At the conclusion of the series Edmund Reid is seemingly alone in Whitechapel, with nobody else left and engrossed in his work. It’s a sad and lonely end, and Reid in many ways is as much punished for his actions as Dove and Long Susan. His prison is his work.

However, there is something wrong with the finale and that’s the death of Captain Jackson. Done off screen, some people have said that it wasn’t the best ending for the character.

But I believe that’s because Jackson didn’t die.

Two key things here:

Why does Jackson send the ring to Reid. This was his father’s ring which we saw is very precious to him. So why would he not pass that down to Connor?

The explanation is that Jackson faked his death and will return for the ring. If Connor had it, then he would likely have to reveal that he wasn’t dead to obtain it, or at least steal it and give rise to that suspicion.

By giving it to Reid, he knows it will be safe and it gives him an excuse to return to Whitechapel.

The second point is that upon Jackson’s death, Connor became ward of the attorney who held Theodore Swift’s immense assets, which were then granted to Connor. This all means that Connor is well provided for on Jackson’s “death.”

Jackson has the means and ability to fake his death and to disappear. Was he really a character to live out his days in peace fishing in Montana?

So the ending of the series isn’t sad or melancholy, because before long Jackson returned to Whitechapel under a whole new name with nobody else but Reid left to say he was anyone else.