Even the most ardent fans must recognize that Downton Abbey is on the verge of winding down. Most of the main cast has left the show and the story lines following Mary, Edith, and Mr. & Mrs. Bates are close to finding closure. Even the show’s most epic “Will they? Won’t they?” couple — Carson and Mrs. Hughes — have finally gotten engaged. The end of Downton Abbey is in sight and Dame Maggie Smith is already talking publicly about how done she is.

While perceptive fans have realized that this generation’s story is almost done, we have a theory that the saga of Downton Abbey is far from over. We’re not referring to show runner Julian Fellowes’ tantalizing “Gilded Age” prequel series. We’re talking about how the man has subtly set up an intensely dramatic sequel series centered on the next generation’s involvement in World War II.

Let’s look at where we are in the series right now: Rose is married to a Jewish man, Marigold’s father was literally murdered by Nazis, and the sole male heir of Downton is due to turn 18* on the exact month that World War II breaks out.

Julian Fellowes, we see your master plan, and we dare you to follow through on it now rather than later.

Downton Abbey has always directly linked its drama to real-life historic events. The show begins on the day the Titanic sinks. Downton’s two presumed male heirs perish in the tragedy, which sets off the drama of the entire series. What follows is a dramatic meditation on how the technology and political upheaval of the early 20th century directly affected the lives of British landed aristocracy and their servants, and by “dramatic meditation,” I mean “soap opera.”

We realize that it’s not too much of a leap to see where the show is going. After all, Hitler has gotten a shout out this season. But we were particularly struck when we realized that Mary’s beloved son, George, is due to celebrate his 18th right when the Nazis invade Poland. What do we know about George so far? Well, he looks a lot like the insanely morally upright Matthew, is the one hope for Downton’s future, and his upbringing is being left to nannies. Put that together, shake it up, and what do you have? The recipe for a dashing, young hero with a desire to rebel against his emotionally distant mother and find purpose in a great cause. Basically, George is going to join the RAF and cause Mary some serious stress about the fact that her entire plan for preserving Downton could be literally blown away. (And if he does die… Would Sybbie and Marigold fight for the reins to Downton?)

Sybbie is going to be 19 when the war breaks out. That’s a reasonable enough age to return to Europe for fun, and let’s not forget that her mother was a nurse and her father a chauffeur. It’s not hard to imagine a spunky young woman with an American joie de vivre driving ambulances on the front lines. Edith’s secret daughter, Marigold, is going to be 16 years old. She’ll probably have a slight chip on her shoulder because she’s “the ward,” but she’ll probably also have a sharp tongue. (In fact, if one character has to inherit Lady Violet’s brutal bon mots, can it be Edith’s daughter?) And she will have to learn that her father was murdered by Nazis.

Do you see what’s being set up? Drama! Excitement! Death! Romance! A Downton full of school children being sent out of London to escape the Blitz!

It’s all so tantalizing that we wish that Fellowes would stop pussyfooting around with this generation and skip ahead to the next.

Of course, the one big drawback is what do to with the main cast? Do you recast Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, et al? Or do you wait a few years and slap some old age make up on them? Our guts tell us that Fellowes wants to do his prequel series first, and then do the sequel series (to give the actors time to age gracefully and to give his loyal audience time to miss the original characters), but we can’t help ourselves. We want our World War II Downton Abbey and we want it now! [Where to Stream Downton Abbey]

*For reference:

Sybil Branson born September 1920; therefore 19 at start of World War II

George Crawley born September 1921; therefore 18 at start of World War II

Marigold Gregson/Crawley/Drewe/??? born Spring 1923; therefore 16 at start of World War II

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Photos: Everett Collection & PBS