Finn Shelby explained – what happened in the Peaky Blinders finale?

By Michael Hogan

Published: Monday, 04 April 2022 at 12:00 am

Farewell, then, Finn Shelby. Try not to let the Garrison Tavern door hit your backside on the way out.

Amid all the blood-letting, caravan-burning and brain tumour twists, the Peaky Blinders finale stealthily delivered a low blow – the surprise ostracising of Harry Kirton’s Finn.

So, why was the youngest Shelby brother on the naughty step? And what now for the fresh-faced flat cap-wearer? Here’s our handy explainer of Finn’s fate…

Why was Finn Shelby in Tommy’s bad books?

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Arthur and Finn Shelby Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Robert Viglasky

Loose lips sink Shelby ships. Remember season 5’s shock finale, when the gang’s assassination attempt on Oswald Mosley was fatally foiled? Well, the “black cat” traitor might have been Irish bookmaker Billy Grade (Emmett J Scanlan), who tipped off the IRA, but it was foolish Finn who’d blabbed the plan to big-mouthed Billy in the first place.

The pair had fallen into sloppy habits at the betting shop, taking cocaine and drinking on the job. Their boozy bromance grew too close for comfort. Unforgivably, Finn had seemingly forgotten that some matters were strictly family business.

Earlier in the series, hapless Finn had again proved a liability. A Chinese assassin disguised herself as a sex worker to honey-trap Finn and hold him at gunpoint with his pants down, enabling triad leader Brilliant Chang (Andrew Koji) to demand a meeting with Tommy about his pure refined opium.

Now Finn’s disliked new bride was wearing the tweed trousers in their marriage, ordering him not to partake of alcohol until after 6pm #whiskeyoclock. Tommy disapproved and further excluded his hen-pecked sibling by talking in Romani, a language Finn could barely understand – whereas Erasmus “Duke” Shelby (Conrad Khan) was fully fluent. In the battle of the young bucks, the new arrival was firmly in the ascendant. And he was about to do Tommy’s brutal bidding.

What was Finn Shelby’s punishment?

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Harry Kirton as Finn Shelby Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Robert Viglasky
BBC

Banishment from the Shelby organisation and family fold. While Duke proved himself these past few weeks, Finn demonstrated that he was inept, unreliable and not to be trusted.

Still thick as thieves with treacherous Billy – who by now was acting as inside informant to Boston-Irish mob boss Jack Nelson (James Frecheville) – the pair tipped up drunk (again) to Arrow House, ostensibly to recover vital documents and dig up bodies. Typically, Finn and Billy treated it as a party, a chance to drink the wine cellar dry and invite girls, rather than a piece of business.

Taken into Tommy and Arthur’s confidence, Duke and Isiah Jesus (Daryl McCormack) beat up Billy. They ordered Finn to shoot him. If he didn’t, he could “walk away from this family for good”. Shaken Finn showed his true colours, not just by furiously insulting Duke’s mother but by turning the gun on Isiah and Duke. Rather than firing, though, it just dry-clicked.

As advised by canny Charlie Strong (Ned Dennehy), Duke had emptied the first two chambers – enabling them to witness Finn’s betrayal while remaining unscathed. His fate was sealed. Duke executed Billy, then told Finn he was excommunicated – by order of you-know-you. “I will come for you,” spat Finn as he departed in disgrace.

Ickle Finn was always the odd one out. He hadn’t fought alongside his elder siblings in the First World War trenches, with Arthur, Tommy and John forging the tight bond of brothers-in-arms. Their baby bro was seen as weak and wet behind the ears. Finn lacked the ruthlessness of a true Shelby. Or does he? He might now get a chance to prove otherwise.

Why was Finn Shelby so underused in Peaky Blinders season 6?

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Finn with Isiah (Daryl McCormack) and Billy Grade (Emmett J Scanlan) Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Robert Viglasky

For the first few episodes of this swansong series, the mystery of mute Finn became a mild obsession amongst the Peaky fandom. He’d been briefly glimpsed among the mourners at Polly and Ruby’s funerals but otherwise was a fringe figure. When stand-in boss Ada (Sophie Rundle) needed someone to accompany drug-addled Arthur to Liverpool Docks, it was notable that she chose Finn’s contemporary Isiah, without even seeming to consider her little brother.

Had actor Harry Kirton fallen out of favour? Had he somehow lost his voice, perhaps due to COVID? Had Finn turned to mime, like a sort of Midlands Marcel Marceau? Was he simply being left on the cutting room floor to make room for more shots of Cillian Murphy’s icy blue eyes and sculptural cheekbones?

Finn finally got some scenes in last week’s penultimate episode. First, Tommy announced at a family summit that Finn had married his sweetheart – and London railway station soundalike – Mary Bone (Abbie Hern). Somewhat cruelly, this was met with widespread indifference.

Tommy duly brought out and introduced long-lost son Duke, which caused much more of a stir – putting Finn’s nose further out of joint. Later in the episode, it was Finn who brought the problem of the bribe-resistant football referee to Arthur. Once again, someone else had to take responsibility. Finn had become a bystander, rather than a problem-solver.

After what we learned in the finale, we can retrofit this string of snubs as deliberately sidelining someone who Tommy and his loyal lieutenants had decided wasn’t steadfast enough. With regret, Finn, you’re fired. Thank you for the opportunity, Lord Shelby.

What’s next for Finn Shelby?

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Conrad Khan as Duke Shelby
BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Robert Viglasky

His feud with Duke looks like being picked up in the forthcoming feature film. Don’t be surprised if the narrative leapfrogs forward a few years to the Second World War, with Finn and Duke both in their 20s – the prime demographic for joining the army or, indeed, staying home in Blighty and making a mint on the black market. A time-jump might also bring Tommy’s son Charles (Billy Jenkins) into the equation as the next-gen Peaky Blinders scrap for supremacy.

Finn didn’t get much action in this series but his story looks far from over. Finn – but not fin?

Peaky Blinders seasons 1 to 6 are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Catch seasons 1 to 5 on Netflix.

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