'Boardwalk Empire' Recap: Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson Meets Season 5 Series Finale In 'Eldorado!'

The countdown is finally here for season 5 of Boardwalk Empire on HBO. In the series finale coming up, what will politician/mob boss Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) do now that his empire has finally crumpled in 'Eldorado?'

The episode begins with Nucky swimming into the ocean, heading farther and farther away from shore. His enemies, Meyer Lansky (Anatol Yusef), Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), and Benny Siegel (Michael Zegen), still want him dead. Lucky wants an enemy's death done in public, which Benny will take care of. 

Everyone is leaving the Bacardi Rum business, except for Joe Kennedy. While the businessmen are selling their stock, it's up to Margaret (Kelly Macdonald) to get Joe's money back. Risking his fortune, Margaret gambles and wins his money, plus more.

Even Capone's men and lawyers are worried about their upcoming court date, but Al (Stephen Graham) is confident he is going to win. Back at his own home, Capone tells his son the truth; he is going to jail. Father and son hug each other, knowing this is their last goodbye.

Margaret and Nucky share a dance, with music playing in the background. Their dance is interrupted by a group of buyers interested in the building. Though Nucky got a bit of his fortune back, he is still selling his mansion. 

Young Nucky returns home and discovers his wife, Mabel, had bled and lost their child. After hearing his mother was beaten by his father, Nucky starts a fight with his old man, in front of his sister's grave.  

Nucky visits his brother, Eli (Shea Whigham), in a rundown building. He advises Eli to take a chance and head back to his loving wife. He leaves the last of his fortune to Eli and his shaving kit to make the bum look better.  

Dressed in white, Capone heads off to court, laughing along with reporters. As Capone walks up the stairs to the courthouse, while the cameras keep flashing, he knows this is end for him. 

Lucky, Lansky, and Siegel hold a meeting with the 7 mob families. Lucky makes a toast, promising the future is theirs.  Because he rejected them, Narcisse (Jeffry Wright) is then gunned down in front of his own church.   

At the insane asylum, Nucky promises to take care of Gillian Darmody (Gretchen Mol), but she must never contact him again. He doesn't realize Gillian has already been operated on. Nucky is always too late to save her from danger. 

Nucky goes back to the nightclub to pick up his things. After receiving a call from his private line, Nucky heads on over to the precinct, the drunk tank, and picks up a drunken Joel, his ex-employee. Trying to set him straight, Nucky gives words of advice to Joe, but the young man chooses not to listen. 

During a parade, Young Nucky is fired from his job by the Commodore. He will get his job back as Sheriff if Nucky gives up Gillian to the pedophile. What Nucky does in the past has consequences in the future. 

Joel reveals himself to be Tommy Darmody, the child of Jimmy Darmody. He takes out his gun, pulls the trigger, and shoots Nucky three times. With a bullet to the head, Nucky dies on the boardwalk.

And this is how Boardwalk Empire ends after five seasons. Readers, what did you think of Eldorado?