"Episode 2.2" is the second episode of Series 2 of Peaky Blinders and the eighth episode overall. It aired on October 9th, 2014.
Synopsis
Ada is rescued from Sabini’s men by Peaky Blinders members, while Thomas is in the hospital recovering. He discharges himself from the hospital and heads to Camden Town to meet Alfie Solomons. Arthur Shelby Jr. accidentally beats an opponent to death in a boxing ring, and Thomas receives a letter from Grace.
Summary
Alfie Solomons
Ada has been abducted by Sabini's men, but the Blinders had been following her, so they take down her assailants.
Campbell visits Thomas in hospital, aware that he killed Eamonn Duggan, a fact he intends to hold over him in order to use him as his spy.
Thomas discharges himself from the hospital. After treating his considerable injuries with horse oil, he takes a long trip on a slow barge, manned by Curly, to London.
In Camden Town, he meets Alfie Solomons, the leader of the Jewish gangsters, and offers to join forces with him against Sabini.
Thomas announces that he bought Ada a house in London as a means of laundering money. Soon after, he brings Aunt Polly to another house in Birmingham, which he purchased for her as a birthday present. Thomas promises to find Polly's kids.
Thomas gets a letter from Grace, who is now married to a rich banker and living in Poughkeepsie, but he burns her letter without opening it.
Thomas writes a letter to Campbell's handler Winston Churchill, asking for an export license in return for going along with Campbell's plan for an assassination. In the letter he makes references to his time in the war, and the honors and medals he earned for valor. He and Churchill had both served in the war; however Campbell had not.
Thomas is also able to discover what happened to Polly's children. The girl died of spring fever, but he locates the boy, Michael. He visits Michael's home and gives him a card with their information on it, despite the protests of his adoptive mother, Mrs. Johnson.
Meanwhile, an increasingly unhinged Arthur continues to struggle with war trauma, when he inadvertently beats an opponent to death in the boxing ring. Thomas questions Finn and his friend about what happened, and he tells them to get their stories straight because they just told two different ones. Thomas tells Arthur that they'll look after the boy's mother and it'll be fine.
Thomas is unsympathetic to Arthur, who tries to open up about his PTSD, and tells him to "shut the door on it" like he did, because the war is over and it's been over for a long time. Arthur is pissed and slams him into the mantel, telling him that he isn't Thomas and everyone fucking knows it. Thomas forces Arthur to look at his reflection before discarding him on a chair. Thomas leaves before coming back inside and removing the bullets from Arthur's gun and chucking a bottle of alcohol into the fire.
Campbell speaks to Moss, who has been working for the Peaky Blinders, and tells him that as of that moment, he's now back on the side of the angels, and he's going to be working as a double agent.
When Thomas tells Polly that her son must choose to contact her if he wants, she fires her gun at the ceiling in impotent rage before heading out on an emotional bender at the newly re-opened Garrison Pub, culminating in a drunken one night stand.
Finn goes to speak to Arthur, who isn't planning on going to the re-opening of the Garrison. Finn introduces him to a drug he calls "Tokyo," and Arthur goes to the pub very high and full of energy. Thomas pulls him aside and tells him that he should only take Tokyo on race days and for grand openings, because they've both seen a horse after they've been doped and it's no good.
Thomas asks Ada to speak to Polly for him, because no one can get through to her. Polly says that she doesn't want a conversation, she wants an address.
After going home the next morning, Polly meets her son, Michael Gray, who has come to Birmingham to see her.
Music
"Broken Harp" by PJ Harvey (Recap)
"When Under Ether" by PJ Harvey (Thomas's barge trip)
"If You Were There, Beware" by Arctic Monkeys (Arthur heading to The Garrison Pub)
Trivia
- Thomas was supposed to be in the hospital for another three weeks, but he discharged himself.
- Ada is pleased with her new home because it's quiet.
Quotes
- "I imagine being shot by a woman hurts the same as being shot by a man. Just a bit more shameful. You know, Mr. Campbell, when I got shot, they gave me a medal. Yeah. No medal for you, I bet. " –Thomas to Major Campbell
- "From this moment forward, you belong to me… so get well quickly." – Major Campbell to Thomas Shelby.
- "I’ve read very bad, bad, bad, bad things about you Birmingham people." – Alfie Solomons endears himself to his new partner.
- "Pol, I am going to find your son and daughter, and I'm going bring them home. That's what this house is for. So that you can bring your family home where they belong." –Thomas to Polly
- Inspector Campbell: "Sir... with the greatest respect... Thomas Shelby is a murdering, cutthroat, mongrel, gangster."
- Winston Churchill: "And yet, the tunnels were dug beneath our feet to silence the guns pointed at our heads."
- Thomas: "We've been home a long time now, Arthur. Been home a long time. I thought you were alright."
- Arthur: "Yeah, well. I-I-I don't think I am, Tommy."
- Thomas: "Tokyo is full for races, eh? You've seen a doped horse after a race. Grand openings and race days only, brother."