We are going to look at the vast amount of character growth Ada has experienced over the four seasons/series and where I think her story has the potential to go based on that development.
****** NOTE: SPOILERS AHEAD *******
S1 Ada – Doesn’t want anything to do with the family business or the crime. She wants Freddie Thorne and to follow true love and generally not involve herself with anything else. She and Tommy are constantly at odds, and you can see them struggling with a sibling relationship and protector dynamic with Tommy trying to keep her safe but she doesn’t want his help. He has to use Polly as a go between for them and try to convince Ada of Tommy’s point of view. She always sees this coming and doesn’t listen. In the final scene, she puts herself and the baby carriage in the middle of the pending war as a metaphor for the victims of their war that aren’t present: the men’s families and children. She effectively deescalates the situation and Tommy/Billy settle the issue directly and everyone else can go home. (RIP Danny) After a season of seeing her mostly as an emotional and vulnerable woman that needs protecting, she takes a stand and shows considerable growth in this final showdown.
S2 Ada – She’s lost Freddie and she and Karl are living in London alone and away from the family. At the funeral she once again doesn’t have much to say to Tommy but is more receptive to his conversation. Polly tries to get him off topic and he makes a comment about how she’s not weeping, she’s capable of discussion. This moment is important for Ada because she’s essentially lost the one thing she wanted to fight her whole family for in S1 in Freddie and she’s strong enough to grieve, accept and move on for her and Karl. She and Tommy have matching black eyes after their attacks and this is an important moment that ties them together symbolically. He offers her a house and where S1 Ada would have refused, S2 Ada takes the key and visits the house with her son. Later on, Tommy lets himself into the house and she demands the key back at gunpoint. Ada is actively standing up for herself at this point and showing she is capable. He gives it to her willingly but notes that “if there was no one watching the house, I couldn’t sleep.” Another notable instance of tables turning is when Polly is not speaking to Tommy when he is withholding Michaels address. Polly goes to the Garrison to the party, and Tommy invites Ada to try and talk to and reason with Polly. This is a direct reversal of their roles in S1.
S3 Ada – In S3, Ada decides to rejoin the family in a sense and become part of the Shelby Company LTD. She previously wanted nothing to do with the family business but this is a showing of her growth since S1. She also plays a critical role of securing Tommy with the meeting contact he needs after his attack and severe injuries. When Tommy is accusing family members of potential treachery later in the season, Ada confirms she rejoined the family and business out of love and with no other motivation. At the end of the season, Ada and Finn are the lone Shelby family members (spouses excluded) that were not arrested and expected to be hanged. At this point, it is clear that Tommy has used his family members and tasked them with dangerous activities and put them in harm’s way, but not Ada or Finn. In the official photos, I don’t think it is a coincidence that Ada is one of the two characters closest to him in the photo, and facing the same direction as him whereas Polly is facing away. The body language speaks volumes.
S4 Ada – She experiences her greatest character growth to date in this series. She is once again a neutral family member between Thomas and the rest of the family that nearly met their deaths. She travels to Arthur’s house to carry the news of the Black Hand cards and leaves him with her gun. This is a scene that any of the brothers may have starred in previously, but this time it is Ada providing the news and resources. Ada says in a family meeting that “The Bolsheviks couldn’t organize a fucking picnic.” Tommy directly quotes this later when speaking with Jesse Eden and says “I have it on good authority that the Bolsheviks couldn’t organize a fucking picnic.” We, the viewer, understand that Tommy is referring to Ada as his good authority. He sends her to the rally Jesse Eden is speaking at and has her extend a dinner invitation to Jesse from Tommy. Most notable about the scene is Ada entering the bar and demanding service, fully embracing who she is at this point. Later in the season, Ada is arrested by the British army and it is revealed that Tommy has set up a plan with the officer Ben Younger and it directly involves Ada and her previous connections. When she and Tommy later discuss this, he provides the full details of this plan with her, something we haven’t previously seen him do. For example, in S2 when Tommy taps her housemate James to accompany him in his plan at Alfie’s bakery, when Ada asks they just tell her they’re doing something for the “good ole cause.”
Conclusion: Arguably, Ada has experienced the most dramatic and in depth development of any character across the series so far. She starts as Tommy Shelby’s younger sister that he wants to ensure is protected and not used as a pawn in Campbell’s plan. She matures into the single parent and provider for her son and attempts to help Tommy reason with Polly. We see her further develop and rejoin the family and business and become a more trusted and central figure in Tommy’s operations. And finally we see her brought up to the metaphorical “Big League” when Tommy involves her with the military vehicles plan. Over the course of the 4 seasons, it stands out that Ada is the one family member (besides Finn) that Tommy never outright betrays or leaves high and dry while he’s working on contingency plans. Ada is a weak spot for Tommy and is one of the few people we see call him out mercilessly and face no consequences. He trusts her opinion, uses her quotes in business conversations and trusts her to secure high importance meetings with critical timing. As the series progresses, we see Polly moving to work against Tommy any time Michael is threatened, and Ada actively moves into a position of working with Tommy.
The photo speaks to this sentiment as well. Polly is facing against them, while Tommy and Ada are in line beside each other. In S5, I think Ada is positioned perfectly to rise to be Tommy’s equal and most trusted confidant in business and in the family. I hope we see her character continue to grow and realize this enormous potential.
Notes: All photos came from google image search. This meta is of course, just my opinion on the characters and growth over the show’s course so far. I welcome all Peaky Blinders discussion so never hesitate to reach out! Thanks for reading.
ruby being the one who saved tommy will live rent free on my mind forever. the scene was so beautifully done ❤️. the scene where charles decided to leave with lizzie was too a beautiful emotional and heartbreaking scene. it’s like the kids it’s taking care of their parents the way they both can tommy asking charles to take care of his mum (lizzie) was so meaniful too. i honestly loved the finale and i cannot wait to watch the peaky movie!
i might be back on my polly x Baxter bs OOP. this is set after peaky s05ep04 sans the thing that happens to Linda cause we just can’t address that right now fjkstrkt
i haven’t written them in forever but i really wanna start writing again,, so here it gOeS!!
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Brandy, in all it’s citrus and zest glory, has been the cause of Polly’s downfall on more than one occasion. The underlying floral taste has made it hard for her to pace herself, with each sip she feels closer to discovering which exotic flower has graced her pallet. So she sips, and sips, and sips some more and before she knows it she doesn’t know where she is, who she’s with and why she’s there. It’s not something she’s made a habit of —not since she first felt the itchy confines of a rope around her neck— but it happens. Tonight is one of those nights, between working along side The Chinese, Michael’s return to the company, and Aberama’s proposal, she finds herself chasing after the taste of floral brandy.
Shortly after the party is over and there’s no one in the grand house but family, she bids Thomas goodnight and makes her way up the marbled staircase. Well, at least she tries. She makes it exactly two steps up before stumbling to her knees. If only she’d been able to fake her soberness a while longer. She just needs a second to ground herself. Gracefully—as gracefully as she can at this point— she rights herself and slowly makes it a couple more steps. But only a couple, because the room in spinning and her heart is racing and she’s suddenly realized that she’s engaged.She sits promptly on the sixth step and huffs. She’s engaged. Polly looks down at the band around her finger and feels her heart skip a bit. She’d be lying if she said she’d only said yes just because of Tommy’s deal. No, she had harbored feelings for Aberama at some point, and if she squints she can imagine there’s more. It’s not a bad arrangement.
Although it all seemed so much easier on paper; she accepts his proposal so he honors the truce they have with the billy boys. A gang war is avoided and she weds someone who will without a doubt try to make her the happiest woman on the planet. However none of that takes into consideration the fact that there is a another pawn in this, invisible to everyone but Polly. Phyllis Baxter.
No. She can’t even think about her right now, not without her treacherous heart making her feel something.
Taking another breath, she braces herself and stands. The rest of the climb is easy, the thought of breaking Baxter’s heart has sobered her just enough to make it to the top, but in a second everything tilts and before she knows it she feels herself going down again. Except her body’s not met with plush carpet but rather warm hands. The subtle scent of lavender wafts around her as someone gently hoists her back up. She is vaguely aware of the fact that someone is speaking to her but she can’t concentrate. She knows this smell and these arms and this warmth. She knows it and now the room is spinning again and it’s not entirely the alcohol’s fault and she feels so sick because Baxter can’t be here. She remembers telling Baxter to stay home, that she’d see her in the morning. It’s not like she needed a lady’s maid to watch ballet, right? But somehow she’s here and Polly can’t breathe and she has the sudden urge to hide her left hand.
“Milady? Polly?”
Baxter’s voice finally breaks through the haze and Polly looks up at her with eyes as wide as saucers “Y-you’re not supposed to be here” she knows her eyes look wide and wild but this just cannot be happening right now
Baxter tries her hardest not to look offended but Polly sees right through it “Mr. Shelby called, he said you were…” she trails off and eyes her and Polly instantly knows she looks as drunk and she feels. The lady’s maid holds her a little firmer “and by all the noise you made on the way up, I think he was right. Come, I’ve already prepared your bed”
Polly watches as a flicker of disappointment crosses Baxter’s features before the woman looks down at her expectantly. Is she supposed to be answering a question? She wracks her brain for possible questions but really, how is she supposed to concentrate when Baxter is holding her so close and she feels warm and safe. All she can think about is being held like this forever, maybe that was Baxter’s question. “y-yes” She stutters out, tightening her grip
Baxter’s eyebrows briefly knit together “Alright, this way” she adjusts her hold and leads Polly to her room. She lets go of her once they’re inside and goes to peal the lush bed covers back “I’ll fetch your night clothes”
Polly stares at the large bed, thinking about every bed she’s been in and every bed she will be in. She thinks about being held and snuggled and cuddled by someone and how that person won’t be Baxter. Not anymore. Perhaps it’s the brandy, but that revelation hurts, a lot. She fiddles with the ring around her finger, a knot forming in her throat. When Baxter reappears with her clothes, she can already feel tears brimming “Forget the clothes” she says and waves a hand, only slurring slightly “lay with me”
Baxter falters, cheeks going pink “Ma’am?”
“I said lay with me.” She repeats herself, softer “I want you to hold me” she sits on the bed “God knows we’ve done worse” she kicks her heels off and lays back “just for a second” She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose because her head is pounding, she feels sick, and Baxter is being too slow. She wants to be held, snuggled, cuddled, spooned— right now. She wants Baxter to be the one to do it because she’s warm, and soft, and fits perfectly with her.
When she feels the bed dip she turns on her side —the secret little spoon—, and when an arm snakes around her waist and tugs her closer she feels like everything in the world is finally making sense. The swell of breast is a comfort against her back, as is the warm gentle breathe against her neck. She puts her hand on top of the one that rests against her stomach and relaxes.
She feels at peace this way, with her. Over the years Baxter has become her greatest comfort, her reprieve, her home. Shame settles deep in her belly when she reminds herself that she’s given that up but that’s tomorrow’s worry. Right now the only thing that matters is this moment because with Baxter at her side, she knows she can get through anything.
I don’t like putting my 2 cents under other people’s posts but this was one of the scenes why I actually like Linda so much. I loved her answers and how she dealth with Polly and Lizzie although she was alone against them two and everybody knows Polly and Lizzie are both tough to win with; especially united.
I never understood why Polly was mean to Linda in this scene when we see her praying at the church for 2 fucking seasons. And now she suddenly makes fun of Linda’s beliefs? Just like she’s suddenly besties with Lizzie after all the stuff she said about her in season 1…?
And what is exactly Lizzie’s business in being mean towards Linda? She wasn’t a Shelby back then, she had no right to treat one of her bosses’ wife like that but she just joined Polly’s mockery like a mean girl’s sidekick.
i really wish we could’ve seen more of her in season 6
