Why did Tommy have seizures if he was sick?
He had tuberculoma in his brain stem, a growth caused by the same bacteria as the lung disease, doubtless picked up from daughter Ruby (Orla McDonagh). It wasn't infectious but it was inoperable. The symptoms (seizures, dissociation, hallucinations, sharp cheekbones – I may have added the last one) chimed with Tommy's.
Dr Holford, played by Welsh actor Aneurin Barnard, had told Tommy that he had an incurable brain tumour and one he was highly likely to die from. Tommy also received the news that as the tumour grew he would continue to deteriorate, suffering from seizures and hallucinations.
What happens to Tommy's brain tumor? Well, he thought he had a brain tumor. But once he discovers that the doctor who diagnosed him is friends with Tommy's onetime fascist political partner, Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin), he realizes it's all a ruse, and he isn't sick at all.
From the beginning, Tommy has struggled with what we now understand as post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from his time in World War I. In Season 6, he suffers from seizures, with his body reflecting the inner turmoil wrought from fighting at home and abroad.
Tommy was diagnosed with terminal tuberculoma earlier in the season, and in light of this, he tied up all loose ends with his family, naming his illegitimate son as his successor. Following a series of revelations, Tommy discovered that his diagnosis was a ruse, setting the stage for the show's final moments.
Following Ruby's diagnosis, both Tommy and Lizzie were examined for signs of the disease, but unlike Lizzie, who was given the all-clear, Tommy's fate looks bleak. The doctor informed the head of the Shelby clan that he has tuberculoma, a non-cancerous growth or tumour brought on by his daughter's illness.
Tuberculosis was still a significant problem in 1920s Britain, and with Tommy's heavy smoking habit, opium use, and fast life, it's certainly a disease that would easily take hold in his already abused lungs.
Tommy proved how serious he was by having furious sex with Diana between purple satin sheets. Diana described it as the 'English aristocracy's way of shaking hands'. Shortly afterwards, Diana rubbed their extra marital dalliance in Lizzie's face, prompting Lizzie to storm out in tearful embarrassment.
In Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby and Polly Gray were seen half naked dressing each other up, presumably after sleeping together.
Ruby's message urged Tommy to head towards his campfire ("Light the fire again and get warm, and you will see that you must live"), and fragments of a newspaper article about the marriage on that fire showed Tommy the truth – that Dr Holford, who gave him the deadly diagnosis, was all part of an elaborate scam.
What is Tommy addicted to?
Tommy and others are seen smoking Opium throughout the series as a coping mechanism. Over 5000 cigarettes were smoked on the show. Characters drink frequently on-screen, become drunk, and act violent and clumsy. One character has an opium habit, and a 10-year-old child smokes a cigarette on-screen.
One of the major symptoms of PTSD is "recurrent, unwanted distressing memories or dreams of the traumatic event."[1] A number of characters in Peaky Blinders appear to suffer from it, the most notable ones being Thomas Shelby, Arthur Shelby Jr., and Danny Whizz-Bang.
Naturally, Arthur found that a toot or two of “Tokyo” (cocaine) was a good way of dulling the demons squalling through his brain. And, yes, there were times during the Garrison's grand reopening when you couldn't help thinking that it was twinned through time with the good old Queen Vic.
| Thomas Shelby | |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Lizzie Shelby (1926-) Grace Shelby (1924; deceased) |
| Children | Erasmus “Duke” Shelby (from pre-WW1 relationship with a woman called Zelda) Charles Shelby (from Grace) Ruby Shelby (from Lizzie; deceased) |
| Religion | Atheist |
| Origin | Small Heath, Birmingham |
Rather than live with this fate hanging over his head, Tommy decides to end it himself. However, he discovers that he is in fact not dying, and he had been lied to by the good doctor at the behest of Mr. Mosley. In typical Tommy fashion, he confronts the doctor with the intent of killing him.
The tuberculoma is a rapidly expanding mass on Tommy's brain stem, caused by the same bacterial infection that killed Ruby. It spreads through families, says the doctor, and can be transmitted by a simple kiss.
Tommy was told the hallucinations, seizures and weakness he had been suffering from was not caused by a gypsy curse as he had previously thought. The doctor informed him the symptoms were of a tuberculoma, a growth caused by the same bacteria as tuberculosis.
Having laid a trap and lulled his foe into a false sense of security, Hughes' hired muscle jumped Tommy as he was poised to pull the trigger. A brutal beating was administered and Tommy's skull sickeningly fractured. That cracking sound won't be forgotten in a hurry.
Murphy had responded to the theory and tried to give some clarification as to why this was the case, saying the all-consuming nature of Tommy's undertakings took over his life and didn't give him enough time to sleep or eat, which he thinks was shown in "a brilliant way."
Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy, was asked about this very topic during an interview with BBC Radio One. The actor explained: "That comes from the fact that the cigarettes, we cut the filter off or do we leave the filter on I cannot recall, but anyway if you don't rub them across your lips initially, they will stick.
Why does Tommy not drink alcohol?
Control has always been something Tommy struggles to maintain: control of his business, of family members, and of the past. War trauma threatens to overtake him, his flashbacks sometimes seeming more real than the actual world. Not drinking is a way to stay in control of at least one part of his life.
Eventually, Lizzie has had enough, with him sleeping with Diana Mitford being the last straw. She informs Thomas that she is leaving him. He surprises her by letting Charles go with her.
There is proof that Greta was Tommy's most cherished lover. Eden tells a story of how Tommy stayed by her bedside for 3 months when she was ailing.
Cillian Murphy also said he married her for loyalty. By s4, she was not a prostitute but a secretary-cum- friend with benefits. She is low maintenance, he had no emotional hassle with her and basically did what was told. So its a marriage of convenience overall.
Elizabeth Pollyanna “Polly” Gray (née Shelby) is the matriarch of the Shelby Family and sister to Arthur Shelby Sr. She is also the mother of Michael and Anna Gray, and aunt of Thomas, Arthur, John, Finn and Ada Shelby.
