Why Grace Shelby Had To Die In Peaky Blinders, According To The Show’s Creator

Daring to live a life like the one that Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) lives in “Peaky Blinders” virtually ensures that innocents will sometimes be caught in the crossfire. The second that Grace Burgess (Annabelle Wallis in the role that was hardest of all to cast) walked into The Garrison Pub, it was clear that these star-crossed lovers were doomed. The show’s creator, Steve Knight, sent us down a heartbreaking road that led to one of the best “Peaky Blinders” episodes ever. A planned hit on Tommy at a party goes sideways, and Grace dies from a gunshot that wasn’t meant for her.

In an AMA on RedditKnight confessed that while it shattered Tommy initially, the deed had to be done to ensure he could continue. The leader of the Shelby family finding a better life would’ve thrown the Peaky Blinders organization out of whack, and that’s something that Knight just couldn’t have. “The point with Grace is that if she had lived, Tommy would have been happy,” explained Knight. “He wasn’t meant to be happy.”

Sadly, this is one of the show’s essential beats that pushed Shelby forward into the wicked world we can’t get enough of. The loss haunted Tommy through future seasons of “Peaky Blinders,” even leading to Grace revisiting her husband in some chilling fireside visions. According to Knight, happiness might not be on the cards, but he’s hoping to give Tommy the closest thing to it — something he might finally reach with the “Peaky Blinders” feature film, “The Immortal Man.”

Whatever future awaits Tommy Shelby, it’s got to be a darn sight brighter than how we were last reunited him. In season 6 (one of the least popular seasons of the show)Tommy was rocked with the shocking discovery that he didn’t have long left of this world, thanks to an alarming medical report. The files, however, were falsified, and an attempt to manipulate our anti-hero failed, transforming Shelby into a man with nothing to lose. Even so, that hasn’t stopped Tommy from being prepared for death, which could very well find him in the upcoming film “The Immortal Man,” regardless of what the title might suggest.

Until then, though, there’s still a glimmer of hope for Tommy if Knight sticks to the plan he teased during the AMA. After being asked by a fan if Tommy deserves a happy ending, the showrunner was cryptic in his answer. “The intention is to give Tommy Shelby redemption,” he said. “That will be a happy ending.” Just what that redemption will be and how far away is unknown. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming film, Knight described “The Immortal Man” as “a fitting end to the first chapter,” suggesting that redemption might be far off for dear Tommy.

How long he’ll have to walk, scheme, and shoot his way to reach such a destination has yet to be revealed. Even so, Tommy has made it this far. What are a few more chapters for the head of the Peaky Blinders?