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The British drama Peaky Blinders follows the story of a street gang named Peaky Blinders in Birmingham in the late 19th and early 20th century. The series follows the lives of the gang members and the Shelby family as they expand their powers and business.
The leader of the gang, Thomas ‘Tommy’ Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, is the mastermind behind the rise of the Peaky Blinders. His cunningness and sharp wit play a significant role in executing their plans to accomplish great success. Tommy Shelby always thinks ahead of his enemies and outnumbers them with his intelligence. However, their endeavors have resulted in the death of many, including the family’s beloved people. His ambitions never died, and he grew more determined.
In this article, we have listed 15 quotes by Tommy Shelby that prove his intelligence and genius.
1) “When fortune drops something valuable into your lap, you don’t just dump it on the bank of the cut.”
In the pilot episode of Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby’s men accidentally pick up the wrong crate containing firearms. Inspector Campbell is sent to Birmingham by Winston Churchill to investigate the robbery.
However, Tommy had different plans for the crate. Tommy’s family and Charlie Strong want him to give up on the crate, but Tommy thinks differently. That’s when he utters this line to suggest that this crate full of guns might be his chance to move up the ladder of money and power.
2) “You strike when your enemy is weak.”
In episode 2 of Season 1, Tommy’s enemies gather just as he thinks about expanding his businesses. He meets with Inspector Campbell and Billy Kimber. The episode also reveals the enmity between the Lees and the Shelbys after they attempt to kill them by placing a bomb in their car, which almost kills Finn Shelby.
These lines show Tommy’s tactical thinking and intelligence, putting him two steps ahead of his enemies like Kimber, Campbell, and the Lees.
3) “You don't parley when you're on the back foot."
In Peaky Blinders Season 1, Aunt Polly tells Tommy that Inspector Campbell knows he is the leader of the Peaky Blinders and wants to meet him. Tommy tells her that he won’t meet him and utters this dialogue.
He plans to strike the first blow before meeting Campbell. After being paid by the Peaky Blinders, everyone in Watery Lane starts burning the King’s picture. The event is covered by a journalist, and the news reaches Winston Churchill and calls Campbell. This event depicts Tommy Shelby’s cunningness and how he plans every aspect of the things he does to make sure he wins against his enemies.
4) "Lies travel faster than the truth."
In the third episode of Season 1, Danny Whizz-Bang returns from London, bringing some important news. He informs him that the people in the government think Peaky Blinders killed the IRA man. He asks if it is true, and Tommy replies with this line.
He further asks him to return and tell them it is not true and send some to parley as they don’t want any trouble.
Tommy knows that he is not yet in a position to clash with the people in London and wants to make it clear that he has nothing to do with murdering IRA members.
5) “Whisky is a good proofing water. Tells you who’s real and who isn’t."
In Season 1 of Peaky Blinders, Tommy says this line to Grace. As Tommy’s guests leave drunk and singing, Grace quips that she thought he only liked singing on a Saturday. Tommy says this line in response to her quip.
He tells her that it is easier to find out if someone is telling the truth or bluffing as it gets difficult for people to pretend or lie under the influence of alcohol.
6) “Nevertheless, I say no."
In Season 3 of Peaky Blinders, the IRA lets Tommy Shelby do their dirty business of murdering people. However, Tommy quickly catches up and discovers that Inspector Campbell and the IRA have been working together all along.
After finding out that one of his enemies has ties with the IRA, Tommy refuses to assassinate anyone further. He knows that he will come up with a solution on his own to save himself and the Peaky Blinders, but working with Campbell on his side is more dangerous.
7) “When you plan something well, there's no need to rush."
During the race, in a near-empty bar, Campbell asks Tommy why he shouldn’t be busy at this time rather than drinking, as he has an assassination to perform. Tommy replies with this line as he has already orchestrated every aspect of his plan, which was already in work.
This quote shows how meticulously Tommy plans his activities, whether about decisions taken for his business or killing someone.
8) “The only way to guarantee peace is by making the prospect of war seem hopeless."
In Season 3 of Peaky Blinders, John Shelby threatens Vincnete Changretta and cuts Angel Changretta over the eye with a razor blade. The Changretta’s come to take revenge. In the family meeting, Tommy tells John not to apologize as that will make them look weak. Polly then shoots back at him that he wanted peace at home while he handles the work in London, to which Tommy replies with this line.
He orders his brothers to take over two Changretta bars to exert power and authority over him so they would think twice before clashing with the Peaky Blinders.
9) “All religion is a foolish answer to a foolish question.”
After Grace’s death in Season 3, Tommy still feels guilty about giving her the cursed sapphire necklace. To absolve from it, he meets with Bethany Boswell, a gypsy, to know if the necklace was cursed.
He later gives that necklace to her and utters this line to Johnny Doggs as he doesn’t believe in religion, but giving up that necklace might clear him of his guilt.
10) “I’m thinking ahead, thinking of every possibility, remembering everything that is happening."
In season 3 of Peaky Blinders, Tommy unexpectedly meets with Father Hughes, Patrick Jarvis, an MP, to talk about the Russians wanting to inspect the vehicles containing the weapons that he has prepared for them.
While discussing, Tommy informs them about all the details and how he has planned to do the job. That’s when he says this line, implying that he has already thought about every possible way and planned everything thoroughly. This shows how thorough and detailed Tommy Shelby’s plans are.
11) “If we lift our heel off their necks now, they'll just come at us."
In season 3, when Arthur and Polly oppose Tommy’s decision to attack Changretta first, he utters this line in anger. He tells them that if they don’t act now and apologize, they will come at them and destroy everything.
He takes John’s side in the fight and orders them to take over their pubs at night and not give them any chance to retaliate.
12) “You can change what you do, but you can’t change what you want.”
Ada helps Tommy by finding out about the Soviet informant in the Economic League. As he returns to the mansion, he finds that Ada is still working.
He tells her that he has noticed that Ada has started wearing lipstick again, to which she replies that she is bored. Tommy then tells her this line. Ada asks him if he knows what she wants. Tommy then offers her a job in Boston and asks her to join the Shelby business in America.
13) “I'm just an extreme example of what a working man can achieve."
In Season 4 of Peaky Blinders, Niall Devlin, who works for the Shelby Company, informs that the factories and mines are shut and the coal is running out. He then asks Tommy if he has ever thought that the communists might win and deem them both the traitors to their class and kill them.
Tommy tells him then that as a businessman, he has thought about every possibility for his business’ sake. Later, he adds that he is not a traitor to his class and utters this line. This signifies that even after achieving everything he wanted to achieve, Tommy hasn’t changed his identity. He still remembers where he has come from.
14) “There is no rest for me in this world; perhaps the next."
In Season 4 of the Peaky Blinders, Tommy begins to experience PTSD again. His housekeeper, Frances, asks him to see a doctor and rest. He says this line to Frances.
Tommy has accepted that the path he is venturing for his ambitions will never let him rest. He has to be vigilant to gain the upper hand against his enemies for his success and his family’s safety.
15) “Conviction introduces emotion, which is the enemy of oratory."
One of the best quotes that gives us a glimpse of Tommy Shelby’s intellectual prowess is his conversation with Winston Churchill in Season 5 of Peaky Blinders. Churchill admires Tommy’s speech in the Parliament and then asks if he believes in any of the things he says there.
He then utters this line, implying that he doesn’t believe in any of the things he says, as believing in them would bring emotions to them, and he won’t be able to convey what he wants to say with confidence.
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Also Read: 10 coldest Tommy Shelby moments from Peaky Blinders
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