"The Road to Hell" is the fifth episode of the sixth series of Peaky Blinders and the thirty-fifth episode overall. It aired on March 27, 2022.
Synopsis[]
In the light of extraordinary personal revelations, Tommy takes a course of action that will change everything. Meanwhile, his enemies' plans start to fall into place.
Plot[]
Tommy arrives in Chinatown. After selling opium to his brother, the owner is in big trouble. In fact, Tommy arrives with a bomb, counting down from 4 minutes. With 5 pounds of opium in the cellar, Tommy forces the couple to stop selling. If they disobey him, things are going to go badly. And just to show how serious he is, Tommy drops the bag in the water outside, which explodes, sending a wave up onto the shop windows.
Tommy gathers the family together and presents the newest member of the family, Erasmus, though everyone calls him Duke.
A returning Linda meets Tommy in a church. She isn’t ready to forgive Arthur right now but says that God may be ready to forgive him, which is slightly different. In order to speed this along, Tommy offers a cheque to her foundation for £10,000 in exchange for looking after Arthur and helping him on his “road to redemption.” She agrees, but refuses to sleep with him.
Down at Liverpool docks, Tommy returns to see Mr. Stagg following what happened with Arthur. He’s still due a beating but for now, he’s to oversee a shipment of Thompson machine guns from Boston. Tommy suggests switching over the supply lines to Liverpool too, making Mr. Stagg a rich man. For now, Tommy hands over an engraved bullet with his name on it.
That night, Lizzie and Tommy sleep with each other. The event is unengaging; unloving. Tommy has a "book of regrets" and Lizzie’s name is at the very top. He’s never let her in, and as Tommy mentions how he regrets putting her through all of this, Lizzie calls him out for “checking boxes” and not telling him everything.
At Shelby Headquarters, a referee for a big match with Birmingham is not swayed by Arthur, so he forces Billy to kill him. Billy is shell-shocked though, despite being the mole in the ranks.
After the deed, he hugs his knees in the sauna. Jack Nelson suddenly shows up and grabs Billy in the crotch, forcing him into submission. Given he’s the informant working behind enemy lines, Jack looks set to castrate him unless he cooperates. Pleading with the dangerous American, Billy succumbs. Jack Nelson has plans for Tommy, with his associates in line to strike. Billy’s job however, is to serve them Arthur.
Meanwhile, Tommy speaks plainly to Duke about his plans for his sons. He wants one in the light and the other in the dark. It’s clear Duke is being set up for the dark, potentially to take over the family business after him.
Tommy meets with Diana by a barge on the canal and reveals his plans to build charitable housing along the canal network. The Guinness Trust gave him permission to do so, but he still needs the finance from them. He wants Diana to use her influence in the Guinness family to win them over. Diana agrees, in return for sleeping with Tommy in the barge.
Tommy meets with Jack Nelson again, who nonchalantly points out that the currency in England is blood, not money. Oswald and Diana arrive too, intending to "say one last farewell.” During the meeting, in front of everyone, Diana calls Lizzie "a very lucky woman to have each day what I have only sampled once.” Hearing this, Lizzie up and leaves, but this seems to be the play from those at the table on purpose. "A necessary bit of housekeeping,” as Oswald claims. Lizzie doesn’t belong at the table, but Tommy realizes in that moment that he’s just like them.
Elsewhere, Michael dreams of Polly, and more specifically, her promise of blood being spilled and a war coming for the family. One among them will die, and as Michael awakens, one of Nelson’s associates shows up to help get him out. But only if he kills Thomas Shelby. Michael agrees to the terms.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby
- Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby
- Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne
- Ned Dennehy as Charlie Strong
- Finn Cole as Michael Gray
- Natasha O'Keeffe as Lizzie Stark
- Kate Phillips as Linda Shelby
- Pack Lee as Johnny Dogs
- Ian Peck as Curly
- Harry Kirton as Finn Shelby
- Sam Claflin as Oswald Mosley
- Amber Anderson as Diana Mitford
- James Frecheville as Jack Nelson
- Stephen Graham as Hayden Stagg
- Conrad Khan as Duke Shelby
Recurring Cast[]
- Emmett J. Scanlan as Billy Grade
- Daryl McCormack as Isiah Jesus
- Abbie Hern as Mary Bone
- Pauline Turner as Frances
- John Gorman as Johnny the Prison Guard
- Simon Wan as Han
- Naomi Yang as Li
- Douglas Russell as Wilfred the Referee
- Patrick O'Brien as Irish Priest
- Gwynne McElveen as Evadne Barwell
- Thomas Leggett as Small Heath Policeman
- Stephan Bessant as George
Uncredited Cast[]
- Leslie Davidoff as Catholic Priest
- Helen McCrory as Polly Gray (archive footage)
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray (archive footage)
- Mario Torella as Docker
Trivia[]
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Quotes[]
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Gallery[]
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