Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) faced off against some great villains inPeaky Blinders, but the show’s best antagonist was also the very first one. ThroughoutPeaky Blinders' six seasons, the quality of villains that Tommy and the rest of theShelby family treehad to deal with varied in quality. From Italian-American mobsters looking for revenge to a prominent historical figure and leader of the fascist party in Britain, the Shelbys faced off against some colorful characters. Even as Tommy’s power grew and the threats against him got bigger to match, however,Peaky Blindersnever beat its first main antagonist.
There were some definite high points in the later seasons ofPeaky Blinders. Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy), for example, is still one of the best characters inPeaky Blinders, but he wasn’t always antagonistic. Likewise, Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody) helped solidifyPeaky Blindersseason 4 as the best of the show, but he had help from other characters like Jessie Eden (Charlie Murphy). The best villainPeaky Blindersever had, both for the character himself and for the effect he had on the show as a whole, was Sam Neill’s Inspector Campbell in the first two seasons.
Sam Neill’s Inspector Campbell Was Peaky Blinders' First & Best Main Villain
Inspector Campbell Wrapped Tommy & The Peaky Blinders Around His Finger Like No One Else Could
Inspector Campbell was the best villain the Peaky Blinders ever had to fight for a number of reasons. For one, he was such a compelling character that he’s one of just a few villains to ever survive multiple seasons - Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) will likely be part of thecast of thePeaky Blindersmovie- and the only one to be the primary antagonist of two seasons.Campbell also influenced every part of the Peaky Blinders' operation by targeting Freddie Thorne (Iddo Goldberg), forcing Tommy to work for Winston Churchill, and having his abusive relationship with Polly (Helen McCrory).
On top of it all, Campbell was just delightfully diabolical, and Sam Neill did a tremendous job of playing him.
What really makes Campbell such a great villain, however, is that he works as the perfect foil to Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby.EveryPeaky Blindersvillain has mirrored Tommy in some way. For example, Luca Changretta highlighted Tommy’s loyalty to his family, while Father Hughes (Paddy Considine) outplayed his game of politics. Campbell, however, attacked Tommy on every front. He highlighted Tommy’s post-traumatic stress disorder from his time in WWI, he attacked his family, and he brought Grace,Tommy’s most important love interest inPeaky Blinders, into his life. On top of it all, Campbell was just delightfully diabolical, and Sam Neill did a tremendous job of playing him.
Inspector Campbell’s Death Worked. Even If It Robbed Peaky Blinders Of Its Best Villain
While Peaky Blinders Lost Campbell, His Death Gave Polly One Of Her Best Scenes
As if to cap off Inspector Campbell’s legendary status withinPeaky Blinders, even his death scene works wonderfully.At the end ofPeaky Blindersseason 2, Polly shot Campbell in the heart in the middle of Derby Day, and while the moment took Campbell out of the show, it was still amazing. Campbell’s death was the culmination of all the horrible things he did to Polly, and it remains as one of the legendary Helen McCrory’s best scenes inPeaky Blindersto this day. It was probably the perfect way to send offPeaky Blinders' best villain, which only made Campbell even better.
Peaky Blinders' Final Villain May Not Have Always Been The Plan, But It Was Perfectly Set Up In Season 4
Michael Gray wasn’t always going to be the final antagonist of Peaky Blinders, but the story was naturally flowing in that direction since season 4.
Perhaps the best part of Campbell’s death, and a contradictory reason why he’s the best villain inPeaky Blinders, is that it made room for new villains in the future.Campbell had exactly the right kind and amount of power to be the perfect antagonist for Tommy and the Shelbys inPeaky Blindersseason 2, but the show also knew exactly when to take him out so that he didn’t overstay his welcome. Campbell’s reputation was never sullied by having him reappear in later seasons. Likewise, he set the stage for multiple other villains: by connecting Tommy with Winston Churchill, Campbell preparedPeaky Blindersfor Oswald Mosley.
