The series follows the story of Eddie Horniman, a man who unexpectedly inherits his father’s vast country estate. However, he soon discovers that the estate is actually part of a vast cannabis empire. As Eddie grapples with unsavory characters from the criminal underworld, he finds himself drawn into a world of crime that he never imagined existed.
In the season finale of The Gentlemen, Eddie Horniman (played by Theo James) shows his partner Susie Glass (played by Kaya Scodelario) his signet ring. The ring has his family motto engraved on it, which reads “Non sine periculo” meaning “Not without danger”. These words seem to describe the events that take place in Episode 8, which is full of betrayal, violence, and treachery.
In the first half of the episode, Susie’s father, who is the head of a notorious criminal underworld, Bobby Glass (played by Ray Winstone), reveals to his daughter and Eddie that he’s planning to sell his lucrative weed business. However, there’s a catch. They need to inform a handful of interested parties about the deal, including a cunning American billionaire named Uncle Stanley Johnston (played by Giancarlo Esposito), an arrogant scammer known as Sticky Pete (played by Joshua McGuire), and a fierce drug baroness named Mercy (played by Martha Millan). The challenge is to collect their bids, which must be higher than £150 million, and have them submitted by the end of the week through a rather unconventional method – via pigeon.
In a plot twist that could have come straight out of a Guy Ritchie movie, Eddie and Susie hatch a plan to eliminate their enemies in order to gain control of Bobby’s business. They decide to manipulate the sale by deceiving their rivals into believing that they have won the bid. Firstly, they trick Stanley into thinking that he has won, but simultaneously use their allies to acquire his tax records and have him arrested for tax evasion.
Next, they inform Mercy and Pete that Pete has won the bid. However, Mercy, who is afraid of upsetting her Colombian business partners, decides to take matters into her own hands and kills Pete, thereby securing her position as the winning bidder.
Eddie and Susie then enlist the help of gangster Henry Collins to eliminate Mercy, leaving only the Duke and the drug heiress as viable candidates for taking over Bobby’s business. It is a ruthless and cunning plan that involves manipulation, betrayal, and murder.
James is explaining that the act of cleaning the fish barrel signifies something much deeper about Eddie’s character. Despite Eddie’s claims of being harmless, James believes that Eddie is actually more menacing than he lets on or even realizes himself. James thinks that Eddie may be lying to himself and denying his own bloodlust, but in reality, he is more dangerous than anyone else around him and has the potential to be deadly. This observation indicates that Eddie is not to be underestimated, as he may possess a hidden and potentially violent side that could be triggered at any moment.
As the final act of The Gentlemen unfolds, we can’t help but feel a sense of dread creeping in. With every passing moment, it becomes painfully clear that every character in the movie is more ruthless and bloodthirsty than we could have ever imagined. The tension is palpable, and we can’t help but feel on edge, wondering who will come out on top in this deadly game. It’s a gripping finale that leaves us on the edge of our seats until the very end.
