Diksha Sundriyal
In Apple TV+’s ‘Blitz,’ 9-year-old George is put on a train away from London to keep him safe. His mother, Rita Hanway, and his grandfather, Gerald, find it best that he live in the countryside for a while, at least until the danger of the constant bombings by the Nazis is over. Hundreds of thousands of children have been sent away by their parents due to this, but George doesn’t want to be away from his loved ones. Halfway through the journey, he decides to jump off the train and find his way back to his home in London. It is a trying journey that takes him through all sorts of places and crosses his path with all sorts of people. Eventually, his journey ends at a very unexpected place, with a tragedy waiting for him.
Grandpa Gerald Becomes Yet Another Casualty of the Blitz
George lived in a loving home with his mother and grandfather. His father had been arrested and deported to Grenada before George was born, so he never met him. For the boy, the only father figure in his life was his grandfather who taught him everything, from music and singing to how to deal with bullies. As much as it pained Gerald to send the boy away, he knew it was in George’s best interests. He worried that someday, the bombings might get to their place, and he didn’t want to think about what would happen to George if they couldn’t find shelter in time. In the end, his fears are validated, and tragically, he loses his own life.
A day after Rita puts George on the train, she discovers that he never reached his destination. She spends that day trying to find her boy, spreading the word, hoping to find him on his way back home. Gerald wants to help, but Rita tells him to stay put in case George comes back home. That night, Gerald goes to bed with their pet, Olly, by his side. Rita comes home late, tired of looking for her son the whole day. She is unable to get to sleep, which is what perhaps saves her life because shortly after, the bombs are dropped on the city once again.
The next morning, George finds his way back home, but he discovers his house is in ruins. It turns out that the previous night’s bombs found their way to George’s house. He shudders to think of what may have happened to his family. The first one he sees is Olly, the cat who survived the bombing. Unfortunately, his grandfather didn’t. He is seen lying on his bed with the house crumbled all around him. From the looks of it, when the bombs went off, Gerald was still in bed, and he couldn’t even get out of it as the bombs landed. Like the people at the cafe where a group of thieves steal jewelry from dead people, Gerald most likely died when his lungs burst due to the explosion. He didn’t have a chance, but luckily, his daughter and grandchild survive and are reunited in the end.
Read More: Blitz: Is The Steve McQueen Movie Based on a True Story?
