'Peaky Blinders' season 5: Will Finn Cole's Michael Gray overpower his brothers considering he is a spitting image of Tommy Shelby?
As the fifth season of 'Peaky Blinders' is all set to be rolled out, fans are excited to see how the 1929 financial crisis will affect each character in the show. The season four finale saw Thomas Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, getting elected as the MP and the official trailer for season five hints at the death of an important character.
As Sam Claflin joins the series as British politician Oswald Mosley, the Shelby clan needs to buckle up. In these times of crisis, Finn Cole's Michael Gray may return to the family again. The son of Polly Gray (Helen McCrory), he was banished to the States in the last season after he failed to warn Tommy about “Polly’s plan” which could have indirectly led to the gang leader's death. Even though he left for New York to expand the business, there's a major possibility that he might come back to help the family.
If that happens, where will his character arc lead him, considering he has been a cunning and daredevil part of the gang since the beginning? Earlier in the series, when he was given the role of an accountant, he took it seriously and brought a more confident and daring flavor to the task. Moreover, he is not afraid to be harsh to anyone in order to get the job done. In fact, viewers feel out of all the other brothers, it is Michael who is a spitting image of Tommy and that it could perhaps lead to a rivalry in the upcoming seasons.
Speaking to the press at an event, Cole addressed the "Michael vs Tommy" rumors and hinted at a slight chance of a potential power battle. "It's so difficult to say. I think that he has the skills and talents and there are definitely things that we've hidden and subdued about Michael's character, points that could be exploited and that storyline could be done," he said, adding, "there are so many hidden things we are yet to uncover."
Shedding light on how his "true colors" might be seen on the show, executive producer Jamie Glazebrook added: "But in a good way with Michael, it's not clear, you're looking for your place and that creates so much tension, because is it here or over there in America? The tension that that has brewed up over three seasons sort of slowly starts coming to a head."
Teasing his new role in season five, the official BBC One synopsis reads: "Now based in Detroit, he has fallen in love with an American woman, Gina (played by Anya Taylor-Joy). But his tendency to see himself as Tommy’s heir, with an added veneer of legitimacy, has led him to make a hubristic decision."
Several fans are also speculating whether Michael or Tommy could die this season. "Since Michael joined the fray I have also seen the ending of the entire story as having Tommy killed (by possibly Michael or Polly's hand) and Michael assuming the role as family boss," a fan commented on a Reddit thread.
No matter where the story goes, Michael's position in the company will be a crucial aspect of the crime-drama series. Created by Steven Knight, the new season is set for an August 25 premiere every Sunday on BBC One.
