Peaky Blinders spoilers follow.
In the latest episode of Peaky Blinders, Ada (Sophie Rundle) suits up, strolls into the Shelby company offices and claims them as her own.
The moment itself seems like a triumphant moment for a character who has been sidelined throughout the show's run, finally putting her in the centre of the family like she's long deserved to be.
Even from the first episode of the long-running series, Ada – both in the family order and within the drama – has been overshadowed by her more bolshy, power-hungry and ruthless brothers. Tommy (Cillian Murphy) has always been seen as the unmatched leader of the clan, with older brother Arthur (Paul Anderson) his violent second-hand man, and John (Joe Cole) his younger, more emotional brother.
Over time, youngest brother Finn (Harry Kirton) was brought into the fold, though you'd be forgiven for not remembering him if series six is anything to go by, as at the halfway point he's barely been seen.
While there have been wives and lovers that come and go, there has only ever been one true, reigning woman in the family business – Aunt Polly, played by the late, great, Helen McCrory. The glue that held everything together. But now she's gone, and there are shoes that are practically impossible to fill.
What to Read Next
Not that anyone would particularly want to take over her station within the family ranks. Polly's familial duties were the envy of no one, often coming at great sacrifice and personal burden as she ran around keeping the boys' noses clean.
Just when it looked like she as finally getting a happy ending, it was taken away from her thanks to the IRA's decision to "remove the crutch from the Shelby organisation" and kill her off (made all the more poignant by the real-life death of the beloved actress).
For the casual viewer of the show, Ada felt like an afterthought much of the time. Arguably the rebel of the group, she stood out on her own and away from the group, falling in love and marrying communist Freddie Thorne and having their son, Karl, before his untimely death.
By this point, as Ada Thorne, she's removed from the family so entirely that she hasn't even got the family name, and remains their refuge in London, while the rest of the group continue with their business in Birmingham.
At some point in season three, Ada's given an official title within the legal side of the business, not that we actually see her doing much in it. It's not actually known what her role involves, only that she has one.
While Ada's isolation is self-imposed, it looks like writer Steven Knight wasn't entirely sure what to do with her. At one point during season five, she embarks on a cordial but ultimately loveless relationship with Ben Younger (Kingsley Ben-Adir), only for him to be bumped off (well… blown up) shortly after as well. At the time she was pregnant with his child.
Their relationship had some racial implications at the time. As the pair got closer during series five, young Karl, despite being a child, proudly declared to Younger's face that he "didn't want a Black dad". You'd have to imagine these kinds of comments were part of the reason Ada kept their relationship quiet if there was enough influence around her for her son to pick up on this rhetoric.
Basically, until series six, she's been relegated, hidden and practically ignored. She coloured the boys' story but Peaky Blinders was, with the exception of Polly, a man's game.
But this new series is a whole new ballgame.
Within the first three episodes, Ada has been seen stepping up in several ways. While she remarks to the teenage Karl at the beginning of episode one that she "doesn't work for Tommy anymore", by episode three it's clear she's the only one that can fill his shoes.
As Tommy's descent into darkness continues and Arthur's opium addiction takes over, everything about the once-bleak but comedic character (seriously, don't get us started on what’s been going on with Arthur as a character), Ada has finally taken a position within the family household, as well as the show, that she deserves.
Ada's role has been small but nevertheless fully fleshed out and realised. She provided some voice of reason (not that they paid attention to it before), and now she's beginning to take over the whole dang business. It's a character progression that is long overdue, but better late than never.
No one can replace Polly, and it's obvious that everyone, actress Sophie Rundle included, knows this. But allowing Ada to finally flourish after five long seasons (and in the timeline of the show, literal decades), Steven Knight has finally pulled on that thread to see what spirals out. What we have now is a brand-new, alternative and brilliant female character who doesn't need to rely on a man's plot in order to have one of her own.
Within the space of one episode, she is commanding the same level of respect as Tommy, calling the shots around the office like she was born to be there. She wears suits that, while similar in style to Polly's, are something all her own, and gives knowing comments to Isaiah over his behaviour regarding bets in races he knows they've fixed.
With the sad development of his daughter Ruby's death, it's understandable and even necessary that Tommy's focus be elsewhere, with his young family, and on the revenge he no doubt wants to plot. Arthur has been turned to a mushy mess as he fights to get clean. He is not the powerhouse he once was at all.
The fate of the Shelby family name now seems to rest squarely in her hands, and we are excited to see how it plays out.
Peaky Blinders series 6 airs on Sundays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Rambert/Birmingham Hippodrome/The Lowry/Caryn Mandabach Productions Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby tickets (London dates)
![Peaky Blinders - The Complete Collection [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1646776465-5138UhgSRLL._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Peaky Blinders - The Complete Collection [DVD]")
Michael O'Mara By Order of the Peaky Blinders: The Official Companion to the Hit TV Series
TruffleShuffle Peaky Blinders 'Garrison Tavern' drinks tumblers
Just Games Peaky Blinders: Under New Management board game
BBC Peaky Blinders: Series 1
BBC Peaky Blinders: Series 2
BBC Peaky Blinders: Series 3
BBC Peaky Blinders: Series 4
!['Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave [Theme from Peaky Blinders]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1565596038-51jx2BBIu2ML.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave [Theme from Peaky Blinders]")
Mute Records 'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave [Theme from Peaky Blinders]
Freelance writer, Digital Spy
Tilly is Gold-Standard NCTJ accredited journalist with eight years of experience in entertainment journalism.
She has been heard giving her insight on the latest TV stories on BBC Radio across the country and on BBC News.
Previously working with The Sun Online, Yahoo, Metro.co.uk and Independent IE amongst others, she joined the Digital Spy team from 2021-2023 as Deputy TV Editor (Maternity cover).
With a speciality in TV drama and true crime, Tilly has been praised for her exclusive content with A-list stars ranging from Sir David Attenborough to the lawyers behind Making A Murderer.
She’s happy to report her mum now takes her seriously as a journalist as she got to interview George Clooney once.
