This City is Ours fans were left in tears after the crime drama returned to BBC One with a crucial instalment which saw Michael Kavanagh (played by James Nelson-Joyce) compelled to make an unthinkable choice. The drama, which has already been renewed and is streaming in its entirety on BBC iPlayer, featured the new villain, Felipe (Álvaro Morte), delivering Michael an ultimatum that threatened to destroy everything.
Michael's harrowing ultimatum
Felipe, who had been keeping Diana (Hannah Onslow) captive, informed Michael he would release her safely if he murdered his closest friend, Banksey (Mike Noble). Michael was shown leading Banksey into woodland after dark, before firing two shots into his chest.
Viewers rushed to X, formerly Twitter, devastated and pleading for Banksey's survival, with one posting: "#ThisCityisOurs OMG I was crying at the end, is he dead don't tell me #Banksy has been killed off like #SeanBean, thought he was such a good character in it, hope it gets an award it's sooooooo good."
Fans react to the twist
Another asked: "Do we think Banksy's really dead?" While a third repeated: "Will it be Banksey in that grave? #Thiscityisours". A fourth warned: "If Banksey dies I will riot #ThisCityIsOurs", while a fifth pleaded: "Please don't kill Banksy #ThisCityIsOurs", reports the Mirror.
Another viewer lamented: "Not Banksy [crying emojis] I love Michael's character but surely that wasn't necessary!" A final viewer posted: "Oh no Banksy's gone so quick!"
Banksey's fate and final words
When the second series began, Michael had distanced himself from the Phelan criminal empire and was finally beginning to forge a fresh life with Diana, who was pregnant with their child. Tragically, it became apparent that he could never truly break free, as he was pulled back into the world of crime.
Banksey was under pressure early on after killing gang boss Ricardo Guzman (Daniel Cerqueira) at the conclusion of series one, which was revenge for Ricardo destroying Banksey's car with explosives. Series two depicted the repercussions that Banksy encountered as Ricardo's brother, Felipe, entered the scene. Realising it was the only means to guarantee Diana's freedom, Banksey consented to risk his own life.
When questioned if Banksey had any final words, he said to Michael in a devastating moment: "You take care of my boy for me, you promise me you will do that?" Michael consented, before shooting Banksey in the chest. Michael then moved towards the motionless Banksey and fired at him once more.
"You happy now, eh? Are you satisfied?" Michael demanded of Felipe furiously, through tears. "Now leave me in peace to bury my best mate." Ahead of the second series being broadcast, Banksey actor Noble discussed with the BBC the power shift and his thoughts on the scripts.
He revealed: "The firm has fully fallen out and Michael is out of the picture. Everyone's reached a deal about how they're going to go forward, but if we've learned anything about the characters from series one, it's that people aren't particularly good at keeping their word in this business. There's a shift, and there's a struggle over who's going to be the leader and call the shots."
He expressed that he was "really excited" about the new scripts, continuing: "After reading that first episode, I was left wondering where the hell it was going to go because we go from zero to 100 really quickly. Stephen Butchard is a phenomenal writer, and the scripts have been so strong. There's lots of action, there's lots of drama, and it really pulls you along."
This City is Ours is on BBC iPlayer, with episodes airing weekly on Sundays and Mondays on BBC One.
