'Boardwalk Empire' Recap: "Devil You Know" Presents Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson Losing Another Ally!

Terence Winters' critically acclaimed gangster drama, Boardwalk Empire, raises the death counts for its fifth and final season on HBO. Will Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) lose many allies and gain more enemies in, "Devil You Know?"

Reeling from the death of Sally Wheet (Patricia Arquette), Nucky begins to drown himself in alcohol. He ends up in a dive bar, drunk talking with two prostitutes. After beating up a drunken man half to death, Nucky wants to have sex with the prostitutes.

Just when Nucky thinks he is about to score, the prostitutes backstab him and take his money. Embarrassing himself, Nucky wakes up from his hangover and discovers an army waiting in his nightclub. Nucky officially announces they are gathering guns and going to war against Lucky Luciano. 

In a flashback, Young Nucky (Marc Pickering) is living the married life with Mabel. Young Nucky loves her so much as he caressed her pregnant body. To raise his unborn child, he was to commit to taking daily bribes during his daily street beat. 

Young Nucky needs his brother, Young Eli, to help him capture a street thief. Together, they wait for the thief to return back to the beach hideout. They are both surprised when their thief just happens to be a young girl, revealing herself to be Young Gillian Darmody.

Hoping to steal the ledgers, Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon) and Eli Thompson (Shea Whigham) attempt to steal the documents for the FBI. Unfortunately, their simple heist takes a turn for the worst. They are both caught by surprise by Al Capone (Stephen Graham), who arrives with guests to his hotel suite.

Capone gets under Alden's nerves and finally makes him explode. Alden thinks he will redeem himself for all his crimes if he kills Capone with his bare hands. Before he can snap Capone's neck, Alden is shot in the back of his head by the undercover agent.

Just as Eli is escorted away by the undercover agent, Capone hands him the ledgers that will convict him in court. With all the evidence he needs, the undercover agent doesn't care what happens to Eli. For helping bring down the notorious mob boss, Eli receives a handful of change to leave Chicago. 

Back at the brothel, Chalky (Michael K. Williams) has his gun aimed at his former love, Daughter Maitland (Margot Bingham). With a little girl in the room, Chalky is about to point the gun away until Dr. Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright) enters the room. Chalky wants to pull the trigger but he doesn't want the little girl to see the horrific violence.

Realizing the little girl is actually his daughter, Chalky offers his life to trade for Daughter's. Daughter and the little girl get a chance to leave the city safely and quietly. Unfortunately, Narcisee orders his men to gun down Chalky.

Chalky closes his eyes, knowing he will have peace now that Daughter is gone. 

In Boardwalk Empire, Nucky Thompson loses another friend as his empire begins to crumble. Readers, what did you think of Devil You Know?