Ranking All Main Characters From Boardwalk Empire
7. Eli Thompson
No one has the best relationship with their sibling, but between Nucky and his little brother Eli, things were more tense than normal brotherly feuds.
Throughout the series, Eli and Nucky's strained relationship went back and forth between allies and enemies - going so far as to sanction imprisonment or deaths on one another. And as the Sheriff of Atlantic City, Eli's position within authority for two seasons of the show put him in the thick of some of the key arcs throughout.
Dirty cops on TV aren't the most sympathetic., but Shea Whigham and the writers of the show find some redeeming qualities within the character. His love and devotion to his family made him at times appear more human than his charming older brother, and a lot of his moves against Nucky's wishes were in the best interests of his wife and kids. His ascension after the third season into a full-on mob enforcer did make for compelling television, albeit a strange narrative move for the show.
In the end, while the show wasn't primarily about Eli and Nucky's relationship, their tumultuous relationship did serve as one of the most cathartic endings - as despite betrayal and assassination attempts, Nucky still forgave and wanted the best for Eli.