The season finale of Slow Horses Season 6 came out on Wednesday. There was a pivotal moment in the episode that could change the course of the series moving forward. Read ahead for a breakdown of who died in the Slow Horses Season 6 finale!
SPOILER WARNING: This article will be spoiling the Slow Horses season finale, including a potentially major death.
What Happened in the Slow Horses season finale?
In the Season 6 finale, the Russian conflict started by Taverner finally comes to a head. River arrived at the safe house just in time to help out the rest of the Slough House crew. Harkness shows up with his gang of soldiers, and battle commences. River is severely injured, getting stabbed in one hand and shot in the other. In the heat of the battle, Harkness kills Emma, marking the first death of the episode. Harkness also kills Jane to save River, marking the end of the Jim and Jane storyline. Harkness then makes his escape just before the MI5 helicopters arrive.
Jackson Lamb pulls off a scheme to get Taverner off the hook for the whole Russian debacle. It seems like everything has been resolved, and other than the loss of Emma, the gang got off relatively easily. River returns to his grandfather’s house, where he believes Sid is hiding. He enters the house to find the shower running, and we assume Sid is in the shower. River lights a candle and is going to pour out some wine when he notices some residue on his injured hands and promptly collapses to the floor. He calls out for Sid, but then is out cold, and the episode ends.
Did River Actually Die in Slow Horses?
This section of the article will contain spoilers from the Slow Horses book series. If you don’t want this spoiled, stop reading now.
There are several factors to consider when determining if River actually died or not. There is a Season 7 preview at the end of the episode, which River is not in. Lamb makes a remark about getting a postcard from River “from the afterlife,” which could be Lamb’s sense of humor even about something as dark as River’s death, or an out-of-context remark to make us think he’s dead, when he is very much alive.
In the book series, River survives the poisoning. It is then a mystery whether somehow Sid has betrayed River, or if Jim and Jane had left this poison before their deaths, or if there is a third killer out there somewhere. However, there have been plenty of storylines that the TV series has changed up compared to the book series.
One important factor to consider is that Jack Lowden, the actor who portrays River, is heavily rumored to be the next James Bond. If that were the case, it could prevent Lowden from continuing to be a part of Slow Horses. Season 7 likely would have been filmed before Lowden knew whether he was Bond or not, so it’s unclear if his casting would have impacted the writing of the next season. However, Lowden heading off to be in Denis Villeneuve’s first Bond film could certainly play a major factor in what happens to River Cartwright moving forward.
In summary, it’s unclear whether River is dead. If the series follows the books, he will still be alive. However, if Lowden’s potential new schedule doesn’t allow him to continue on the show, River could be killed off. There is a chance that Season 7 also makes it ambiguous whether River dies or not, buying time until they have a clearer idea of his availability.
Slow Horses FAQ
When is the next episode of Slow Horses?
Season 6 of Slow Horses concluded with the season finale on Wednesday.
Where can I watch Slow Horses?
All six seasons of Slow Horses are streaming on Apple TV.
When is Season 7 of Slow Horses?
Season 7 of Slow Horses has already wrapped filming, but a premiere date has not been announced.
