What ever happened to Tommy Shelby? It’s the question Johnny Dogs asks to kickstart the Netflix film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
Alone in exile and haunted by the loss of his daughter, Tommy is writing a book (which we can only imagine the contents of). But it’s not long before he’s dragged back to the gangster world, riding in on a black horse to face the new Peaky Blinders ringleader: Duke Shelby.
If you’ve just watched the film, and can’t even begin to comprehend how it ends, here’s all your questions answered.
But if you haven’t watched it, be warned: there’s a major spoiler ahead…
What happens to Tommy Shelby?
After he survives a tense shootout with Beckett earlier in the film, Tommy is determined to put an end to Beckett’s Nazi scheme.
In an attempt to foil Beckett’s plan, Tommy sends a ship full of explosives to Beckett's warehouse, entering himself through the underground tunnel network.
There are numerous explosions, and a near miss as Beckett shoots at Tommy from his getaway car. Duke pushes him out of the car’s deadly path, but not quickly enough to prevent Tommy from being shot.
It’s a tense moment, and as the father and son share an embrace fraught with emotion, Tommy asks Duke to end his life. He tells him to use the bullet engraved with his name provided by Kaulo, knowing he won’t have much longer to live.
In a shock moment, Duke pulls the trigger.
With his final breath, Tommy whispers, “In the bleak midwinter” – a recurring phrase that has represented the trauma and survival of the Shelbys throughout the series. It's a tender moment for long-time fans of the show.
In the aftermath of his death, Kaulo packages the manuscript for Tommy’s book, and passes it to Duke at Tommy’s final send off, surrounded by his remaining family and trusted men. They set his body ablaze, once and for all.
Is this the end for the Peaky Blinders?
With Tommy finally laid to rest – “at peace”, as Kaulo claimed he wanted – it’s a huge shift for Peaky Blinders as we know it.
But the series doesn’t end with Tommy Shelby.
His death represents a generational shift, setting up for the next two series of Peaky Blinders which will feature a new era of Shelbys.
With Tommy and Ada gone, there are plenty of younger Shelby family members who could step up to star in the series – including Tommy's younger brother Finn, and his other son Charlie.
We can’t wait to see who takes over, and what’s in store for the future of the Peaky Blinders…
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is now streaming on Netflix.
