sorry, I don't think what I meant was clear.  I did not mean that he was innocent or he thought he was innocent, that he didn't know there were toxic substances in the gin he made.  I meant he didn't poison the gin on purpose, which is what it sounded like when Shine described it.  Unless you know how gin is made, which I did not, you might assume from Shine's words that Flight added poison to the gin with malicious intent.  He did not, he just made cheap gin, did not use proper equipment & methods, knowing there was a risk in drinking it. So yeah, he was bad because he knew it could be tainted and still sold it.  But he didn't go about adding poison to it.

I agree Ruby, it was likely this that caught Shine's attention.  He saw that he wavered in his scruples and could be manipulated.  Though it is telling that he sheltered Flight whereas with Blush Pang she was central to his unscrupulous dealings.    

 

 

Finally caught up with everyone's comments here, thanks for the insights into the gin laced with turps and the sulphur whimsy, I had assumed he has used it to dilute the gin to make more money and it is a grey area whether the consequences were deliberate or not... he must have known it wasn't the best thing to do, but perhaps his youth, naeivety and his capacity for denial (which believe he must have had to develop to survive) meant he was able to shut it out. He was surviving and turned to these petty crimes to do that.

I felt his confessions to the priest were related to the all of it, his shame at being a liar in H-Division and also his past that he was running from.

I think he genuinely wanted to be able to somehow stick a bandaid on a wound that kept on bleeding so he could heal it, but the blood kept oozing out and he just could not continue with his denial.. he clearly genuinely wanted to become a good man and saw with Reid a way he wanted to be, but that existence was fragile, impermanent and not realistic.

His heartfelt speech about outrunning his shame just about tore my heart out of my chest - Reid could not grant him the absolution that he seeks - interesting that earlier in the ep Reid said there is no god, Flight is not going to get that level of forgiveness from Reid as his confessor and yet, there was a tinge of compassion there, I felt. Flight was really a victim of life, but like all victims always did have a choice...even if that choice was very bleak...however with the lack of guidance and knowing who he is or what is right...

Final thoughts... At the end of the episode Reid is chanting "kill him! kill him!" almost becoming the pro active accomplice to murder. Flight was a passive and unwilling accomplice to murder. Who is fit to judge?

We were left with Flight not physically behind bars and we didn't see him again in the episode, Shine had just blackmailed Reid and Abberline with Flight's true credentials and they chose not to go public with the truth. How can they put Flight on trial in this case?

I am glad it is an open ended storyline for Flight (along with many others)... whether series 3 goes ahead or not, we have at least been given a springboard for our imaginations.

Perhaps they will ship Flight off to other country, perhaps they will keep him close but demote him to coffee and cab fetching duties. Perhas they will throw him out in the streets and he will end up workng in Long Susan's establishment (my first speculation on which character Damien will play) I can see the even more empowered Susan liking the idea of employing men to do the work she has asked women to do for so long. Or maybe he will return to crime and end up being a case they investigate.

Would love to hear your theories on the future of Flight!

I guess the difference is, they haven't frauded the police force... except perhaps for Jackson...I agree morally they are absolutely not in the position to judge, but in terms of the letter of the law.... which will be interesting considering some of Reid and Drake's philosophising over the series on the purpose and effectiveness of the law....legally they are obliged to not hide or coverup the situation but they will do, because of how it will be seen. There are so many options and there are ways they could give him redemption not as part of H Division. I like how it was left ambiguous on the whole, the reaction of the 3 male leads towards the revelation, or where they lay the blame for their 'betrayal'.

It would be a real shame if the writers left it there with Flight, and I think the Damien fandom were noticed and most active during the whole of the promotion and airing of series 2, so his popularity would not have gone unnoticed either. But I guess it depends on a) if there is a third series and b) what other projects Mr M has on his agenda!

The charge sheet showed 1885 Pearl. At a guess, Flight was possibly born around mid 1860's. There's every possibility that Flight's parents or even grandparents may have come over from Ireland to escape the famine.

I didn't know you could do that? I wish I did that now! I didn't have Internet for a few days so I just did 1 rewatch 

Good grief is it really only ten days?! wow.... Monday was not the same without it though.

I am not sure how it is for eveyone else, but for me Ripper Street is a real grower of a drama..the more rewatches the more levels emerge...

Glad you have seen the finale Jane.

Just to let you and everyone know, this very question is up for discussion here would love to hear peoples' thoughts!

OK...I have a question - just before Flight pulls the gun on Shine, Shine reaches into his bag for the wire.....is it his intention to garrote Flight?

And I've just got to mention when he says to Shine 'I was a bad man, but you have made evil of me' (or whatever it is!)....and then he misses when he shoots - bless!!!  Evil?  I think not.....

Sorry... yes.... I'm only just processing this episode. lol!

fifi, he didn't poison the gin intentionally as in he added it with the intent of poisoning people.  Somewhere we discussed this, the turpentine was often added to cheap gin to get that juniper berry flavour without paying for the costly berries, and the sulfur is a byproduct of the fermentation process that if you use the right equipment would be absorbed by the copper pipes.  But he obviously used a cheap still without copper.  But yes, he knew it was cheap gin that had the potential to hurt people.  I think his orphaned, most likely penniless, state led him to the petty crimes on his Arrest Record, and the cheap illegally made gin was the worst.  It was likely what brought him to Shine's attention.  There is one more crime on that record that they don't show.  

 

Yeah, Shine was reaching for his wire and only then did Flight pull the gun.  I think he bought it as self defense & he missed intentionally.  He did seem to know how to handle the gun.  Shine was his mentor for years, a substitute father, helped him along.  I think he just couldn't kill him.  That's why Shine looked pretty smug and said "I cannot be ended."  If Flight had meant to kill him he could have shot again.  

 

 

Yes, lucky US fans - the breathtaking final episode of Ripper Street 2 tomorrow.. superb on every level, writing performancec and production. Not to be missed! There is a lot of Damien in this episode... and finally some answers to his character.... it is hard to talk about without giving spoilers but.....every thread of character and storyline becomes richer and deeper in this finale.

Very excited about seeing this episode again even though I must have seen it at least 20 times! And just like episode 7 I wish I could watch this as if for the first time again ! It was such a powerful hour of television, I forgot to breathe through most of it.

And Flight's incredible speech about doing good work and outrunning his shame will always make me cry