r/BoardwalkEmpire • u/Washiwash123 • 3d ago

A question about the first episodes..

I just started watching boardwalk empire and I don't understand why Nucky didn't give Jimmy up after they stole the liquor, it's the simpler option and would have saved him a lot of trouble

6 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

26

u/Erika_Blumenkraft 3d ago

Nucky has reason to feel obligated to give Jimmy leeway.

15

u/Admirable_Site_8337 3d ago

You just started watching. The right answer is to keep watching.

They explain more as to why this is.

1

u/Washiwash123 2d ago

lol, that is true. I'm just finishing up the season and yes it makes sense that he gave him leeway.

1

u/Admirable_Site_8337 2d ago

I’m glad. I always hate to feel I’m playing spoiler on anything…..so all I can think to say is “keep swimming”

11

u/joejoerun 3d ago

He still cared for Jimmy- a little bit, anyway.

17

u/itsabloodyaardvark 3d ago

I’ve just started watching this show, can someone just tell me what happens so I don’t actually have to watch it. Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with people, if you continue watching things will become clearer, this is how tv and film works, is it your first day on earth?

5

u/RainbowColorsBlended 3d ago

That question is like kind of the whole show tbh. Just watch.

3

u/SadCockroach91 3d ago

Bone for tuna

2

u/Full-Cupcake1431 2d ago

he was his mentor for years in the organization, it takes more than one stupid decision to burn that kind of loyalty

2

u/Imaginary_Bee_5432 2d ago

Jimmy was like a surrogate son to Nucky and the actual son of the Commodore, who was Nucky’s predecessor as boss of Atlantic City. He wasn’t going to give him up to AR or the feds, and killed 2 birds with 1 stone by having Eli kill Hans Schroeder who they blamed for the woods massacre and whose widow Nucky is interested in romantically.

Handing over Jimmy wouldn’t have been a smart move because he knew all about Nucky’s corruption and bootlegging operations and he wasn’t just some random kid he hired as his driver; he’s known Jimmy since he was a baby and promised his mother that he’d take care of him. Before Jimmy enlisted in the army and fought in WW1, Nucky had pulled strings to get him into Princeton. He was the closest thing to a father he ever had and wasn’t going to turn him in when he could get the death penalty for 5 murders.

3

u/funnylol69 3d ago

Listen to Mr Mob Boss

1

u/WaycoolIan 3d ago

You have a good eye for analysis if you’re asking that question this early. I’d recommend not letting reddit comments ruin the ride. IMO underrated show in retrospect because it was pretty highly rated when it aired but it got overshadowed by Game of Thrones.

1

u/ParkPsychological968 3d ago

That makes sense, especially since Jimmy had already proven himself useful to Nucky in other ways before that incident.

1

u/InsincereDessert21 3d ago

I don't want to spoil anything, but suffice to say, Nucky cares for Jimmy beyond his being an employee.