Everything we hope to see in season 6 of ‘Downton Abbey’

Downton Abbey premieres TONIGHT! Oh, wait. That sentence needs a lot of clarification. Downton Abbey premieres tonight for everyone in the UK with access to ITV. For you, and me, and everyone else stateside, we’ve still got to wait three long months before it comes to PBS Masterpiece. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, I guess. That sounds like something Cora would say to cheer Edith up.

Even though we’ve still got a long stretch of time ahead of us before we can check it out ourselves, that doesn’t mean we can’t think about it. This is the last season we’ll ever see of Downtown Abbey, so you know it’s going to be good. Hopefully it’ll neatly tie up the story lines for all our favorite character, and the characters we love to hate (looking at you, Barrow).

So don’t spoil anything for us, our friends in the UK! Here’s what we hope happens when Downton returns.

Edith FINALLY finds her happiness

Raise your hand if Edith is your spirit animal. Edith is by far my favorite character on the show, and all I want for her is a happy ending. I’m not talking about some gentleman caller coming in to sweep her off her feet. No, no, not that. I mean like, Edith moves to London, keeps up with her writing, raises her daughter Marigold to be a wonderful strong woman, and their lives are completely fulfilled together. Edith has been dealt so much heartbreak, I want her to find happiness so much.

Daisy becomes her own wonderful woman

Second favorite character on the show: Daisy. Daisy is such a spitfire with huge dreams ahead of her, and I want them all to come true. Has she been continuing on with her studies? Is that what’s going to ultimately lead her onto a life away from Downton? Hope so.

Branson finds a place where he fits in

Branson has always been the outcast of the family. He doesn’t want to be, and he tries not to be, but seeing as how he married into the Crawley lifestyle, and then immediately lost Sybil (tears forever) he’s managed to deal with everything splendidly. But it’s still apparent that his views and ideas clash with others, especially Lord Grantham. Season 5 had him seriously considering a move to America with little Sybil, and even if that means he leaves the the show before the end of the series, he needs to do what’s best for him and his daughter.

The best love story ever: Carson and Mrs. Hughes

Tell me you weren’t ridiculously excited when Carson and Mrs. Hughes discussed their feelings for one another (and she calls him an “old bobby”). How did we not see that coming?? The plan is for the two of them to move in together — in the house Carson purchased — and marry, and I hope we get to see that happen. I like knowing that no matter what happens to the estate of Downton Abbey, Carson and Mrs. Hughes will still be together.

Enough sassy one-lines from the Dowager Countess to last a lifetime

What are we going to do when we no longer have Violet Crawley to spit out comebacks? Remember when she called the telephone “a instrument of torture?” Or when she spoke the hard truth like, “There’s nothing simpler than avoiding people you don’t like. Avoiding one’s friends, that’s the real test.” And please, oh please, let Violet make it to the end of the series. Please don’t let her die beforehand (which, according to Downton rumors, could be a real possibility).

Anna and Mr. Bates stop getting arrested

Considering these two are the sweetest and kindest people with the biggest hearts, they need to stop being accused of crimes they did not commit, and subsequently imprisoned. Can’t we have one season where neither one of them ends up in jail? Also, are kids completely out of the picture for them?

I guess Lady Mary can find love

However, no one will ever be as perfect and charming as Matthew Crawley.

Matthew Crawley comes back as a ghost

I’m also open to any other good ideas anyone has to bring Matthew back. I CAN DREAM, RIGHT? Maybe a flashback, or someone needs to paint a picture of him and Isobel grabs a lot of old photographs, or little George grows up to look exactly like his dad. SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Or if he’s just the ghost that haunts Downton Abbey for forevermore, that’d be fine. too.

Seriously jealous of everyone who just got to watch the first episode of Season 6. For everyone else, Downton Abbey comes back on January 3, 2016.

(Images via ITV and Giphy.)