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Written by '''Darkstardrew'''{{Infobox characters
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| name=Andrew Gascoigne
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| image=[[File:Combo1990.jpg|250px]]
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| aka=Combo
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| series='83, '86, '88, '90
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| first=[[This Is England]]
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| last=[[This Is England '90 Episode 4]]
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| count=8
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| born=1951, Merseyside, England
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| occupation=Sports coach (1990)
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| lovers=[[Lol]] (c. 1978)
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| family=Uncredited mother (d. 1986)
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| status=Disappeared in 1990 <br>(assumed deceased)
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| actor=[[Stephen Graham]]
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}}
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'''Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne''' is the main antagonist of ''This Is England'' and a supporting character in ''´86'', ''´88'', and ''´90''.
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== Character History ==
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=== Before 1983 ===
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Born in 1951, little is known about Combo's life before the events of the original film. According to dialogue throughout the saga and behind the scenes, it is suggested that Ruby Porter, (AKA, '23-6C0' upon members of the early National Front gang in Combo's area of youth) was a heavy influence throughout Combo's early life, she is suggested to have influenced his childhood beliefs and ideologies, and even tattooing the name 'B9-124' onto Combo's inner thigh as an initiation to her personal gang of 9 skinheads, at the age of 8. He states in [[This Is England|''This Is England'']] that he was part of the original skinhead subculture in 1969. Combo is quoted in the film (set in 1983) "twenty years ago when I was twelve". He loved ska music.  [[File:Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 2.36.05 pm.png|thumb|262x262px|Combo with his newly assembled National Front group.]]
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Combo takes his group to a National Front meeting where they become members of the political party. On the way back, Pukey expresses doubts over the group's racist views, prompting Combo to threaten him violently and tell him to 'piss off back to Woody's'. Combo and the others then engage in racially antagonistic acts, such as spraying racist remarks on walls and threatening Asian boys playing football. When Combo threatens he ever sees them on the streets again, he tells them to go home where their mum's cooking curry. When Shaun enters the Newspaper shop of [[Sandhu]] (Kriss Dosanjh), a Pakistani shopkeeper, he tells him to give him 100 fags, two bottles of wine, a bottle of whiskey, and 10 cans of lager, calling Sandhu a 'Paki bastard.' Combo and the rest of the gang start robbing Sandhu who had previously banned Shaun from his shop. The trouble is Combo threatens to slay Sandhu with the sword. Shaun bonds with Combo, seeing him as a surrogate father figure.
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[[File:Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 2.38.14 pm.png|thumb|262x262px|Combo and Lol in 1983.|left]]
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Things take a turn for the worse when Combo approaches [[Lol]] (Vicky McClure) and admits that he has feelings for her too. Lol, who is angry with Combo for hurting Woody's feelings, rejects him and tells him that their one-night stand was the worst night of her life, even when Combo says it was the best night of his. Devastated, Combo approaches Milky, buys cannabis from him, and invites him back to his flat in an attempt to forsake his racist views. Whilst intoxicated, Combo and Milky bond but Combo grows jealous of Milky's happy family life and attempts to provoke him into fighting. Milky merely smiles cheekily at Combo, Shaun tells Milky to stop smiling at him and Combo loses his temper. Enraged, he beats Milky unconscious, Banjo holds down Shaun, who is protesting all the while, and Meggy watches them in horror. Combo angrily throws Shaun out of his flat for defending Milky then tells Meggy that he was winding him up. Combo turns his rage on Banjo, throwing a bottle at him and Meggy. When Combo violently beats Banjo, Meggy calls him 'mad as a March hare.' Combo furiously orders both Banjo and Meggy out of his flat and turns to Milky who is seemingly dead. When Shaun is shown crying, he comes back into the room, but a remorseful Combo is weeping in shame. He manages to convince him to stop crying and help get Milky to the hospital.
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Ashamed of his actions, Combo leaves town. The scene cuts with Shaun looking at a picture of his dad, who died in the Falklands. When Cynthia (Jo Hartley) comes in, she assures Shaun that Milky will be alright.
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===1986===
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[[File:Stephen graham 1706545c.jpg|thumb|256x256px|Combo in 1986, before discovering Lol and a dead Mick.]]
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Three years later, Combo arrives unexpectedly at Shaun's house one night, drunk and bloodied, and collapses on the living room floor. The next morning, Combo tells Shaun that he has returned because his mother is dying. Shaun and [[Smell]] take him to his mother's house, but she has already passed away. Combo takes a moment to pay his respects to his mother, and embraces Shaun as a friend, thanking him for his help.
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Later on, Combo decides to visit Lol at her house. He rings the bell several times, but there is no answer. He peers through the living room window and sees Lol sobbing alone in a corner with Mick lying dead on the floor. Fully aware of what has happened and with nothing to lose, Combo alters the scene to make it appear that he had killed Mick in Lol's defense by smearing his fingerprints over the hammer Lol used to kill Mick, and injuring himself with Mick's hand. Subsequently, Combo is sent back to prison for manslaughter, though this time with a clear conscience.
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===1988===
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[[File:Combo88.jpg|thumb|220x220px|left]]
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Two years later, Lol visits Combo in prison. Looking back on her life over the past few years, Lol has come to realize that Combo was the only one who was ever truly there for her. She visits him to thank him and apologize for what she told him in 1983 and admits that she loves him (the exact nature of this love is not revealed). During the visit, Combo asks about Woody and Milky and is shown a photograph of Lol's baby daughter Lisa, who was the result of a fling with Milky. Combo appears to be genuinely happy for Lol and does not make any racist remarks, hinting that he has abandoned his racist ways. Combo also tells Lol that he is changing his life for the better and continuing with his education by taking his GCSEs in English, Maths, and Sociology. He is last seen in the final scenes spending Christmas alone in his cell, eating Christmas dinner whilst reading.
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===1990===
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[[File:Picture1.png|thumb|The comparison between the meetings of Milky and Combo. In 1983, hours before he nearly beats Milky to death, and in 1990, meeting for the first time in seven years, hours before Combo's kidnapping.]]With his parole hearing imminent, Combo now 39, contacts Lol and asks her for a temporary place to stay, which Lol and Woody agree to out of gratitude for Combo taking the rap for Lol. After a special lunch attended by their nearest and dearest, they reveal the truth behind Mick's murder, along with the news that Combo would be moving in with them upon his release. Though most believe that Combo has changed for the better, Milky remains unconvinced and expresses anger at Woody and Lol's decision, referring to Combo as a "racist fucking cunt", one who almost beat him to death. Though Milky eventually accepts their decision, he refuses to allow Lisa to share the same roof as Combo.
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Combo moves in with Woody and Lol, sharing a tearful embrace with Woody and showing his guilt for what he did to Milky (as this is the first time Combo and Woody have seen each other after the former beat Milky) and symbolizing Woody's forgiveness. He smokes and drinks with them, and openly inquires about Lisa, whom they say is spending time with Milky, though Combo still appears to believe that Milky does not want Lisa near him.
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  +
Combo eventually moves out of Woody and Lol's place and manages to get a job with [[Helen]] (Lol's nurse), as a sports coach for disabled teenagers, changing his life for the better. On his first day, however, during his lunch break, he runs into Milky who confronts him about the past. Milky asks to discuss matters with Combo over a "brew", to which Combo agrees, although Combo senses something is wrong when Milky drives him to a cafe far away from where they set off. Combo is deeply apologetic for his previous behavior and wishes to earn Milky's forgiveness. Their conversation is cut short when some of Milky's relatives menacingly enter the cafe. He explains that whilst he was in the hospital, his family swore to avenge the beating he had received from Combo. Accepting his fate, Combo states that he forgives Milky, and hopes one day Milky can forgive him. He then accompanies the men into their van and they drive him to an abandoned warehouse where they park and turn up the radio. However, instead of beating him up as he expected, the men hand Combo over to two white hitmen whom Combo appears to recognize. He struggles and begs them to spare his life. The two men carry Combo, struggling and screaming for help, up the stairs into a room and the door is closed. He is not seen again.
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[[File:Comboseries.png|thumb|351x351px|Combo's change in appearance over the series.]]
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Two months later, at Woody and Lol's wedding, Milky is wracked with guilt over his part in Combo's fate. In Woody's speech, he expresses his sadness in not having Combo as his best man as he has disappeared and left no trace of where he has gone. Lol has noticed Milky's strange mood throughout the day and enquires whether he has seen or heard anything of Combo, saying that it was very uncharacteristic of him to vanish without a word. Milky senses that she suspects he has played a part in Combo's disappearance and she asks him to look her straight in the eye and deny having anything to do with Combo's disappearance. Just as he is about to respond, Gadget and Shaun enter the room and the conversation between them dissolves.
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The fate of Combo has not yet been confirmed/revealed by Meadows or Thorne, but the look of guilt on Milky's face at the wedding, which is set two months after the incident, leaves the viewer to assume the worst, and that Combo suffered a painful death and was buried at sea.
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== Characterization ==
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Early on in the film and series even though he would stand up for his friends if the situation arose, Combo is shown as a psychopathic racist, holding staunch opinions regarding immigration and being prone to violent outbursts of anger. Following his racist behaviour and near murder of Milky, Combo seems to be genuinely repentant of his actions and does his best to become a better man. We don't actually know if he died or not but is set up by Milky to be taken by some men who he appears to know. The last we see of him is him screaming that he does not want to die as he is carried through a door in a derelict building.
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==Behind the scenes==
  +
  +
== Trivia ==
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*Combo has the tattoo of tears on his face. This means he has killed someone but it is unknown who. He also has a tattoo of a swastika in the center of his neck.
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*Combo is seen as having violent outbursts and poor intrapersonal communication. This was confirmed by Graham that he is suffering from mental relapses of the abuse he and his siblings suffered from his father when they were children.
  +
*During promotion for ''This Is England '86'', the first fact that Shane Meadows confirmed was that Combo would return, though he did not appear until the end of the third episode getting just a brief mention in the first two. Meadows stated in an interview that he deliberately coincided Combo's return with the scene of Mick raping Trev in order to create more anticipation for the series' finale since it was already known that Combo would play a part in the final confrontation with Mick.
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*Trudy a character in the series is played by Hannah Walters, Stephen Graham's wife.
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Written by '''Darkstardrew.'''
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==External links==
   
 
[[Category:Main Characters]]
 
[[Category:Main Characters]]

Revision as of 01:26, 29 April 2021

Written by Darkstardrew

Andrew Gascoigne
Combo1990
Also known as
Combo
Series
'83, '86, '88, '90
First Appearance
Episode count
8
Born
1951, Merseyside, England
Occupation
Sports coach (1990)
Lovers
Lol (c. 1978)
Family
Uncredited mother (d. 1986)
Status
Disappeared in 1990
(assumed deceased)
Portrayed by

Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne is the main antagonist of This Is England and a supporting character in ´86, ´88, and ´90.

Character History

Before 1983

Born in 1951, little is known about Combo's life before the events of the original film. According to dialogue throughout the saga and behind the scenes, it is suggested that Ruby Porter, (AKA, '23-6C0' upon members of the early National Front gang in Combo's area of youth) was a heavy influence throughout Combo's early life, she is suggested to have influenced his childhood beliefs and ideologies, and even tattooing the name 'B9-124' onto Combo's inner thigh as an initiation to her personal gang of 9 skinheads, at the age of 8. He states in This Is England that he was part of the original skinhead subculture in 1969. Combo is quoted in the film (set in 1983) "twenty years ago when I was twelve". He loved ska music.  

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 2.36

Combo with his newly assembled National Front group.

Combo takes his group to a National Front meeting where they become members of the political party. On the way back, Pukey expresses doubts over the group's racist views, prompting Combo to threaten him violently and tell him to 'piss off back to Woody's'. Combo and the others then engage in racially antagonistic acts, such as spraying racist remarks on walls and threatening Asian boys playing football. When Combo threatens he ever sees them on the streets again, he tells them to go home where their mum's cooking curry. When Shaun enters the Newspaper shop of Sandhu (Kriss Dosanjh), a Pakistani shopkeeper, he tells him to give him 100 fags, two bottles of wine, a bottle of whiskey, and 10 cans of lager, calling Sandhu a 'Paki bastard.' Combo and the rest of the gang start robbing Sandhu who had previously banned Shaun from his shop. The trouble is Combo threatens to slay Sandhu with the sword. Shaun bonds with Combo, seeing him as a surrogate father figure.

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 2.38

Combo and Lol in 1983.

Things take a turn for the worse when Combo approaches Lol (Vicky McClure) and admits that he has feelings for her too. Lol, who is angry with Combo for hurting Woody's feelings, rejects him and tells him that their one-night stand was the worst night of her life, even when Combo says it was the best night of his. Devastated, Combo approaches Milky, buys cannabis from him, and invites him back to his flat in an attempt to forsake his racist views. Whilst intoxicated, Combo and Milky bond but Combo grows jealous of Milky's happy family life and attempts to provoke him into fighting. Milky merely smiles cheekily at Combo, Shaun tells Milky to stop smiling at him and Combo loses his temper. Enraged, he beats Milky unconscious, Banjo holds down Shaun, who is protesting all the while, and Meggy watches them in horror. Combo angrily throws Shaun out of his flat for defending Milky then tells Meggy that he was winding him up. Combo turns his rage on Banjo, throwing a bottle at him and Meggy. When Combo violently beats Banjo, Meggy calls him 'mad as a March hare.' Combo furiously orders both Banjo and Meggy out of his flat and turns to Milky who is seemingly dead. When Shaun is shown crying, he comes back into the room, but a remorseful Combo is weeping in shame. He manages to convince him to stop crying and help get Milky to the hospital.

Ashamed of his actions, Combo leaves town. The scene cuts with Shaun looking at a picture of his dad, who died in the Falklands. When Cynthia (Jo Hartley) comes in, she assures Shaun that Milky will be alright.

1986

Stephen graham 1706545c

Combo in 1986, before discovering Lol and a dead Mick.

Three years later, Combo arrives unexpectedly at Shaun's house one night, drunk and bloodied, and collapses on the living room floor. The next morning, Combo tells Shaun that he has returned because his mother is dying. Shaun and Smell take him to his mother's house, but she has already passed away. Combo takes a moment to pay his respects to his mother, and embraces Shaun as a friend, thanking him for his help.

Later on, Combo decides to visit Lol at her house. He rings the bell several times, but there is no answer. He peers through the living room window and sees Lol sobbing alone in a corner with Mick lying dead on the floor. Fully aware of what has happened and with nothing to lose, Combo alters the scene to make it appear that he had killed Mick in Lol's defense by smearing his fingerprints over the hammer Lol used to kill Mick, and injuring himself with Mick's hand. Subsequently, Combo is sent back to prison for manslaughter, though this time with a clear conscience.

1988

Combo88

Two years later, Lol visits Combo in prison. Looking back on her life over the past few years, Lol has come to realize that Combo was the only one who was ever truly there for her. She visits him to thank him and apologize for what she told him in 1983 and admits that she loves him (the exact nature of this love is not revealed). During the visit, Combo asks about Woody and Milky and is shown a photograph of Lol's baby daughter Lisa, who was the result of a fling with Milky. Combo appears to be genuinely happy for Lol and does not make any racist remarks, hinting that he has abandoned his racist ways. Combo also tells Lol that he is changing his life for the better and continuing with his education by taking his GCSEs in English, Maths, and Sociology. He is last seen in the final scenes spending Christmas alone in his cell, eating Christmas dinner whilst reading.

1990

Picture1

The comparison between the meetings of Milky and Combo. In 1983, hours before he nearly beats Milky to death, and in 1990, meeting for the first time in seven years, hours before Combo's kidnapping.

With his parole hearing imminent, Combo now 39, contacts Lol and asks her for a temporary place to stay, which Lol and Woody agree to out of gratitude for Combo taking the rap for Lol. After a special lunch attended by their nearest and dearest, they reveal the truth behind Mick's murder, along with the news that Combo would be moving in with them upon his release. Though most believe that Combo has changed for the better, Milky remains unconvinced and expresses anger at Woody and Lol's decision, referring to Combo as a "racist fucking cunt", one who almost beat him to death. Though Milky eventually accepts their decision, he refuses to allow Lisa to share the same roof as Combo.

Combo moves in with Woody and Lol, sharing a tearful embrace with Woody and showing his guilt for what he did to Milky (as this is the first time Combo and Woody have seen each other after the former beat Milky) and symbolizing Woody's forgiveness. He smokes and drinks with them, and openly inquires about Lisa, whom they say is spending time with Milky, though Combo still appears to believe that Milky does not want Lisa near him.

Combo eventually moves out of Woody and Lol's place and manages to get a job with Helen (Lol's nurse), as a sports coach for disabled teenagers, changing his life for the better. On his first day, however, during his lunch break, he runs into Milky who confronts him about the past. Milky asks to discuss matters with Combo over a "brew", to which Combo agrees, although Combo senses something is wrong when Milky drives him to a cafe far away from where they set off. Combo is deeply apologetic for his previous behavior and wishes to earn Milky's forgiveness. Their conversation is cut short when some of Milky's relatives menacingly enter the cafe. He explains that whilst he was in the hospital, his family swore to avenge the beating he had received from Combo. Accepting his fate, Combo states that he forgives Milky, and hopes one day Milky can forgive him. He then accompanies the men into their van and they drive him to an abandoned warehouse where they park and turn up the radio. However, instead of beating him up as he expected, the men hand Combo over to two white hitmen whom Combo appears to recognize. He struggles and begs them to spare his life. The two men carry Combo, struggling and screaming for help, up the stairs into a room and the door is closed. He is not seen again.

Comboseries

Combo's change in appearance over the series.

Two months later, at Woody and Lol's wedding, Milky is wracked with guilt over his part in Combo's fate. In Woody's speech, he expresses his sadness in not having Combo as his best man as he has disappeared and left no trace of where he has gone. Lol has noticed Milky's strange mood throughout the day and enquires whether he has seen or heard anything of Combo, saying that it was very uncharacteristic of him to vanish without a word. Milky senses that she suspects he has played a part in Combo's disappearance and she asks him to look her straight in the eye and deny having anything to do with Combo's disappearance. Just as he is about to respond, Gadget and Shaun enter the room and the conversation between them dissolves.

The fate of Combo has not yet been confirmed/revealed by Meadows or Thorne, but the look of guilt on Milky's face at the wedding, which is set two months after the incident, leaves the viewer to assume the worst, and that Combo suffered a painful death and was buried at sea.

Characterization

Early on in the film and series even though he would stand up for his friends if the situation arose, Combo is shown as a psychopathic racist, holding staunch opinions regarding immigration and being prone to violent outbursts of anger. Following his racist behaviour and near murder of Milky, Combo seems to be genuinely repentant of his actions and does his best to become a better man. We don't actually know if he died or not but is set up by Milky to be taken by some men who he appears to know. The last we see of him is him screaming that he does not want to die as he is carried through a door in a derelict building.

Behind the scenes

Trivia

  • Combo has the tattoo of tears on his face. This means he has killed someone but it is unknown who. He also has a tattoo of a swastika in the center of his neck.
  • Combo is seen as having violent outbursts and poor intrapersonal communication. This was confirmed by Graham that he is suffering from mental relapses of the abuse he and his siblings suffered from his father when they were children.
  • During promotion for This Is England '86, the first fact that Shane Meadows confirmed was that Combo would return, though he did not appear until the end of the third episode getting just a brief mention in the first two. Meadows stated in an interview that he deliberately coincided Combo's return with the scene of Mick raping Trev in order to create more anticipation for the series' finale since it was already known that Combo would play a part in the final confrontation with Mick.
  • Trudy a character in the series is played by Hannah Walters, Stephen Graham's wife.

Written by Darkstardrew.

External links