Downton Abbey Series 6 Episode 9 Recap: That’s All Folks

As usual, this recap contains spoilers. If you have not watched the episode, read at your own risk. This recap also contains tears as this was the final episode of Downton Abbey.

Here we go.

The final episode can be summed up in one word: love.

Edith finally got her happy ending. After years of playing second fiddle to Mary, Lady Edith Crawley (now known as Lady Edith Pelham,  Marchioness of Hexham), Edith has it all. A loving husband, a beautiful little girl and a solid career. We all should be so lucky.

Edith is one of those characters that has the ability to bounce back from tragedy. Lesser women would have resigned themselves to their fate, but Edith took her life in her own hands and found her way to a happy ending.  Bravo girl, you rock, may we all learn from you.

I am not the only one who found it ironic that at the end of the series, it is Edith who is grand lady of the county while Mary’s husband sells used cars. Who could have guessed back in series 1 that this would be the fates of these characters?

The love was not just between the sisters, who found a way to peacefully co-exist.

Robert finally understood Cora’s devotion to the hospital and began once more to appreciate his wife. Rose and Atticus came back for the wedding and to introduce their daughter (via pictures) to the family. Mary will be a mother once more. A hint of a future pairing existed between Tom and Edith’s editor, which might have been an interesting plot line to see in series 7, but alas, we will never know (that is, unless the rumored movie does one day hit the theaters, fingers crossed). Isobel not only rescued Lord Merton from imprisonment by his son and new daughter in law, the Downton equivalent of Sense and Sensibility’s John and Fanny Dashwood, but she also finally said yes to him.

Downstairs, like upstairs change is happening,

After years of nothing but heartache, Anna and Bates are now parents. Baby boy Bates (whose  first name the viewer is not privy to) came into the world in Lady Mary’s bedroom of all places. Welcome to the world, young man, you are blessed to have Anna and John Bates as your parents.

As much as I would have liked to see a Baxter/Molesley romance, it appears that this relationship is squarely set in the friend zone. But that does not mean that Molesley is without prospects, his career options exploded. He can now call himself a teacher.  Good for him, the downstairs Edith has a bright future.

There was some romance or at least the possibility of romance downstairs. The potential Daisy/Andy relationship is interesting, but it’s development remains strictly in the imagination of the fans and again, the possible Downton Abbey movie.

Thomas, this episode was like a boomerang.  After spending most of the season looking for other employment, he found it, only to find that he hated it and returned to Downton. He has perfect timing, because Mr. Carson is afflicted with Parkinsons and retires with a generous pension from his employers. Thomas is now butler.

Am I the only one who noticed that first time in the series, both Anna and Mrs. Hughes referred to their husbands by their first names?

So that’s it folks. Downton Abbey is over. When they announced that the sixth series would be its last, I don’t think any of us to expect it come as quickly as it did.

As both a die-hard fan and a writer, I am satisfied. Everyone had an ending, happy or semi happy. But there is also enough room for new plots and characters down the road.

Sunday nights at 9 in the winter will never feel the same again.

 

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Quiet

*-Of course none of these characters are mine, I am just temporarily borrowing them.

Quiet

Barton Cottage was quiet, too quiet.

Mary Dashwood remembered the day she moved into Barton Cottage with her daughters. When her husband died, she knew their time at NorlandPark was coming to an end. Fanny, John’s wife was too polite to articulate her feelings, but she was not happy having to share her new home with her husband’s stepmother and step sisters.

The letter from her cousin, Sir John Middleton was a great relief for them all. Of course, Barton Cottage was far from the size and luxury of Norland Park, but the truth was, Mary had learned to appreciate the intimacy that the small cottage allowed.

They had moved in six years ago, it seemed as only a moment had passed.

Marianne and Elinor were both married and had blessed their mother with four grandchildren.

Margaret had also recently departed Barton Cottage.

Marianne’s husband, Colonel Brandon had been offered a position with the admiralty and had relocated his family to London. The excitement of London and the society it offered had drawn Margaret in and with an invitation in hand to spend the season with Marianne and Christopher, Mary watched her youngest child depart for London.

“Mama, it’s time” Elinor’s voice broke through.

“Of course” Mary agreed as Elinor’s husband, Edward Ferrars took the last of her belongings. With her children gone, there was no need to reside at Barton Cottage with just the servants. Mary had been offered a room at the parsonage with Elinor and her family.

“I will be in your way” Mary had protested when the idea had been suggested.

 “Mama, I promise you, you will not be in the way, Edward and I would love for you to stay and the children would love your company”.

 “No, you have your own lives, I do not want to interfere, I will gladly come when asked, but I am happy to stay where I am”.

 “Mary, I assure, you will not be interfering in anyway. We have discussed the idea with Marianne and Christopher and they are of the same mind, especially with Christopher being called to London”.

 “At least let me consider the idea” Mary asked.

 Two weeks later, Barton Cottage was empty. Mary had agreed that her time at Barton Cottage had come to end. It was indeed quiet.

The End

Reprimand

*-As usual, these characters are not mine, they belong with respect and affection belong to Miss Austen.

*- The section in italics is the original text from Sense and Sensibility.

Reprimand

It was another sleepless night for Mr. John Dashwood, son to the late Mr. Henry Dashwood and the newest master of Norland Park.

It had been nearly a fortnight since Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters had departed Norland for a small cottage on the property of a distant cousin in Devonshire.

His father’s dying wish was that John offer financial compensation to his stepmother and stepsisters. But it was Fanny, who convinced him otherwise and John was in agreement.

“He did not stipulate for any particular sum, my dear Fanny; he only requested me, in general terms, to assist them, and make their situation more comfortable than it was in his power to do. Perhaps it would have been as well if he had left it wholly to myself. He could hardly suppose I should neglect them. But as he required the promise, I could not do less than give it; at least I thought so at the time. The promise, therefore, was given, and must be performed. Something must be done for them whenever they leave Norland and settle in a new home.”

“Well, then, LET something be done for them; but THAT something need not be three thousand pounds. Consider,” she added, “that when the money is once parted with, it never can return. Your sisters will marry, and it will be gone for ever. If, indeed, it could be restored to our poor little boy—”

“Why, to be sure,” said her husband, very gravely, “that would make great difference. The time may come when Harry will regret that so large a sum was parted with. If he should have a numerous family, for instance, it would be a very convenient addition.”

“To be sure it would.”

“Perhaps, then, it would be better for all parties, if the sum were diminished one half.—Five hundred pounds would be a prodigious increase to their fortunes!”

“Oh! beyond anything great! What brother on earth would do half so much for his sisters, even if REALLY his sisters! And as it is—only half blood!—But you have such a generous spirit!”

With a clean conscious that he had provided for his stepmother and stepsisters as his father wished, John began his life as master of Norland Park.

Then the sleepless nights and the dreams came.

It was the same dream every night. His father calling his name, but when awoke, the night was silent.

“Perhaps my dear, Mr. Jones might help” Fanny offered. Mr. Jones was the physician who Mrs. Ferrars would recommend to anyone who would listen.

“No, I don’t think he is necessary”. But the nightmares and the sleepless nights continued.

“John!” he woke up with a start, his father’s voice.

“Why did you defy me?” his father’s voice boomed as a cold breeze came from nowhere.

“Father, I…I don’t understand”.

“Your stepmother and the girls, I asked you to take care of them and you have not. Why did you defy me?”.

“It was Fanny’s idea, she…”.

“Do not blame your wife, boy; you are master of Norland Park, not your wife. I am still your father and you will do as I have bid you to do”.

With that declaration, the other worldly voice and the cold breeze disappeared.

John finally woke up to find Fanny sleeping beside him and the light of the moon in the distance.

In the morning John hied a messenger as quickly to Derbyshire as quickly as he could.

“My dear, where have you sent him?” Fanny asked, noticing the man hurrying out of her husband’s study and towards the stables.

“To Derbyshire, with a note for £3000”.

“My darling, we agreed, that they do not need that money”.

“I have made up my mind, Fanny; we will not speak of this subject any further”.

In Derbyshire, Mrs. Dashwood’s maid announced the visitor.

“A letter for you ma’am, from Norland Park”.

After reading the letter, she collapsed into tears.

“Mama?” Margaret asked.

“We are saved, my dears. Your brother has come through”.

For the rest of his days, John Dashwood never dreamed of his father returning from the other world.