Peaky Blinders Season 5 Episode 5 Recap – The Shock

[00:01:00] It seemed Linda didn’t die from being shot by Polly. The bullet only hit her arm, so they brought her inside the house to get the bullet out. Linda winced in pain as she lay on the table. Arthur told Linda that he deserved that bullet. Tommy and Polly were focused on getting the bullet out of Linda’s arm. Oswald went inside to tell Tommy about his guests, but Tommy told him to leave as they were currently busy with family matters. Oswald didn’t want to leave, so Arthur took out his pistol and made him leave. In a few moments, Tommy was able to get the bullet out of Linda’s arm. Tommy ordered Arthur to go to the library and have some opium to ease his tension. Arthur agreed and left Linda in their care.

[00:03:00] Polly told Tommy that he could just use her stash as she took out a vial from in between her bosom. Tommy poured all the opium into a glass and mixed it with whisky. He told Linda that the pain would go away once she drank the mixture. Linda did as told and drank the opium-charged beverage. Arthur came back from the library and cried over Linda’s current state. Tommy assured Arthur that she was going to be fine. Arthur told Polly that she should’ve allowed Linda to shoot him. Tommy pulled Arthur up to talk some sense into him. Polly added that Aberama wanted Arthur to be his best man during their wedding. Lizzie came back from the kitchen with medicine and gauze to seal up Linda’s wound. Arthur took the bottle and gauze from Lizzie and told her that he was going to do it.

[00:05:00] Since Tommy was busy with his family matters, Oswald took the opportunity to address the people at Tommy’s party. He thanked everyone including the dancers for coming out to enjoy each other’s company. Tommy, Lizzie, and Polly got back to the party just in time to hear Oswald speak. After a few kind words about Tommy, he proceeded with his announcement about their new political party. Oswald blamed the Jews and their enemies for the stock exchange crash that had caused a lot of people to lose a lot of money. Aberama spat in disgust at the lies of Oswald as he left the party. Oswald continued with his speech and told everyone that their new political party would bear the message, “Britain First,” as he named the party the British Union of Fascists.

[00:10:00] The tent is filled with thunderous applause yet again as the men and women who were invited to the party served as eye witnesses for the creation of a new political party and supported its establishment wholeheartedly. At the end of his speech, Oswald went outside and told Tommy, Polly, and Lizzie that he was going to sleep with the lead dancer of the ballet group. He asked them to tell her to come to his room tonight. Polly asked Oswald how he was so sure that the lead dancer would come. He responded that they always came to him. Oswald kissed Lizzie’s hand and asked for forgiveness as he borrowed Tommy from her. Tommy led the way so that he could talk business with Oswald.

[00:12:00] The two of them locked themselves in Tommy’s home office. Oswald told him that his family disputes needed to stop, especially in public eye. He also looked at Tommy’s business portfolio and requested a few things. Oswald asked that Tommy replace his Jewish company lawyer as it wouldn’t look good for their party. Tommy agreed to fire his lawyer. Oswald also agreed with Jimmy McCavern in advance; he could have the racetracks that Tommy had controlled up north with nothing in exchange. Tommy didn’t like that Oswald gave control of his racetracks to someone else without his permission; however, Oswald explained that he would get more in return if their plan succeeded. Oswald added that the power they would have would make them greater than the King himself. They would have boat loads of money as well as access to the finest women England could offer.

[00:14:30] Oswald ended their meeting by telling Tommy that he should drink less. Tommy did the exact opposite as he noticed that Oswald hadn’t touched his drink. He gulped his drink down and took the next one as if it was nothing. That night, Oswald did indeed sleep with the lead dancer. He also requested that she put her costume on and dance for him. Arthur and Linda were fast asleep while Polly enjoyed her night with Aberama. Lizzie was heading over to her room when Oswald came out to ask her if she was willing to join them. She warned Oswald that he wouldn’t see the light of day if she were to tell Tommy about his offer, but Oswald thought otherwise. Lizzie went to their room to confront Tommy. She wanted to know why Tommy was even working with Oswald.

[00:17:00] Lizzie pointed out that Tommy was a bad man, but Oswald was pure evil. Tommy told her that he was supplying the British Government with information about Oswald’s organization, but Lizzie knew Tommy wanted to bring him down because he knew it was the right thing to do. Tommy told Lizzie to stop whatever she was thinking because he was not doing it for those reasons. Meanwhile, Linda finally woke up as Arthur kept watch over her. Arthur asked Linda to leave everything behind. He wanted to pick Billy up and sail away to any destination she wanted. Arthur wanted to leave tonight, but it was too late. Linda responded that he should just stay there and continue alone the path he had chosen. Arthur tried to convince Linda, but she had made up her mind.

[00:20:30] The next day, Linda took one last look at Tommy’s estate and left. Arthur watched Linda leave from the window of his room. Oswald was the next to leave as his driver sped off with him. Ben Younger went to Tommy’s office at his behest. Tommy gave him evidence that would tie Oswald to Jimmy McCavern. Ben was worried for his life and his job because he wouldn’t divulge where he had gotten his information from. He was also receiving death threats from Section D, the same organization that had nearly killed Tommy. Ben wanted to know why the information on Jessie Eden and the communists had dried up, but Tommy didn’t respond. Ben and Ada thought that Tommy was finally starting to believe in something. Tommy told Ben that she shouldn’t be listening to what Ada thought of him as her thoughts were always hopeful and, therefore, wrong.

[00:26:00] Ben took the envelope and left Tommy’s office. He got in his car and opened the envelope to check the contents. He saw Oswald’s signature on the cheque and knew it was authentic. One of the kids playing soccer outside kicked his ball against the passenger side door of Ben’s car. He was startled at first, but he didn’t think there was anything wrong. The second time the kid kicked his ball, Ben’s car exploded. The blast was so powerful that it shattered Tommy’s office window. It killed the child instantly while sending two of his playmates flying to the pavement. Tommy went downstairs to check what had happened. The other two kids were still alive, so he sent them inside his office. He took the other kid in his arms as he looked up at the sky, thinking of what to do next.

[00:28:30] Tommy went to Ada’s house to bring her the bad news. Ada knew that something had happened as he asked her to sit down. Without hesitation, Tommy told Ada that Ben was dead because someone had placed a bomb in his car. Tommy didn’t know how Ada felt about Ben or how she was going to feel knowing he was dead, but he reminded her of the baby inside her. Ada realized that anyone they touched would end up dead sooner or later. Ada felt responsible for Ben’s death; she didn’t love him, nor would she have chosen to marry him, but he hadn’t deserved to die. Tommy told Ada that Ben’s death would go down as an IRA assassination on a British officer, but the truth was he had died because of Tommy’s good intentions. He had asked Ben to report on the fascists, thinking it was the right thing to do.

[00:31:00] Tommy explained that it was Section D, Branch, or Intelligence that had killed Ben. He added that a kid had died due to the explosion. He blamed himself for it. He couldn’t accept the irony that he was trying to do the right thing, and it had caused the death of an innocent child. Ada told Tommy that he shouldn’t give himself that excuse, but he couldn’t help it. The kid wouldn’t have died if he had just stuck with his bad intentions. Tommy got in his car and took a sip of opium. He immediately saw Grace in his rear view mirror. She told him to start the car so that he could return to her. Tommy hesitated, but he started the car, thinking it would explode. It didn’t. He turned around, but Grace was no longer there.

[00:33:00] Charlie and Curly were on a boat with Aberama, Arthur, and Isaiah. They were headed to Chang’s dock to pick up the opium. They arrived at the dock, but Chang wasn’t there. In fact, no one was there to meet them. Upon entering the dock, they were met with gunfire. Isaiah saw Chang inside one of the warehouses, and they took cover with him so that he could explain what had happened. He told them that Irish men dressed as coppers had arrived and told him they were taking the opium for the King. They would’ve succeeded if the Peaky Blinders hadn’t arrived. Arthur told everyone who they were up against. He took his machine gun and went outside to show them who was boss. Arthur unloaded a whole clip, firing randomly. Aberama stopped him after a few moments and told him that their enemy had already fled.

[00:36:00] Arthur shouted at the top of his lungs that no one messed with the Peaky Blinders. Chang led them into the warehouse where the opium was kept. Arthur took a dagger to one of the sacks of opium so that Chang could confirm the contents. He told them that it was the one they’re looking for. Isaiah entered the warehouse and told them about the man dressed in a copper’s uniform. He wanted to throw the body in the river, but Arthur told him to find a kiln and burn it to the bone. Isaiah was worried about being seen by the working men. Arthur told Isaiah that he was Peaky Blinder; if anyone questioned his actions, ask them if they wanted to burn inside the kiln as well. Isaiah left and did as told. Chang was worried that someone would take revenge for what had happened, but Arthur didn’t care.

[00:38:30] Arthur knew someone had betrayed them that night, and he intended to find out once they returned to Birmingham. He knew that all the gangs of Birmingham would’ve heard about the opium, but he still didn’t care. Arthur was ready for war, and he was excited to release the devil inside him. Back at Birmingham, Tommy joined Peter’s funeral procession. Peter was the child who had died as collateral damage when Ben’s car exploded. His friends and their families lined the streets mourning his loss. After the funeral, Tommy went to visit an old friend in an asylum. The person in charge of the asylum searched Tommy for possible weapons before allowing him inside the cell. Tommy asked the man to stay outside the door, but he refused. He paid him to stay, but the man told him that he needed to lock him inside. Tommy agreed and entered the room.

[00:43:00] Tommy visited his old friend Barney. Barney recognized him as Sergeant Major; he was part of their crew during the war. Tommy didn’t like how Barney was being treated inside the asylum. Barney on the other hand didn’t feel any different now than he had during the war. Tommy offered Barney a way out. He took a pill out of his mouth, which contained cyanide and opium. Tommy told Barney that it would induce a heart attack, and he wouldn’t feel a thing. Barney thought about it, but he refused. Tommy knew Barney still wanted to live. Barney confirmed that he still wanted to live despite his current condition. Barney kept his hopes up that one-day things may change.

[00:47:00] Tommy was going to guarantee that things would change. He told Barney that he was going to bust him out of the asylum. Tommy trusted Barney as the best sniper in their company during the war. He never missed. Barney wanted to know who he was shooting, but Tommy didn’t need to tell him. Tommy told Barney that he was coming for him on Wednesday night. Barney didn’t keep track of the days inside the asylum. Tommy told him he just needed to wait for a big bang. The days went on as Tommy resumed his daily activities. Wednesday came, and Barney’s cell shook like it was going to collapse. He got up and celebrated as it was already Wednesday. Afterward, Tommy went to Charlie’s yard to await the first shipment of opium. Jimmy McCavern arrived shortly after.

[00:50:00] The boat arrived with Charlie, Curly, Isaiah, and Arthur on it. Tommy was looking for Aberama. Arthur told him that he had gotten off before they reached Birmingham. Aberama couldn’t stand to see Jimmy’s face. Jimmy told Arthur that Aberama was welcome to try on any given day. Jimmy also told Tommy that after their truce had ended, he would come after Arthur first. Tommy told Jimmy that he was also welcome to try as Arthur was looking for a fight. Arthur told Tommy about their brush with the Titanic gang when they had picked up the opium. Before Jimmy left, he handed a cheque to Tommy for ten grand. He also told Arthur that he was hoping they could square off after their truce. Arthur agreed. All Tommy needed to do was give the signal, and he would kill Jimmy.

[00:53:00] When Jimmy left, Arthur asked Tommy about his planned assassination of Oswald. He told Arthur that Barney would kill Oswald while he was beside him on stage during the announcement of their new political party. Tommy would take over as leader of the party, and that was the time Aberama and Arthur could go after Jimmy and wipe him off the face of the earth. Arthur liked the plan, and he was eagerly waiting for his moment of redemption. Tommy told Arthur that he had a lot of plans for Oswald, but Oswald had spoken badly to Lizzie, and that deserved instant death.