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You might be forgiven for thinking that the giggling, seemingly crazed blonde woman in episode four of The Penguin was Harley Quinn. However, the HBO show went in a different direction for a DC villain cameo.
Sofia Falcone’s cell neighbor is Magpie (“not Margaret,” as she bitterly reminds us), a familiar name to fans of the comic books. But who is this character? We’ve done some research into superhero history to find out everything you need to know.
Major spoilers for episode 4 of The Penguin below
Who is Magpie in HBO’s The Penguin?
We don’t learn much about Magpie in The Penguin. We know that her case wasn’t as high-profile compared to Sofia’s and that she received Bliss from the guards at Arkham Asylum for being “good.”
She was strangely obsessed with Sofia, consistently calling her “Executioner” and discussing how they could visit the garden together and celebrate life events. However, Sofia comes to the conclusion that Magpie is working with the doctors and guards in Arkham to get information out of her.
Magpie meets a grisly end, with Sofia’s head smashed in. Marié Botha portrays her in the series.
Macall Polyy/HBO
Macall Polyy/HBO
Macall Polyy/HBO
Who is Magpie in the DC comics?
Magpie’s full name is Margaret Pye, and she made her first appearance in 1983’s The Man of Steel #3.
She started as a museum curator at the Gotham City Museum of Antiquities. But being surrounded by precious artifacts she couldn’t possess drove her mad.
Eventually, she began stealing these precious items and replacing them with replicas full of deadly booby traps. She hired a gang of thugs to cover her tracks.
In One Night In Gotham City, she becomes the first-ever DC villain to be taken down by a team of Batman and Superman, with the pair cornering her in the museum after storming her hideout. She was subsequently institutionalized in Arkham Asylum.
In Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, she escapes from prison with the help of Poison Ivy. Ultimately, she is found dead – murdered by Tally Man II, who was acting on behalf of The Great White Shark. Her body was then reanimated in Blackest Night as a member of the Black Lantern and sent on a murderous rampage.
Magpie has appeared on screen several times. She was in Beware the Batman, voiced by Gray DeLisle – Magpie was the split personality of Magaret Sorrow. She was also in Gotham in episode 13 Stitches, played by Sarah Schenkkan. Finally, she also appeared in Batwoman, played by Rachel Matthews.