The main character is Thomas/Tommy Shelby, who is portrayed by Cillian Murphy, an Irish actor. Thomas has become a leader of the gang Peaky Blinders and, though Tommy shows a strong respectful attitude, he does happen to suffer from excess PTSD due to the aftershock of the war. Tommy struggles with his emotions, like anger and cheerfulness, which are rarely shown in his character's responses to situations. He also has trouble sleeping, since his mind always takes him back to the trenches that he was attacked in during the war. 

The second character is Polly Gray/Aunt Polly. She is portrayed by actress Helen McCrory, who passed away on Apr.16, 2021 due to breast cancer. She did not serve in the war, but she did take care of the Shelby children when their parents died. Polly is a very important character because she helps Tommy with running the gang and keeping his siblings in line and safe. Although Gray was a big help, she sadly died in the show. It was said on Distractify that “Gray died from the IRA (Irish Republican Army) in the attempted assassination of Oswald Moseley, a side character in this British crime series”.