Content Warning: This article contains discussions/images of graphic violence and murder.
Across five seasons - so far - Peaky Blinders has provided its audience with some awesome entertainment through its characters and storylines. Although there are only six episodes in each season, the Peaky Blinders writers make sure they keep fans entertained by including at least one or two major shocks throughout each season that truly surprise the audiences.
Whether it be through the death of a character, the survival of another character, or a moment that, at first, is just so inexplicably surprising and even confusing, Peaky Blinders has a handful of plot twists fans did not see coming when they did.
Arthur Is Alive
Some fans undoubtedly never bought into Tommy's apparently sincere reveal that Arthur had been killed. However, the way it was presented to audiences and other characters alike made it surprising to most when it turns out Luca Changretta's men had not gotten to one of Peaky Blinders' fan-favorite characters.
After infiltrating the boxing event set up by the Peaky Blinders, with help from Alfie, Luca Changretta's men went after the two remaining Shelby brothers and seemed to choke Arthur Shelby to death. Everything pointed to this being true at the moment, from Tommy and Linda's reaction to the way he tells everyone. The reveal that Arthur was alive was definitely one that inspired many gasps.
Bonnie Gold Is Hung Up On A Cross
Peaky Blinders is full of death throughout all its seasons. Many of these deaths are as standard as a shot to the head (such as the case of Billy Kimber) or the gut (like Chester Campbell). In the case of Bonnie Gold, the son of Aberama, death came in a much more brutal fashion.
Ambushed by one of the Peaky Blinders' most vicious villains, the deplorable Billy Boys, beat Aberama and his son before the group kills Bonnie and hangs his body up on a wooden crucifix. It is one of the most uncomfortable images in the show and undoubtedly a shock. The arrival of the Billy Boys was coming, but seeing Bonnie die and in this manner was shocking to many fans.
In The Bleak Midwinter
One of Peaky Blinders' best most iconic scenes comes at the end of its second season, as Campbell's men take Tommy Shelby to his own grave. He has his last cigarette and prepares to be shot dead. To face his own death once and for all.
In a flash, much to Tommy's and to the audience's surprise, one of the men supposedly working for Campbell shoots and kills the other two, pushing Tommy into his grave for safety. He tells Tommy that Winston Churchill will be in contact. The entire sequence is so full of tension as everyone was prepared to face Tommy's death. Many would have found it hard to believe Tommy would die, but the ordeal was crafted wonderfully that it made fans believe he could, which is was shocking to them when, in a flash, he survived.
Alfie Is Alive
At the end of season 4, following his latest betrayal of Tommy and the Shelby family, Alfie gets tracked down by Tommy in Margate and shot in the face on the beach. There was always speculation that he survived, but when his body lay lifeless on the beach, many fans were convinced he died.
However, at the end of season 5, Alfie Solomons was revealed to be alive, living the life of a boat-watcher in Margate. His sole scene in season 5 is an incredible watch and for fans, his return was not only a surprise, but it is great for the future of the show.
The Failed Assassination Attempt On Oswald Mosley
The latest season of Peaky Blinders built up to the finale in which Tommy created a plan to assassinate the loathsome fascist antagonist, Oswald Mosley. Fans expected something to go down, but what actually ended up happening on the night shocked audiences.
Tommy never got to assassinate Mosley. Barney, Tommy's gunman, gets killed by a mystery assailant. The brilliant Aberama Gold, who only made his debut in season 4, is also brutally stabbed and killed. The other men with Tommy get attacked, and everyone has to make a timely escape as Tommy furiously attempts to figure out what had happened and who had betrayed him. Fans are still speculating over who betrayed him and who attacked his men. Did Michael have something to do with it? Or was it Billy Grade and his mysterious phone call?
Everyone Goes To Jail
Season 3 was a major season for Tommy and the Shelby family. Not only did Tommy lose his wife, but his son was kidnapped, got betrayed by Alfie, and had to balance the company's involvement in the legitimate and illegitimate business. At the end of all this, the finale of season 3 shocked fans.
After gathering the entire family at his home, Tommy eventually drops the bombshell that they were about to be arrested, something that comes about thanks to the Economic League. Tommy notes that he has a deal in place, which turns out to be with the king to have them released. At the end of season 3, fans were left baffled by the jailing of every protagonist not named Tommy.
John's Death
Thus far, there have been few deaths in the Shelby family and extended members. However, fans endured one of the biggest surprise deaths Peaky Blinders will ever have as one of the beloved Shelby brothers met his end.
Attempting to protect his wife and children, John is shot dead by Luca and his men. Michael is also caught but does not die. John takes multiple bullets, and fans could not believe what they were watching, especially considering it was only the second episode of season 4.
Grace's Death
Grace Shelby has never have been the most popular character in Peaky Blinders. However, her importance in the show and in the characterization of Tommy Shelby cannot be overstated. She is crucial to his mental and emotional state in the series and to his overall arc. Her death surprised everyone.
Shot by a bullet that was meant to kill Tommy himself, Grace bleeds out and dies in Tommy's arms. Vincente Changretta eventually meets his end for his role in killing Tommy's wife after hiring the assassin to kill Tommy, but that does nothing to ease Tommy's heartbreak as the show goes on. In season 5, Tommy begins hallucinating visions of Grace, something that very well may continue in the show's sixth season.