RIP, John Adams.
“The Gilded Age” killed off Claybourne Elder’s beloved character on Sunday night’s episode.
John, who was a descendant of President John Adams, was fatally struck by a speeding horse carriage on the streets of New York City, moments after sharing a romantic exchange with his former lover Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson).
Oscar had just recovered financially with John’s help after Maud Beaton (Nicole Brydon Bloom) stole all his money.
“You’ve defied the odds,” John told Oscar right before his death.
“You are my savior. I thank you with all my heart,” Oscar replied, as the pair parted ways with a handshake.
Seconds later, Oscar watched in horror as John was killed.
After the episode, showrunners Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield defended the decision to kill John in an interview with TVLine.
“We were quite careful to kill him with a straight accident, not with anything with political overtones,” said Fellowes, 75. “He’s just killed in an accident, like anyone could be at any time.”
“Those shocking things are true in life,” added Warfield. “I’ve certainly experienced those traumas. They change you, and we wanted to bring about that change in Oscar.”
Fellowes also said of the scene: “I jumped out of my skin when I watched it for the first time.”
John and Oscar were lifelong friends who began a secret romance while pretending to be straight in public. They eventually broke up and John revealed to Oscar that he was dating another man.
During Season 3, John offers Oscar an investment opportunity to help him after Maud lost all the money she previously swindled out of him.
In an April interview with Out magazine, Elder, 43, spoke about the importance of playing a gay character on the HBO series.
“‘The Gilded Age’ has been such a meaningful experience for me,” Elder shared. “As a queer actor, getting to portray a queer character in this particular historical setting feels both exciting and important.”
“The late 19th century wasn’t exactly a time when queer people could live openly, and yet we know they existed, loved, and found ways to carve out spaces for themselves,” the actor continued. “What I love about John is that he’s complex — he’s navigating a world that doesn’t necessarily make room for him, but he has this desire to do what’s right.”
Elder also said that he’s gotten a “touching” response from fans “who are excited to see a queer character represented in this time period, especially in a way that feels layered and authentic.”
“I’ve gotten messages from viewers who say they see themselves in John Adams’s story,” Elder added, “which means the world to me.”
“The Gilded Age” Season 3 airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on HBO and HBO Max.
