Peaky Blinders is about to explode onto our screens again with series six – so what better time for our series 5 recap?
We’ve waited nearly two years for the final series of the iconic BBC drama to arrive – thanks in part to the pandemic.
So here’s a refresher on what happened to all the main players in the last series.
Read on for our Peaky Blinders series 5 recap (and you’ll just have to imagine it’s in moody slow-motion).
***Warning: spoilers from series 5 of Peaky Blinders ahead***
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Peaky Blinders season 5 recap – blood, sweat and tears
Fans of Peaky Blinders know the series isn’t for the faint-hearted.
Yes it’s a period drama of sorts, but not like any you’ve seen before – think razor blades rather than corsets.
Series five was no exception, with shootings, bombs, gruesome murders, and even a horrifying crucifixion.
Like we said, the squeamish should grab a cushion to hide behind!
But amongst the horror, there were genuinely sweet moments, like Polly being proposed to in episode five.
(We know their engagement didn’t last one episode, but it was nice while it lasted!)
Read on for our comprehensive Peaky Blinders series 5 recap.
Peaky Blinders series 5 recap – Tommy Shelby’s enemies
The series started with Tommy staring into the face of another enemy – this time possibly from his own family.
In the episode entitled Black Tuesday, we met the gang in the wake of the Wall Street Crash.
It was 1929 and the crash had some serious consequences for the family business.
Tommy had foreseen the crash, and had warned Michael to pull their money out – but he thought he knew better and didn’t.
Michael had lost the business some serious money, and the Peaky Blinders needed to regroup.
Meanwhile, Tommy’s political career went from strength to strength.
However, as the series continued, it was clear that his demons were still haunting him.
And his use of drugs, including opium, weren’t helping.
Tommy’s main enemy? Himself.
But Michael?
Michael launched his bid for control of the family via the Chinese opium trade.
Something Tommy won’t forget.
Sadly, nor will Polly, who resigned from the business due to her conflict of interests.
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Who is the traitor within the Peaky Blinders?
In episode two, entitled Black Cats, Tommy was warned about a traitor in his midst.
Tommy was at Arrow House when he received a call from a mysterious new ally with potentially devastating information.
He was warned that Polly’s son Michael was working with the enemy to bring Tommy down…
Meanwhile, Tommy received a message from a rival gang, the Scottish Billy Boys.
As well as landmines placed strategically on his land, they also brutally crucified one of the Peaky’s allies, Aberama Gold’s son Bonnie.
By the end of series 5, however, viewers discovered that the traitor was not so much of a traitor, but more of a blabber.
Step forward Finn (see below).
Peaky Blinders series 5 recap – Oswald Mosley
Tommy made a treacherous new alliance in Oswald Mosley, the founder of the British Union of Fascists.
He was a horrible person – and a real historical figure, sometimes described as the English equivalent to Hitler.
The leader of the Peaky Blinders only agreed to the dangerous new partnership for political gain, but Mosley wasn’t stupid and often had the upper hand.
Not to mention the fact that Tommy’s wife Lizzie once slept with him…
Something that gave Oswald an excuse to treat Lizzie in a way Tommy despised.
Barely able to contain his hatred for Oswald, Tommy began plotting how to get rid of him for good.
His answer? To break an old war comrade out of the lunatic asylum.
Barney was a sniper in the war and Tommy asked him to assassinate Oswald.
Tommy then planned to take Oswald’s place at the head of the new party.
Tragically, the plan went horribly wrong, and poor Barney was murdered instead.
Even the reappearance of Tom Hardy as Alfie Solomons couldn’t save Tommy from Oswald’s polished plan.
And the devil was in the detail – unbeknownst to Tommy, younger brother Finn had unwittingly blabbed crucial info about the assassination attempt.
Tommy and the opium
Tommy called a truce with Brilliant Chang, in order to conduct some lucrative business.
He agreed to ship huge quantities of opium for him.
However, it was Tommy’s dependance on opium which was so dangerous to his state of mind.
He took the drug seemingly in order to hallucinate his dead wife Grace.
Peaky Blinders series five recap – Polly Gray
Aberama Gold proposed to Polly Gray in series five.
And the pair seemed genuinely enamoured.
But, of course, their engagement was ruined dramatically in true Peaky Blinders style.
Tommy threw a party for Lizzie’s birthday, but the night also attracted a revenge-seeking former member of the family.
Arthur Shelby’s estranged wife Linda arrived with the aim of killing Arthur.
But just before she could shoot, Polly got there first by shooting her in the arm.
It was another iconic Polly Gray moment.
But Polly’s happiness didn’t last long…
Poor Aberama was ambushed and brutally murdered in episode six of series 5, leaving poor Polly ever unlucky in love.
The death of Colonel Ben Younger
Tommy reported all of his dealings with fascist Oswald Mosley to British Intelligence.
And his contact was Colonel Ben Younger, who also happened to be Ada’s boyfriend, and the father of her unborn baby.
Just after Tommy gave Ben a crucial bit of evidence against Oswald, Ben was killed.
In episode five of series 5, a car bomb was planted in Ben’s vehicle which killed him – as well as a 10-year-old who was playing on the road.
It was at that moment that Tommy realised what Oswald was capable of and hatched the plot to kill him.
Peaky Blinders season 5 recap: What happened to Tommy Shelby?
At the end of Peaky Blinders series 5, Tommy was suffering a full-blown existential crisis.
The leader of the Peaky Blinders had been heading towards an impending breakdown since the show began.
In the series 5 finale, Tommy was left genuinely confused as to how he had lost and Mosley had won.
The credits rolled as Tommy held a gun to his head apparently intent on harming himself.
Now if that had been the end of series six, we believe he’s capable of doing it…
But he still has one more series to play out!
Peaky Blinders returns with series six on Sunday, February 27 at 9pm on BBC One.
Are you looking forward to series six of Peaky Blinders? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.