If you pause *The Penguin* at the precise moment, you’ll discover a real QR code that you can scan, revealing an Easter egg linked to the Riddler.
*The Penguin* Episode 1 is packed with Easter eggs. For instance, outside Oz Cobb’s apartment, there’s a sign depicting a mustached man with a monocle, a clear reference to Burgess Meredith’s portrayal of the character from the ’60s.
The episode also includes shout-outs to Batman villains such as Rex Calabrese and the Hangman. Notably, when Oz examines Alberto Falcone’s phone, he notices an event marked on his calendar referencing a meeting with the Gotham Knights.
However, these details are quite straightforward. If you were watching the premiere live or didn’t think to pause it, you might have missed a significant Easter egg—an actual scannable QR code.
Around the 39:30 mark, Oz and Victor Aguilar are traveling on a train out of Gotham when a masked individual approaches them, distributing flyers with a QR code and proclaiming, “Scan the code, see Gotham’s true face.”
Scanning the QR code takes you to gothamstrueface.com, which subsequently redirects to rataalada.com, a site that was also active during the release of *The Batman* in 2022.
You will encounter a discussion among four of the Riddler’s followers, which states:
Cl0ckbreak3r: What’s been put in motion can’t be stopped. xxREIGNITINxx: Arkham’s releasing patients and Blackgate is chaotic… no one’s really a prisoner there. Not even our old friend Sal Maroni. HOLDTHELINE81: People claim to desire the truth but close their eyes when we illuminate it. DETERMINATOR: Let’s ensure they’re not blinded again by the corruption, the murders, the Falcone power grab… HOLDTHELINE81: We’ll start in the streets. Tonight at 9pm. Meet at the metro outside Crown Point. Cl0ckbreak3r: Agreed. The revolution is just beginning.
The link on “Falcone power grab” leads to a report in the Gotham Gazette detailing Alberto Falcone, Carmine’s son, “gallivanting” and celebrating throughout the city.
The exact implications of this are not yet clear, but it appears unrest is brewing in Gotham following the Riddler’s attack. Given that *The Penguin* is setting the stage for *The Batman 2*, this could serve as a hint for the upcoming sequel.
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