Within the narrative of BBC’s Peaky Blinders, the English gang is led by the Shelbys, who manage to attain wealth in the Birmingham area that was anything but rich during the 1900s. The gang exudes power through their dapper suits and fits of violence, and because of this, they end up with equally dangerous allies and enemies. Among them is Bonnie Gold, an amateur boxer with an optimistic outlook that is short-lived in the grim Peaky world.

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Bonnie Gold (as portrayed by Jack Rowan) first appeared in “Heathens” (season 4, episode 2). In his first scene, Bonnie was joined by his father Aberama (as portrayed by Game of Thrones’ Aiden Gillen) as they protected the Shelbys from the Italians who sought revenge against them. To repay the Golds for their labor, Thomas offers them a financial incentive that blossoms into more than a simple one-time business transaction. Aberama eventually asks Thomas to consider sponsoring Bonnie’s dreams of becoming a boxer and distancing himself from the life of hitmen for hire.

Bonnie’s assassin skills are on display from the moment he arrives, but his boxing skills are explored at a natural pace. Bonnie’s first fight occurs later in his debut episode, as he proves his ability to hold his own in a ring with a man twice his size. He agrees to fight Billy Mills, a former heavyweight champion. Bonnie impressively defeats the man, which leads to a fixed fight between Bonnie and Goliath later in season 4. Bonnie manages to knock out “the giant Goliath” and it seems that a character other than Thomas may finally obtain their dream. For Bonnie, this is his hope of becoming a prized, professional fighter.

Bonnie’s introduction to the series couldn’t have come at a better time, as Peaky Blinders had killed off its most jovial character in the first episode of season 4. John Shelby was one of the leaders of the Peaky Blinders and was easily considered one of the more tender-hearted members of the Shelby family. His death was the result of the vendetta that Bonnie and his father were hired to help the Shelbys put an end to. With John’s rather innocent and upbeat personality no longer on the show, Bonnie’s optimistic outlook fills the gap that was created by John’s sudden death. In the often depressing environment the Blinders find themselves in, a hopeful presence is often what many find themselves needing.

Given the grim world of Peaky Blinders, Bonnie’s dreams are tragically cut short. In “Black Cats” (season 5, episode 2), Bonnie and his father are approached in the woods by the Billy Boys (who were a real razor gang) who identify themselves in song. Aberama is shot in the shoulder and kept down as the leader of the Billy Boys assaults Bonnie, breaking his jaw so that he cannot talk. The men beat Bonnie until he is incapable of defending himself and tie him to a wooden cross that they have dragged through the woods. Once the cross is mounted, they shoot Bonnie and leave a note in his pocket for Thomas Shelby. Aberama is forced to watch helplessly as his son is killed in a gory and merciless manner that is unforeseen, even for the world of Peaky Blinders.

Bonnie’s death is one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the series, largely because of his innocence and the potential that he held. In the midst of tragic character deaths, showrunners typically bear the brunt of scolding from viewers, but Rowan chose to leave Peaky Blinders in order to join the cast of BBC’s Noughts + Crosses, where he plays the lead male, Callum McGregor. Despite his decision to leave Peaky Blinders, Rowan was grateful that Bonnie had an ending, no matter how heartbreaking it was. Following his role in Peaky Blinders, Rowan also appeared in the vampire comedy, Boys from County Hell, which premiered in 2020.

There are very few series that choose to spare their innocent characters, as their deaths often mark a significant change in the characters who knew them best, altering the remainder of the series. Bonnie’s death does bring a new side of Aberama to light in season 5, as he becomes overly vengeful but equally vulnerable with his emotions. As a hitman, Aberama’s emotions were typically concealed by his stoic expressions, but no longer. It’s worth mentioning that following Bonnie’s death, there have been no other characters that have fulfilled this good-natured role. With the series about to embark on in the midst of a dark time for Europe, it’s an understandable choice, but it will make season 6 harder to bear.

Some may argue that Bonnie’s short-lived presence on the show didn’t provide nearly enough time to care for him on a level equal to other characters. However, the innocent and heroic presence that Bonnie adopted following John’s death isn’t the only thing that made Bonnie crucial to the story. Given his close age to both Michael and Finn, Bonnie could’ve been a focal character for what will surely be a familial battle for leadership of the Shelby Company. Given Bonnie’s history as a hitman working for the Shelbys, he could’ve proved to be a valuable asset to the future state of the Shelby Company, and played an even bigger role in what is to come in the final season of the series.

Peaky Blinders is now streaming on Netflix.

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