Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Ending Explained

Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man served as an epilogue to the six-season British drama, showcasing what happened to the main cast following the events of the show, while also providing a definitive ending for Thomas Shelby. Having started as a low-level gangster, Tommy’s journey saw him build a criminal empire and even tackle the world of politics.

The franchise protagonist is easily one of the best fictional characters of the 21st century and a true fan favorite, making Netflix’s movie all the more intriguing. While the original series had a perfect ending almost four years ago, there wasn’t much backlash to Peaky Blinders‘ 2026 return, since Tommy’s story still had room to expand.

Having started back in WWI, it only seems fitting his journey would end in WWII, as he had one last foe to fend off. Although Barry Keoghan’s Duke Shelby causes Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man‘s main conflict, Tommy is eventually convinced to come out of retirement and end it, providing an emotional, high-octane farewell for this legendary figure.

Tommy Shelby Was Mercy Killed By His Son Duke In Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’s Ending

Between Oswald Mosley, Luca Changretta, and Inspector Campbell, Tommy Shelby has survived them all, but he finally met his end at the hands of his own son in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. To understand how and why this happened, it’s important to first know the context behind this heartbreaking yet fitting farewell to such an iconic character.

After taking over the Peaky Blinders, Tommy’s son, Duke, wound up making a deal with a Nazi sympathizer named Beckett, who was carrying out a plan to win WWII for Germany. Although Duke seemed uninterested in the war or his overall morality, things changed after Ada’s death, prompting Tommy to return to action, straighten out his son, and enact revenge.

With the help of Stagg, Charlie, Johnny Dogs, Curly, and the new Peaky Blinders, Tommy came up with a plan that would see Stagg sail a ship filled with explosives into the Nazi warehouse in Liverpool, while the rest of the gang launched an ambush.

Meanwhile, Tommy navigated through a tunnel, offering callbacks to his days during WW1, while Duke pretended to be back on Beckett’s side. As the chaos ensued, Stagg suffered a shot to the shoulder but survived, while the rest of the crew took out Beckett’s men, allowing Tommy to plant a mine that destroyed the fake money designed to sink Britain’s economy.

Unfortunately, no one eliminated Beckett, who desperately attempted to flee in his car. While Tommy had the chance to take cover or even let Beckett escape, knowing he’d still be vulnerable, he opted to stand in the open and line up his shot, taking two bullets in the torso before landing a headshot on Beckett, killing the villain instantly.

This wrapped up all loose ends, ensured Ada was avenged, and allowed all his allies to survive. However, it was clear this was also Tommy’s last stand, which is why he pleaded with Duke to finish him off. Before the plan was set in motion, Kaulo — the sister of Duke’s mother — promised Tommy peace.

Her plan was always for Duke to kill his father, something Tommy even knew about and ultimately embraced. As a result, Tommy’s eldest son had a powerful final moment with the franchise’s protagonist before pulling the trigger one final time, marking the end of Thomas Shelby’s Peaky Blinders story.

Many fans feared he might go out this way, but it was a poetic ending to a deeply flawed yet fascinating character. While this decision could’ve split audiences, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man‘s reviews have been strong across the board, proving Duke’s mercy kill was accepted as the right way for Tommy to go.

Why Tommy Killed Arthur Shelby Before The Immortal Man

Despite playing one of Peaky Blinders‘ biggest characters, Paul Anderson didn’t reprise his role in The Immortal Man, but Arthur still had a meaningful role. The eldest Shelby brother was murdered by Tommy in a flashback, as he took out Arthur in a drunken fit of rage, hoping it would offer him some sense of peace.

While he never planned to kill one of the closest people in his life, Tommy felt like he could be free of their past during this booze-infused moment of madness, hence taking out his own brother. The results didn’t play out as intended though, with Tommy’s head being “blown wide open”, causing him to isolate himself from Birmingham with Johnny Dogs.

Most people believed Arthur took his own life, but Kaulo claimed Arthur’s spirit visited her, hence how she knew the truth about what really happened that night. It may feel like an unceremonious way for such a pivotal character to die, but it furthered Tommy’s story and offered closure for long-term fans, despite being a controversial decision.

These events happened several years before The Immortal Man took place, adding to how painful Tommy’s life of solitude was following this moment, which only made Cillian Murphy’s performance in the Peaky Blinders movie even better.

Sadly, this means Arthur’s death was little more than a desperate act for Tommy to find peace that only made things worse, amplifying just how sorrowful Peaky Blinders‘ final chapter was for these two brothers.

Beckett’s Real Plan With The Nazis Explained & Why He Used Duke

The Immortal Man wastes no time introducing its antagonist and his motivations, as Beckett attempted to flood millions of counterfeit pounds into the British economy, in the hopes it would collapse. Naturally, he needed a smart way of doing so, hence reaching out to Duke and the Peaky Blinders, as their criminal connections are perfect for laundering this cash.

In addition, Duke’s anti-establishment outlook and lack of allegiance to Britain or the government made him the perfect candidate to trust with so much money, offering the gang £90 million to spend on whatever they wanted in exchange for funneling this money into the economy.

Beckett may not rank as Peaky Blinders‘ best villain of all time, but had his scheme been successful, Britain would likely have fallen, which was supposedly one of the last nations to resist fascism in the fictional universe. It would’ve rendered the British pound worthless, making it impossible for the nation to fund a war against the Germans.

Duke was brought in as little more than a pawn in Beckett’s game, one he thought he could trust. However, after what happened with Ada, the Peaky Blinders leader’s true allegiances came to light, causing this Nazi plan to crumble, subsequently costing Beckett his life in the process.

Why Beckett Killed Ada Shelby (& Why Duke Changed His Mind)

While many fans were convinced Tommy’s Peaky Blinders death would happen in the movie well before any trailers or details were released, Ada’s demise was a lot harder to see coming, and her murder was by far The Immortal Man‘s biggest shock. After Duke had already passed a loyalty test to Beckett, he was then tasked with killing his own aunt.

Having tried to get through to Duke and stop him from acting so recklessly, Ada’s final straw came when the Peaky Blinders robbed an armory meant for the frontlines, which the Chief Inspector of the Birmingham Police signed off on. Feeling she had no other option, Ada garnered signatures from her constituents, which should’ve been enough to see Duke arrested.

On her way to present these signatures, Duke followed Ada and her son, but he couldn’t pull the trigger. In a heartbreaking twist, a car pulled up before she could arrive at her destination, with none other than Beckett emerging from the vehicle before proceeding to shoot Ada multiple times, just as Duke tried to warn her.

Despite playing the tough gangster, Duke clearly still had a soft spot for his family and didn’t want to see them killed over his ambitious plans. However, to ensure the money flooded the market, Beckett needed Duke out of prison, hence why he decided to kill Ada, despite it being to the dismay of her nephew.

What Happened To Duke After Tommy’s Funeral?

Having gotten his perfect sendoff, Tommy was also granted a gypsy funeral in true Peaky Blinders style, which saw his body burned inside a wagon while his loved ones looked on. Here, The Immortal Man‘s main cast assembled to remember Tommy and say their farewells, which acted as the movie’s closing scene.

There were no surprise cameos during this, as the likes of Lizzie, Finn, Alfie, and even Tommy’s other son, Charlie, were all absent from his funeral. Naturally though, Duke was present, having watched his father die in his arms, and since this acted as a passing of the torch moment, questions remain about what happened to him afterward.

The Immortal Man doesn’t provide any direct answers, but it is implied that Duke continues running the Peaky Blinders. Such a traumatic moment could put others off and cause them to leave this life of criminality behind, but just like Tommy, this outlaw nature is in Duke’s blood, yet there is hope he can turn the gang into something good.

That said, given that a Peaky Blinders sequel series has been announced, it may take some time before the crew goes completely legit. It’s still unclear whether Barry Keoghan will return as Duke for this new project, but after becoming the franchise’s new central figure, it’s likely the show will center around Tommy’s son one way or another.

What Tommy’s Death Means For The Peaky Blinders Franchise

Considering Tommy has been the face of Peaky Blinders for well over a decade, his death undoubtedly marks a new beginning for the British crime drama. Although most fans were satisfied with season 6’s conclusion, The Immortal Man offered an official ending for Tommy, as the film tied up all loose ends regarding the Shelby family.

The franchise will still continue through the upcoming sequel series, as well as a Polly spinoff, and a show set to take place in Boston. For loyal viewers, or perhaps a new generation, this allows them to continue enjoying this expertly written universe and become invested in new characters, proving Tommy’s death isn’t the end of Peaky Blinders altogether.

However, it also offers those who have followed his journey a stopping point, as they may not be interested in these newer stories. Without Tommy, things certainly won’t feel the same, and losing the star power of Cillian Murphy will be a blow. Ultimately though, it was the right time to end this original narrative and make way for something fresh.

Overall, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man proved to be a bold yet necessary chapter as it prevents people from asking for these original characters to return, while giving the fan base a reason to care about Duke, Kaulo, and Elijah, alongside their future allies and enemies.

The True Meaning Behind Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’s Ending Explained

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man may take place during WWII, but this is a story about Thomas Shelby confronting his demons, despite having to stop a Nazi plan in the process. Having tried to hide away from it in the first part of the movie, the protagonist was eventually convinced to accept his past and return to action one final time.

To save his son, Tommy knew it might cost him his life, but rather than this feeling like a punishment, it was more of a mercy in his eyes. Almost everyone he loved was gone, and having isolated himself for so long, setting up a brighter future for his son while cleaning up his mess was the best possible way out.

Although Tommy wasn’t physically immortal like the title suggested, he was in spirit, as evidenced by how many people’s lives he impacted. It wouldn’t be accurate to say he was a good man, given all the pain he’s caused, but he was a hero to the people of Birmingham and had plenty of family at his funeral.

His trip through the tunnels ahead of the final mission also took him back to where everything started, making Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man a full-circle experience. Therefore, the movie offered Tommy one last opportunity to make peace with his mistakes and bow out while on top, giving him the immortal legacy he always wanted.

Release Date

March 6, 2026

Runtime

112 Minutes

Director

Tom Harper

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