A New World Order
In the first episode of Gangs of London, we follow Sean Wallace’s (Tom Hiddleston) return to London after a year away. We see how his life has changed since he left and how he’s been coping with the aftermath of the riots.
Sean was saved and brought back from the brink, with a big bandage on his face. He’s struggling to walk, and locked up by unknown assailants. We later find out that this is Singer and his men. Anyway, he’s recruited to work against the Investors but Sean Wallace has a very simple reply: “Fuck off.” ..
The cycle of beatings and time locked up continues, with Sean suffering from some nasty shakes that have carried with him to the present day. Sean waits for Billy to regain consciousness, giving him pills and offering him water. It turns out it was Sean, not Billy, who shot Basem last episode. He also needs to speak to Marian, knowing that she’s in trouble.
In a flashback, we see that Sean’s ordeal got a little sweeter 3 months before our current events, with our titular main character training in his cell, doing pull-ups and preparing for what’s to come. He tells Singer that they need a new world order in order to hit the Investors where it hurts the most. ..
Sean is given the resources he needs, including a gang to operate with. That’s the only way Sean will agree to their terms. Part of this includes working with Lale, a Kurdish freedom fighter who has also been locked up but is incredibly smart and cunning. ..
Elliot is questioned by Koba over exactly who the gunman was last episode. He brings up that it’s Billy Wallace but fails to elaborate, unwilling to give this guard dog any more than the thin bone he’s already thrown him. “You see any more Wallace’s out there, you let me know.” Koba says, and watches as Elliot walks away.
Marian is shocked to hear from Sean, but he quickly retorts that Koba is coming for her and she needs to get out asap. Marian rushes upstairs to save Roze, the babe belonging to Finn’s mistress. Marian survives an entire barrage of bullets – through the power of plot armour I may add – and manages to make it outside. ..
Lennie, their driver, is a distraction to get the helicopter away from the house and allow the trio to escape into the woods and back to the heart of London. Koba believes Marian to be dead. Now, everything that’s been transpired has happened at the hands of Sean Wallace. He’s the one who killed the Somali gang too and he’s doing this to send a message – that Koba’s way is not the right way and he’s the one they should be following.
Lale’s gang is relatively easy to bring onboard, given Koba is forcing them to work for Asif and taking a good chunk of the profit. Sean meets with Lale, off the back of a pretty nasty encounter with Merwan and his brother, and he’s reminded that they’re on the ropes and they need to be careful.
With the rebellion on the horizon, Sean decides they need to escalate things – and quickly. Sean promises them all guns and money to try and sweeten the deal, telling them all that they have his word on this front.
Sean’s car shakes as he realizes he’s about to lose the race. He also takes his eyes off the prize, as Elliot appears behind him with a gun to his head. Outsmarting Wallace, Elliot brings up Joseph Singer and how the pair are actually on the same side now. Elliot is quick to point out they’re not, and even shrugs off Sean’s suggestion of playing on the same side and working to get rid of the Investors. ..
Sean meets with Marian on the roof and admits he was a captive and not really taken by Lale. He wants her arms contacts and Finn’s money. He’s taking over, and after apologizing to Marian and bridging the gap between them, goes on to ask Billy to watch his back, knowing he’s smarter than he gives himself credit for. Unfortunately, Floriana double-crosses both Marian and Sean, deciding to take over the business. Only, Sean suddenly shoots her in the head to stop this coup.
The Episode Review
With Sean Wallace now back, the cool and collected protagonist is ready to take over Finn’s business, and what a coup that’s turning into. Floriana attempts to usurp Sean but it immediately sees a messy end, while Sean and Elliot’s encounter is a definite highlight from this chapter.
The ending hints that there is more drama to come in the future, and the war between Sean Wallace and Asif is likely to explode in a flurry of violence and blood in the future. Who will come out on top? ..
