History Characters / BoardwalkEmpireThompsonFamily

* KickTheSonOfABitch: When Eli comes crawling back to him in "Gimcrack and Bunkum", Nucky tells him to "get on [his] knees, bend down to the ground, and kiss [his] fucking shoes, you piece of shit". They then get into a knock-down, drag-out brawl. It's a long time coming.

* KickTheSonOfABitch:
** In the pilot, Eli has Hans Schroeder abducted, taken out on a boat and beats him to death himself. We know, even if Eli doesn't, that Hans is an abusive, violent lout who pummeled his wife into a miscarriage.
** Eli killing Knox is a savage, brutal affair but Knox's virulent sadism and cruelty in threaten Eli's son plus all the nasty actions Knox has been up to through the season make the audience cheer for Eli.

* AintTooProudToBeg: He's is ultimately willing to [[KneelBeforeZod kneel down]] and [[spoiler:promise Luciano and Lansky everything he owns in return for his nephew's life.]]

[[folder: Enoch Malachi "Nucky" Thompson]]

[[folder:Elias "Eli" Thompson]]

[[folder: Elenore Thompson]]

[[folder:William "Willie" Thompson]]

* LousyLoversAreLosers: When he sleeps with Margaret, we only see him flopping around above her while [[LieBackAndThinkOfEngland she lays there immobile]] and it's apparent from the look on her face and her body language both during and after sex that she didn't enjoy it one bit, while he [[SmokingHotSex casually lights up a cigarette, clearly satisfied with himself]].

* BewareTheNiceOnes: He can be a pretty nice guy, just don't cross him.

%%* FriendToAllChildren

* TheCharmer: He's a personable, well-spoken, and charismatic high-roller.

Nucky and Eli's old and progressively more senile father. He was abusive to the first and protective of the second during their childhood, and still remains more attached to Eli in the modern day - in part, however, because he knew that the more intelligent Nucky was more capable of making his way into life. Played by Creator/TomAldredge in his last role, and by Creator/IanHart in flashbacks.

Nucky and Eli's mother. She died in 1903, years before the start of the series, and appears only in flashbacks during the fifth season. Played by Creator/ErinDilly.

Nucky and Eli's younger sister. She died in 1884. Played by Creator/OnataAprile in flashbacks in the fifth season.

Eli's wife and mother of his eight children. Played by Nisi Sturgis.

-->'''Played by:''' Creator/KevinCsolak in Season 3 and Creator/BenRosenfield in Seasons 4 and 5.

Nucky's first wife who committed suicide seven years before the start of the series. Played -- sort of -- by Creator/MollyParker and Creator/MayaKazan in flasbacks.

* AffablyEvil: Though it slips more into FauxAffablyEvil as the series progresses. He seems to slide back towards the [[AntiHero former in the late seasons]].

* AloofBigBrother: To Eli.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Despite being fine with political corruption among many other crimes, he ''strongly'' disapproves of spousal and child abuse. Learning that Hans Schroeder has beaten Margaret prompts Nucky to order a hit on Hans.

%%* NeverMyFault: As detailed under "Hypocrite".

%%* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: To Nucky.

* DudeWheresMyRespect: For the first two seasons. He finally gets a part of it in "Sunday's Best".

%%* CrazyCatLady: In his old age.

%%* {{Jerkass}}

* ArmsDealer: He becomes this in the second season, trading smuggled machine guns to the IRA for Irish whiskey. He gets briefly confused with the inventor of the [[CoolGuns/SubmachineGuns Thompson submachine gun]], "just a happy [[NamedLikeMyName coincidence]]".

Nucky and Eli's mother. She died in 1903, years before the start of the series, and appears only in flashbacks during the fifth season. Played by Erin Dilly.

Nucky and Eli's younger sister. She died in 1884. Played by Onata Aprile in flashbacks in the fifth season.

Nucky and Eli's old and progressively more senile father. He was abusive to the first and protective of the second during their childhood, and still remains more attached to Eli in the modern day - in part, however, because he knew that the more intelligent Nucky was more capable of making his way into life. Played by Creator/TomAldredge in his last role, and by Ian Hart in flashbacks.

->'''Played by:''' Creator/SteveBuscemi, Nolan Lyons (child), and Marc Pickering (young man)

->'''Played by:''' Creator/SheaWhigham, Oakes Fegley, (child) Ryan Dinning (young man)

-->'''Played by:''' Kevin Csolak in Season 3 and Ben Rosenfield in Seasons 4 and 5.

Nucky's first wife who committed suicide seven years before the start of the series. Played -- sort of -- by Creator/MollyParker and Maya Kazan in flasbacks.

%% Doesn't explain what the button is. * Berserk Button: Really wants the best for his family.

* BerserkButton: Really wants the best for his family.

** Multiple examples in his relationship with Billie, in which Nucky crosses his own lines by mixing business and personal priorities. Rothsein even calls him out for it.

* WifeBasherBasher: Played with. When he called the hit on Hans Schroeder, he was partly motivated by outrage at Hans's savage abuse of Margaret. Then again, Nuck needed a fall guy, and Hans was a convenient one.

* IllGirl: Before she died of tuberculosis.

-->'''Played by:''' Creator/SteveBuscemi, Nolan Lyons (child), and Marc Pickering (young man)

-->''"If you wanna be a gangster in my town then you'll pay me for the privilege."''

-->'''Played by:''' Creator/SheaWhigham, Oakes Fegley, (child) Ryan Dinning (young man)

-->''"My son! My fucking son!"''

* BadLiar

--> ''"If you wanna be a gangster in my town then you'll pay me for the privilege."''

The corrupt sheriff of Atlantic County and Nucky's younger brother. Through the first two seasons he develops an increasing desire for recognition which he feels denied because everyone else only sees him as Nucky's muscle, and that eventually leads him to betray Nucky for the Commodore. This conspiracy is defeated, and Eli loses his sheriff position and goes to jail for a year and a half in payment for his betrayal. Played by Creator/SheaWhigham (and Oakes Fegley as a child and Ryan Dinning as a young man).

%%* DirtyCop

%%* PosthumousCharacter.
%%* WomenAreWiser: Compared to Ethan, she is.

%%* HairOfGold

%%* NiceGGirl
* ThePollyanna / StepfordSmiler: She never asks questions and just welcomes new events with a big smile. When Margaret tells her that Nucky is cheating on her June just ignores it, changes subject and finally excuses herself out of the room.

Eli and June's eldest child. Played by Kevin Csolak in Season 3 and Ben Rosenfield in Season 4.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: He's very much like Jimmy was before the war [[ShellShockedVeteran messed him up]]. In Season 4 he's even going to college.

%%* JerkAss => JerkWithAHeartOfGold

* [[ShesAllGrownUp He's All Grown Up]]: PlayedForDrama. Eli missed two of Willie's birthdays and had trouble dealing with the idea that he had left school to support their family in Eli's absence.

* FriendToAllChildren

* [[LikeASonToMe Like A Daughter to Me]]: He and Mabel seemed to have this dynamic with Gillian before he sold her to The Commodore.

* ManipulativeBastard

* NeverMyFault: As detailed under "Hypocrite".

* TheResenter: His speech to his nephew Willie in Season 4 makes clear that this has been a huge part of his motivation in the past. He grew up and later went to college resenting all the rich children of privilege who looked down their noses at him. He talks about that anger and resentment having been driving forces behind his success.

* StartOfDarkness: Giving Gillian over to The Commodore. Mentioned in previous seasons, shown in flashbacks in season 5.

* UglyGuyHotWife: Wives and lovers; first with Lucy, then with Margaret, and then with Billie. In flashbacks we see that Mabel was quite beautiful.

* VillainousBreakdown: See ''Heroic BSOD'' above.

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: To Nucky.

* DirtyCop

-->'''Eli''': You are one nasty prick.
-->'''Nucky''': And you're a frightened little boy with no place else to go.

* JerkAss => JerkWithAHeartOfGold
* JustGotOutOfJail: In “Spaghetti & Coffee.”

* {{Malaproper}}

* TookALevelInBadass: He doesn't trust that everything is on the up and up after news comes that Rosetti killed the Tabor Heights sheriff, so he goes alone at night to scout out what is really going on. Eli discovers that Rosetti is setting up an ambush and the police are working for Rosetti. He tries to warn the convoy, but they don't listen, making Eli the SoleSurvivor. Earlier, Owen who is usually a good judge of Badassery, picks Eli as the man to consult about how to deal with Rosetti's first road block.

* [[CrazyCatLady Crazy Cat Guy]]: In his old age.

* {{Jerkass}}

* PosthumousCharacter.
* WomenAreWiser: Compared to Ethan, she is.

* PosthumousCharacter.

* ApronMatron
* HairOfGold

* {{Housewife}}
* MafiaPrincess

* [[NiceGuy Nice Girl]]

* PosthumousCharacter

* TheLostLenore: His first wife Mabel. She killed herself after [[IllBoy the death of their first child.]] And while he gets over Billie's death pretty quickly, he stills feels the need to avenge her by killing her murderers.

* RaisedCatholic: Lucy says this about him: "They raised him a good Catholic boy. And every once in a while, he starts thinking that he might go to Hell, and that he better change before it's too late."

* RaisedCatholic: His wife was far more religious than him.

* ItGetsEasier: When he's about to shoot Jimmy, Jimmy tells him: "My first time I vomited after Two days straight. Second time I didn't even think about it." Indeed, Nucky becomes much more ruthless after his first kill.