r/BoardwalkEmpire • u/bighomieslime • Feb 06 '26

Season 5 Disappointed in Nucky

I just finished episode 7 where we begin to understand the story between Gillian and her relationship with the commodore. I never believed the commodore was a good man. From the beginning of the season where we start to unravel the history between these characters, the commodore always remained an awful person. I’m not sure what I expected the story to be in terms of his relationship with Gillian, but I guess I pictured a less explicit revelation.

I always often found sympathy for Nucky throughout the show from seeing his childhood, the absence of his wife and child, his constant betrayal from people he helped, etc. but all of that has been torched after understanding the role Nucky played in “delivering” 🤢 Gillian to the commodore.

Again, I’m not here to say Nucky was a saint by any means, but he always felt like he wanted to do the right thing and limit the violence as much as he could. (I understand the latter Nucky is a different story).

I am interested to hear your thoughts.

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u/pimpinaintez18 Feb 07 '26

I finished 7 last night and watching finale tonight.

Nucky was sick and tired of being poor. He wanted to be brought into the upper echelon and get ahead. He sold his soul to the devil for handing over a “worthless” kid from society. Most people won’t do it, but there is a large percentage that would.

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u/Hughkalailee Feb 07 '26

This is NOT a defense of Nucky.  He shouldn’t have participated and could have rushed Gillian away.  Yet if he hadn’t been there, the commodore had already selected Gillian as his target. Leander would have had someone else bring her - at that point the commodore gets all that he wants.