‘Gangs of London’ Episode 2: Will Billy be the ultimate heir to Finn Wallace's empire instead of Sean?
Spoiler Alert for ‘Gangs of London’
The past often tells you a story you don't want to hear. But our mistrust of the future makes it hard to give up on the past. Narrating one such poignant tale, the second episode of ‘Gangs of London’ flips over to a dreadful page in the Wallace family book as Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney) takes his young boys on a trip. His wife Marian (Michelle Fairley), elder son Sean (Joe Cole), and younger one Billy (Brian Vernel) head over to a secluded spot as Finn hands over a gun to both of them. Excitedly, Sean says, “Can I shoot a rabbit?”
Little did he know that rather than a rabbit hunt, his father had set up a tough task for him. Once they reach the barn, Finn points over to a bucket. Giving a lesson on how they were born in a “glorious” world that may be dubbed “brutal” by some, he tells Sean: “Now if you can do this one thing, you can have all that it has to offer. Do you want that son?” As he lifts off the bucket, a man is shown buried deep into the ground pleading for his life. “I want you to take this man's life,” Finn says. Sean asks, “What did he do?” to which Finn responds, “He made a bargain.”
Shivering at the sight of the man who begs and beseeches for his life, Sean is unable to pull the trigger. His father then puts the bucket back and tells him to shoot at it. Twitching and trembling tremendously, Sean seems reluctant to do the task. But then, the focus is shifted back to him as the bullet is fired and blood splatters out of the bucket. The scene shifts back to the present time as Sean struggles with the chaos after his father's brutal assassination.
There is a major ruckus as Pakistani heroin kingpin Asif Afridi's (Asif Raza Mir) cow shipment is attacked and the drugs are stolen. While Sean says the trade must stop until they find who killed his father, Asif gives him a hearing on how he should not neglect his business dealings in an obsession to hunt the killer. His brother Billy — now a recovering heroin addict — offers to help but Sean dismisses it saying there is nothing he can do. After Billy leaves, Sean tells his mother, “I will set things right.” His mother tells him she knows he will and says she's happy that both her boys are responsible — Billy is “clean” and Sean is “strong”.
Meanwhile, Billy can be seen at an orgy party where he finds out one of his friends has found drugs. Before he can tell where he got drugs from, his friend passes out and Billy heads out to score gear from Kurdish PKK militant Lale’s (Narges Rashidi) dealer in the Green Lanes. Billy gets hold of the drugs but gets embroiled in a scuffle at the store when Elliot Finch (Sope Dirisu) spots him and helps him escape.
The brutal episode moves on to the massacre where the Wallace family gets set to wipe out the Welsh travelers after Kinney Edwards (Mark Lewis Jones) confesses his son pulled the trigger on Finn. Right before they head out, Sean's mother Marian steps out in a beautiful gown and says, “I last wore this on our anniversary... when Finn took me to the Ritz.” As flashbacks of that bucket-shot play again, she tells him, “It's a night for celebration, without hesitation. I believe in you, Sean. I am proud of you.”
As the episode draws to a close after a bloodbath, Billy comes back home and asks Sean to meet him in private. He tells him Lale's dealing and about Asif's heroin. “We needed to find out who is dealing,” he says, to which Sean replies, “Not you. You're sick.” Disappointed, Billy cries out, “I want to help. I want to do something. I'm f**king useless. Dad's dead.” Sean then hugs Billy and whispers into his ear, “I don't want you to die. You've always looked out for me, Billy. But I have to do this myself.” The bond between the brothers is heartwarming, indeed!
The scene turns back to the past and the reality is finally revealed — not Sean, it was Billy who pulled the trigger and shot the man under the bucket. His father snickered at Sean, “I thought you were ready.” Those words still haunt him. That scene makes everything crystal clear. After that unfateful day, Sean's mother keeps on reassuring him and encouraging him to not hesitate. What's more, it also explains Sean's drive to do everything himself. Maybe he suffers from small man syndrome and kills men brutally one after another just to prove a point. Amid all the ruckus, Billy is devastated. What will he do now? Blessed with a fiery killer streak, quest for revenge, and a sharp mind, doesn't he deserve to be the heir to Finn's empire instead of Sean? Will he try to outdo his brother and be the ultimate heir? Well, only time will tell.
Get set to watch the show once it premieres on AMC Plus this October 1, 2020. The first three episodes air on the premiere date and the rest of the ten-part series will be followed by weekly episodes on Thursdays.