After 52 episodes and two feature films, Downton Abbey is getting its big send-off. The Los Angeles Times points out that the new chapter, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, lands after nearly 20 years of storylines that bounced between the Crawleys upstairs and the staff downstairs. Fans already mourned the loss of Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess in A New Era, but there are still plenty of familiar faces with unfinished business before the final curtain comes down. Here is where things stand with the main players.
Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery)
Mary’s evolution has been one of the show’s anchors. She went from reluctant heir to the one fully in charge of the estate. Divorced from Henry Talbot by the time of The Grand Finale, Mary is determined to modernize Downton. As creator Julian Fellowes told The Times in 2022, she has learned to harness her sharp personality and channel it into leadership.
Lady Edith Pelham (Laura Carmichael)
Once dismissed as the overlooked middle daughter, Edith now carries weight as the Marchioness of Hexham. She and Bertie are raising two children, and she finally stands as Mary’s equal, offering advice and demonstrating her own resolve. According to The Los Angeles Times, Edith gets a defining moment in the finale that underlines just how far she has come.
Tom Branson (Allen Leech)
Tom’s arc has already found its resolution. He remarried Lucy Smith in A New Era, giving his daughter Sybbie a new family. By the finale, he and Lucy have a child of their own and live away from Downton, though Tom returns to support the Crawleys when needed.
Daisy Mason (Sophie McShera) and Andrew Parker (Michael Fox)
Daisy grew from timid kitchen maid into head cook, taking over for Mrs. Patmore. She and Andrew, once a footman and now a senior figure downstairs, are part of the younger generation carrying the house forward. Their marriage symbolizes stability below stairs.
Anna and John Bates (Joanne Froggatt, Brendan Coyle)
The Bateses endured heartache for years, from miscarriages to prison time, but ended the series with a healthy baby. Nothing in the films has shaken that happy ending. In The Grand Finale, they welcome another positive milestone, giving them one more moment of light after years of struggle.
Joseph Molesley (Kevin Doyle)
Molesley transformed from bumbling footman to teacher and, later, screenwriter. A New Era gave him his breakthrough in film and cemented his romance with Phyllis Baxter. By the time of The Grand Finale, he is married, still writing, and still tied to the world of Downton that gave him his start.
FAQs
When does Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale release?
The film opens in theaters on September 12.
Which major character died in the last film?
Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess, passed away in A New Era.
What happens with Lady Mary?
She takes full control of Downton Abbey after her divorce.
Where is Tom Branson’s story now?
He’s remarried, raising his children, and living a more settled life.
Who runs the Downton kitchen in the finale?
Daisy Mason steps into the role, symbolizing the younger generation taking charge.
