The fight to be top dog in the criminal underground can get messy - and these characters know it better than most.

Gangs of London’s second series didn’t hold back when it came to big reveals, shocking exits – and a whole load of bloody revenge.

Following the death of crime boss Finn Wallace at the beginning of series one, several challengers have risen to take the throne from his son, Sean.

That’s before Sean even takes into account the family business may have moles on the inside –while undercover cop Elliot Carter seems to be swayed more by the life of a mobster by the day.

Now available on Sky Atlantic, viewers will be able to catch-up on Gangs of London series from the beginning ahead of the new series dropping.

For the uninitiated, here are the central players as Gangs of London at the beginning of series two.

Played by: Sopé Dìrísù (Slow Horses, Mr Malcolm’s List)

Series one saw ex-undercover cop Elliot dragged into the criminal underworld, but in series two he strives to get out and leave the gang world behind for good.

Principled and the moral compass of the show, Elliot’s hero complex won’t let him leave until he has brought down the violent ruling force in London.

But the harder he tries to get out, the more he gets sucked back in and forced to question what sort of man he really is.

Played by: Joe Cole (Skins, Peaky Blinders)

Upon the death of his father, Finn, at the beginning of series one, Sean Wallace is thrust into a leadership position within the Wallace Organisation.

Taught about the underworld from an early age, Finn did not consider Sean ready to take over before his death.

While he relies on the Dumanis to run the day-to-day functioning of the gang, Sean is nonetheless someone who shouldn’t be messed with and has a string of cruel and unusual punishments for those who cross him.

He is desperate to emulate his father, as well as the power and respect he commanded.

Thought to have been killed at the end of series one, Finn miraculously survives and now has an even bigger chip on his shoulder than ever before.

Played by: Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones, Suits)

Marian Wallace was once the matriarch of the most powerful gangster family in London, but series one saw Marian lose it all - including her husband and her son.

Cold, calculated and utterly ruthless, Marian Wallace doesn’t stay beaten for long and in series two she rose from the ashes, determined to rebuild her family and take back what was taken from them - at whatever cost.

Played by: Brian Vernel (The Last Kingdom)

Ex-addict Billy Wallace has left his toxic family far behind him; he is clean, healthy and living his happy ever after. However, his brother’s death still haunts him and when the opportunity to get revenge comes knocking, Billy is sucked back into the gangster world he thought he had escaped. The black sheep of the family and always battling to keep his addictions at bay, Billy will wrestle with whether he is cut out for this world and worthy of the Wallace name.

Played by: Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You, The Lazarus Project)

Alex Dumani is riding high as the Investor’s Golden Boy and has taken over at the helm of what was once the Wallace business empire. His ambition, financial brilliance and charisma have allowed him to climb to a position of power and live a life of excess as the legitimate face of money laundering in London. He is finally where he has always dreamed of being; a successful and powerful business leader. However, Alex will learn that when you reach such heady heights there is a long way to fall.

Played by: Orli Shuka (We Were the Lucky Ones, All The Old Knives)

Indomitable Albanian gang boss Luan is defiantly kicking against the new leading gangster force in London. His ambition sees him connect with a surprising ally and make dangerous decisions to stay in control of his gang and his business. But Luan’s family is his achilles’ heel and his enemies know this. Tenacious and heroic, Luan stands to lose everything and will be forced to make an impossible choice about whether to retreat to protect his family or to keep fighting for everything he has worked for.

Played by: Lucian Msamati (Game of Thrones, Black Earth Rising)

Old school and discreet, Ed Dumani used to be right hand man to the most powerful gang boss in London and believed that nothing could touch him. But the betrayals he committed at the end of last series have left Ed compromised. Diminished, weak, and taking orders from a new ruling force, Ed is struggling to clutch onto any authority he might have left. With pressure and danger building, Ed must decide where his true loyalties lie and whether he has what it takes to make the Dumani name powerful again.

Played by: Narges Rashidi (Anatomy of Evil, I Came By)

Ruthless Kurdish gang boss Lale is a wanted woman after killing the Mayor of London, but she’s unwilling to slink off into hiding. Strong willed and fearless, freedom fighter Lale is driven by a cause much bigger than her which will see her strike a shocking deal with an unlikely ally in order to rebuild her gang and support her rebel cause.

Played by: Asif Raza (Jaan E Jahan, Sarkar Sahab Aka Evicted Lord)

Heroin kingpin Asif is now a master puppeteer on behalf of the Investors. He is their eyes and ears and is charged with restoring order in London. He is power hungry and egotistical but his weakness is that he is grieving the death of his son and is burning with revenge. As he becomes distracted by vengeance and his grip on London loosens, Asif’s powerful position is in jeopardy.

Played by: Waleed Zuaiter (Baghdad Central, The Spy)

Terrifying and brutal, gang boss Koba has been brought to London to enforce order among the gangs with his paramilitary approach. Shrewd and quirky, Koba is taking advantage of the business opportunity this affords him and is attempting to monopolise the London drugs trade. But as power-hungry Koba becomes consumed by his own business interests and dealing out sadistic punishments to anyone who threatens them, he takes his eye off the ball. Koba comes to realise that his terror tactics have not inspired loyalty as his enemies stack up.

Played by: Newcomer Jahz Armando

Outspoken and fiercely bright, ambitious Saba is full of youthful idealism and has big plans to become a lawyer. Part of the Algerian community, she is only 18 and has been largely protected from her community’s criminal endeavours. That all changes when there is a shock death in her community and Saba is suddenly thrust into a terrifying and violent world she has no idea how to navigate. Saba quickly learns lessons about who she can trust and she’ll have to draw on her strength of character and intuition to survive.

Played by: Aymen Hamdouchi (Criminal: UK, Trigonometry)

Hakim is part of the Algerian street gang. He’s business savvy and cocksure; he can see that the drugs trade in London is changing and his gang are being left behind. Hakim believes he has what it takes to raise his gang to the next level and is willing to make ruthless and dangerous deals with powerful gangsters. When it comes down to it, does he have the guts to be the leader he thought he could be?

Played by: Pippa Bennett-Warner (Chloe, Moonflower Murders)

Series 1 saw Shannon Dumani go from protected princess to cop killer… she was bitterly mistaken if she thought the Dumani family name would make her untouchable. This series we find Shannon a changed woman, having been let down by those closest to her. Sharp, merciless and determined to build a self-sufficient future for her and her son, Shannon has become a surprising new contender in the gangster world.

Played by: Fady El-Sayed (KAOS, Industry)

18-year-old Faz is a member of the Algerian gang. He is enthusiastic, naive and desperate to hold guns and make an impression. Faz soon realises that being part of a gang is nothing like the video games he plays and he is left haunted by the violence he witnesses and is forced to commit.