'Boardwalk Empire' Recap: Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson Becomes A "Friendless Child!"

This is the second-to-last episode of Season 5 of Terence Winter's Boardwalk Empire on HBO. With the war against Lucky Luciano escalating to an all-time high and Al Capone missing in action, will Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) lose his empire and become a 'Friendless Child?"

Realizing he doesn't want to be hungover anymore, Nucky (Buscemi) stops drinking and puts away the liquor bottles. Knowing Lucky Luciano wants him dead, Nucky is furious that he cannot  strike back at his enemy. Even though Marazano wants Lucky dead, he is willing to wait before he sets up an attack against the mob boss.

One of Lucky's men, Benny Siegel (Michael Zegen) is having an affair with a married woman. Just as he is about to leave her apartment, Nucky's men show up to take him hostage. After an intense shootout and long chase, Benny is finally captured.

Tied to a chair, Benny is knocked around a few times as Nucky calls Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza) and Meyer Lansky (Anatol Yusef). At first, they hang up on Nucky, thinking he's bluffing. The second time Nucky calls, Lucky takes him seriously and threatens to kill him. 

Dressed like a homeless bum, Eli  Thompson (Shea Whigham) meets his son Willie (Ben Rosenfield) out in the streets. Just when they are about to reconcile, Willie is kidnapped by Lucky's thugs. Now that Eli is forced to meet with Nucky, Luciano wants to trade Willie's life for Benny's.

Nucky, Eli, and the rest of his men face-off against Lucky Luciano and his army in a Mexican standoff. During the switch, Benny punches out Willie and drags him back. After losing a few men, Nucky is on his knees, promising to give away his rum business and kill Maranzano, in exchange for Willie's life. 

With Willie's life at stake, Nucky does what he says and has Maranzano murdered. After Eli shoots Maranzano in the head, Willie is brought back to his law office. It seems Nucky has lost all his fortune to Lucky Luciano and given up on fighting back.

In the flashback, Young Nucky brings Young Gillian (Madeleine Rose Yen) to meet his pregnant wife, Mabel. The two have an argument over what to do with the runaway. Nucky wants to return Gillian to the orphanage but Mabel wants to raise her, like a daughter.

Young Nucky is called away on business. He has to do a dirty job for Commodore, who we discover is a secretive pedophile. By the time Young Nucky returns home, he discovers Young Gillian has run away again. 

It is the beginning of the end as Al Capone is indicted for tax evasion. With the ledgers in the hands of the FBI, they know have the evidence and warrant to arrest the infamous Chicago mob boss. 

In the present, Nucky opens a letter he has received from Gillian Darmody (Gretchen Mol). As she is losing her mind, Gillian begs for Nucky to save her from the mental asylum.

Will Nucky find redemption by rescuing Gillian in Boardwalk Empire? Readers, what did you think of  Friendless Child?