| Errors | Missing | Unverified | Supported |
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In Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk (2017), George (played by Barry Keoghan) is the teenage friend of Peter, Mr. Dawson’s son. His arc in the "Sea" timeline is one of the film’s most tragic elements.
Here are the specific details of what happens to him:
1. Joining the Mission
George impulsively jumps onto Mr. Dawson’s boat, the Moonstone, just as it is departing from Dorset. He tells Mr. Dawson that he wants to do something meaningful and be part of the effort, despite not being officially called to serve.
2. The Altercation
The Moonstone picks up a "Shivering Soldier" (played by Cillian Murphy) who is stranded on a semi-submerged wreck. When the soldier realizes that Mr. Dawson is sailing toward Dunkirk rather than back to England, he suffers a panic attack and tries to seize control of the boat. During the physical struggle, the soldier shoves George, causing him to fall down the stairs into the cabin.
3. The Injury
George hits his head severely during the fall. Initially, he seems conscious but dazed. As the journey continues, his condition deteriorates rapidly. He tells Peter that he can no longer see, indicating a traumatic brain injury or internal bleeding. Mr. Dawson and Peter move him to a makeshift bed, but they are unable to provide medical attention because they are heading into a combat zone.
4. Death
George passes away quietly in the cabin of the boat while the Moonstone is in the middle of rescuing soldiers from the water (near the site of the oil fire and the downed Spitfire).
5. Peter’s Mercy
Later, the Shivering Soldier, who has calmed down but is still deeply traumatized, asks Peter how the "lad" is doing. Seeing the state of the soldier's mental health and realizing that the soldier killed George by accident, Peter chooses to lie and tells him, "He’ll be fine." This prevents the soldier from being further crushed by the guilt of having killed a boy who was trying to help.
6. The Aftermath
When the Moonstone returns to England, George’s body is carried off the boat on a stretcher. In the film's closing scenes, Peter takes a photograph of George to the local newspaper. The film ends with a shot of the newspaper, which features George’s picture with a headline identifying him as a hero of Dunkirk, fulfilling George’s earlier wish to do something noteworthy.
While 'teenage' is used, his specific age of 17 is a common detail in character descriptions.
George explicitly mentions he wants to do something that would make his father and teachers proud because he wasn't good at school, which adds weight to the newspaper ending.
The summary focuses on Peter, but Mr. Dawson's stoic reaction and his nod of approval for Peter's lie are significant character moments.
In the 'Sea' timeline of Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk (2017), George is a 17-year-old boy who impulsively joins Mr. Dawson and his son Peter on the Moonstone as they set sail from Weymouth to assist in the evacuation. George's motivation is to 'amount to something' and make his family proud, as he feels he has failed in school. During the journey, they rescue a shell-shocked soldier (Cillian Murphy) from a wrecked ship. When the soldier realizes they are heading back to Dunkirk, he panics and attempts to seize the helm. In the ensuing scuffle, he pushes George, who falls down the companionway and suffers a severe head injury. George eventually goes blind and dies while the boat is rescuing soldiers from the oil-slicked waters near a sinking destroyer. To spare the traumatized soldier the guilt of killing a civilian, Peter lies to him, saying George will be 'fine.' Upon returning to England, Peter takes George's photograph to the local newspaper, which publishes a tribute hailing him as a 'Hero of Dunkirk,' fulfilling George's wish to be noteworthy.