The Van Dahls' 'Gotham' Setback May Not Stop Them

Will anything good happen to the Penguin on Season 2 of Gotham? The poor guy watched his mother get murdered, had an assassination pinned on him, was tortured in Arkham Asylum, lost his position as "King of Gotham" to his former subordinate, and now his father, Elijah Van Dahl, was killed by his deviously scheming wife and stepchildren. Elijah tells his son that he's in poor health, suffering from a "hole in his heart." But since the eccentric millionaire stays sheltered in his mansion, he doesn't notice that his wife is passing off mints as heart medication, making Elijah's condition significantly worse.

However before his death, Elijah bonds with his son over their shared similarities. Like Penguin, his father was raised by a fearful and clingy mother, and the two have a lot in common. Unfortunately for Oswald, just as he's beginning to connect with his long-lost dad, the old man finally loses his fight. But it's not a heart attack that eventually kills the Van Dahl patriarch — it's a poisoned glass of sherry that Grace, Charles, and Sasha planned for Oswald to drink. So as 30 Rock fans know, this makes the second time Paul Rubens has guest-starred on a TV episode only to meet his doom after taking a drink.

But now that the benevolent Elijah is dead, Oswald — who confessed his past as the murderous Penguin, even if he still hasn't recaptured his criminal mojo — is now in a den of "family" members who want to block his access to his father's fortune. And it must be a considerable amount of money, since great-great grandfather Manfred Van Dahl was an old-time tailor, part of one of Gotham City's oldest families. In some comic book storylines, old Gotham families like the Van Dahls have controlled the city for centuries with the Court of Owls, a network of assassins. As Oswald continues to uncover his true place at the head of his family, he might uncover even more secrets about the Van Dahl family name.

Images: Nicole Rivelli/FOX; Coervus/Tumblr