Boardwalk Empire/Characters: Difference between revisions

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* {{spoiler|[[Hazy Feel Turn]]}}

* [[Hookers and Blow]]: Pushed [[Up to Eleven]] in "Under God's Power She Flourishes". {{spoiler|When the hooker part is played by ''[[Parental Incest|your mother]]'', you really have gone off the deep end.}}

* [[Hot Blooded]]: A bit of a hothead since the beginning, but gets more and more so as the series goes on.

* [[Hot-Blooded]]: A bit of a hothead since the beginning, but gets more and more so as the series goes on.

* [[Hot Dad]]

* [[Hypocrite]]: Probably because of [[Deliberate Values Dissonance|the attitudes of the time]], he has no problem cheating on Angela while he is away and even considers abandoning his family altogether and moving to California {{spoiler|before his lover dies}}, but he reacts violently when he merely suspects that Angela was having a relationship with a photographer while he was in the army. He is, however, surprisingly cool when he learns that she was actually seeing {{spoiler|[[Bi the Way|the photographer's wife]].}}

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* [[Mugging the Monster]]: He is the "victim" of one in "Ourselves Alone", and it ends exactly like you'd expect.

* [[My God, What Have I Done?]]: In "Under God's Power She Flourishes".

* [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]]: Pretty much any time a fight devolves into physical violence. Once he lays out the first punch, he just can't stop himself.

* [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]: Pretty much any time a fight devolves into physical violence. Once he lays out the first punch, he just can't stop himself.

* [[Oedipus Complex]]: He and Gillian are ''very'' close, and he only wants to take out his adopted father, Nucky, because Gillian insists he do so.

** Played up during "Under God's Power She Flourishes" when we flashback to Jimmy's time at Princeton to see that {{spoiler|he and Gillian once had a drunken night of sex}} which drove Jimmy to join the army. The present day storyline of the same episode has {{spoiler|Jimmy stabbing his biological father, The Commodore, and finishing him off at his mother's request.}}

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* [[Returning War Vet]]

* {{spoiler|[[Sacrificial Lion]]}}

* {{spoiler|[[Self Made Orphan]]: Halfway. He kills the Commodore when he tries to stop Jimmy from killing Gillian.}}

* {{spoiler|[[Self-Made Orphan]]: Halfway. He kills the Commodore when he tries to stop Jimmy from killing Gillian.}}

* [[Shell-Shocked Veteran]]

* [[Slashed Throat]]: Does wonders with a combat knife.

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* [[Kick the Dog]]: Most prominent in Season 2, where almost, if not every time he does something nice is immediately followed by him doing something terrible.

* [[Malaproper]]

* [[Officer O Hara]]: Doesn't have the stereotypical accent, but he is Irish-American.

* [[Officer O'Hara]]: Doesn't have the stereotypical accent, but he is Irish-American.

* [[Politically-Incorrect Villain]]: Unlike Nucky, he is pretty racist and frequently uses ethnic slurs, and by his commentary in one scene where he advises Nucky on how to deal with Margaret, it's implied that he beats his wife.

* [[Stating the Simple Solution]]: Tells Jimmy to [[Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?|simply shoot]] {{spoiler|[[Cain and Abel|Nucky]],}} to [[Even Evil Has Standards|Jimmy and Harrow's horror]].

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* [[Thicker Than Water]]: Nucky certainly proves so in "To the Lost".

* [["Well Done, Son" Guy]]: Eli realizes that his father, while seeming to favor him, doesn't have any respect for his intelligence. His relationship with Nucky also sours because of Nucky's lack of respect for him.

* [[You Have Failed Me]]: He has {{spoiler|Halloran}} beaten up to dissuade him from testifying against him. [[Mistreatment Induced Betrayal|It fails, at first]], because {{spoiler|Halloran}} does testify against him, but {{spoiler|Halloran}} will be spending much more time in jail than Eli, with his connections to Nucky, will.

* [[You Have Failed Me]]: He has {{spoiler|Halloran}} beaten up to dissuade him from testifying against him. [[Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal|It fails, at first]], because {{spoiler|Halloran}} does testify against him, but {{spoiler|Halloran}} will be spending much more time in jail than Eli, with his connections to Nucky, will.

* [[You Never Did That for Me]]: In season 1 he feels that Nucky gives Jimmy more slack than he ever got, and it is one more thing added onto a long list of things he resents Nucky for.

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* [[The Stoic]]

* [[Throw It In]]: Jack Huston came up with Harrow's guttural voice himself, using [[Marlon Brando]]'s cotton-in-the-mouth trick from ''[[The Godfather (Film)|The Godfather]]''.

* [[Two Faced]]: Literally, and metaphorically.

* [[Two-Faced]]: Literally, and metaphorically.

* [[Undying Loyalty]]: To Jimmy.

* [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds]]

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* [[Gratuitous German]]

* [[Hypercompetent Sidekick]]: He takes care OF EVERYTHING, but Nucky doesn't compliment him at all. [[Jerkass|More like the opposite]].

* [[Yes Man|Ja Man]]

* [[Yes-Man|Ja Man]]

* [[Kavorka Man]]: No less surprisingly.

* [[Servile Snarker]]: A hilarious blink-and-you'll-miss-it comment in "Two Boats and a Lifeguard", to a soldier making anti-German comments:

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[[File:Lucy-Danziger_5027.jpg|frame|"What's your name, handsome?"]]

A former [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Ziegfeld_Follies~~ Ziegfeld Follies] [[All There in the Manual|dancer]], she is Nucky's lover at the beginning of the series but is destituted in favor of Margaret in the course of season one. {{spoiler|She later has a one night stand with Van Alden, and ultimately informs him that she is pregnant and he is the father ([[Really Gets Around|which may or may not be true]])}}. Played by Paz de la Huerta.

A former [[wikipedia:Ziegfeld Follies|Ziegfeld Follies]] [[All There in the Manual|dancer]], she is Nucky's lover at the beginning of the series but is destituted in favor of Margaret in the course of season one. {{spoiler|She later has a one night stand with Van Alden, and ultimately informs him that she is pregnant and he is the father ([[Really Gets Around|which may or may not be true]])}}. Played by Paz de la Huerta.

* [[Black Bra and Panties|Black]] [[Lingerie Scene]]: She's either particularly attached to her last purchase with Nucky's money, or it is the only thing she still can fit in while in her third trimester.

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* [[Chronic Backstabbing Disorder]]: To be fair, the people he betrays have all done him wrong and/or threatened his life. He is simply a tad quicker slipping the knife in their back.

* [[Dirty Coward]]

* [[Fake Irish]]: In story, a trait he takes from his inspiration, [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Mickey_Duffy~~ Mickey Duffy].

* [[Fake Irish]]: In story, a trait he takes from his inspiration, [[wikipedia:Mickey Duffy|Mickey Duffy]].

* [[Harmless Villain]]: Only directly.

* [[The Hyena]]: In every scene he appears in, he's always laughing in an annoying way.

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A former bodyguard for a [[The Irish Question|Sinn Féin]] politician named John McGarrigle who decides to stay in America and work for Nucky rather than go back to Ireland. He used to work as an enforcer for the IRA. Played by Charlie Cox.

* [[Affably Evil]]: He's a cheeky, likable guy whose back story (as discussed in [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/the-new-kid-in-town-charlie-cox-on-boardwalk-empire/ this interview]) is that he was a member of some fairly ruthless IRA partisans and is in America because he's wanted in Ireland for his involvement in the [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_%281920%29~~ 1920 Bloody Sunday].

* [[Affably Evil]]: He's a cheeky, likable guy whose back story (as discussed in [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/the-new-kid-in-town-charlie-cox-on-boardwalk-empire/ this interview]) is that he was a member of some fairly ruthless IRA partisans and is in America because he's wanted in Ireland for his involvement in the [[wikipedia:Bloody Sunday chr(28)1920chr(29)|1920 Bloody Sunday]].

* [[Badass]]

* [[The Casanova]]: He admits that he has a history of entering houses [[Romeo and Juliet|through the balcony]] and loses interest in Katy altogether after he gets in her bed.

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* [[Faux Affably Evil]]

* [[Holier Than Thou]]: "What? We all have to live by (some) rules..."

* [[Hot Blooded]]

* [[Hot-Blooded]]

* [[Kick the Son of A Bitch]]: Brutally subverted when {{spoiler|after an attempt on his life okayed by Jimmy he shows up at Jimmy's house to murder him and instead finds Angela and her lesbian lover... and kills the both of them; the lover right after coming out of the bathroom - thinking it was Jimmy - and in Angela's case after she pleaded that [[I Have a Family]]}} which places this firmly into [[Kick the Dog]] territory, if not outright [[Complete Monster]].

* [[Murder Is the Best Solution]]: Played seriously. Jimmy tries to restrain him at one point, telling him that "You can't kill everyone."

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* [[We Have Ways of Making You Talk]]

* [[Yiddish As a Second Language]]: You better believe it, boychik.

* [[You Kill It You Bought It]]: While he dislikes killing for sport he is even more offended when someone claims the kill of another man. He believes that the only way for Jimmy to really take over Atlantic City is for Jimmy to personally kill Nucky. He sems impressed by the fact that {{spoiler|Nucky personally killed Jimmy rather than having Owen or Eli do it.}}

* [[You Kill It, You Bought It]]: While he dislikes killing for sport he is even more offended when someone claims the kill of another man. He believes that the only way for Jimmy to really take over Atlantic City is for Jimmy to personally kill Nucky. He sems impressed by the fact that {{spoiler|Nucky personally killed Jimmy rather than having Owen or Eli do it.}}

== Minor Fictional Characters ==

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* [[Big Bad]]: Leo, the eldest brother. Played by Max Casella.

* [[Boom Headshot]]: {{spoiler|Lucien, Sixtus and Pius die this way.}}

* [[Boom! Headshot!]]: {{spoiler|Lucien, Sixtus and Pius die this way.}}

* [[The Brute]]: Teo, the third brother, [[Mundane Utility|who also cuts their hair]]. Played by Al Linea.

* [[Deceased Fall Guy Gambit]]: {{spoiler|After killing them in the first season finale, Nucky pins the Woods Massacre and by extension Hans Schroeder's death on them.}}

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* [[False Friend]]: She ceases all contact with Lucy after she's thrown out and only hangs out with Margaret because she's with Nucky now, showing she holds friends in the same esteem as boyfriends.

* [[Five Finger Discount]]: She has amassed almost $4000 by stealing whatever is in Harry's pocket when he is sleeping. Unfortunately for her, he discovers her stash and invests it in the [[Trope Maker|original]] [[Ponzi]] scheme.

* [[Five-Finger Discount]]: She has amassed almost $4000 by stealing whatever is in Harry's pocket when he is sleeping. Unfortunately for her, he discovers her stash and invests it in the [[Trope Maker|original]] [[Ponzi]] scheme.

* [[Gold Digger]]: It doesn't take her long to find a new sugar daddy after breaking up with the previous one.

* [[The Mistress]]: For Harry, Nucky's overweight friend. {{spoiler|Formerly for Nucky.}}

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* [[Deadpan Snarker]]

* [[Emotionless Girl]]

* [[Expy]]: Based on the real Assistant Attorney General during the Prohibition era, [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Mabel_Walker_Willebrandt~~ Mabel Walker Willebrandt.]

* [[Expy]]: Based on the real Assistant Attorney General during the Prohibition era, [[wikipedia:Mabel Walker Willebrandt|Mabel Walker Willebrandt.]]

* [[Hello Attorney]]

* [[Hello, Attorney!]]

* [[Hero Antagonist|Heroine Antagonist]]

* [[Jurisdiction Friction]]: Has a brief case of it when she moves in and takes over a part of Nelson's office, including his desk.

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* [[Fat Idiot]]

* [[Last-Name Basis]]

* [[Mistreatment Induced Betrayal]]: {{spoiler|He refuses to give Esther Randolph any information that would incriminate Eli. However, Eli knows he met with her and is afraid that Halloran is being a [[The Stool Pigeon|Stool Pigeon]], so Eli orders a brutal [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]] to be inflicted on Halloran. Within ''seconds'' of realizing that Eli was behind it Halloran starts giving Randolph all the information she needs.}}

* [[Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal]]: {{spoiler|He refuses to give Esther Randolph any information that would incriminate Eli. However, Eli knows he met with her and is afraid that Halloran is being a [[The Stool Pigeon|Stool Pigeon]], so Eli orders a brutal [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]] to be inflicted on Halloran. Within ''seconds'' of realizing that Eli was behind it Halloran starts giving Randolph all the information she needs.}}

* [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]]: On the receiving end of one in "Georgia Peaches".

* [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]: On the receiving end of one in "Georgia Peaches".

* [[Number Two]]: To Eli.

* [[Politically-Incorrect Villain]]: He is racist and possibly misogynist.

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A large and intimidating Baltimore criminal that Chalky meets in jail. After being on the receiving end of a [[No Holds Barred Beatdown|beatdown]] from Chalky and his men, he becomes Chalky's [[Number Two]]. Played by Eric LaRay Harvey.

A large and intimidating Baltimore criminal that Chalky meets in jail. After being on the receiving end of a [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown|beatdown]] from Chalky and his men, he becomes Chalky's [[Number Two]]. Played by Eric LaRay Harvey.

* [[Angry Black Man]]: The 1920's version thereof.

* [[Ascended Extra]]: Was supposed to only be in "Ourselves Alone", but the creative team loved his performance so much they brought him back as Chalky's new [[Number Two]].

* [[Bullying a Dragon]]: To Chalky in "Ourselves Alone". He learns his lesson.

* [[Defeat Means Friendship]]: After Chalky gives him a [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]] (without even lifting a finger), he becomes ''deferential'' to him.

* [[Defeat Means Friendship]]: After Chalky gives him a [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]] (without even lifting a finger), he becomes ''deferential'' to him.

* [[The Dragon]]: To Chalky.

* [[The Gadfly]]: While part of it is his political convictions, he also just seems to enjoy aggravating people.

* [[Gold Tooth]]: As a gesture of good-will, Chalky paid for a nice set of gold teeth to replace the ones kicked out during the aforementioned [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]].

* [[Gold Tooth]]: As a gesture of good-will, Chalky paid for a nice set of gold teeth to replace the ones kicked out during the aforementioned [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]].

* [[Jive Turkey]]

* [[Large Ham]]: "HOLD DA LIIIIINE!" Among many, many others.

* [[The Mole]]: Planted in the kitchen of the Ritz to kickstart a strike among its black workers.

* [[Never Learned to Read]]: The first time they meet, he wants Chalky to admit that he can't either.

* [[No Holds Barred Beatdown]]: On the receiving end of one in "Ourselves Alone".

* [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown]]: On the receiving end of one in "Ourselves Alone".

* [[One-Scene Wonder]]: His appearance in "Ourselves Alone" was very much talked about.

* [[Scary Black Man]]

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* [[Friendly Enemy]]: With Luciano. He can't seem to resist winding "Sal" up.

* [[Gratuitous Italian]]: Speaks it fluently, being from an old-country family.

* [[Hey It's That Guy]]: Before appearing on Boardwalk Empire, Stephen Graham was famous for playing the violent, but sympathetic, skinhead Combo in [[This Is England]].

* [[Hey, It's That Guy!]]: Before appearing on Boardwalk Empire, Stephen Graham was famous for playing the violent, but sympathetic, skinhead Combo in [[This Is England]].

** He's also Shan, the [[Number Two]] to Leonardo DiCaprio in ''[[Gangs of New York]]''.

** And Baby Face Nelson in ''[[Public Enemies]]''. Yep, he has a history of Mafia-related roles.

* [[Hot Blooded]]

* [[Hot-Blooded]]

* [[The Hyena]]

* [[Kick the Dog]]: He speaks very ill of {{spoiler|Angela}} after {{spoiler|she}} dies and casually abandons Jimmy in the season 2 finale. Even Mickey Doyle, {{spoiler|who was pretty much responsible for Ange's death}}, is a bit disturbed by it.

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* [[Gratuitous Italian]]

* [[Idiot Ball]]: You should have invested in the alcohol business, Jim.

* [[Plot Triggering Death]]: Nearly all of the events and violence of the series occur because Colosimo is killed.

* [[Plot-Triggering Death]]: Nearly all of the events and violence of the series occur because Colosimo is killed.

* [[Pretty in Mink]]: A rare male example.

* [[Running Joke]]: His 'retirement', to the young gangsters.

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* [[Faux Affably Evil]]: He's always polite and well-spoken and particularly witty, but is utterly ruthless.

* [[For the Evulz]]: Once caused a man to choke to death simply for fun.

* [[Hey It's That Guy]]: We've mentioned that Michael Stulbarg is [[A Serious Man|Larry Gopnik]], right? Talk about [[Playing Against Type]].

* [[Hey, It's That Guy!]]: We've mentioned that Michael Stulbarg is [[A Serious Man|Larry Gopnik]], right? Talk about [[Playing Against Type]].

* [[Historical In-Joke]]: There are chips from the Brook casino on his desk in "To the Lost", which was the real Rothstein's most infamous business venture.

* [[Kick the Dog]]: He mentions that he once forced a man to choke to death for his own amusement, adding, "what do you think I'll do to you, if you don't tell me who hired you to kill "Big Jim" Colosimo?"

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* [[Friendly Enemy]]: He and Jimmy team up at the end of "Age of Reason", due to Lansky's [[We Can Rule Together|suggestion]]. He has aspects of this with Capone, too.

* [[Hair-Trigger Temper]]

* [[Hot Blooded]]

* [[Hot-Blooded]]

* [[I Have Many Names]]

* [[Jerkass]]: Unlike his more polite (and intelligent) boss.

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* [[Don't Explain the Joke]]: Yes, he got it, thank you.

* [[Evil Genius]]

* [[Evil Mentor]]: Despite his young age, he already has one disciple, [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Bugsy_Siegel~~ "Benny" Siegel].

* [[Evil Mentor]]: Despite his young age, he already has one disciple, [[wikipedia:Bugsy Siegel|"Benny" Siegel]].

* [[Face Palm]]: His reaction to Lucien D'Alessio taunting Jimmy in "The Emerald City" can only be described as this, even though his hands were tied.

* [[Fake Nationality]]: Anatol Yusef is English of Turkish descent.

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The corrupt mayor of Jersey City. Unlike his homologues in Atlantic City who are just pawns of Nucky, he is in full charge of his town and deals with Nucky himself. Played by Chris Mulkey.

* [[Chronic Backstabbing Disorder]]: He could apparently side, backstab and come back to Nucky multiple times in the same week. [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Frank_Hague~~ History] tells us that he was already doing that years before the timeframe of the show.

* [[Chronic Backstabbing Disorder]]: He could apparently side, backstab and come back to Nucky multiple times in the same week. [[wikipedia:Frank Hague|History]] tells us that he was already doing that years before the timeframe of the show.

* [[Demoted to Extra]]: He only appears in the second season to introduce Jack Dempsey to Nucky.

* [[Only in It For The Money]]: Even when compared to [[Gray and Gray Morality|other characters]].

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* [[Amoral Attorney]]

* [[Double Speak]]: Remus is a master of it.

* [[Double-Speak]]: Remus is a master of it.

* [[Legitimate ~~Businessmens~~ Social Club]]: Remus sells alcohol for medicinal purposes only. Now, if somebody "steals" that alcohol while en route, it's not Remus's concern - after all, that somebody is either Remus himself, or someone that has paid Remus beforehand.

* [[Legitimate Businessmen's Social Club]]: Remus sells alcohol for medicinal purposes only. Now, if somebody "steals" that alcohol while en route, it's not Remus's concern - after all, that somebody is either Remus himself, or someone that has paid Remus beforehand.

* [[Loophole Abuse]]

* [[Rules Lawyer]]: Remus has studied all the Prohibition laws and is a master in exploiting the loopholes.

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* [[Deadpan Snarker]]

* [[From Nobody to Nightmare]]: The kid making chicken noises? He's going to become one of the most feared mafia hitmen in history.

* [[Hot Blooded]]

* [[Hot-Blooded]]

* [[Plucky Comic Relief]]: The kid is witty, from his nonchalant inquiry of what Lansky and Luciano want him to do about Rothstein ("oh, so I should tell him to fuck a duck?") to his mother-henning Lansky when told to go out and pick up some hulvah ("that stuff'll rot your teeth"). His sense of humor is lost on Jimmy, however.

* [[Young Future Famous People]]