# Downton Abbey S6 - spoiler-free until broadcast in the U.S. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966 "2015-08-16T02:06:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/281 "2016-02-10T17:16:56Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Right. And I don’t think Mary would be able to wrap her brain around the idea that Edith could be a MOTHER. Mary sees herself the mother of the next generation of Crawleys and the idea that Edith could be part of that exclusive club is more than she can grasp (even if Marigold has no claim to any title or land). After all, the other sister who had a baby had the good grace to die and leave Mary alone on the maternal pedestal. > > I had a girlfriend in our little college/post-college group of friends who was the first to have a baby and then a second baby. It kind of made her the Queen Bee (at least in her own eyes). For a few years, she was the only mom. When another of the women in our group had her first baby, Number One almost took it as a personal affront. How dare someone else barge into that special club! She subtly voiced her doubts about the second mom’s qualifications to \*be \*a mother. And then when the second mom had her second baby, the Queen Bee let that friendship extinguish over a couple of years. Sounds like Mary, doesn’t it? Except that she’s stuck with Edith. Is that really fair? I mean, at what point should Mary forgive Edith for nearly ruining her life over the Mr. Pamuk incident? The whole Mary-finding-out-about-Marigold plot development made me wonder if Mary has the opportunity at last to turn the tables on Edith and ruin Edith’s own chance at happiness with her new suitor. My guess is Mary may try, but it will backfire as I think Bertie Pelham has already figured it all out – and doesn’t care. Agree that Molesley will be hired away and leave a space for Thomas, and that Thomas may well end as butler for Downton Abbey because of his relationship with the children. I don’t think Thomas will find happiness beyond that. Carson will feel bad for having misjudged him and appreciate that Thomas has taken to heart the advice of Lord Grantham to cultivate a more generous nature. Grudging respect to Thomas, finally. I’m not sure if Lord Grantham has to croak for it to happen (though he might), but I imagine Bates and Anna will end up happily retiring with their new baby and to start living their dream. At last. (What else?) I’m sure Mary is going to end up marrying Henry Talbot, but I’m far from sure she will end up happy. I think that ending is reserved for Edith. I’ll be surprised if Daisy ends up on the farm. She’s too restless and irascible since her education through Miss Bunting and will set off to put it to good use. I see a happy ending for Mr. Mason, Mrs. Patmore and Andy, with Daisy visiting at weekends. I think she is intended to end as the face of the generic servant who benefited most from all the class changes occurring in this time period. Tropes everywhere you look. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/282 "2016-02-10T18:29:31Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Is that really fair? … Of course, it’s not fair. Where does fairness come into it? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/283 "2016-02-10T18:55:26Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Of course, it’s not fair. Where does fairness come into it? I simply meant that perhaps Mary’s continuing hostility toward Edith is perhaps understandable under the circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/284 "2016-02-10T19:22:36Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I simply meant that perhaps Mary’s continuing hostility toward Edith is perhaps understandable under the circumstances. Mary already got her own back by putting Edith’s pending marriage in the toilet, leaving Edith jilted at the altar. They should be even. StG ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/285 "2016-02-10T19:42:06Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Mary already got her own back by putting Edith’s pending marriage in the toilet, leaving Edith jilted at the altar. They should be even. > > StG You’re laying that at Mary’s door? It was Robert who had the stern talk with Strellan, insisting that he keep away from Edith, and that then Strellan himself began having continuous serious doubts after that. I don’t recall Mary having had anything to do with the “jilted at the altar” thing at all. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/286 "2016-02-10T20:03:49Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > You’re laying that at Mary’s door? It was Robert who had the stern talk with Strellan, insisting that he keep away from Edith, and that then Strellan himself began having continuous serious doubts after that. I don’t recall Mary having had anything to do with the “jilted at the altar” thing at all. Not the left at the altar guy, but the guy before the left at the altar guy. Also, the incident with Mr. Pamuk (and all the fallout afterwards) happened 13 years ago in their time, during which time Edith has been unceremoniously dumped (due to Mary’s own machinations), been scammed by a soldier, jilted at the altar, and had the love of her life die in Germany. To the best of Mary’s knowledge, she’s lost several chances at happiness in very, very public humiliating fashions. So, yeah, between the passing of time and the knowledge that Edith hasn’t been living a life of serene bliss, Mary should be well over it by now. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/287 "2016-02-10T20:34:24Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Not the left at the altar guy, but the guy before the left at the altar guy. > > Also, the incident with Mr. Pamuk (and all the fallout afterwards) happened 13 years ago in their time, during which time Edith has been unceremoniously dumped (due to Mary’s own machinations), been scammed by a soldier, jilted at the altar, and had the love of her life die in Germany. To the best of Mary’s knowledge, she’s lost several chances at happiness in very, very public humiliating fashions. So, yeah, between the passing of time and the knowledge that Edith hasn’t been living a life of serene bliss, Mary should be well over it by now. In season two (aka the War Season), Mary and Edith appear to get on tolerably well. Edith is definitely on her way to becoming a nicer person — heck, Sybil even says as much — and Mary is too preoccupied with her own troubles (her estrangement from Matthew and her impending marriage to the oafish Ser Jorah) to bother fighting with Edith. Sybil’s courtship with Branson also ends up making the two de facto comrades. By all indications, they’ve moved beyond the Pamuk/garden party skirmishes by then. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/288 "2016-02-10T21:54:35Z")
Any chance Mary ends up with Tom? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/289 "2016-02-10T22:20:50Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Any chance Mary ends up with Tom? That’s what I’m betting on. See my Feb 3rd post [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19073536&postcount=233). > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I still think Mary and Tom will wind up together. That blather from her about how she doesn’t want to “marry down” was just thrown in so she will be made to eat her words. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/290 "2016-02-11T00:29:46Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > …With the upper servants aging and thinking of retirement, they’ll need the Daisys of this world to keep them fed. Remember, Sybil couldn’t even boil a kettle of water for tea… Well to be fair Mary could keep her family fed, as long they’re happy to eat nothing but scrambled eggs for the rest of their lives. > [@amarinth](#): > > Not the left at the altar guy, but the guy before the left at the altar guy… It’s the same guy; back in series 1 (before he lost the use of his arm) Sir Anthony was on the verge of proposing to Edith when Mary told him that Edith had been mocking him behind his back for his age. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/291 "2016-02-11T00:53:39Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > That’s what I’m betting on. > > See my Feb 3rd post [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19073536&postcount=233). I’m giving up on the Tom/Mary romance. I think it would have been seeded a bit more by now. There’s only two episodes left, correct? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/292 "2016-02-11T01:01:12Z")
I just checked Wikipedia; two more episodes plus a Christmas special. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/293 "2016-02-11T01:25:20Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > …There’s only two episodes left, correct? WHAT??? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/294 "2016-02-11T01:57:17Z")
Three episodes left. At least here you guys don’t have to wait over a month in between the penultimate & last episodes! ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/295 "2016-02-11T02:18:30Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Not the left at the altar guy, but the guy before the left at the altar guy. That was the same guy, Sir Anthony Strallan. Mary intentionally interfered in their romance in season one, convincing Sir Anthony that Edith thought he was a ridiculous old man. Edith patched things up with Sir Anthony after he returned from WWI and they eventually got engaged in season three, but he left her at the altar because he felt it was for her own good. It’s possible he’d have done the same thing even if Mary had never meddled, given the large age difference between him and Edith. However, a bigger concern for him seemed to be the disability he’d suffered as a result of a war injury, so if Mary hadn’t delayed his courtship of Edith they might have married before Sir Anthony went away to war. ETA: After posting I realize this was already addressed by **alphaboi867** , but I’ll leave it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/296 "2016-02-11T03:09:37Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > That’s what I’m betting on. > > See my Feb 3rd post [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19073536&postcount=233). Does the fact that Tom calls Mary “my sister” and Mary calls Tom “my brother,” not dissuade you from that idea? That seems to firmly establish what each thinks of their relationship. It’s not like they’re dropping the “in-law” part in some coy manner, either. I mean, yes, Matthew was a cousin and that sort of thing wasn’t too unusual, but they are specifically calling each other brother and sister (and acting as straight up brother and sister) even when other characters have called them in-laws. I like a story twist as much as the next person, but at this point, it would just seem unnecessarily squicky. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/297 "2016-02-11T05:19:10Z")
I have to agree. I doubt Tom and Lady Mary end up together. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/298 "2016-02-11T13:04:45Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > Does the fact that Tom calls Mary “my sister” and Mary calls Tom “my brother,” not dissuade you from that idea? That seems to firmly establish what each thinks of their relationship. It’s not like they’re dropping the “in-law” part in some coy manner, either. > > I mean, yes, Matthew was a cousin and that sort of thing wasn’t too unusual, but they are specifically calling each other brother and sister (and acting as straight up brother and sister) even when other characters have called them in-laws. I like a story twist as much as the next person, but at this point, it would just seem unnecessarily squicky. I don’t see anything remotely squicky about them winding up together. They’re calling each other brother/sister because they’re in massive denial about their true feelings. In fact, they’re calling each other that a little _too_ much, as in, methinks they protest, etc. I mean, who even goes around saying stuff like that so pointedly? Mary just said that she’s going to maintain the Downton way of life as much as possible when she and Georgie are in charge. Who’s going to be by her side, managing the place and caring as much as she does-- Henry Talbot? I don’t think so. Tom has said it feels like home to him. Can he meet and fall in live with an appropriate partner (and stepmother for Sybbie) in only two more episodes? Just let me cling to my tidy little fantasy… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/299 "2016-02-11T13:32:37Z")
Furthermore… The story of the couple who search all over for their true love, only to find that s/he lives right next door is the oldest trope in the book. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966/300 "2016-02-11T20:32:23Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Furthermore… > > The story of the couple who search all over for their true love, only to find that s/he lives right next door is the oldest trope in the book. > > 😛 Ah, the Mary Weds Carson ending. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s6-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/727966.md?page=16)