The Last Words Of Every Fallen Downton Abbey Character
During its six seasons on the air, the upstairs-downstairs TV drama Downton Abbey became one of the best-loved shows of all time. While Downton Abbey initially seems like just any old period drama, it actually has a lot more to offer than just long skirts and some restrained romance. This show is jam-packed with jaw-dropping moments of drama. For a rich family living in the middle of nowhere, the Crawleys have certainly seen their fair share of intrigue.
Some of the most dramatic and memorable moments on the show sadly involved death. A surprising number of characters passed away on this show. Whether it was from illness, accident, or even murder, these deaths all shocked viewers. Luckily, most of the characters who died on Downton Abbey managed to get some pretty memorable last words in before they passed. Here are the last words of every fallen character on Downton Abbey. Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Kemal Pamuk said this before he died in Mary's bed
The very first death on Downton Abbey was certainly a shocking one. In the third episode of Season 1, the Crawleys welcomed Turkish diplomat Kemal Pamuk into their home. Mary, the eldest daughter, spends the evening flirting with Pamuk. Breaching all kinds of protocol, Pamuk appears uninvited at Mary's bedroom door in the middle of the night. After resisting Pamuk, saying, "I'd be ruined if they even knew we'd had this conversation," Mary eventually agrees to spend the night with him. Unfortunately, Pamuk doesn't make it through the night.
The last words we hear Pamuk say are simply, "Trust me." A few moments later, Pamuk dies unexpectedly in Mary's bed. Talk about a plot twist! Mary, her maid, and her mother are forced to carry his body back to his room before the rest of the house wakes up. According to the Evening Standard, this shocking plot line was actually based on a true story — but, of course, we'll never know if the real diplomat had the same final words.
Downton Abbey's William Mason only thought of Daisy on his deathbed
William Mason was the second footman at Downton Abbey who had a long-standing crush on Daisy, the scullery maid. Before leaving for the First World War, Daisy agrees to marry William, even though she doesn't love him. When William returns severely injured, Daisy decides to go through with the wedding so that he can die happy. It's a tragic plotline.
The final words we hear William say are: "You'll be my widow — a war widow with a pension and rights. You'll be looked after." When Daisy says it would be "like cheating," William replies, "But it's not cheating. We love each other, don't we? We'd have married if I had got through it and spent our whole lives together. Where's the dishonesty in that?"
It's clear just how much William cares for Daisy. What makes it even more tragic is the fact that Daisy probably loves William, too. As actress Sophie McShera, who played Daisy, told the Daily Mail, "Julian [Fellowes, the show's creator] asked me how I thought Daisy really thinks about William. He said he believes that deep, deep down she really loves him."
Lavinia Swire said these last words to Matthew
Another devastating death came in Season 2 of Downton Abbey when the sweet Lavinia Swire died after catching the Spanish flu. Lavinia was Matthew's new fiancée, and even though fans of the show were eager to see Matthew and Mary get together, Lavinia's death was utterly heartbreaking.
Lavinia's final words were unbelievably gracious. While dying, she says, "You might have to make hard decision. Be happy. For my sake. Promise me. It's all I want for you. Remember that. That's what I want." Sadly, those are her last words.
While Lavinia's death was sad, it was also convenient for fans. As Zoe Boyle, who played Lavinia, told the Daily Mail that even she wanted Matthew and Mary to end up together: "I was quite happy with the way the storyline played out. Lavinia had some nice qualities and she was disposed of very conveniently so it all worked out well for the good of the show."
Vera Bates' last known words on Downton Abbey were seriously ominous
Few romances on Downton Abbey were as lovely as the one between Anna and Mr. Bates. But things hit a snag for the couple when Mr. Bates reveals that he has an estranged wife named Vera. Vera shows up and tries to blackmail her husband into returning to her, and when her plan fails, she plots her revenge. The final ominous words she speaks on the show are: "It doesn't end here, you know, not for Tom Bates. Lady Mary might have got away — what do I care? — but he won't. You tell him." From these final words, it's pretty clear that she has one more card up her sleeve.
Vera ends up committing suicide and framing her husband with the crime. As The Telegraph noted, the suicide revenge plot was probably one of the most shocking moments on the show. Luckily, Mr. Bates is eventually proven innocent and he and Anna get their happily ever after — after a few other setbacks, of course!
Lady Sybil said these words before her sudden death on Downton Abbey
Lady Sybil's death has to be one of the worst deaths in Downton Abbey's history. The character died in Season 3 after getting eclampsia during childbirth. In the lead-up to the birth, the family consults with two different doctors about Sybil's condition. While one thinks she has the signs of eclampsia and should be taken to the hospital, the other is convinced she is fine. After giving birth, Sybil does seem to be okay. She sits with her new baby and her husband and says, "I just want to sleep, really." Later, in the middle of the night, she has a seizure and dies suddenly, surrounded by her distraught family. She said her last words just moments before, saying through tears, "Oh boy, I should be getting up," and screaming about the pain in her head.
Sybil was known as one of the kindest, most forward-thinking characters on the show, so her sudden death left fans devastated. As the Daily Mail reported, fans around the world were horrified. One fan tweeted, "Oh dear Lord WHY?? Why did you take Lady Sybil she was my fave," and another wrote, "I am dying. *sobs forever*." And as producer Gareth Neame told Vulture, "In the end, we were a people in mourning." Sybil's death went down as one of the worst moments of Downton Abbey.
Charlie Rogers had a tragic end during a race
Charlie Rogers is initially introduced to Downton Abbey as a friend of Atticus Aldridge and Henry Talbot. He and Henry are race car drivers who both take part in a race at Brooklands. In a tragic turn of events, Charlie's car crashes on the racecourse and he is killed. So, what were Charlie's last words?
"The cars are in place, we should go," Charlie calls out to Henry right before the race. After Henry says he's "right behind" him, Charlie responds, "You'll stay there if I have my way."
As The Washington Post noted at the time of the episode, the fiery death served as a plot point in Mary and Henry's relationship. "Mary is shaken to her core. Her greatest fears were almost realized," the reviewer wrote. "Henry is devastated. He wants to tell Mary how he feels about her, and how he'll give up racing, but she puts him off. She's not ready for that conversation."
Matthew Crawley's last words to Mary will make you cry
After Dan Stevens decided to leave Downton Abbey at the end of Season 3, his character was killed off in a pretty brutal way. Shortly after his wife, Mary, gives birth to their new son, Matthew is killed in a car crash on the way home from the hospital. Just before the tragic moment, the writers gave Matthew and Mary a touching final scene together.
In their final exchange, Matthew says, "Right now, I want to tell you that I fall more in love with you every day that passes." He goes on to explain that the rest of the family is waiting at the house. "I wanted a chance to be alone with my family," he says. Mary sends him home to tell the family about the baby. Before he leaves, she says, "I think I've earned a decent kiss." Matthew replies, "You certainly, certainly have." And those are his final words.
The death was so distressing for fans that Stevens found himself still apologizing four years after the episode aired. As he told the Mirror (via Daily Mail), "There were some very upset people and I've had to apologize to a lot of people over the past four years."
These were Alex Green's last known words
Alex Green was probably one of the most hated characters in Downton Abbey history. Mr. Green was the valet of Mr. Gillingham, one of Lady Mary's suitors. During a visit to the Abbey, Mr. Green rapes Anna and leaves her trying to keep the assault a secret from her husband, Mr. Bates (via CheatSheet). Mr. Green's final appearance on the show is in an episode of Season 4 during another visit to the house. We see him sitting at the dinner table with the other servants and talking happily about moving to London. As he explains, he'll be right in the heart of the city with "Piccadilly one end, Savoy at the other." His final words are: "I am a lucky tyke."
In the end, Mr. Green isn't so lucky after all. Later in that same episode, Mr. Gillingham reveals that Mr. Green has died unexpectedly. "He was in Piccadilly and he slipped or stumbled — fell into the road," he tells Mary (via The Wall Street Journal), an interesting death considering that his final words on the show were all about his excitement at being in London!
Charles Bryant left behind some unfinished business when he died
While Charles Bryant wasn't necessarily a major character in Downton Abbey, his death did create an interesting plot line for Ethel, one of the maids. During the First World War, when Downton Abbey is transformed into a convalescent home for wounded soldiers, Major Bryant and Ethel begin a flirtation. Eventually, the housekeeper, Mrs. Hughes, catches the pair together, and she sends Ethel packing. Ethel eventually gives birth to Bryant's illegitimate son. However, Bryant dies on the battlefield, leaving Ethel behind to persuade his grieving parents to help her.
So, what were Bryant's final words on the show? Well, his final scene is with Mrs. Hughes, who tries to convince him to meet his son. Bryant refuses to have anything to do with the child and leaves, saying, "Now, I'll say goodbye. It was time I was making tracks." It's clear that Bryant wasn't a particularly kind or responsible man. But, nevertheless, his death signals ruin for Ethel (via Metro).
Michael Gregson's final words on Downton Abbey are heartbreaking in hindsight
The second Crawley daughter, Edith, doesn't always have the best luck in love. When she meets the charming magazine editor Michael Gregson, things finally seem to be going her way. However, it turns out that Gregson has a mentally ill wife whom he can't divorce in Britain. So, in order to be with Edith, he decides to emigrate to Germany, where the divorce will be legal.
Before he leaves, the pair spend one night together. Edith asks if they're going out for dinner and he replies, "No, I hadn't planned on going anywhere." In hindsight, his final words are much more meaningful than they seemed. Gregson disappears in Germany. Eventually, it's revealed that he was captured by Hitler's Brownshirts and killed (via ITV). Even though Gregson hadn't planned on going away forever, that's exactly what ended up happening. Edith is left heartbroken.
Edward Courtenay said these heartbreaking last words on Downton Abbey
Edward Courtenay is a minor character in Downton Abbey who appears briefly in Season 2. He is one of the soldiers who comes to the town to recover. Courtenay has been blinded by mustard gas and is suffering from what appears to be PTSD or depression. He befriends Thomas and Sybil and they begin to help him. Unfortunately, Dr. Clarkson decides to send him away once he's made a physical recovery. Courtenay's final words on the show are, "But sir, these two are helping me here." He adds, "Please don't send me away. Not yet." But Dr. Clarkson refuses.
Sadly, it turns out Courtenay really wasn't ready to be moved. Later in the episode, he is found dead, having committed suicide. Even though Courtenay didn't have a major role on the show, his unnecessary death was heartbreaking and it showed viewers Thomas' softer side.