Anya Taylor-Joy's Peaky Blinders character proves that she was the real mastermind behind Michael's betrayal in the BBC show

Peaky Blinders Season 5 featured the historic Wall Street Crash of 1929 and its harrowing aftermath on the world and the Shelby business.

This was the crucial moment when Anya Taylor-Joy's Peaky Blinders character, Gina, enters the story, literally embodying a storm for Tommy and his family.

While Michael Gray got the shorter end of the stick and was killed by Tommy Shelby in the Season 6 finale, it was Gina who was the real mastermind behind his betrayal.

She not only manipulated her husband to take over the Shelby business from Tommy but also provoked him to kill Arthur and Tommy's sons (Duke and Charlie Shelby). While Michael had only announced revenge on Tommy (for Aunt Polly's death), Gina took this as an opportunity and tried manipulating him to kill all the Shelbys instead.

Looking back, it was not Michael, but Anya Taylor-Joy's Peaky Blinders character, who was the real 'Devil' and wanted to destroy the Shelbys.

More on this in our story.

How Anya Taylor-Joy's Peaky Blinders character was the real mastermind in Season 5

While the exact details of Michael and Gina's meeting are not shown, it was suggested that the couple met when Gray was in Detroit for official Shelby business, likely through Gina's powerful uncle, Jack Nelson.

However, following the Wall Street Crash, Michael returns to Small Heath to his Shelby family, along with Gina, who was then married and pregnant with Michael's first child.

This was the entry point for Anya Taylor-Joy's Gina in Peaky Blinders, where she is introduced to her future Shelby family, and her disgust with them is apparent.

While Gina is a rich and privileged Boston girl, she is infatuated with the Shelby Company Limited and Tommy Shelby's empire and was eyeing it for her husband's takeover the moment she entered Small Heath.

Gina's motives are quite clear from early on, when she decides to tag along with Michael and gets a free pass to Shelby family meetings as his wife. After Michael proposes the restructuring of the Shelby Company Limited and expresses his desire to take over the family business, Tommy and Aunt Polly can see Gina's influence and manipulation over her husband.

After Tommy scoffs at Michael's proposal, Anya Taylor-Joy's Peaky Blinders character shows her true colours and asks her husband to reveal that the Americans do not wish to do business with the Shelbys anymore.

It was clear that Gina was ready to go to any lengths to eliminate Tommy Shelby and make her husband the head of the Shelby business.

Tommy outsmarted Gina in Peaky Blinders Season 6

While Anya Taylor-Joy's Peaky Blinders character was strong and equally manipulative, she was no match for the Birmingham gang leader.

While her husband was in jail, Gina managed the intricacies of Michael's business and even provoked him to murder Tommy and Arthur, in revenge for Aunt Polly's death. With Michael in jail, it was Gina who was a major threat to Tommy in Season 6.

However, after Tommy found out that Gina Gray was having an affair with Oswald Mosley, he used this information as leverage, threatening to disclose her secret to both her husband and uncle. While Michael would leave Gina after her betrayal, Uncle Jack's catholic beliefs would abhor her niece for cheating on her husband.

Tommy Shelby managed to get the upper hand over Gina, but she was far too cunning to let this stop her from becoming the Shelby business owner. She kept meeting with her husband in prison and continued provoking him to murder Tommy.

While Michael eventually gave in and orchestrated Tommy's murder, it was Anya Taylor-Joy's Peaky Blinders character who was responsible for her husband's death, as he is outsmarted and killed by Tommy in the Season 6 finale.

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