Warning: Major spoilers for Episode 5 of MobLand
Episode 5 ofMobLandcame to an explosive conclusion, with a massive twist for one character that has huge implications for the Harrigans. Paramount+’s gritty gangster drama features the exploits of two crime families operating in modern-day London, who are suddenly and unexpectedly pushed towards the brink of an all-out gang war by a vicious murder.Starring Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirrenat the head of an ensemble cast,MobLandis rife with crime drama tropes but still has plenty of bite thanks to the powerful performances at its center.
Helen Mirren’s Maeve Harrigan is the matriarch of the Harrigan crime family, and she’s swiftly proven to be the most wily and dangerous character in a world full of them. Her deep-seated thirst for blood and vengeance against all those who crossthe Harrigan familycame to a head inepisode 5 ofMobLand, when she was insulted by Vron Stevenson, her much-younger counterpart in the Harrigan-Stevenson conflict. Her response, which came in the episode’s final moments, sets the stage for the back half ofMobLand’s first season.
She Insulted Her, But More Importantly, She Matters
At Tommy Stevenson’s funeral, Maeve attempted to offer her condolences to Vron on the loss of her son. While it was generally accepted by both the Stevensons and Harrigans that none of the niceties were genuine, for the most part everyone (except for Eddie, of course) agreed to keep things civil and at least appear genuine. The distraught and grieving Vron had no such intentions, and insulted Maeve directly to her face. That naturally sent Maeve into a furor over the disrespect; she made a call, and the next time Vron appeared on-screen, she got in her car, which exploded.
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“The Beast In Me”
Sunday, June 1st
While Maeve ordering the hit on Vron technically occurred off-screen, it’s clear that Maeve was behind the attack, partially as a response to what she viewed as an unforgivable act of disrespect. However, more important than the insult was Vron’s position in the Stevenson crime empire. As the wife of Richie Stevenson, Vron was the perfect target to trigger a real war, which has been Maeve’s goal since the start ofMobLand. Her first attempt was pushing Eddie to kill Tommy Stevenson, and when that failed to kick things off, she moved on to an even more important target.
Who Is Paul? The Person Maeve Has Kill Vron Explained
Harry Da Souza Isn’t The Harrigans' Only Fixer
While Tom Hardy’s Harry Da Souza is Conrad’s typical go-to fixer for any issue that needs “resolving”, Maeve doesn’t seek Harry’s help in planting the bomb in Vron’s car. Maeve has already made it clear that she believes it was Harry who told the police where to find Archie’s body, despite Conrad’s insistence otherwise. Maeve certainly had little to no faith in any of her children, so her enraged call went to Paul.
Prior toMobLand, Emmett J. Scanlan had a role in another major crime drama: he played Billy Grade, the former footballer turned bookmaker in the popular British dramaPeaky Blinders.
Played by Emmett J. Scanlan, Paul has been in the background of many of the scenes in which the Harrigans make and execute their plans. The seemingly intelligent and capable associate appears to be the person who handles things that are beneath Harry’s talents, acts as a backup when Harry is occupied, or handles the things Harry isn’t supposed to know about. For example, Paul is the one who tailed Jan, Harry’s wife, for Conrad. Knowing that Harry had been working diligently to stop a war with the Stevensons, it made sense that Maeve would turn to Paul instead.
There’s Now No Avoiding A Harrigan/Stevenson War In MobLand
Richie Stevenson Has Nothing More To Lose And Everything To Gain
Maeve and Eddie certainly thought that killing Richie’s beloved son Tommy was enough to start a war between the two families, and it seemed as though that would be the case until the middle of the wake. Despite making it clear he knew who killed his son, Richie formally called a truce with the caveat that it was open season on Eddie. Therefore, something further was needed for Maeve to get the war that she wanted. The insult from Vron might have been what got the trigger pulled, but Maeve and Conrad had already planned on hitting Vron next.
However, it seems perfectly possible that the Harrigans may wind up regretting that. While it hasn’t been made clear how large and well-armed the armies of the Harrigans and Stevensons are, they are now essentially dealing with a wounded and cornered animal. Richie has now lost both his son and wife to the Harrigans' malice, and that’s with him already harboring a deep hatred for them. He has nothing left to lose, and only vengeance on his mind, meaning the rest ofMobLandwill see the Harrigans in a bloody and desperate fight.
