Popular British gang drama Peaky Blinders is no stranger to violence and angst, and its gritty nature set after World War I has captivated viewers since its premiere in 2013. Although it’s an exciting plot for a drama period, the backbone of the program is its forte. and complex characters, which is why fans were so shocked when John’s (Joe Cole) death occurred in the first episode of season 4.
Focusing primarily on the Shelby family, bosses of the Peaky Blinders, one of Britain’s most powerful gangs, the four Shelby brothers have been main characters since the show’s origins. There have been a few high-profile character deaths, as you’d expect with a show about gang activity in the 1920s, but until Season 4, the core members of the family had generally gotten away unscathed.
John Shelby was the younger brother of Arthur (Paul Anderson) and Tommy (Cillian Murphy) and the older brother of Finn (Harry Kirton). Young and brash, audiences quickly fell for his sense of humor and recklessness, though he often got him into trouble. Aged 24 at the opening of the show, John was the youngest shareholder to be so active in the Peaky Blinders gang, developing something of a middle ground between the incredibly brash Arthur and the totally ruthless Tommy. John loved Peaky Blinders and everything that came with them: the image, the power, the influence.
The dynamic of a reckless younger brother is central to John’s character and carries over to the rest of the seasons. In season three, John is the cause of a key plot point, the Changretta feud, which resulted in the death of not only John, but also Tommy’s wife, Grace Shelby (Annabelle Wallis).
Although traumatizing to audiences who had loved the brothers from the beginning, John’s death firmly established the true threat of the Changretta family, even with many of its key members dead. This allowed the plot to continue for the rest of the fourth season, finally resolving itself at the end of the season, and also reminded viewers that no one is safe, not even the Shelby brothers.
The audience cried with Tommy, Arthur and the rest of the gang. Now, with a long-awaited sixth and final season, fans begin to resolve with great anticipation the fate of the rest of the Shelby family and the entire Peaky Blinders destiny, which will end up culminating its story with a long-awaited film.
