Polly Gray was the Shelby family’s secret weapon in Peaky Blinders. The backbone of both the criminal organization and the family itself, she invariably knew what call to make, even when gang leader Tommy Shelby let his emotions get the better of him. Polly was at once the voice of reason and conscience Tommy needed as his counsel. Yet she was also hard as nails and a ruthless enforcer of the gang’s interests when she needed to be. Nowhere was her importance to the Peaky Blinders more evident than in one pivotal twist at the end of the show’s fourth season.

In the Peaky Blinders season 4 episode “The Company,” Arthur Shelby appears to have been killed by one of New York mobster Luca Changretta’s men, only for him to return from the dead to shoot his nemesis at the episode’s conclusion. As it turns out, Arthur’s death was a ruse concocted by Tommy Shelby to lure Luca Changretta onto his turf to make a deal with him, so that Changretta could be assassinated during the meeting. Arthur’s sudden reappearance to shoot Changretta dead was one of Peaky Blinders’ biggest plot twists, but it wouldn’t have been possible without Polly.

Polly Was The Only Person Tommy Shelby Told About Faking Arthur’s Death Apart From His Wife

She Was Key To The Most Audacious Peaky Blinders Plan Succeeding

When the Shelby family’s eldest brother, Arthur, was injured by one of Changretta’s men in a bathroom at Bonnie Gold’s first professional boxing match, Tommy immediately concocted a plan to turn things in favor of the Peaky Blinders. The one he relied on to carry out his plan was Polly, the only other person who’d known about the faking of Arthur’s death, aside from Linda, Arthur’s wife. It was Polly’s job to get both Linda and her own son, Michael Gray, on board with the plan to have American mafia families the Peaky Blinders in their war against Changretta.

In Peaky Blinders season 4 episode "The Company," Tommy Shelby mentioned ing Al Capone and his Chicago Outfit, and two Brooklyn-based crime families.

Once Polly ensured that Michael would go to New York and agree to a liquor export deal with American mobsters on Tommy’s behalf, Changretta’s enforcers were bought off, and the trap was laid for him to fall into. This scheme was arguably the most extraordinary plot twist in the entire series, as Tommy managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat like never before. Polly’s role in the plan emphasized her vital importance to Tommy Shelby more than any other moment in the show. It proved beyond doubt that she was the strongest of all the women in Peaky Blinders.

Tommy Confided In Polly More Than Anyone Else Throughout Peaky Blinders

She Was The Only Other Shelby The Head Of The Peaky Blinders Would Listen To

Portrayed by the formidable Helen McCrory in one of Peaky Blinders’ best performances, Polly was the counsel Tommy Shelby could turn to in times of need. This was evident from the very beginning of the show to its fifth season. It was Polly who convinced Tommy that Grace really loved him at the end of season 1, since he deferred to her in “matters of the heart.”

What’s more, when the chips were down after John Shelby had been killed by Luca Changretta’s enforcer in the first episode of Peaky Blinders season 4, it was Polly that Tommy turned to. Despite their differences at the time, Tommy pleaded with her: “I need you back, Polly.” In the end, McCrory’s character proved indispensable in the war against the Changretta, just as she was the one Tommy relied on when it came time to dispose of Peaky Blinders’ best villain of all, Major Campbell.

While Tommy led from the front and ultimately made the decisions in the Shelby family, Polly was the bedrock of their entire operation. She managed the company’s finances, was Tommy’s eyes and ears when he wasn’t around, and was the only Shelby he’d take advice from.

Even when Tommy convinced her that her boyfriend, artist Ruben Oliver, was the leak in the organization during season 3, his assertion ended up being completely wide of the mark. Polly’s instincts were almost infallible throughout the series, and the Peaky Blinders were at their best with her helping to steer Tommy Shelby behind the scenes.

Peaky Blinders Movie The Immortal Man Will Miss Polly As A Character

The Peaky Blinders Could Never Find A Replacement For Polly

Although very few of the original death of actor Helen McCrory in 2021 that ended Polly’s run as one of the show’s main characters across five seasons. If she hadn’t ed away, it’s likely Polly would still be alive and appearing in the movie, given just how important she was to the story.

More than any other character, Polly provided a counterweight to Tommy's harsh, apparently unfeeling exterior.

While it’s true that Peaky Blinders went on without McCrory, killing off Polly at the start of season 6 and bringing new characters like Stephen Graham’s Hayden Stagg into the fold, the show just wasn’t the same without her. More than any other character, Polly provided a counterweight to Tommy's harsh, apparently unfeeling exterior and repressed emotional pain throughout Peaky Blinders' run. She kept a cool head in a crisis, while having a more healthy approach to expressing her emotions and desires.

Gangsters, villains, romantic interests, and even Shelby brothers could come and go in Peaky Blinders, but there was only ever one Polly. So often she was the only adult in the room. Even when Tommy was trying to act like the one person who knew what he was doing, more often than not, he needed Polly to help him see the gang through a storm. Even without Arthur, John, or Finn Shelby involved in The Immortal Man, Polly would have kept Tommy on the right path once again. Without her, it’s difficult to imagine the trajectory of the movie’s plot.

Tommy Shelby is set to be very much alone when Peaky Blinders makes its big-screen debut with The Immortal Man. Sophie Rundle will reprise her role as his sister, Ada Shelby, and Graham will return as Hayden Stagg. There are also some highly-anticipated roles for Tim Roth, Barry Keoghan, and Rebecca Ferguson, among others. But the backbone of Shelby Company Limited and the Peaky Blinders is now long gone, and Tommy will be left to make his own — often inadvisable — decisions without the counsel he needs.