While the popular crime series may be over, there are a number of memorable Peaky Blinders quotes that will stay with fans forever. For six seasons, Peaky Blinders offered a gritty and thrilling period saga looking at the Shelby crime family and its infamous gang. While the show was filled with violence and brutality, it was often the dialogue that stole the show. Steven Knight's scripts never shy away from quick, sassy banter and cinematic lines among its characters, whether it be Thomas Shelby's brooding musings, Alfie's wild outbursts, or Aunt Polly's fiery comebacks.
Peaky Blinders came to an end in 2022, and while there is some hope for the story's continuation, the show left plenty of great moments that the fans can look back on, including the endless lines that remain quotable years later. From the epic monologues to the thoughtful observations to the rare moments of humor, these memorable quotes highlight why Peaky Blinders will be so missed by fans.
30 "I'm Guessing You People All Decided That The Only Person Who Could Ever Kill Tommy Shelby, Is Tommy Shelby Himself."
Tommy Shelby - Season 6, Episode 6: "Lock And Key"
As fans eagerly await the arrival of the Peaky Blinder movie, season 6 of the show set up an intriguing direction for the next chapter. The final season of the show deals with, among many other things, Tommy's impending demise. A doctor reveals to him that he has a tumor on his brain that cannot be operated on and will kill him in a matter of months.
However, as the finale comes to an end, Tommy learns the truth that the doctor was working for Tommy's enemy, Oswald Mosely, and lied about Tommy's fatal diagnosis. After years of various enemies attempting to kill Tommy and Tommy managing to survive, he points out that his enemies assumed he could be the only one to kill himself. It is a line that speaks to the impressive legacy of Tommy Shelby while also speaking to the darkness in him that suggests he has a death wish at times.
29 "I Have No Limitations."
Tommy Shelby - Season 6, Episode 6: "Lock And Key"
One of those instances in which Tommy manages to escape what seems like a certain death comes in the finale. Though they were once like brothers, the final season of Peaky Blinders finds Tommy at odds with Michael as the latter blames Tommy for the death of Polly. Michael teams with Tommy's enemies to set him up to be killed only for Tommy to once again emerge unscathed and ready to turn the tables.
Though Tommy attempts to understand the fraction that occurred between the two men, in the end, he coldly executes Michael and delivers this line. With no one around to hear it, the line seems to be Tommy confirming to himself who he is and recognizing how far he has gone. He understands there is nothing that will stop him from pulling that trigger while also suggesting that he has mixed feelings about the revelation.
28 "We Shake Hands With The Devils And We Walk Past Them."
Polly Shelby - Season 4, Episode 6
Tommy Shelby and the Peaky Blinders are certainly no saints and there is a thin line between them and many of the villains on the show. However, there are foes that they face in the series who are easy for the audience to hate. However, given the world the Peaky Blinders operated in, it is not as if they have the luxury of standing above such people.
Molly astutely points out the compromise the Peaky Blinders have to face on nearly a daily basis. They form uneasy alliances and back people that they know are evil because sometimes they can use a little evil on their side. Polly always battled with these aspects of their position, and in a heartbreaking bit of irony, her words are proven even more true in Peaky Blinders season 6, as Tommy is forced to work alongside the people who had Polly killed.
27 "I’m Just Reminding Myself Of Who I’d Be If I Wasn’t Who I Was.”
Tommy Shelby - Season 2, Episode 5
Given the level of success Tommy is able to achieve and the wealth he has at the end of the series, it is amazing to look back at his humble beginnings. Even in the first season, when he had power on a street level, there was a sense that Tommy had already risen further than anyone ever thought he could. However, throughout the series, Tommy is able to hold onto that sense of where he can from.
During one scene in season 2, Tommy starts helping Curly clean out the horse barn. When Curly insists this is not something Tommy has to do, Tommy remarks that it is an exercise to remind himself where he came from. This is a sign of Tommy's intelligence, being humble enough to understand he needs to stay grounded and find a way to motivate himself toward future success.
26 "I'm Just An Extreme Example Of What A Working Man Can Achieve."
Tommy Shelby - Season 4, Episode 4: "Dangerous"
As with Tommy's ability to stay true to his roots amid his staggering success, it is sometimes easy to forget that Peaky Blinders is an underdog story at its center. Tommy beautifully reminds the audience of this with this funny and astute line that speaks to a lot of what motivates Tommy to achieve more.
It is a way of proving himself to the world and making them pay for underestimating him.
He is an intelligent man who could have made something legitimate in this world. However, he is not interested in simply taking a piece of what those in power are willing to offer him, he wants to take as much as he wants from them for himself. It is a way of proving himself to the world and making them pay for underestimating him. Time and time again in the series, Tommy has stepped into a world he didn't belong in and left with more control.
25 "I Will Wear High Heels So That You Will Hear My Approach On The Cobblestones, And You Will Have Time To Repent. "
Polly Shelby - Season 5, Episode 3: "Strategy"
While the characters in Peaky Blinders often prove themselves to be flawed and even evil people at times, they always seem to find enemies that are worse than they are. It can be so satisfying seeing them put these people in their place and Aunt Polly is one of the best characters to fulfill this job. While Polly usually stays out of the nastier aspects of the group, she is keen to teach an abusive nun a lesson.
She accompanies Tommy to a meeting with this woman which is rare in itself. However, Tommy seems to know to allow her to take charge when it comes to ensuring the nun understands how seriously they take this situation. Warning the corrupted woman to change her ways, Polly ends with this chilling threat about what will happen if she needs to visit the nun again.
24 "This Whole Bloody Enterprise Was Women's Business While You Boys Were Away At War."
Polly Shelby - Season 1, Episode 1
One of the biggest elements missing from the final season of Peaky Blinders was the absence of Polly following the death of Helen McCrory. She was certainly one of the standout characters on the show and delivered some of the best lines. Part of what makes Polly so endearing is how she refuses to buckle to anyone, including Tommy.
When he suggests that there is some business the Shelby women should not be involved in, Polly is not at all afraid to remind Tommy how there would be no business without the women. From the beginning of the show, she was one of the most powerful people in this circle of characters and never let anyone forget it. Though she respects Tommy, she makes it clear to him that she will never accept being considered less important than he is.
23 "I Heard You Dress Well Mr. Shelby. But Now I See, Not So Well As Me."
Luca Changretta - Season 4, Episode 2: "Heathens"
One of the best villains of Peaky Blinders is Luca Changretta. The mafia man comes over from America to exact revenge on Tommy Shelby for the murder of his father. Luca quickly establishes himself as an intimidating threat, partially due to his confidence that he will be able to wipe out the entire Shelby family despite their untouchable reputation.
Working his way into Tommy's office, Luca seems to relish putting his enemy on edge. He sizes him up and delivers this oddly threatening line that suggests the myth of Tommy Shelby is overstated and establishes him as someone who might actually take Tommy down. There are not too many characters who can make Tommy squirm, but that is exactly what Luca does here, showing him that he understands the power Tommy has and is unimpressed.
22 "And If We Lift Our Heel Off Their Necks Now, They'll Just Come At Us."
Tommy Shelby - Season 3, Episode 2
Tommy is a fascinating protagonist in the series, often challenging the audience's willingness to support him. He can be a brutal, heartless, and ruthless leader who goes to extremes to maintain the power he has fought so hard for. There are times when his tactics are perceived as being too much for even his most loyal followers to get behind.
With the violence erupting around them, many of the Peaky Blinders, especially Polly, desire that there be peace. Tommy seems to have the same outlook as he makes a deal to end the war with his enemies. However, he quickly goes back on the deal and strikes at them when they finally think they are safe. He insists that this is a maneuver to protect the family, but it becomes clear Tommy is no longer the underdog but the one with the boot on people's necks.
21 "There's No Rest For Me In This World. Perhaps In The Next."
Tommy Shelby - Season 4, Episode 6: "The Company"
Even with his many victories, Tommy is a tortured man who seems to have no way out of the life he has built for himself. The series begins with him as a man of ambition and it is thrilling to see him rise up in the world with each new victory. However, as the series goes on, these victories begin to seem sour as the more power he gains, the more he is sucked into a dark world in which he does not seem to belong.
He acknowledges that all this fighting for power will not bring him any peace and that he'll have to wait for a new life in order to rest. Interestingly, the end of the series seems to offer this rest to Tommy, allowing him to choose between a life where he is thought to be dead or one where he goes back to his old ways to seek revenge. It's likely a question the Peaky Blinders movie will answer.
20 "My Suits Are On The House, Or The House Burns Down."
Tommy Shelby - Season 1, Episode 3
Peaky Blinders quotes are sometimes nothing but memorable one-liners that showcase the intimidating nature of these characters as well as the influence and power held by Tommy Shelby and the rest of the Birmingham razor gang, as with this memorable line.
When delivered by Cillian Murphy, the soft-spoken way Tommy offers this observation makes it seem all the more menacing. In many ways, Tommy is a man of the people with the series showing him in a somewhat modest position in the crime world.
However, even at that point in his journey, he is not afraid to use his power and, to a more effective degree, his intimidation to get what he wants. Tommy is aware his mere presence is a big enough threat that he can get anything he wants. They could pay for suits if they needed - they have the money - but they do not need to.
19 "He'll Wake Up. Granted He Won't Have Any Teeth Left, But He'll Be A Wiser Man For It."
Alfie Solomons - Season 2, Episode 3
As one of the show's best characters, Alfie Solomons' quotes on Peaky Blinders rank as some of the most memorable. He can be an intimidating character, with Tom Hardy infusing the character with the kind of intensity he is known for, but even with these moments, Alfie is also very funny and is so often delivering the most laugh-out-loud moments of the series.
This is one of his earliest yet most memorable moments of comedy and violence. After one of Tommy's workers makes a joke, Alfie knocks out another with his cane and drops this piece of wisdom on the worker who made a joke. Not only does this showcase that Alfie can be a bit unhinged and unpredictable to a dangerous degree, but it also shows the power he holds and even the intelligence he has.
18 "They Killed Him. My Son. They Shot Him And They Put Him On A F****** Cross And He's F****** Dead."
Aberama Gold - Season 5, Episode 4: "The Loop"
While Peaky Blinders quotes are so often cool and threatening, there are many sad quotes throughout the show. One of the most harrowing is this from the usually collected Aberama Gold. He was introduced in the show as a vicious character with a reputation for brutality that gave pause to even the most violent of characters. However, he also had a lot of heart to him.
After the Billy Boys brutally crucify and kill Aberama's son, Bonnie Gold, he kidnaps Johnny Dogs and takes him to Tommy's home, emotionally telling the Shelby patriarch what had happened to his son. Watching this scene unfold is chilling. Teared up and fueled by heartbreak and anger, Aberama is both unhinged and unpredictable at this moment, adding a lot of tension and making this quote all the more memorable.
17 "This Place Is Under New Management, By Order Of The Peaky Blinders."
Arthur Shelby - Season 2, Episode 4
When the Peaky Blinders decided they would branch out of Birmingham, it led them to London, right in the middle of the big-time action and in between various feuds such as that between Sabini and Solomons. Staking their claim, the Blinders take over a bar, and it is at this moment one of the show's most iconic lines is born as Arthur announces that the Peaky Blinders have not only arrived in London but are taking over.
Arthur is always the most reckless of the gang, but his value is seen in moments like this as he is filled with fearless ambition. He is not someone who really wants to take over the business aspects of the organization, but he loves to remind people who the Peaky Blinders are and that when they say something, it becomes as good as law.
16 "Everyone's A Wh*re, Grace. We Just Sell Different Parts Of Ourselves."
Tommy Shelby - Season 1, Episode 3
The relationship between Tommy and Grace is one of the few romantic aspects of the series but it is very effective. However, it is also somewhat surprising that she fell for him in the end as he was not the kindest of men to deal with in the beginning. In the early days, before Tommy and Grace fell in love, Tommy wanted to use Grace's charm and beauty to win over Billy Kimber. When Grace learned of Tommy's true intentions of inviting her along to a race, she accused him of prostituting her for his own gain.
This witty Peaky Blinders quote was Tommy's response, and it's a great insight into his overall mindset. In Tommy's mind, everyone sells themselves to get what they want, just in different ways. It is a funny line given the context of their argument, but it is also a great example of the cynical way Tommy views the world.
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15 "It Was F***** Biblical, Mate."
Alfie Solomons - Season 2, Episode 2
Even though Alfie Solomons is this compelling and wealthy criminal figure who is so wholly cruel and violent when he needs or wants to be, it is easy to be entertained by his dialogue, delivered wonderfully by Tom Hardy. What comes before this iconic quip is Alfie describing how he performed his "own personal form of stigmata" on an Italian man who got on his bad side.
Alfie can be a funny character but the danger that lurks beneath that surface makes for an uneasy laugh. He seems to hide a bit of pride and glee as he recounts this gruesome act. he is someone who views violence as simply a part of life that is delivered and received as necessary. Even when the violence is against him, Alfie doesn't seem to take it personally and is somewhat fascinated by it.
14 "Whiskey's Good Proofing Water. Tells You Who's Real And Who Isn't."
Tommy Shelby - Season 1, Episode 3
Among his many vices, Tommy is known for his heavy drinking habits as well as his respect for the benefits of a good whiskey. He drinks to drown his demons on many occasions, however, he is also seen drinking to celebrate a victory, to mourn a defeat, and to toast loved ones. It is clear that he has a particular affection for the drink and sees its power. This allows him to make such insightful observations as this.
He uses this booze-induced trick to discover the truth behind other people's intentions -- particularly his enemies. Alcohol - especially whiskey - tends to loosen the inhibitions and lips of those who you need to see for who they really are. No one knows that better than Tommy. It also shows that, even when enjoying a drink, he is always thinking about how to stay ahead of everyone else.
13 "Men Like Us, Mr. Shelby, Will Always Be Alone. And What Love We Get, We Will Have To Pay For."
Chester Campbell - Season 1, Episode 6
Though known for his heroic roles like in Jurassic Park, Sam Neill delivers a terrific performance as the first main villain on Peaky Blinders. Initially, Inspector Chester Campbell has a vendetta against Thomas just because he's on the other side of the law. However, he then falls in love with undercover police agent Grace who has feelings for Tommy. Campbell wages his own personal war after falling into this love triangle.
In this quote, Campbell stresses that no matter what romantic dreams Tommy weaves, he is bound to lose Grace. After all, Thomas has chosen a dangerous life for himself, which makes it hard to have any real commitments. Despite his misguided views of being the good guy, Campbell does turn out to be right here and seems to predict Grace's death in season 3 of Peaky Blinders.
12 "Good Taste Is For People Who Can't Afford Sapphires."
Tommy Shelby - Season 3, Episode 1
By the beginning of the third season, sees a change in fortune for Tommy Shelby and the Peaky Blinders. It is the time when their success really begins to take shape and Tommy finds himself suddenly living life as a rich man for the first time.
They don't have to want for anything, and Tommy makes sure his wife, Grace, has everything she deserves. That includes massive sapphires, a moment that proves how the two may be soulmates. When he receives them as payment from the Russians, he makes one into a gorgeous necklace for her to wear to their charity event.
She remarks that it likely wouldn't be tasteful to wear to a charity event when he replies with this one-liner. Sadly, it marked the end of their happiness with Grace's death soon following. It is a reminder to Tommy that wealth cannot buy everything he wants.
11 "Men And Their C**** Never Cease To Amaze Me."
Polly Shelby - Season 1, Episode 4
The role of the female characters in the series is quite interesting as women were not given as much power during this era but Tommy continuously surrounds himself with powerful women who are not afraid to speak their minds.
Polly, the brains behind most of the Shelby business and an aunt to the gangster brothers delivers gems of sarcasm and savagery whenever she's on-screen. Aunt Polly says then when the youngest brother John Shelby announces that he wishes to marry a prostitute.
She generalizes how men mostly think from their genitals rather than their minds. This quote also shows Polly's disdain towards men, as she lives in 20th-century England when working women are not looked at in a positive light. Yet, Polly perseveres in doing her own thing and remains one of the Peaky Blinders' strongest members.
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