The War is on
The show starts with a broadcast of Robert Hodge declaring action with the Governor to take back the streets. The recent violence caused by Lucky and his gang. Nucky meets with Maranzano to discuss his frustration of having their men slaughtered. Nucky is outraged feeling that Sal is content to do nothing. Nucky promises to take action. In a way Maranzano reminds me of the old Nucky. Nucky always wanted to seattle things out and talk. Now Nucky has changed. Nucky is about only action. The same action that got him to where he is now.
Nucky has Siegel kidnapped while at some married womans house. Siegel, now being such a celebrity actually sees the husband in the hallway. The husband, blinded by Siegel’s appeal asks for a autograph. While trying to leave, gets chased and shot at by Nucky’s men. Siegel is a full on sociopath, scenes like this one prove it. He sweeps through the apartments shooting and cussing at ever turn. He uses the husband (whom happened to be his childhood friend) as a human bullet shield. Siegel gets taken by Archimedes and jokes about when Archimedes cut of Tazino’s ear. Siegel even jokes about what he feels is his impending death saying that he beat the pitch.
When Nucky has Siegel call Lucky. Lucky thinks Siegel is joking and running around AC with a dame. In Siegel’s defense when they called Lucky back. Siegel joked about Nucky taking him out for cotton candy and a show. Nucky finally gets on the call with Lucky in which Lucky hangs up 0n Nucky. Showing even more disrespect.
Either way I’m still proud of you son
Willie gets a call at his office. It is not known who he is exactly talking to but he blows the person off saying only one word lines as in, “no” and “I can’t.”
When Willie finally goes outside. We see that his dad was the one calling him. Eli looks like a drunken old bum, which he is. Willie wants nothing more to do with him. Eli mumbles what seem like his last words about; seeing Willie doing good and living on the right side of the street. Makes it was all worth it. As Eli crosses the street. I expected him to either throw himself in front of a car or blow his brains out. Willie is kidnapped. Eli screams “That’s my son” pointing at the car as if he is proud of the fact that his son is being taken hostage.
Flashback
The general point of the flashbacks this episode is of Nucky trying to get information out of Gillian. He wants to know if she has a family? Why is she there and what is she running from? Nucky finally decides to take her home. Mabel tries to civilize her, by giving her a dress and a bath, while Nucky just wants to take her back to where she came from. Mabel finally insists that Gillians stays with them. Gillian also pleads her case for Nucky not to take her back to the orphanage. Before making a decision. Sheriff Lindsay comes to the door to whisk Nucky away for an “urgent” matter.
“There’s one pet I like to pet, and every evening we get set.
I stroke it every chance I get, It’s My Girl’s Pussy.”
These are the actual word of a prisoner, with a bullet in his right leg after being knocked around several times. Yes it’s Bugsy Siegel. Doyle and Nucky finally tell a few men to go and shut him up. Eli comes back to the rumpus to tell Nucky what has happened to Willie. Lucky and Lansky ask Willie if he knows them. Willie gives them their full government profile as spoken by an assistant US attorney. Complete with their childhood past, criminal rank and even a quip about them going to jail eventually. Unfortunately for Pink, Willie has no idea who he his.
Flashback
Lindsay tells Nucky, with great omission how he got where he is. Discussed at what he has done to get where he is. Lindsay hands his badge over to Nucky, tells him that this is Nucky’s chance to help. He then walks off into the cold night. Nucky meets the Commodore’s butler Mr. Whitelock inside the mansion. Whitelock tells Nucky that this is a private matter. The Commodore asks what happened to Lindsay? Whitelock tells him that they will discuss that later. The Commodore has the nerve to tell Nucky to conduct yourself accordingly. Whitelock tells Nucky a sad speech about the Commodore being a charitable man who tries to help the lesson fortunate (by raping them). Whitelock tells Nucky that this child is to be returned to her mother. Whitelock hands Young Nucky an envelope and instruct him to state that no further payments will be made.
Shakedown
Nucky, Doyle, Eli and about 20 other men prepare to meet with 6 cars on a back farm road. Doyle ask Nuck what does he get for sticking around? Nuck ask what does he want. Doyle tells Nucky that he wants the club free and clear plus 5% of everything else. Nucky feeling “giving” (or just not caring about any of Atlantic City and the life he has lead) tells Doyle yes to Doyle’s surprise.
Lucky and the gang get out of their cars. Nucky’s first mistake – yelling “nothing without my say so”. While Lansky, Lucky and their gang get out of their cars. Siegel is still in the midst of talking shit while Lucky asks him something in BE made up italian.
Nucky’s second mistake asking for guns down while make the exchange, sign of weakness.
While Siegel is limping to Lucky, he falls down. Good guy Willie tries to help him up and Siegel punches Willie. Siegel pushes Willie to Charlie’s side and now they have all the cards. Lansky and Lucky now want everything Nucky has in AC. Doyle tries to make his bid in as he is- BANG shot by Lucky. Then italian henchmen take out Arcmedis. Nucky, always the peacekeeper succums to their whims. Lansky even throws in the Cuba deal plus seeing Nucky beg. Siegel tells Lucky to kill them all. Now to sweeten the pot, Nucky throws in that he will take out Marzano within 24 hours. Deal done. But Willie is coming home with Lucky until the deed is done.
Nucky has a crew actually go out and kill Marizanno. In Boardwalk Empire mimicking history they gets Marrizano’s death somewhat right from the strangling down to Marrazzo grabbing the statute on his desk. Except that Eli pull the fatal bullet to Marzano’s head.
Lucky actually hold up his end of the bargain and delivers Willie.
Lucky, Lansky and Torrio are talking about what happened and settling what happened at AC. Torrio wants to prove his worth by setting a meeting between the families to square up the new ground. Lucky tells Torrio that he will handle it. Torrio still pushes on and Lansky enforced that they got this. Rendering Torrio now usless. There is a new syndicate now.
Nucky’s third mistake not burning The Old Rumpus to the ground
Nucky tells the boy that has been waiting on him hand and foot to leave him the hell alone, get away from Atlantic City, gives him a thousand dollars. In closing Nucky opens the letter written by Gillian (in prison). Gillian is asking him to save her again as he did once before.
Second to last thoughts…
Sigel is one of the greatest characters on this show.
Lucky should have killed Willie, just because.
Will Gillain letter make Nucky feel that maybe somehow it is all worth it? This whole season and the point of the flashbacks were to show why Nucky is where he is. The writing has lead us to believe that Nucky has been wondering why did he have to toil, scratch and claw to get everything that he has. Many times he has had to compromise his morals. Like in most movies the writers are telling the story of success via crime the price you pay will cost you your soul. With this letter does it change anything at all? If Nucky was feeling bad about the things he has done in a town he once ruled. Why would he not take his own advice that he gave to Joe (the kid) and skip town? Everything is done. Willie is safe, Eli is alive Nucky has lost everything. What could be holding Nucky to Arlantic City?