Is Linda Missing From Peaky Blinders Season 6? What It Means For Tommy

Peaky Blinders season 6 trailer released on January 1st showing Tommy with many familiar faces, but Linda Shelby is notably absent. Peaky Blinders season 6 has been long-awaited, with many hoping for a Shelby Christmas, but it now appears the show’s highly anticipated final season will likely not release until spring. The Peaky Blinders season 6 trailer does offer fans some ideas on where the BBC show may be headed, however, and Linda Shelby’s absence could have massive implications for Tommy in Peaky Blinders season 6.

Peaky Blinders begins in 1919 when Tommy and his brothers return from war and immerse themselves in running the family gang, the Peaky Blinders, which rules the streets of Birmingham. Tommy’s mind for strategy soon reveals him to be the leader of the Peaky Blinders, despite his brother, Arthur, being the oldest, with Arthur quickly relegated to Tommy’s enforcer. Arthur’s role—though highly useful to Tommy—leads to Arthur’s show-spanning internal conflict as to his place in the family and his worth in society until he meets and marries the ultra-religious Linda. By Peaky Blinders season 5, however, Linda Shelby is unhappy in her marriage to Arthur—so much so that she attempts to murder Arthur and sever her ties with the Peaky Blinders before Aunt Polly shoots her. Linda survives but leaves behind her life with Arthur and the Peaky Blinders.

Considering her final scenes in Peaky Blinders season 5, it comes as no surprise that actress Kate Phillilps’ IMDb page does not reflect her presence in Peaky Blinders season 6. Rumors have circulated however about Linda Shelby’s return and actress Kate Phillips has been photographed on the set of Peaky Blinders season 6. The absence of Linda Shelby in the Peaky Blinders season 6 trailer may mean that no matter if Linda Shelby returns or not, Tommy is going to have a world of trouble on his hands with Arthur in Peaky Blinders season 6.

The Peaky Blinders season 6 trailer shows Arthur (played by Paul Anderson) either heavily inebriated or close to unconsciousness (or both) with his shirt unbuttoned. The setting may be a brothel or some other intimate space, and his name is written in what appears to be blood on his bare chest (alternatively, it could be red lipstick) however, no signs of violence or force are apparent. The shot seems to suggest that, even if Linda Shelby returns in some capacity for Peaky Blinders season 6, Arthur is now alone and numbing his pain through various means. Other scenes revealed in the explosive Peaky Blinders season 6 trailer show Tommy (played by Cillian Murphy) and Arthur embracing lovingly, however, there is also a shot of Arthur slicking back his hair—a tell Anderson created early in the show that has become synonymous with his character’s participation in violence and bloodshed.

Arthur’s mental health and his feelings of inferiority have been a series-spanning arc in Peaky Blinders and contribute to Arthur’s propensity for violence. If Arthur blames Tommy for his failed marriage, it could mean that Tommy has more than one enemy in the family. Alternatively, if Arthur remains loyal to the Peaky Blinders and to Tommy, he is likely to show no restraint anymore, having lost his sense of purpose in the world. Either way, Linda Shelby’s absence from the trailer hints that, while Linda has been a long-standing problem for Tommy, the absence of Linda could mean far more trouble for Tommy in Peaky Blinders season 6 and the upcoming movie.