Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) would prefer Dr Clarkson (David Robb) as he knows Sybil and it wouldn't be right not to use him. But Robert turns his nose up at the very thought since Sir Phillip is well respected and has been there for the birth of many a titled aristocrat. Cora insists, yet are protestations fall on deaf ears. Dr Clarkson notices Sybil may have trouble with the birth since she is showing signs of suffering from pre eclampsia, as she's delirious, confused and has swollen ankles. At dinner, Sir Phillip tells Dr Clarkson this may be cos she's got fat ankles, which Dr Clarkson knows isn't the case.
Sybil wants her child to be christened Catholic as this is what Branson (Allen Leech) wants and he speaks of getting a job in Liverpool as a mechanic. However Sybil doesn't want him moving backwards and she tells this to Cora. Wanting her mother to be on her side. Well Robert won't considering his "Johnny foreigner" remark about Catholics last episode.
Thomas (Rob James-Collier) is getting so very familiar with James (Ed Speleers) and is all touchy-feely with him when O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) suggests he should get his help in setting the clock. O'Brien having a plan up her sleeve that if James complains of Thomas's actions of being too familiar, then he'll be forced out of his job or leave, leaving Albert (Matt Milne) as first footman. She tells James he should get in with Thomas as he's close to Robert. Daisy (Sophie McShera) is still being mean to Ivy (Cara Theobold) shown when she messes up the souffle, which Albert helps her put right. Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) watches Albert help Ivy and tells Daisy she should thank her for rescuing the dish. Albert won't like Daisy any better for treating Ivy horribly. Ivy meanwhile prefers James to Albert.
Anna (Joanne Froggatt) finally visits Bates (Brendan Coyle) in prison and gets to tell him about Vera's friend and the pastry Vera made. Thus she intended to kill herself after all and blame Bates for her murder. The police didn't check the pastry only the food in the house and Bates was on a train when she made the pie. Thus the reference to her having pastry in her fingernails a few episodes ago. The prison guard, Durrant (Neil Bell) and his former cellmate Craig (Jason Furnival) meanwhile plot against Bates and Durrant reads his letters from Anna which tell of Vera's freind. Suppose she'll be 'taken care of' now.
Sybil gives birth to a baby girl whilst the others still debate the practicalities of taking her to hospital and undergoing a Cesarean. Well too late now. Didn't you just want to punch pompous Sir Tapsell with his shooting down all of Clarkson's suggestions and diagnosis. They think Sybil is over any danger, but obviously that's not the case. Later in the night, she suffers from the the symptoms of eclampsia and there is nothing that can be done to help her. She stops breathing and dies, as her family look on helpless as does Branson.
Cora promises her she'll look after them both and says goodbye to "my beauty, my baby." She refuses to go anywhere near Robert and wants him to sleep in the dressing room. The staff are naturally upset too with Thomas actually crying. She was the only one who was good to him he tells Anna, when they worked in the hospital together. Cora reveals to the others that Robert wouldn't let Clarkson take Sybil to the hospital and help her. Whilst Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Edith vow to live as sisters, to love each other as this is the last time the three of them will be together in their lives. A fitting tribute by the Dowager when she called Sybil, "the sweetest spirit under this roof."
Murray (Jonathan Coy) arrives to speak with Anna about Bates's news and Matthew speaks with him about the running of Downton, which Mary walks in on. She's disgusted they're plotting behind her father's back. First she wanted his money and now she doesn't want anyone to be in charge of running Downton unless it's Robert, who clearly has driven it into the ground. Granted the timing was off, but Matthew has the best interest of Downton at heart, she bought him in on investing and now she doesn't want Downton to move with the times, just as Robert doesn't. Or for anyone else to run it.
Isobel (Penelope Wilton) brings in Ethel (Amy Nuttall) to work for her and help Mrs Bird (Christine Lohr) who finds this despicable. She wasn't handing in her notice, she just thought Isobel would listen to her ultimatum and not hire Ethel. She writes to Moseley (Kevin Doyle) about this who tells Carson (Jim Carter). Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) tells them Ethel no longer engages in such activity, but Carson bans the maids and the footmen from going over to the house; lest they be tainted by Ethel. Ethel however is no cook and so they think she won't last long there anyway.
It was a shame Jessica Brown-Findlay wanted to leave as she was a well loved character and it was so sad to see her go in that way, never to return. Especially coming so close on the events of last episode when everyone was worried about her being left in Ireland on her own. They didn't see this coming. Hated the way the men were making the decisions, Robert and Sir useless doctor! It wasn't as if they were having the baby. No one even bothered to ask Branson as Cora rightly stated and it should have been his decision if any man was going to be involved. Also Cora's, having been through childbirth, not to mention losing her baby too in the first series. Now she has lost two children.
It's the same thing where Edith is concerned, she can't write for the paper for fear the editor is only exploiting the Crawley name. God forbid if she should do something for herself. So much for the Dowager telling her to do something last episode, anything but this. As Edith says they all think her a failure.
Downton however, preferred to bring in Dr Clarkson in a kind of effort to prove his diagnosis right at this point in time, his having been so wrong in earlier series, re Matthew's spine injury last series, for starters. As he's always been portrayed as someone who sniffs at new medical procedures and practices. However he was right this time and Cora so wanted to help Sybil, though making those sorts of decisions on her own were unheard of, but this especially was one time when she should have defied Robert. Even if the Dowager does add that women have been dying in childbirth for ages. This is one time when it could have been averted.
One episode where tissues are needed and indeed one which will be very hard to watch again, but perhaps a little easier since we know what's to come.
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