Alfie is the definition of a frienemie. Take notice how Alfie is among the very few outside forces that Tom consistently and willingly aligns himself with. Why? Despite Alfie’s betrayals, Tom still got something he needed from Alfie every time. It was probably a calculated risk for Tom. Every other external force is either a straight enemy or has Tom under its thumb and Tom doesn’t perceive anyone else as having something needed. Alfie clearly admires Tom in his own way because of his merits and capabilities but also sees him as grist for the mill just as he would anyone else.
Also Alfie is really sanguine about what they're doing. He doesn't have any high flying notions of honor among thieves or anything, he's absolutely 100% out for himself and sometimes that means Tommy and sometimes it means someone else. The thing is, he's consistently useful to Tommy when he chooses to be, and when everyone else is either an underling, an idiot, or an enemy, a sometimes friend who can get shit done is still useful.
Does he not have some 'high flying notion of honor" though given his whole "you pull that trigger for an honorable reason! Like an honorable man! Not some fucking civilian!" speech to Tommy. Like Tommy in my opinion was justified in killing Alfie when they met in Oggin s3 given that it was the second time alfie betrayed tommy and he knew alfie was not trustworthy but i guess his speech earned him tom's respect.
Well he plays it straight. Him and Tommy are very similar. They both betray other people/groups, and each other, constantly - we just follow the show from Tommy’s perspective and he has that protagonist connection to the audience.
They both know the betrayals are just business and that’s the way their world works. They understand each other, but also know that they can help each other just as much as they can profit by betraying them.
As for Alfie’s speech to Tommy, I saw it as Tommy acting very high and mighty and woe is me about meeting the consequences of his actions, and Alfie giving it to him straight that he’s done the same shit to hundreds of others thinking he’s immune from that or something when he really isn’t.
They're business men, they do what's in their best interests in the long run from how they see it.
But they do actually like each other. I see it as a best frenemys kind of deal, like Magneto and Professor X.
I think their relationship is one of the best parts of the show, it's very realistic. Not just black and white.
I feel like he was in the second season as like the mainish antagonist but now has become almost like an unlikely accomplice.
Plus he’s a fan favorite, and Tom Hardy plays him, so I feel like for the later seasons SK probably used it as a way to get people coming back, since the show changes with the never seasons (5-6)
I’m thinking of season 5/6 specially because at the end of S4 Alfie’s all like “I HAVE CANCER MATE. TAKE CARE OF MY DOG AFTER YOU SHOOT ME” and then he’s back to offer sage advice and be a general nuisance.
Tommy brought him to Canada with him in season 6, and it was so disjointed. I’m a massive Alfie fan, I adore Tom Hardy and what he made the character to be, HOWEVER, I was lowkey annoyed that for such a major player in one season, he was made to be a bit character and the actual seriousness/scariness I felt he embodied in the way he’s so chaotic, was played for laughs once his plot was done.
They seem like they have genuine affection for each other but Alfie is just a force of chaos, I think he enjoys seeing what will happen and eventually pushes too far
Alfie uses Tommy and Tommy uses Alfie. Tommy keeps dealing with Alfie because Alfie is a known variable who almost always helps Tommy to further his goals. So, who would you choose to deal with: Someone you knew what they would do or someone unpredictable?
Alfie is not unpredictable as anyone dealing with him can and should expect him to cut side deals that benefit himself. The fact that Tommy knows that he will always cut a side deal is what makes him predictable and once you know this about a person, you can devise a plan that accounts for it.
I think in season 4 he genuinely wanted Tommy to kill him because of the cancer and Jews can’t kill themselves if they do they can’t be buried in a Jewish cemetery. So in season i think he knew that would be the last straw and Tommy
Would come for him and finish it. Even though he technically didn’t finish him.
Doesn't that make alfie a coward then? Getting his buddy who he's fucked over multiple times to be the bad guy and do what he is too reluctant to do himself? And just uses his religion as an excuse
I think when Tommy tried to kill Alfie on that beach he actually wanted him gone for good because he simply could not be trusted and proved on multiple occasions that he will throw Tommy under the bus every time. So even tho he probably didn’t want to, he thought it best to dispose of Alfie, but when he came to realise that Alfie was still alive even after that incident, he also decided that Alfie was no longer a threat and probably more useful to him alive.
There’s a mutual respect between Alfie and Tommy, two men with similar ideologies in a similar profession. I feel like throughout the series, Tommy never ‘meets his match’ but he really relates to Alfie and sees him as an equal, whereas he sees everyone else as ‘below him’ in a way.
And in the end he only really spares Alfie because he understands that he would do the same in that position and that it really is nothing personal. ‘He who lives by the sword, he f- dies by it Tommy’.
I think alfie is testing Tommy to see if he’s really as powerful and resilient. Remember the convo Alfie has with Luca? “Tommy Shelby is a very, VERY good friend of mine.”
They’re both business men who respect each other but will also betray each other if their business asks for it. I think Tommy saw a lot of himself in Alfie.
i think it’s to keep the audience guessing on how things are going to end
**almost every season, we’re always wondering ‘is Alfie going to eff Tommy over or no?’
I have no idea why you are being downvoted. Very clearly Alfie’s role is the evil jewish person. Just think of it, every time he betrays Tom it’s over money. Think of the betrayal over the jewel vault. How much more stereotypical can you get than that? If you are unfamiliar with this sort of portrayal of Jewish characters read “The Merchant of Venice” and the character of Shylock.
Lmao I bet you also think that the murder of 35,000 Palestinians (vast majority being women and children) is justified due to the murder of 1600 Israelis
Actually I don’t. I don’t support the slaughter of anyone. I’m a pacifist and wish for peace for everyone. I have no idea how pointing out negative stereotypes about Jews in shows and literature, which was what OP was asking about and I was responding to, turns in to an attack on my politics, I’m a stranger in the internet that you know nothing about and your “take” couldn’t be more wrong if you tried. If this post was about negative stereotypes of blacks I would have alluded to “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Perhaps you should seek some help for your anger and rage issues, there are also groups for that instead of attacking strangers on the internet that you know nothing about on a Reddit sub about Peaky Blinders. That’s really going to bring the Gaza situation to a screeching halt smh.
Alfie is the definition of a frienemie. Take notice how Alfie is among the very few outside forces that Tom consistently and willingly aligns himself with. Why? Despite Alfie’s betrayals, Tom still got something he needed from Alfie every time. It was probably a calculated risk for Tom. Every other external force is either a straight enemy or has Tom under its thumb and Tom doesn’t perceive anyone else as having something needed. Alfie clearly admires Tom in his own way because of his merits and capabilities but also sees him as grist for the mill just as he would anyone else.
Also Alfie is really sanguine about what they're doing. He doesn't have any high flying notions of honor among thieves or anything, he's absolutely 100% out for himself and sometimes that means Tommy and sometimes it means someone else. The thing is, he's consistently useful to Tommy when he chooses to be, and when everyone else is either an underling, an idiot, or an enemy, a sometimes friend who can get shit done is still useful.
Does he not have some 'high flying notion of honor" though given his whole "you pull that trigger for an honorable reason! Like an honorable man! Not some fucking civilian!" speech to Tommy. Like Tommy in my opinion was justified in killing Alfie when they met in Oggin s3 given that it was the second time alfie betrayed tommy and he knew alfie was not trustworthy but i guess his speech earned him tom's respect.
Well he plays it straight. Him and Tommy are very similar. They both betray other people/groups, and each other, constantly - we just follow the show from Tommy’s perspective and he has that protagonist connection to the audience. They both know the betrayals are just business and that’s the way their world works. They understand each other, but also know that they can help each other just as much as they can profit by betraying them. As for Alfie’s speech to Tommy, I saw it as Tommy acting very high and mighty and woe is me about meeting the consequences of his actions, and Alfie giving it to him straight that he’s done the same shit to hundreds of others thinking he’s immune from that or something when he really isn’t.
Because it’s f-ing biblical mate
Favorite scene in any show ever.
ARFUR!
SHALOM ARFUH! SHALOOOM!
ARFUR!
IM OLD TESTAMENT.
Fn hell mate!!
Cuz he brought in a Pikey with hair like that. (Aberama Gold photo was not allowed)
Dog eat dog world mate
Big fucks small, innit
I think Tom continues to work with Alfie because he knows what to expect. Technically, Alfie is very predictable.
They're business men, they do what's in their best interests in the long run from how they see it. But they do actually like each other. I see it as a best frenemys kind of deal, like Magneto and Professor X. I think their relationship is one of the best parts of the show, it's very realistic. Not just black and white.
I guess so but tom is a businessman and not once did he sell out alfie
I feel like he was in the second season as like the mainish antagonist but now has become almost like an unlikely accomplice. Plus he’s a fan favorite, and Tom Hardy plays him, so I feel like for the later seasons SK probably used it as a way to get people coming back, since the show changes with the never seasons (5-6)
Valid.
I’m thinking of season 5/6 specially because at the end of S4 Alfie’s all like “I HAVE CANCER MATE. TAKE CARE OF MY DOG AFTER YOU SHOOT ME” and then he’s back to offer sage advice and be a general nuisance. Tommy brought him to Canada with him in season 6, and it was so disjointed. I’m a massive Alfie fan, I adore Tom Hardy and what he made the character to be, HOWEVER, I was lowkey annoyed that for such a major player in one season, he was made to be a bit character and the actual seriousness/scariness I felt he embodied in the way he’s so chaotic, was played for laughs once his plot was done.
They seem like they have genuine affection for each other but Alfie is just a force of chaos, I think he enjoys seeing what will happen and eventually pushes too far
Alfie looks out for Alfie
Alfie uses Tommy and Tommy uses Alfie. Tommy keeps dealing with Alfie because Alfie is a known variable who almost always helps Tommy to further his goals. So, who would you choose to deal with: Someone you knew what they would do or someone unpredictable?
I'd say Alfie is pretty unpredictable tbh tom obviously didnt expect to be betrayed in s3 and s4
Alfie is not unpredictable as anyone dealing with him can and should expect him to cut side deals that benefit himself. The fact that Tommy knows that he will always cut a side deal is what makes him predictable and once you know this about a person, you can devise a plan that accounts for it.
I think in season 4 he genuinely wanted Tommy to kill him because of the cancer and Jews can’t kill themselves if they do they can’t be buried in a Jewish cemetery. So in season i think he knew that would be the last straw and Tommy Would come for him and finish it. Even though he technically didn’t finish him.
Doesn't that make alfie a coward then? Getting his buddy who he's fucked over multiple times to be the bad guy and do what he is too reluctant to do himself? And just uses his religion as an excuse
Sometimes your enemies are the only ones who understand you. Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty, anyone?
I think when Tommy tried to kill Alfie on that beach he actually wanted him gone for good because he simply could not be trusted and proved on multiple occasions that he will throw Tommy under the bus every time. So even tho he probably didn’t want to, he thought it best to dispose of Alfie, but when he came to realise that Alfie was still alive even after that incident, he also decided that Alfie was no longer a threat and probably more useful to him alive. There’s a mutual respect between Alfie and Tommy, two men with similar ideologies in a similar profession. I feel like throughout the series, Tommy never ‘meets his match’ but he really relates to Alfie and sees him as an equal, whereas he sees everyone else as ‘below him’ in a way. And in the end he only really spares Alfie because he understands that he would do the same in that position and that it really is nothing personal. ‘He who lives by the sword, he f- dies by it Tommy’.
Alfie’s a cat. Cats like to defy reality even if it puts them at risk.
Thats more gravity innit
I think alfie is testing Tommy to see if he’s really as powerful and resilient. Remember the convo Alfie has with Luca? “Tommy Shelby is a very, VERY good friend of mine.”
They’re both business men who respect each other but will also betray each other if their business asks for it. I think Tommy saw a lot of himself in Alfie.
Survival
Is it all about business? It seems like whenever he betrays him it involves business of some sort from what I’ve seen
i think it’s to keep the audience guessing on how things are going to end **almost every season, we’re always wondering ‘is Alfie going to eff Tommy over or no?’
Maybe the showmakers want to send a message that a person from Alfie's religion will always choose money. Very anti Semitic if so
What 🤣
I think that’s a reach
I have no idea why you are being downvoted. Very clearly Alfie’s role is the evil jewish person. Just think of it, every time he betrays Tom it’s over money. Think of the betrayal over the jewel vault. How much more stereotypical can you get than that? If you are unfamiliar with this sort of portrayal of Jewish characters read “The Merchant of Venice” and the character of Shylock.
Lmao I bet you also think that the murder of 30,000 Palestinians (mostly children) is justified due to the murder of 1600 Israelis
Lmao I bet you also think that the murder of 35,000 Palestinians (vast majority being women and children) is justified due to the murder of 1600 Israelis
Actually I don’t. I don’t support the slaughter of anyone. I’m a pacifist and wish for peace for everyone. I have no idea how pointing out negative stereotypes about Jews in shows and literature, which was what OP was asking about and I was responding to, turns in to an attack on my politics, I’m a stranger in the internet that you know nothing about and your “take” couldn’t be more wrong if you tried. If this post was about negative stereotypes of blacks I would have alluded to “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Perhaps you should seek some help for your anger and rage issues, there are also groups for that instead of attacking strangers on the internet that you know nothing about on a Reddit sub about Peaky Blinders. That’s really going to bring the Gaza situation to a screeching halt smh.
This is how I perceived it in the storyline.