"Episode 3.4" is the fourth episode of Series 3 of Peaky Blinders and the sixteenth episode overall. It aired on May 26th, 2016.
Synopsis
Polly goes to confession, igniting a chain of events that reveals a trap being laid at the Shelbys' expense. Thomas plans an exit from dirty business.
Summary
To honour and then forget their now dead, ill-thought-of father, Arthur Shelby Sr., the Shelby boys hunt and kill a stag on the grounds of Thomas Shelby's mansion; hunting was the one thing their dad actually taught them. Sitting around a fire preparing to cook their kill, they discuss their planned robbery of the Georgians. After cutting-in the somewhat hesitant Curly and Charlie, the gang settle on how much they each will gain from the profits. After this one last job, Thomas intends to turn the business legit, honouring his promise to Grace.
Steaming drunk, Aunt Polly goes to confession to bear her soul about murdering Chester Campbell. Not that she regrets it, she just needs to get it off her chest, as well as the fact her family is planning to murder "a man of the cloth". Managing to make it back to the betting office, Polly walks in on Esme Shelby andLizzie Stark moaning about being left in charge, while the boys are off hunting. Too drunk to open the safe herself, Lizzie opens it for her and reveals that she’s been sleeping with Thomas now and again since his wife was shot. Linda Shelby arrives to bring them lunch and informs them that all the female workers in Birmingham have come out on strike with Jessie Eden. Fed up, they close shop and head down to the Bull Ring, where the workers plan to congregate.
Returning to his country house, Thomas finds Princess Tatiana, who has made herself comfortable in his office and is intent on finding out how he knows Father Hughes is a traitor. As the questions turn to blatant flirting, Thomas orders John Shelby to put a nail in her car wheel, so both he and Tatiana cannot back out of staying the night. Having sex with the Georgian royal, unwittingly leads Thomas to a dark night of the soul, where he finds himself chasing her around the house, pleading with her not to play Russian Roulette with herself. Tatiana claims be the only one who truly understands Thomas, that his newfound privilege doesn’t buy him the absolute freedom he craves and fears. In the end, she gives him permission to execute the priest if he wishes.
Thomas does learn enough from the Princess to conclude that the Georgians keep their wealth in a strong room in the grand-house. He decides to bring in a thief called Stephan Radischevski who speaks Russian, to be placed as a servant in the house to gather intel. Thomas pays a visit to Linda, to rebuke her for being loose lipped during their current scheming. However, Linda deftly runs rings around him by insisting their share from the robbery is upped to a fairer £41,000, so that they can start a new life in California. Threatened with Arthur pulling out of the job, Thomas reluctantly relents.
Thomas tracks Father Hughes to a village fete, intent on assassinating him. Following him into the toilets, his plans fall apart as the result of Polly’s earlier confession; the priest let Hughes know what she’d told him. Just as he’s about to shoot the priest, he’s jumped and horrifically beaten by two henchmen. Taking him to a deserted building, both Hughes and Patrick Jarvis order him to repair the damage by apologising for his mistake at a dinner with Grand Duchess Izabella Petrovna.
Afterwards, Thomas is dumped in front of his house. He immediately sacks all his male staff and requests members of the Peaky Blinders be brought down to protect his son. Imbibing enough drugs to attend the dinner, Thomas forces out his humiliating apology, as the royals look on in horror at his dire state.
Making a sharp exit, the horrifically injured Blinders boss to make it to Ada Thorne’s home, where she has arranged a meeting with members of the Soviet Embassy. He explains to them that the Economic League are intending to use the robbery of the tanks for the Georgian rebels, to provoke a Soviet act of aggression on British soil, thus forcing the government to sever all ties with Russia. As he stumbles from the meeting and collapses on the stairs, he asks Ada to call an ambulance as he has a fractured skull, a concussion, and possibly a haemorrhage. Thomas murmurs as if to his deceased father, telling him that he can see him.
Music
“Meet Ze Monsta” by PJ Harvey (Polly and the other women, on their way to the riot)
“Bad Habits” by The Last Shadow Puppets (Thomas attempting to assassinate Father Hughes)
Trivia
Quotes
“Horses for the sport, race days for the lark.” — Thomas to the Peaky Blinders
"Fuck it. I'm not in the mood today. Let's go to the Bull Ring." — Polly to Esme, Linda and Lizzie
“She's stolen his soul and taken it to a better place, the suburbs.” — Polly to Thomas
"I think when men want sex, they become hilarious. Like a dog, when you pick up a lead, and he knows he's going for a walk."—Polly to Ruben Oliver
“Right now, you hide inside it like a boy who's broken in through the window.” — Princess Tatiana to Thomas
“Except for you, Dad I can see you.” — Thomas