King of Norway (Boardwalk Empire)

"King of Norway" is the sixth episode of Boardwalk Empire's fifth season and the 54th episode overall. Howard Korder wrote it, Ed Bianchi directed it, and it aired on HBO on October 12, 2014. The story jumps between 1897 and 1931. In the earlier timeline, a young Nucky works as a Deputy Sheriff in Atlantic City, dealing with Lindsay and the Commodore, and has an awkward dinner with Mabel and her disapproving father. Later, he’s called to a pier where a body has turned up—someone who caused trouble for the Commodore. In 1931, Gillian, trapped in a sanitarium, watches a friend fall into a catatonic state after a procedure and tries to convince Dr. Henry Cotton she’s sane, but he insists on surgery. Capone moves his operation to Cicero. Eli’s wife June visits, pregnant, and during dinner with Van Alden and Sigrid, Sigrid reveals an affair with Eli that he can’t remember due to his drinking. Agent Mike D’Angelo arrests both Eli and Van Alden, blackmailing them into stealing Capone’s financial ledgers to avoid charges for their own crimes. In Atlantic City, Nucky meets Chalky at the Old Rumpus; Chalky wants to kill Narcisse, but Nucky persuades him to stay hidden. Chalky later goes to a Harlem brothel to kill Narcisse but finds Daughter with her young daughter instead. Nucky travels to Chicago to meet Torrio and arranges another meeting with Salvatore Maranzano. That meeting is interrupted by a drive-by shooting; both Nucky and Maranzano survive, noting Torrio’s absence. Nucky realizes Torrio conspired with Luciano and Lansky to kill him and vows to kill all three. He receives a letter delivered by a messenger informing him of Sally's death, but the soldiers responsible are unknown, so he can’t get revenge. Margaret pays Carolyn Rothstein and opens a bank account for Nucky under a false name. The episode drew an estimated 1.94 million viewers and a 0.8 rating among adults 18–49, a 6% drop from the previous episode. Critics mostly praised it, with Rotten Tomatoes giving a 100% approval rating from 11 reviews, calling it propulsive and well-calculated. IGN’s Matt Fowler rated it 8.3 out of 10, noting the season’s slow build but highlighting Chalky’s discovery of Daughter as a shocking moment. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix felt things moved quickly but maybe too fast, while Genevieve Valentine of The A.V. Club gave it an A–, praising its focus on family and dread.