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Boardwalk Empire’s Past Season Predicts A Dramatic Finale

Posted on August 26th, 2014
by
Staff Editor


If “no one goes quietly” during the upcoming final season of the acclaimed HBO series Boardwalk Empire, then its previous four seasons are an indication that will hold true to form. The Prohibition-era drama has never been shy about killing off its characters—minor or major (think season two when Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) offed his protégé-turned-rival Jimmy Darmody). In fact, it treats violence and murder like they’re normal, everyday activities. But the show is about far more than just the beautiful violence it portrays: family, loyalty and the American Dream are strong themes, and no one embodies that more than Nucky, Chalky White (Michael K. Williams) and Valentin Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright).

When we left these characters in 1924, many of them were going through some drastic life changes: Nucky had his brother Eli (Shea Whigham) turn on him for a second time; Narcisse, after avoiding the hit that Nucky requested on him, was arrested and turned into an informant against Marcus Garvey; and Chalky – poor, poor, Chalky – watched his daughter become the victim of Nucky’s hit gone wrong, causing him to retreat back to the Havre de Grace.

Picking up in season five, the year is now 1931 with The Great Depression in full effect. Nucky, now residing in Cuba with his new lady-love/partner Sally Wheet (Patricia Arquette), is still looking for a way to repeal Prohibition in the states. Chalky is in prison, Nucky’s estranged wife Margaret (Kelly McDonald) is working on Wall Street, and Charlie “Lucky” Luciano (Vincent Piazza) has turned into the power-player our current history already tells us he becomes.

The issue with any period drama centered around real-life events in American history is that, if educated on the Mob wars of the 1920s-1930s, you know how it’s going to end (you could also watch The Untouchables or listen to any Jay Z track from the past five years). But what has made Boardwalk Empire great over the past four years has been its ability to build a beautiful and submerging world based on both fiction and history without missing a beat. All of the major players from that famed era are here for their final act. Let’s give them the attention they’ve so rightfully earned and prepare for a roaring exit.

The fifth and final season premieres on Sunday, September 7th at 9pm ET/PT on HBO. – Jared Kraus

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