In it's final penultimate episode, Boardwalk Empire delivers a riveting showdown in attempts to reveal the final say on who Enoch Nucky Thompson really is.
Get On Your Knees
There was something incredibly refreshing finally seeing Nucky Thompson do all the right things, which was furthered by not only his sacrifice, his acceptance of Eli, his service to Luciano, but also in loosing Mickey Doyle and giving young Joe Harper a way out. For five seasons I never imagined I would see him on his knees for the sake of others.
But what truly makes all of this so moving or engaging are the flashbacks. As I have said on multiple occasions this season, a lot of what's left for Nucky Thompson is coming down to all the things he has done (or not done) for Gillian Darmody (and by extension James Darmody). The reveal that Gillian was trying to escape the monster we all know to be the Commodore and with Nucky simply wanting to get ahead for his own families sake, -and basically is going to bring this poor child back the lion's den and ultimately condone the Commodore's pedophilia of young girls, puts one of the darkest clouds over Nucky to date. I just don't think he can ever escape the rage of friendless children, unless James Darmody is not dead, this reality is not real, or all is forgiven when characters die! (And Again, the casting here is great! Madeleine Rose Yen is the perfect young Gillian--has her mannerisms and intonations down pat!)
I'm Living For Giving The Devil His Due
One of my favorite scenes was Lindsey passing the buck off to young Enoch outside the Commodore's grand estate, in which viewers revisit it like never before, as there was something truly diabolical and darkly haunting the way those scenes of Nucky walking through previously familiar rooms of past seasons was shot. This is the deal with the devil Nucky made that could seal his fate and it's never been more clear that The Commodore is Boardwalk's biggest villain.
I also knew while watching the episode from both the acknowledgement of and the irony of Nucky and Mickey's friendship, along with Mickey stepping out to speak like he always does, that he would be a goner and true to Boardwalk's tropes. As for Eli and Willie, I'm on the fence if their stories will move forward very much, or if they will be held back for a more intricate look at Nucky dealing with Luciano and Gillian by himself and/or if there will be a twist with Joe Harper being Tommy Darmody, let alone if Margret can save his life or his soul?
I'm A Person, It's Personal
I also enjoyed the way the writers went about the taking out Maranzano scene with at first homing in on tax evasion charges against Al Capone, only to switch to a murder scene of the last Boss of all Bosses. The montage of newspapers, photos, and radio commentaries of the street gangs of New York at the beginning of the episode was also a nice touch, reminding viewers of the series close attention to historic details and adding sensational weight to the immanency of people loosing their lives in all out war, but also the way they closed the episode with Nucky finally reading Gillian's letter in which the voice over and montage of adult Gillian in a realization that she's back to where she started, was deliriously dizzying with a repeated phrases and sentences, with that one final haunting image of her as child with a storm behind her on the boardwalk, was just the perfect way to close the episode and personalize everything.
Ultimately the season has done a great job at making me feel deeply for Nucky Thompson, something I didn't think the writers could accomplish in only eight episodes. Whatever happens in the final hour, I can't imagine won't be heartbreaking and full of torn emotions!
What did you think? Did You like the episode? Do you think Nucky will survive the series? Is Gillian really seeking forgiveness or revenge? Will Nucky use Gillian in his battle with Luciano? What do think will happen to Eli? Let us know in the comments below!
But what truly makes all of this so moving or engaging are the flashbacks. As I have said on multiple occasions this season, a lot of what's left for Nucky Thompson is coming down to all the things he has done (or not done) for Gillian Darmody (and by extension James Darmody). The reveal that Gillian was trying to escape the monster we all know to be the Commodore and with Nucky simply wanting to get ahead for his own families sake, -and basically is going to bring this poor child back the lion's den and ultimately condone the Commodore's pedophilia of young girls, puts one of the darkest clouds over Nucky to date. I just don't think he can ever escape the rage of friendless children, unless James Darmody is not dead, this reality is not real, or all is forgiven when characters die! (And Again, the casting here is great! Madeleine Rose Yen is the perfect young Gillian--has her mannerisms and intonations down pat!)I'm Living For Giving The Devil His Due
One of my favorite scenes was Lindsey passing the buck off to young Enoch outside the Commodore's grand estate, in which viewers revisit it like never before, as there was something truly diabolical and darkly haunting the way those scenes of Nucky walking through previously familiar rooms of past seasons was shot. This is the deal with the devil Nucky made that could seal his fate and it's never been more clear that The Commodore is Boardwalk's biggest villain.I'm A Person, It's Personal
Ultimately the season has done a great job at making me feel deeply for Nucky Thompson, something I didn't think the writers could accomplish in only eight episodes. Whatever happens in the final hour, I can't imagine won't be heartbreaking and full of torn emotions!
What did you think? Did You like the episode? Do you think Nucky will survive the series? Is Gillian really seeking forgiveness or revenge? Will Nucky use Gillian in his battle with Luciano? What do think will happen to Eli? Let us know in the comments below!
If Joe isn't Tommy then it is a big red herring, the actor they cast has Michael Pitt's mannerisms and looks down perfectly. If it is Tommy then previously I thought he wanted revenge but maybe he just wants to know who Nucky is, who his mother is, who Jimmy was. And if it isn't Tommy then Joe is merely a way of Nucky attempting to save a young man and making sure he doesn't go down the path he did all those years ago.
ReplyDeleteNo idea how the series is going to end, I don't expect many if any happy endings though I wouldn't mind something good happening to Eli and Gillian two characters I've grown to care about a lot. And Margaret, let Margaret make a load of money and be safe and well.
100% with you here, Lou! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!!!!
I enjoyed this episode which I saw as Nucky's Ozymandias or least Part 1 of it with the finale being the more devastating conclusion. I don't think Nucky will die. Likely he will be arrested which I read in a magazine years ago that Terrence Winter considered as an ending to the series. I mentioned in the comments section of the series finale promo that I believe Gillian's plea for help is a ruse to lure Nucky into the hospital so she can pull off one last act of revenge against the man who she holds responsible for all the pain she has gone enough since being given over to the Commodore. I can't guess what it is but I think it'll be something worthy of the manipulative woman.
ReplyDeleteIf Joe is Tommy, we'll likely find out in the finale along with the reason for him wanting to work for Nucky. If he isn't, I'm fine with him being a mirror of Nucky's younger ambitious self which Nucky wish to save from a corrupt and irreversible path.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what will happen, as changing the character's name from Enoch Johnson to Enoch Thompson suggests the need for creative freedom, and thus the typical arrest that one might expect from history seems boring and predictable to me, so I .hope for almost anything else...
ReplyDeleteFor most of the season I thought it was going to be about revenge for Gillian too, but I also could see Nucky using her to try and get back at Luciano--since she may have some revenge to implement there as well...I think Gillian and Nucky have always been in great parallel both being truly duplicitous characters.
But thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! I really can't believe we only have one episode left!
Great recap, I think this was one of the most strong episodes of Boardwalk Empire, for me Nucky (and I never looked him like a real gangster, just a great business man) never was a memorable character, I always thought that Jimmy, Gillian, Margaret, Richard, Chalkie, Capone, Van Alden and even Eli is more interesting than him, but this last season tie the previous seasons very well and make me change my mind a little bit, I think the script focus on the past and present of Nucky was a clever move for the writers, and now see him on his knees begging for his nephew life and give up of everything because of family was highlight of this season. That scene between Nucky's gang and Luciano's gang was memorable.
ReplyDeleteI hope Eli and Gillian have a good ending, I hope they not die like Lou said. I think Nucky will do the right thing for Gillian and will end happy with Margaret.
Thanks! I hope there is a happy ending for at least one character, but I feel like something major has to give, if they want to do the series justice. Thinking of Scorsese's and other more recant gangster dramas, it usually ends in tragedy for main character(s), but I hope they at least hit some kind of spiritual chord and everything wasn't in complete vein.
ReplyDeleteI agree probably Nucky will die and maybe Eli, but I hope one of the them survive. Btw I would love they made a spin off of Luciano and Lansky, how you feel about it?
ReplyDeleteI would def try a Boardwalk spin off--I think they have room to tell more stories. One of things I may mention in the finale/series review is that I think Luciano ended up being the "truest" gangster--so I would definitely be interested in seeing that character in a different light. Lanskey too has always had something I liked about him.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I hope they find way to show more of him and Lanskey.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind seeing Siegel die either :p
ReplyDelete