Down(ton)

By Misty Harris

Spoiler Alert!!

So just when you were finally able to take the look of shock off of your face from witnessing the death of the beloved Lady Sybil, the shock returns with the finale of Season III of Downton Abbey!

Did you get a feeling something was going to happen? If so at what point? For me the feeling came when Matthew began telling Lady Mary how much he loved her and the bed music played under him. I knew it was coming. I braced myself for it and although I didn't shed any tears during the final scene (it began too peacefully).  I was hurt nonetheless. I liked Matthew. To me, he was the bridge to the unshakeable change that the Crawley’s resisted for such a long time. I guess Lady Sybil was as well and in a way, her death (or the scene right before her death) prepared me for Matthew's tragic end. Before Lady Sybil died, she spoke with Lady Mary about her wants and needs for her husband and baby. She was anxious and worried about the future and I think that fear she had foreshadowed her imminent death. But again, I was shocked nonetheless.

This season was dark...very dark. From Bates' prison term, Lady Edith's short-lived trip down the aisle to the two deaths, we have a lot to take in! And now, the grieving period for some will be the loss of Lady Sybil and Matthew and for others (for most) will be the the waiting period for Season 4.

With these unexpected turn of events how do you feel?  How do you envision the future of the Crawley’s and the future of Downton Abbey? And oh the children...what about the children? We've got a lot to think about these next "Downton free" months!