‘The Gilded Age’ Season 3 Episode 7 Ending Explained: Did [Spoiler] Just Die?

The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 7 “Ex-Communicated” ends on a horrifying cliffhanger. The last shot we see on the HBO hit this week is a gun being fired at one of the show’s most beloved characters. Has co-showrunner Julian Fellowes murdered again?

**Spoilers for The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 7 “Ex-Communicated,” now streaming HBO MAX**

The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 7 ends with George Russell (Morgan Spector) becoming the victim of an attempted assassination plot. As the railroad tycoon prepares to leave his offices for the night, a man enters his office claiming he has a delivery for him. This stranger then whips out a pistol and shoots George’s aides before pointing the gun at Train Daddy himself.

Does George die at the end of The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 7 “Ex-Communicated”? Who could have possibly ordered the robber baron’s death? How long will we have to wait to find out what’s going to happen to George?

Here’s everything we know about George Russell’s fate at the end of The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 7 “Ex-Communicated.”

The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 7 Ending Explained: Is George Russell Dead?

The sad, honest truth of the matter is that we don’t know for sure if George is alive or dead! The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 7 very pointedly ends on a shot of a bullet being fired from a gun. We don’t know if the bullet will hit or miss George and if it does hit George, he could still survive.

What matters, though, is that George’s fate is still up in the air going into The Gilded Age Season 3 finale next week.

George Russell has spent the majority of the season battling to expand the railroads so he can be in control of commerce from New York to California. George has risked his entire fortune in pursuit of this goal and is only saved from ruin by the cleverness of his son Larry (Harry Richardson). After George fired his old right hand man Clay (Patrick Page), he decided to put the business of purchasing land in Morenci, Arizona in Larry’s hands. Larry not only succeeds, but he discovers that the land also is full of copper. Meaning, George will get his railroad and a massive windfall.

George’s success, however, means Clay’s ruin. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to piece together that Clay is probably the guy behind the assassination attempt. No one knows more about how George’s office is run and when the best time to strike would be. Plus, Clay has a history of advocating for violence when other men, like George, would not. So Clay is probably now in full villain mode.

What’s also interesting, though, is that George’s relationship with wife Bertha (Carrie Coon) has become increasingly fraught over the course of The Gilded Age Season 3. In the last scene the couple share, George and Larry essentially ice Bertha out. How will the shooting affect this storyline?

Most importantly, though, will George survive?!?! We’ll have to wait to find out!

How Many Episodes are Left in The Gilded Age Season 3?

Worried that George’s fate might never be resolved? Curious how many episodes are left in The Gilded Age Season 3?

There is just one episode left in The Gilded Age Season 3. Next week’s all-new episode is the last Gilded Age of the season. However, next Sunday’s The Gilded Age Season 3 finale is not the end of The Gilded Age. HBO announced last week that they will be making The Gilded Age Season 4.