North Star Recap: Boardwalk Empire

“The North Star,” Episode 6 of Boardwalk Empire’s 4th season dealt with Agent Knox having to alter his plans in the aftermath of Eddie Kessler’s suicide, while Eli is tasked with finding the key to the safe deposit box Nucky told Eddie to open. Nucky, Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano travel to Tampa to expand bootlegging operations and Chalky White lets his desire for Daughter Maitland take over. Richard Harrow returns to Atlantic City.

Penn Station Reunion
Margaret Thompson makes her first appearance of the season meeting up with Nucky in Penn Station in New York City, while he is on way to Tampa. Why does Margaret intimidate Nucky to the point where he can’t even greet her with a “How are you?” She has to break the awkward silence, saying she is going to sit down. She notices Nucky has a cinnamon roll, recalling that he doesn’t like cinnamon. He offers it to her but she doesn’t have time. Nucky called her to meet him for two reasons — to tell her himself about Eddie Kessler’s suicide and offer the birthday present for Teddy that he picked up in Tampa (from Sally Wheet). He can’t quite get out what happened to Eddie and Margaret does not even want to know. She won’t tell him where she is working, pointing out that she is trying to live a normal life, boarding with her brother, Eamonn, and her sisters. She says the kids are in school and Emily is doing well — perhaps a special mention because of Emily’s polio, or maybe Teddy is still an unhappy little fellow. When Nucky offers Teddy’s belated present, she hopes it’s not “some sort of creature” because they don’t have room for it. Nucky inadvertently brings up the specter of his former bodyguard and Margaret’s lover, Owen Sleater, by responding: “I wouldn’t put something alive in a box.” The look on his estranged wife’s face makes him realize the import of his remark and he starts to say forget about it, but she takes the present and her leave, saying she really is sorry to hear about Eddie.

A New Tampa Partner
Nucky meets with Captain Bill McCoy in Tampa at Sally Wheet’s speakeasy. He doesn’t know that August Tucker is no longer part of deal, having met his demise courtesy of McCoy’s machete. Cal and Earl, friends of Tucker, show up to interrogate McCoy about the disappearance. McCoy tries to play it off to the threatening men, while Nucky asks what the problem is. Sally Wheet pulls out her shotgun and makes them leave. Nucky is angry that McCoy said nothing about Tucker being out of the deal. But McCoy says it doesn’t matter because now he has a better partner, a Mr. Pierce. He explains that he couldn’t go to Pierce first because you have to wait for him to come to you.

They meet “Mr. Pierce” who is really Italian gangster, Vincenzo Petrucelli. Lansky and Luciano appear and Petrucelli recognizes Luciano — he even knows his real name, Salvatore. Petrucelli is Joe Masseria’s cousin and realizes that Luciano has gone behind his boss’s back to get in on the Tampa deal. Scared of repercussions from his just being there, Luciano leans on Lansky to get out of the deal. But Lansky wants in with or without him. A furious Luciano calls Lansky a racial slur and storms off.

Nucky and Sally end the evening swigging down some moonshine called Potcheen, that Nucky says is really battery acid. Nucky wants to cry on her shoulder about losing Eddie, and what kind of person he really is, but Sally hates whiners. She hauls off and socks him right in the kisser. Nucky doesn’t want to hit a woman but when she takes another swing at him, he punches her back and they engage in a slugfest that turns into passionate sex. The next day he informs his partners that Sally will be managing his Tampa interests.

Agent Knox Makes a Boo Boo
Agent Knox pleads with J. Edgar Hoover to allow him another chance to bring Nucky Thompson down despite Eddie Kessler’s suicide. Hoover points out that Kessler may have been murdered and Knox is taking unnecessary risks. Hoover would rather bring down anarchists than crime bosses and doesn’t believe they are organized anyway.

Meantime Eli Thompson and Mickey Doyle search Eddie Kessler’s room for the safe deposit box key. They’re thinking Eddie stole the money Nucky gave him to deposit, but can’t figure out why he would off himself. Mickey speculates that Eddie had a guilty conscience. Finding the key in a bird food canister, Eli tries to get the bank manager to open the safe deposit box but the guy is afraid of a jail sentence if he breaches his fiduciary duty.

Agent Knox pays an unexpected visit to Mickey Doyle’s warehouse.  Initially suspicious, Eli concludes that Knox is looking for payola. Knox fishes unsuccessfully for info on how Kessler died when Eli gets an idea to send Knox over to get the safe deposit box opened. Knox tells the bank manager that he will be obstructing justice if he doesn’t cooperate in opening the box since Kessler was a Prussian nationalist with ties to local anarchists. “Whose side are you on,” he demands.

Knox is escorted to Eddie’s room at the Albatross, where he gives Eli the contents of the box. All the money is there. Eli lets on that Eddie killed himself. He asks Knox if he knows any German, and although fluent, Knox pretends he had only had a year in high school. He translates the letter Eddie began writing: “My dearest son, this afternoon I got the happy message that I am a grandfather. I cannot express the joy…” (Note: that’s what it really said, not a ploy on Knox’s part).

Eli has been having a bad time privately, knowing something happened with Will at school but not knowing everything. After confiding to Knox how having 8 kids makes one worry, he starts crying. Knox hands him his pocket hanky. A strange expression comes across Eli’s face as he notices the monogram JTM.

Chalky’s Scowl Melts Away
Chalky lets his son practice piano at the Onyx, much to Daughter Maitland’s astonishment. Chalky thought the entertainers slept all day, but Daughter says they are practicing something new. Chalky thinks he should have been informed of any change in her set and wants to know why she’s doing it. “Maybe I’m bored,” Daughter says and asks Chalky if he ever feels bored. Chalky say he keeps it to himself, but “That doesn’t stop you from feeling it,” Daughter flirts.

At home, the White kids discuss jazz enthusiastically much to their mother’s displeasure. She considers the music “primitive” and lets Chalky know she wishes he wouldn’t bring Lester to the club. Their exchange shows us an unhappy marriage. At the Onyx Club, Daughter performs the “St. Louis Blues.” Chalky’s habitual scowl changes to naked longing as he watches her.

The next day, back to the scowl, he chastises Daughter for chasing 10 customers out with her bluesy tune. Daughter says she’s going back to New York if he doesn’t like her act. Chalky reminds her of her contract and insists she will do what he likes. She points out that Dr. Narcisse has other singers and Chalky goes off on Narcisse. He says that Daughter is too “fine” for his club, showing he has wondered what the real reason she was sent is. But his thing for Daughter gets the upper hand and another fight turns into hot sex.

Back from Westconsin.
Right after Paul Sagorsky learns he is dying from cirrhosis of the liver at the V.A. Hospital, he sees Richard Harrow out in the hall. Harrow takes off and Sagorsky falls on the stair landing trying to catch up with him. They talk at the American Legion Hall. Harrow explains why he left and Sagorsky fills him in on his medical situation.

Julia hears little Tommy Darmody babbling away about the North Star to someone at the door and finds out it is Harrow. Walking along the dock, Julia tells Harrow the situation with Gillian. She says he turned her life upside down by leaving Tommy with them and disappearing. The Sagorskys are protecting Harrow by not revealing his annihilation of the gangsters at Gillian’s. If Gillian reveals it, she may as well forget about her custody suit (of course, she may have already screwed herself by sexually propositioning the judge). Julia says she doesn’t want to have to take care of Tommy all by herself, but she is not so sure she can trust Harrow.

Quotes from The North Star