Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story unfolds primarily in Birmingham during the November 1940 Blitz, a city devastated by nightly air raids and wartime chaos. Key scenes also take place in Liverpool, where the counterfeit money operation intersects with the docks and wartime logistics.

• birmingham
• liverpool
• setting
• blitz
• world war 2

The film is set in November 1940 during World War II, specifically during the Birmingham Blitz. This era is defined by air raids, economic strain, and a desperate attempt to destabilize Britain's home front through counterfeit currency.

• 1940
• world war 2
• november
• blitz
• era

The movie explores three interconnected themes: Leadership & Legacy, as Tommy Shelby is pulled from exile to reclaim command of the Peaky Blinders during wartime; Betrayal & Loyalty, examining how characters navigate conflicting allegiances under a Nazi plot; and War & Crime, showing how the Shelby criminal empire adapts to systemic upheaval through a counterfeit currency scheme.

• themes
• leadership
• legacy
• betrayal
• loyalty
• war
• crime

Tommy Shelby is the former leader of the Peaky Blinders who returns to command during the 1940 wartime crisis. Haunted by visions of his deceased daughter Ruby, he orchestrates a risky plan to thwart a Nazi-backed counterfeiting operation and protect his family, ultimately sacrificing himself in the process.

• tommy shelby
• leader
• peaky blinders
• protagonist

Duke Shelby is Tommy's son who becomes a central figure in the power struggle over the family's criminal empire. Initially aligned with the Nazi agent Beckett to secure the counterfeit money operation, Duke ultimately chooses loyalty to his father and plays a pivotal role in the family's fate.

• duke shelby
• son
• character
• loyalty

John Beckett is a Nazi agent orchestrating a conspiracy to flood Britain with counterfeit currency to destabilize the home front. He commands mercenaries, orchestrates the assassination of Ada Thorne, and engages in a lethal confrontation with Tommy Shelby.

• john beckett
• nazi
• villain
• antagonist
• agent

The movie depicts Tommy Shelby being pulled from self-imposed exile in 1940 Birmingham to confront both a Nazi-backed counterfeiting plot and his own inner demons. As WWII rages, Tommy must decide whether to uphold the Peaky Blinders legacy or sacrifice it to save Britain, culminating in a bittersweet conclusion where he achieves peace through death.

• plot
• thematic summary
• world war 2
• tommy shelby

The WWII setting fundamentally transforms Birmingham into a war-torn city where the Peaky Blinders' criminal underworld must adapt to total war. The constant air raids, economic strain, and wartime logistics create the backdrop for the counterfeit money scheme, while the conflict between crime and espionage blurs traditional lines of loyalty and justice.

• world war 2
• blitz
• wartime
• birmingham
• setting

Ada Thorne serves as a political conduit for the Shelby family, acting as a teller of crucial testimony to expose the Nazi plot to military authorities. She embodies fierce resolve in trying to protect her family, but her efforts are cut short when Beckett kills her, highlighting the deadly consequences of loyalty under fascist schemes.

• ada thorne
• character
• testimony
• political

The film examines how wartime crisis forces the Shelby clan to confront who will lead and inherit their criminal empire. Tommy's return tests old loyalties and his own mortality, while Duke's shifting allegiances expose the fragility of family legacy. The story culminates in a redefinition of leadership as Tommy makes the ultimate sacrifice.

• leadership
• legacy
• family
• tommy
• duke

The central criminal operation is a counterfeiting scheme designed to destabilize Britain during WWII. The Peaky Blinders' traditional criminal code collides with Nazi espionage as the counterfeit currency becomes an economic weapon. The operation primarily unfolds between Birmingham's ruined factories and Liverpool's docks.

• counterfeit
• crime
• money
• scheme
• operation

Kaulo Chiriklo is the twin sister of Zelda Chiriklo, who prodces Tommy toward risky revelations and nudges Duke toward choices that serve broader goals. She manipulates outcomes through cryptic counsel and carries a personal bullet inscribed with Tommy's name, keeping the stakes intensely personal.

• kaulo chiriklo
• zelda
• manipulation
• character

Betrayal threads through wartime alliances as Duke oscillates between his father and Beckett. Ada's defiant testimony against the Nazi plot and subsequent murder highlights how loyalty can clash with personal safety. The narrative explores how far individuals will go to protect family and country, often at great personal cost.

• betrayal
• loyalty
• duke
• ada
• conflict

The movie carries a dark tone driven by Nazi conspiracies, multiple deaths, and Tommy's psychological torment from visions of his dead daughter Ruby. The emotional weight is heavy, exploring grief, betrayal, and familial sacrifice, though the conclusion is bittersweet, Tommy achieves peace through death while saving Britain.

• tone
• dark
• emotional
• grief
• sacrifice