#I wasn't all that interested in nucky when I first watched the show

[starry-sky-stuff]

I'm doing a rewatch of Boardwalk Empire and I'm really struck by the ambiguity of Gillian and Jimmy's conversation in 1x11 when he confronts her about Nucky's role in his conception (ie. the time when Nucky pimped out a thirteen-year-old to his boss to get ahead in his career). Gillian downplays what the Commodore did to her, downplays Nucky's role and makes excuses for him. The show doesn't offer any clear explanation for her motivation. Gillian's spent over two decades living on the goodwill of the men who hurt her most in the world. She had to be compliant, be obsequious, if she wanted Nucky to ensure she had a roof over her head, to keep her son feed, to pay for his schooling in the hopes he might have a better life. Gillian does not have the luxury of confronting Nucky or the Commodore, not yet anyway. But Gillian remembers what they did. She has neither forgiven nor forgotten. And proves it too, when she goads Jimmy into killing the Commodore.

So, if she's merely playing an act, why then does she keep it up in front of Jimmy. Is she so used to the character she's played that she can't tell what's real anymore? Or does she want to prevent Jimmy from getting revenge on Nucky or the Commodore? Gillian certainly knows that Jimmy would do it, but if they're dead she and Jimmy can't get anything more out of them. When Jimmy asks her if she knows what will happen when the Commodore die, I don't believe her when she claims she hasn't. Gillian knows the Commodore's got money, and she knows Jimmy's the only child he's acknowledged.

Because, when it comes down to it, Gillian's a survivor. She'll make nice with the Commodore if she thinks it'll benefit her and her son. She'll even play pretend with Nucky when she knows he killed her son.

But the most interesting part of Gillian's character is that her motivations are probably are mix of all of the above. She's manipulating Jimmy, but she's probably also fooling herself too, because it's easier to believe the lies she tells others than the harsh reality.