Boardwalk Empire Finale?

October 27, 2014 6:07 AM

I have a question about one scene in the series finale of Boardwalk Empire. Question and spoilers inside.

Last night as Nucky was walking to visit Eli, he met a "genie on the boardwalk." When the scene began, I thought it was a dream but that was not the case. I don't understand the significance of the scene or why it was there. Anyone have a good explanation?

posted by Silvertree to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

Best answer: I've heard it posited on the interwebs that it was meant to signify The Future (e.g. television, progress, etc.) as well as the fact that Nucky would NOT be a part of The Future (as he was a fallen member of the old guard). I think the surreal, Lynch-ian vibe gave it more significance than it really warranted.
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:50 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: From a Terrence Winter interview: "We were looking for something to illustrate how much the world around Nucky was changing, that he was truly a man of the past, and that the young guys like Luciano were the future. This being the age of Art Deco and Flash Gordon, there was no technology more cutting edge than television, the perfect device to connect Nucky to a future that he of course would not be part of."
posted by dzot at 7:02 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The symbolism seems nice, but for me personally, I think it was to add suspense because I believed he was going to get shot on the boardwalk.. which he did. Just not at that specific scene, it was later on and I have to say, beautifully done. The finale just made me want to watch the series from the beginning all over again. Great show.
posted by lunastellasol at 7:04 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you for your assistance. I'm going to miss Boardwalk Empire.
posted by Silvertree at 8:34 AM on October 27, 2014

The surrealness of the scene seemed aimed at showing how much Nucky didn't belong there. I figured they were going to kill him off, but after that scene I was certain. He metaphorically visited a time he would never see; he was a ghost.
posted by spaltavian at 7:19 PM on October 27, 2014