apologize. However, Thomas departs as abruptly as he appears.
Elsewhere, Daveboy still hasn’t gotten rid of his “lullaby” intoxication. Sandra came to the pub to give Dave Boy a letter to deliver to Alfie. Hilariously, Dave Boy promptly eats the entirety of the letter. Alfie and Zahra finally meet the person who claimed to know her father. As Alfie notices, the so-called friend is, in fact, the man who betrayed and deposed ten years ago. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that the person is working with the British government. The very fact that the man suggests Zahra reveal the names of other associates in exchange for her father’s life alerts Alfie. However, the contact recognizes Alfie’s voice and reveals to Zahra that it was Alfie who kidnapped her father. A standoff situation takes place, but responding to her better senses, Zahra shoots the contact. Disgusted and heartbroken, Zahra forbids Alfred from meeting her ever again. Alfred wishes to make amends by going to the prison in the Hebrides and setting Zahra’s dad free.
As the episode approaches its final moments, the scene once again shifts to Gotham’s night skyline. In a neon-lit background, we see Patrick, in an attempt to drown his sorrows, coming out of a bar. As he moves through an alleyway, a shadowy figure emerges with his face covered and shoots him a couple of times. As Patrick succumbs to his wounds, the assailant bids his father farewell, which reveals him to be none other than Thomas Wayne.
Thoughts
The sixth episode was perhaps the strongest one out of the entirety of season three. It shares some lighthearted moments involving Roger and Daveboy but ultimately ends on a very dark note. This episode was majorly focused on Zahara’s plotline and dealt on a strong note with Bet’s treatment. Alfie’s eagerness to help Zahra might be interpreted as his way of making amends, but it’s also true that he was simply following orders, and the incident was anything but personal. The truth is, perhaps after so many times being haunted by ghosts from the past (Esme’s death in the hands of his ex-army captain in season one, his father’s involvement in seasons one and two), Alfie doesn’t want to let things remain as they are, but rather wants to take charge. Bet Sykes is in a precarious situation with no one to help. As a fan-favourite character, we will assume she’ll be safe, but there’s no certainty, obviously. Salt’s children definitely gave us the compound V-pumped children vibes from the series “The Boys.”
Now to address the most shocking part of the episode, the ending, which caught almost every viewer off guard. Thomas’s killing of his father in the alleyway is a morbid parallel to the infamous Wayne murder scene in Crime Alley, which has often been depicted through various interpretations. In a way, Thomas (?) foreshadowed his own death. The ramifications of this incident will be immense, and the Wayne family will never remain the same again. While it never seemed, Thomas did it while being controlled by a “lullaby” drug, the possibility can’t be brushed off. If the act is indeed performed to exact revenge in a stable mind, then it changes the characterization of Thomas Wayne himself. The choice of stealth attire Thomas wore was a wide-brimmed black hat, a black scarf, and a black overcoat… which is extremely reminiscent of the comic character “Shadow.” The episode ends with a couple of cliffhangers (Bet and Thomas Wayne), which can make the audience wish for the next episode’s release sooner than ever.
See more: ‘Pennyworth: The Origin Of Batman’s Butler’ Season 3, Episodes 5: Recap And Ending, Explained
