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The most striking line in Netflix’s Peaky Blinders is memorable not only for its ominous tone but also because it exposes Tommy Shelby’s fatal flaw. After six seasons and a movie, Peaky Blinders has cemented itself as a standout piece of media in the gangster genre, and Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby anchors the show.
Tommy is one of the most nuanced and tragic characters on TV. He comes from a poor Romani background, which led to a difficult upbringing. He developed severe PTSD after serving in World War I. His life was tied to organized crime before the Peaky Blinders show even started, meaning he couldn’t get away from it even if he hadn’t taken on a leadership role. At the same time, Tommy proves time and time again that he is absolutely bloodthirsty. His calm demeanor makes it all the more terrifying that he orders assassinations and murders constantly.
He can’t be flattened down to a former soldier, a power-hungry gangster, or a protective brother. The many aspects of his identity interact, creating a mess of contradictions and self-fulfilling prophecies. He makes many mistakes throughout the show, but the biggest one can be wrapped in Peaky Blinders’ best quote: “I’m not God. Not yet.”
Tommy Shelby Chased Success At The Expense Of His Family
In Peaky Blinders season 5, episode 1, Tommy is said to be enacting God’s will, but Charles Shelby reminds him that he’s not God, leading to the iconic line “I’m not God. Not yet.” The statement has a sinister undertone, as if there’s an unspoken threat. What’s more, the statement reflects Tommy’s undying need for control and power.
At the start of the series, I truly believe that Tommy seeks power because he’s in survival mode after serving in World War I and thinks success will shield his family from harm. Unfortunately, his desire to protect his family leads him to seek power, which creates more danger for his family, leading him to seek even more power, and so on.
Netflix's Peaky Blinders sequel series has been confirmed, and it will focus on the next generation of the Shelby family.
Tommy fails to see how his actions are directly harming his family. Key examples of this include the refusal to compromise with the Changretta family and his disposal of Arthur’s medications. Decisions come from a good place, even if they include horribly misguided logic. Yet, they have harmful and lethal outcomes. For the first three seasons, he is the epitome of the adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
However, Tommy Shelby’s motivations seem to shift at the end of Peaky Blinders season 3. He wants to exact his will on others and get vengeance, no matter who suffers. He frequently forces his family to do his dirty work and murder others, even if they object. It feels like he sees them as pawns in a game of chess rather than as human beings he loves.
Major betrayals include not telling his family about the arrest and execution plan, not showing up for Ruby before her death, and exiling Finn. Tommy will give a toast to his family in one breath and then harm them in the next. The power-over-family approach continues in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, where we learn that Tommy intentionally killed Arthur to be free of him.
Tommy Shelby Made The Same Mistake As The Godfather's Michael Corleone
Tommy Shelby’s tragic arc throughout Peaky Blinders is just the most recent example of an organized-crime leader seeking power even when it harms his family. Michael Corleone did the same thing 51 years before the start of the Netflix show. Throughout the three Godfather movies, the gangster justifies his ruthless, power-seeking actions by claiming they're for the good of the family. However, his choices directly harm the folks who are meant to be protected.
Michael Corleone orchestrates his brother-in-law’s murder. He has the opportunity to forgive Fredo for his betrayal, but he’s too threatened by his brother’s jealousy and desire for power. His lies, emotional detachment, and abuse alienate his wife. Similarly, he attempts to control his children, even when it puts them in danger. This leads to estrangement. Ultimately, Michael Corleone crosses lines that even Don Vito wouldn’t, making him spiral from an anti-hero to the true villain of The Godfather. Similarly, Tommy is just as much a compelling protagonist as he is an anti-hero-turned-villain in Peaky Blinders.
