Boardwalk Empire - Recap: I Want Out
The penultimate episode of Season 4 of Boardwalk Empire shed light on several of our favorite A.C. characters’ circumstances. Sadly, revelations don’t always bring happiness, especially not on a show like this!
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Chalky: Chalky White made his way to his safe haven after quite a few bumps in the road. Nearly losing his life during the night, Chalky found comfort in the home of Oscar, his former mentor and, clearly, a lifelong supporter. Chalky hadn’t needed to ask for help in years, not since his youngest daughter was born, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Oscar is quite a lot like Chalky. In fact, much of his character reflected that which we could expect Chalky to become in his old age, if he should survive the onslaught of assailants that have plagued him through Season 4.
Chalky’s arc this week mainly focused on the future. Could there ever truly be a future for Chalky and Daughter considering all they’d run away from? Daughter, undoubtedly in love with White, sees the seething rage inside of her man. Chalky, in truth and as predicted, misinterpreted the attempted hit on him as a sign that Nucky had betrayed him in favor of Narcisse. Nucky, if you recall, had attempted to thwart the man’s plans but inevitably failed. Chalky attempted to prove his devotion to Daughter, desperately trying to cope with the concept of moving on without closure. Oscar, on the other hand, made it clear to his protégé that Daughter was nothing more than dead weight masquerading as a pretty face. Whether or not their current circumstances are Chalky’s fault or Daughter’s was of no matter. Oscar was like a father to Chalky. Crotchety and blind, he still maintained a sense of undying self-respect and pride that we know to be characteristic of Chalky. This is the place of Chalky's roots.
In the end, Chalky inevitably caved to Daughter, promising her the life she’d always wanted for them. He’d, in truth, managed to deduce the true circumstances of Daughter’s relationship with Narcisse just prior. In addition, I think Chalky’s witnessing of Oscar’s team, his nephew included, speaking of their elder like some sort of a burden they were waiting to buzz off, also added to his decision to attempt to run away from the game for good.
In the night, Chalky awoke to find Daughter missing. On the front porch, Oscar sat with a shotgun in his hand and his dog by his side. He’d witnessed Daughter’s departure, initially angering Chalky but inevitably bringing a sense of closure. As previously put, Oscar was, in a sense, Chalky. It was almost like witnessing Chalky speaking with an older and wiser form of himself during Episode 11, and perhaps that’s what he needed most.
Sadly, for Oscar and Chalky, Narcisse’s men made their presence known from within the dark woods. As they began to surround the property, Chalky’s safe haven, Oscar attempted to stand his ground, only to find himself shot down for good. Chalky managed to fire off a few bullets before Oscar’s men swooped in with a rescue. Oscar, Chalky’s mentor, had died defending him.First, she’d venture to Julia’s garage in order to say her final farewell to Tommy, who admittedly recognized her enough without having any real recollection of how he knew her. Richard then made his presence known, chastising Gillian for attempting to steal a hug from her grandson on his property. The two had one last conversation as well. Gillian, in an effort to keep her son’s story in her grandson’s life, handed over Jimmy’s dog tags to Tommy for safekeeping. She then walked away on the brink of tears, recognizing that Richard and Julia, who’d just been married, would offer Tommy a better life than she could ever.
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In truth, Gillian’s decision to bow out gracefully set things up perfectly for her next chapter in life. She confided her newfound joy in Roy, the man who’d been so responsible in her recent blooming happiness. Roy, for a moment, seemed to be unexpectedly saying goodbye along with Tommy. You see, Roy’s deal apparently went through. Meaning, the work he’d come to Atlantic City for had been completed, and he’d subsequently head out on the road for whatever was ahead. Gillian, now beyond used to abandonment, attempted to shrug off her sadness, only to find herself absolutely pleased with a wedding proposal. Roy intended on taking Gillian with him as the two left the mess of her old life behind.
This is where things began to get fishy. In the parking garage, the two happily mused on, conversing regarding their unbelievably bright future as a couple, before a burned business partner of Roy’s made his presence known from the shadows. Promising to take away that which Roy loved most as Gillian’s lover had done to him, he reached into his jacket. Roy, acting on instinct, pulled a gun and shot the former partner of his dead. Gillian, pleading with Roy to simply drive and never look back, now had one more thing in common with her fiancé. What was so crooked about Roy Phillips?
At home, Gillian attempted to comfort Roy on the staircase. Roy, eaten up by guilt and threatening to confess to the police, found himself shocked over Gillian’s explanation that he could simply move on and survive with her by his side. Gillian, desperate to convince her partner to stay, opened up in a moment of complete sadness regarding the murder she’d committed last year. You could feel the guilt radiating off of Gillian as she spoke of her crime for the first time. That was that. Roy had all the information he needed to have Gillian convicted for the murder of Roger. His team made their presence known, surrounding an entirely devastated Gillian. Gillian, who’s come such a long way during Season 4, ended her plot this week writhing on the floor of her enormous home as a group of men pinned her down.
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Nucky: Eli (Shea Whigham) continued to feed information to Agent Knox (Brian Geraghty) during Episode 11. Knox, who’s been all but entirely informed of Nucky’s dealing in Florida, commanded Eli to wrangle up the gang leaders involved in the process. Eli had his work cut out for him, but if he wanted to protect his son, Willie (Ben Rosenfield), from prison, he’d have to convince his brother to call Masseria, Narcisse, and everyone else involved in the heroin trade in for a group discussion.
Gaston Means (Stephen Root), meanwhile, had contacted Nucky in one final moment of desperation. It’s not like Means to seem disheveled and desperate, but he frantically pleaded with Nucky for an enormous amount of money for one final tip. There was a skunk in Nucky’s midst, yet Means would be arrested for perjury before Nucky could squeeze out the truth. Funny, we know Means is somehow connected to Agent Knox. Could it be that Knox has been working against Eli unbeknownst to him this entire time in favor of somehow getting in Nucky’s good graces?
Eli took his family to their Uncle Nucky’s for a day at the beach in an effort to plant the seeds of making this master meeting happen. Nucky, aggravated that he’d been duped from within his own scheme, would give it some thought before asking Eli if he was aware of any possible betrayers in their group. Eli, of course, played it cool, yet the truth always comes out. At dinner, Eli’s wife inevitably let it slip that an “insurance salesman” had paid their home a strange visit in a moment that had ruffled her husband’s feathers quite a bit. Nucky, raising an eyebrow, had his suspicions solidified when Eli jumped down his wife’s throat in a fit of rage. Seriously, Eli… How dumb can you be? We’re all aware that Eli has had issues with attempting to usurp Nucky in the past. He’s been on thin ice since leaving prison, and now he’s back to square one. Honestly, I don’t see how Boardwalk Empire could justify another situation where Eli attempts to pull one over on Nucky, only to be set on a path of redemption. This could be it for Eli, folks.
Nucky continued to snoop by trying to milk a confused Willie for information. Who was this baby-faced “insurance salesman”? Unfortunately, Willie’s mother cut their conversation short in an effort to speak to Nucky about Eli’s newly revisited drinking problem. Thus, Eli's grave was dug deeper and deeper. Much of the Thompson brothers’ arc this week centered on the reversal of power in their family. Eli had been a bit of a ladies man, albeit a poor one, when they were younger. Nucky, on the other hand, would watch on uncomfortably, poking fun at his brother’s love poems to pretty girls. Now, it’s Eli who’s perpetually desperate for power. Even in Season 4, a year that started off with these two in a great place of family camaraderie, there is still that chip on Eli's shoulder that will just never cease to be.
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To close the Recap and Review of Episode 11, Nucky once again phoned Sally (Patricia Arquette) in Tampa. After an extended moment of silence, he admitted his truth to her… Nucky wants out.
What did you think of Season 4 Episode 11 of Boardwalk Empire, “Havre de Grace”? Is Daughter gone for good? Is this the end for Gillian? Will Eli pull his plan off? Is Nucky going to finagle another deal to save his own hide? What will become of Chalky’s friendship with Nucky?
Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of Season 4 Episode 11 of Boardwalk Empire, “Havre de Grace”!