- Main article: Eddie Kessler
Eddie Kessler remains a major character in the second season. This article details their actions in each episode of the season.
Gimcrack & Bunkum[]
- Main article: Gimcrack & Bunkum
Nucky Thompson goes to his suite at the Ritz Carlton and apologizes for his lateness to his waiting guests. In Nucky's absence Eddie has been looking after Attorney General Harry Daugherty, Department of Jusice aide Jess Smith, Deputy US Attorney Charles Kenneth Thorogood AKA "Chip" and Nucky’s own attorney Isaac Ginsburg. Daugherty introduces Nucky to Thorogood. Ginsburg confirms that they have discussed their plans to take Nucky's election rigging charges federal and then have them dismissed. Later, Nucky tries to work while his allies party with prostitutes in the next room of his suite. Eddie dozes in an office chair opposite Nucky. Chip comes into the office to ask Eddie to fetch oysters, ice and champagne. Eddie complies and Nucky tells Chip to close the door.
The Age of Reason[]
- Main article: The Age of Reason
Eddie takes a phonecall for Nucky from his bootlegging rival George Remus. Remus is calling to thank Nucky for an introduction but they nevertheless end up insulting one another. Later, Ginsburg and Thorogood visit Nucky in his suite to report that Thorogood's motion to take the election rigging charges against Nucky federal was successful. The mood is celebratory - they hope that the charges can be dropped by the Department of Justice if Thorogood throws the case. Eddie opens a bottle of champagne as Thorogood recounts his success in court for Nucky's benefit. Nucky calls Daugherty and is asked to take care of Thorogood. Hanging up, Nucky asks Thorogood to name his pleasure. Thorogood uses a nonsensical pie metaphor to request female company. Nucky refers Thorogood to Eddie and says they will get him a suite of his own. As they leave Eddie tells Thorogood that he understands that he wants “Schlampen” (German, equivalent to sluts). Thorogood puts his arm around Eddie’s shoulders and Eddie looks disdainfully at the offending limb.
Thorogood's stay is cut short when Daugherty calls back and tells Nucky that he is going to have to replace Thorogood because of political pressure from Nucky's enemies. Furious, Nucky instructs Eddie to have Thorogood thrown out of the hotel. Thorogood is in his suite enjoying the attention of two women when Eddie is let in by the hotel manager. Eddie sends the women away and informs Thorogood that Nucky wants him to leave. Thorogood is confused, suspecting a joke, and says that he is not amused. The manager says Thorogood has five minutes to leave and throws his shoes onto the bed, complimenting the footwear as he does so but leaving no further doubt.
Peg of Old[]
- Main article: Peg of Old
Nucky Thompson meets with his attorney Isaac Ginsburg in his office at the Ritz Carlton. Eddie enters and announces visitors. Annoyed, Nucky tells Eddie he is in a meeting. Eddie nevertheless shows in Lucy Danziger and her baby. Lucy tells Nucky that Prohibition Agent Nelson Van Alden is the father. Nucky summons Van Alden and Eddie shows him in. Nucky attempts to blackmail Van Alden into spying on the new federal prosecutor for him.
The following day Nucky calls Eddie at the Ritz Carlton looking for his driver Owen Sleater and finds that Owen has not been in touch there either. He asks Eddie to pick him up as he is already late.
At Babette's Supper Club boxing trainer Jack "Doc" Kearns entertains heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, Nucky and Mayor Edward Bader with a joke before Dempsey makes a promotional appearance. As Dempsey entertains the assembly Nucky notices a woman in the crowd. Nucky is distracted by the brunette until he notices Jimmy Darmody approaching with his palms up. Nucky glances at Eddie and then asks what Jimmy wants. Jimmy says he wants to tell Nucky something and says “it doesn’t make a difference if you’re right or wrong.” Jimmy leans forward and whispers “you just have to make a decision.” Jimmy walks away and Eddie follows. As they wind through the crowd a man emerges with a pistol in hand. Nucky raises his hand and the man fires at him, hitting him in his right palm. Nucky collapses and Lathrop shoots the would be assassin from the back of the room. As Jimmy exits he hears Bader say that Nucky is alive. Eddie rushes to Nucky's side and bandages his wound with napkins.
Two Boats and a Lifeguard[]
- Main article: Two Boats and a Lifeguard
At the Ritz Carlton, Isaac Ginsburg reads aloud from a list of charges against Nucky. Assistant US Attorney Esther Randolph and her Chief Investigator Clifford Lathrop sit opposite Nucky and Ginsburg while Eddie pours tea. The allegations include tax evasion, bid rigging, embezzlement of County funds, graft, gambling, prostitution and multiple Volstead Act violations. Nucky sarcastically wonders if they have omitted fair beating (using public transport without paying). Lathrop offers to amend the complaint and Randolph compares Nucky to an onion citing his multiple layers of criminality. Nucky jokes that he considers himself an artichoke and says that he wants to go on the record that the charges are baseless. Randolph reminds Nucky that the meeting is informal and Ginsburg wonders if they are pushing for a plea deal. Nucky says he would decline any such offer and maintains his innocence. Randolph suggests they discuss Nucky’s shooting and he acidly says that there are more pleasant topics. Lathrop wonders if Nucky is curious who was behind the attack. Nucky jokes that he wonders who the shooter was but that the list of those who could be behind it is too long to consider. Randolph asks if Nucky knows Torrio, Nucky denies a connection. Randolph insists that Nucky knows Torrio and Nucky wonders why she bothered asking. Lathrop reveals that the shooter was Vito Scalercio and that he lived in a building leased by Al Capone. Randolph warns that Nucky’s friends are behind the attempt on his life. Nucky asks why his friends are not the target of the investigation. Randolph states that she plans to pursue Eli and Nucky’s aldermen. Lathrop relays that they have already questioned some of the aldermen and Ginsburg interrupts to assert his right to review the transcripts of these sessions. Randolph agrees and teases that they make fascinating reading. Randolph moves the discussion on to Margaret, pausing for Nucky to clarify their relationship; he describes Margaret as his companion. She wonders how they first met and Nucky suspects that Randolph is again asking a question that she already has the answer to. She suggests that Nucky might have additional information and he wonders if she expects him to do her job for her. She offers that she has ways of showing her gratitude, packs away her papers and stands. Nucky rises to meet her and she surprises him by saying that it was Lathrop who saved his life. She pointedly observes that Nucky has yet to thank Lathrop and they leave.
Eddie drives Nucky out to the Atlantic City Armoury to discuss his next move with Arnold Rothstein and Johnny Torrio. On his arrival a guardsman is checking crates from the Auto-Ordnance company full of Thompson machine guns. The guardsman tells Nucky that his guests are waiting inside and Nucky asks him for a favour. He bribes the guardsman to lie to the federal agents following him by telling them that he has left with Eddie. Nucky looks at the guns and jokingly wonders if they are expecting an attack. The guardsman explains that there are 3000 of the guns, all surplus from World War I. He jokes that Eddie’s Kaiser chickened out of the war earlier than expected. Nucky goes inside and Eddie goes back to the limousine to provide the decoy, calling the guardsman an asshole under his breath.
Nucky looks out over the city from the window of his suite at the Ritz Carlton. Eddie enters and announces the arrival of Chalky White. Nucky takes off his sling and fixes his hair. During the meeting Nucky asks Chalky to arrange a city wide strike by African American workers. Eddie announces that the press are ready for Nucky’s announcement; Nucky is retiring as Atlantic County Treasurer and claims to be surrendering to his rivals.
Battle of the Century[]
- Main article: Battle of the Century
Nucky goes to Belfast, Ireland to meet with the leaders of the Irish Republican Army and arranges to trade the Thompson machine guns from the Armory for Irish whiskey. He leaves Eddie behind in Atlantic City.
Georgia Peaches[]
- Main article: Georgia Peaches
Nucky imports the whiskey he purchased on steam ships via the Port of Hoboken. He has Owen Sleater oversee distribution of the whiskey when it arrives on July 23, 1921. Sleater floods Atlantic City with cheap high quality Irish whiskey, supplying businesses including the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Babette's Supper Club. This prevents Jimmy Darmody from selling his lower quality diluted medicinal alcohol. Chalky White successfully drives African American workers across the city to strike by using Dunn Purnsley as an agitator. This also reflects badly on Jimmy who comes under pressure from business leaders to end the strike but is unable to do so.
Nucky meets with his attorney Isaac Ginsburg in the lounge of his home to discuss his election rigging case. Behind Ginsburg Eddie and shoe shiner Harlan unload furniture from Nucky’s suite at the Ritz Carlton. Ginsburg is unenthusiastic about their prospects at trial and Nucky gets angry with him. Ginsburg complains about the prosecutor, Assistant US Attorney Esther Randolph and blames her relentless nature for securing a court in Camden, New Jersey. Nucky latches onto Ginsburg’s claim that he has made calls and sarcastically says that his lawyer is worth every penny. Nucky wonders what Attorney General Harry Daugherty has to say and Ginsburg tells him that Daugherty believes that they are square after doing what he could. Eddie announces that Nucky’s desk is ready for use. Nucky complains to Ginsburg that the desk used to be in his suite at the Ritz when he ran the city. Eddie asks if there is anything else and Nucky dismisses him and then thanks Harlan. Nucky loudly jokes that Eddie should call the Massachusetts anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti to recommend Ginsburg drawing Eddie back to the lounge. Eddie enters and asks if Nucky wanted something. Nucky says to “get the fuck out.” Eddie leaves and Nucky clarifies that he meant Ginsburg and says that he is fired. Ginsburg sighs and exits. Nucky later hires Bill Fallon as his new attorney.
To the Lost[]
- Main article: To the Lost
Eddie gets in trouble for not adequately refilling the bourbon decanter as Nucky meets with Bill Fallon; Nucky is still worried about his upcoming trial. Eddie answers a call from Chalky White and passes it on to Nucky. Chalky brokers a meeting between Nucky and Jimmy Darmody. Jimmy wants to reconcile with Nucky and offers help with his case. Nucky marries Margaret to ensure that she cannot be compelled to testify against him.
Eddie accompanies Nucky to the trial, sitting in the front row of the public gallery behind Nucky with Edward Bader and Damien Fleming. The prosecutor Esther Randolph complains to the judge about the disintegration of her case with the marriage of Nucky and Margaret, the apparent suicide of Jim Neary and the recanting of testimony by other witnesses. Randolph accuses Nucky of witness tampering and Fallon objects. Fallon characterises her case as unravelling and she says that the court knows what is really going on. Fallon suggests that she wait until she can prove it and the judge again calls for order before asking both counsels to approach. After the sidebar the judge announces that the defence motion for mistrial is granted and the courtroom erupts in noise.
Nucky stands and shakes Fallon’s hand. Eli’s lawyer Douglas Wallbridge proposes a motion for Eli to be released and the judge grants it. Eli sits unshaven next to Ray Halloran who is still recovering from the beating Eli arranged. Nucky stares across at his brother. Halloran’s lawyer dashes forward with an identical motion for his client. The judge reminds him that Halloran confessed to the murder of Hans Schroeder. The lawyer protests that they had a plea deal and the judge asks him to check the terms, which include a requirement for Nucky to stand trial before a jury on the charge. The judge remands Halloran to Leavenworth federal penitentiary and Halloran tries to protest, struggling to make himself heard through the wire work on his jaw. Eddie, Fleming and Bader surround Nucky as he exits the courtroom, shielding him from the throng of reporters.
Nucky arranges to meet Jimmy at the Atlantic City War Memorial and kills him, unable to forgive his betrayal. Soon afterwards congress approves the road appropriations money that Nucky has been hoping for. Eddie drives Nucky out to a field where another cars is waiting for him. Mayor Bader jokes that they are in the middle of a highway. Ernie Moran pours champagne for them as Fleming pulls up behind him. Moran congratulates Nucky and they toast to their new riches. Fleming has another bottle of champagne and Bader commends his timing, saying that they were almost dry. Moran calls the tract the road to riches and Nucky says that he had considered calling it the Harding highway. Fleming says that it never hurts to remember your friends and opens his bottle. Nucky toasts the future with his partners.