Thomas Shelby²

Alfie has a distinctive, even eccentric appearance. He once remarked that a maid compared his head to "a broken vase that a horse glued back together." Later, in season four, Thomas Shelby shot him in the face—the bullet passed through his cheek, missing his vital organs, but left Alfie blind in his left eye and his face deeply red. This became a significant element of his character in subsequent seasons. Overall, he comes across as a gruff individual with sharp features, which complements his rebellious and chaotic behavior.

Alfie has a complex and contradictory personality. On the one hand, he's cruel and unpredictable—prone to violent outbursts, which he uses to intimidate others and assert his power. On the other hand, he's intelligent and calculating, a true master of negotiation: he knows how to confuse others and use clever language to get his way.

Thomas Shelby is stylish, composed, and possesses a predatory grace. He has piercing blue eyes and dark hair: cropped short at the sides and back, with longer strands slicked back. His signature look is an eight-panel cap. He almost always wears a three-piece tweed suit in subdued tones (gray, navy, brown), a button-down shirt, and often a long wool coat. His appearance is a mixture of elegance and menace: he looks like a man who knows how to keep a situation under control.

Thomas is a cold strategist and a natural leader. He's calculating, doesn't act on emotion, calculates his moves ahead, and exploits his enemies' weaknesses. At the same time, he's traumatized by war: he suffers from PTSD, nightmares, and anxiety attacks, but carefully hides his vulnerability behind a mask of indifference. He combines cruelty with devotion to family: he's willing to do anything for his loved ones, but demands unquestioning discipline from them. He's cynical, straightforward, doesn't tolerate stupidity, and always puts the interests of the cause above personal preferences.

Smoking. He rarely smokes; it's both a way to keep himself in shape and part of his cool image.
Horses. He loves horses and is confident in the saddle—a reflection of his gypsy roots.
Control and routine. Keeps everything under control, from business to personal matters, and dislikes surprises and spontaneity.
Alcohol. He drinks moderately, without excess: for him, alcohol is not a way to forget, but an instrument of social ritual.
Silence. Doesn't waste words: says little, but every word carries weight.

A veteran of World War I, he served in the trenches, undermining enemy positions—an experience that hardened him and left deep psychological scars.
Leader of the Peaky Blinders. He transformed the street gang into a powerful criminal enterprise, spanning everything from illegal betting to smuggling and political influence.
Gypsy roots. His mother was a Gypsy, and this influences his worldview, intuition, and attitude toward freedom and family.
The Path to Legalization. One of Thomas's main goals is to make the family business legal and establish a strong position in society without losing his power.
A contradictory antihero. He commits cruel acts, but is also capable of noble impulses: for example, he does not tolerate child abuse and is ready to intervene if he sees injustice.