The Word War II film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, sees Cillian Murphy reprise his role as gang leader Tommy Shelby from the Netflix series.
Fans have waited four years to see the iconic character again; what happens when Tommy is shaken out of his self-imposed retirement after the deaths of his loved ones. The new film, written by creator Steven Knight and directed by Tom Harper, pits Tommy with his estranged son Duke Shelby, played by Barry Keoghan. What happens when father and son face each other again? Does Tommy live or die? Here’s what happens in the explosive and emotional finale of The Immortal Man. Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead!
Where is Tommy Shelby?
The Immortal Man opens in 1940 with England under siege from Nazi Germany who has been bombing the country and trying to infiltrate its economy by introducing counterfeit notes. Nazi sympathiser John Beckett (Tim Roth) recruits Duke to his cause and the young man, who fancies himself the leader of the Blinders in Tommy’s absence, reiterates that he has no loyalties to anyone. His aunt Ada Thorne (Sophie Rundle) confronts the young man after he steals weapons from a recently bombed factory in Birmingham meant for the frontlines of the war. Ada tries to rope in her brother Tommy but he is hidden away in the countryside, writing his memoirs with only Johnny Dogs (Packy Lee) by his side. His dead loved ones, especially daughter Ruby, still come to him in visions.
How does Tommy come back to Birmingham?
Tommy is spurred into action after a visit from Kaulo Chiriklo (Rebecca Ferguson), the twin sister of Zelda, Duke’s mother and Tommy’s late lover. She knows that his brother Arthur’s death was not a suicide. It was Tommy who pulled the trigger, to save him from his own demons. Soon, Tommy is the only surviving Shelby sibling left after Beckett kills Ada in cold blood for heading to the police with witness statements on Duke’s robbery of the factory. Ada’s death shakes up Duke and it solidifies what he must do. He states, “All of us are dead except the one who wants to be dead.” He will take care of Duke and the city of Birmingham after Kaulo assures him that he will have peace.
How is Birmingham and England saved from the Nazis?
Tommy reunites with Duke and literally beats some sense into him in a pigsty. He brings in union leader Hayden Stagg (Stephen Graham) and comes up with a plan with the old Peaky Blinders to send in explosives into Beckett’s warehouse and take out the Nazi gang and the piles of counterfeit money. As Beckett tries to escape, he shoots Tommy twice. But Tommy makes sure to finish off Beckett with his signature move, a bullet to the head.
In the end, as he lays dying in Duke’s arms, he states “I am a horse” like he did in Season 2. Tommy asks Duke to shoot and his distraught son finally obliges. After a life of sin and high power, Tommy finally succumbs and joins his siblings. He is given a gypsy burial as his body is burned, not buried. Just as Kaulo predicted before, Duke is now Rom Baro (king of the gypsies). As the film title suggests the legend of Tommy Shelby will live on.
Where does Peaky Blinders go next?
Tommy Shelby may have died but the Peaky Blinders will continue. Netflix has a
is the works which takes place in Birmingham’s post-war reconstruction during 1953. No cast or plotline has been revealed but it is assumed that some member of the Shelby family will be involved. Will Keoghan’s Duke return or will half-brother Charles Shelby make it back from World War II? More answers will be forthcoming after the streamer unveils details about the show being written Knight again. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is now streaming on Netflix.