Who Ordered George Russell's Death In The Gilded Age: 3 Prime Suspects

Published Nov 2, 2026, 9:01 AM EST

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Warning: SPOILERS for The Gilded Age Season 4, Episode 1 - "Ring The Bells"

George Russell (Morgan Spector) found the man who shot him The Gilded Age season 4's premiere, but was there someone higher up who gave the order? Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes didn't answer the mystery of 'Who Shot George Russell?' in The Gilded Age season 3, but the answer will soon be revealed early in season 4.

Mr. Russell was shot in his office at the end of The Gilded Age season 3, episode 7, "Ex-Communicated." Instead of a hospital, George was rushed home at the start of The Gilded Age season 3's finale. Luckily, Dr. William Kirkland (Jordam Donica) was across the street at the Van Rhijn house, and he was able save Mr. Russell's life before George's own doctor arrived.

George recovered physically, but there is something off about him mentally and emotionally in The Gilded Age season 4's premiere. Larry Russell (Harry Richardson), is understandably concerned that his father is "not himself." Mr. Russell is not eating, is perpetually angry, and paranoid. However, the Pinkerton detectives George hired to protect him found his shooter living in the tenements with a woman he found "familiar."

The Gilded Age season 4, episode 2 is poised to finally reveal who shot George Russell. Yet the gunman may be part of a bigger plot to end Mr. Russell. Perhaps someone more powerful and wealthier is behind George's attempted murder, and hired an assassin to do the deed. If so, here are three likely suspects who have cause to want George Russell eliminated.

Richard Clay

George Russell fired his malevolent secretary, Richard Clay (Patrick Page), in The Gilded Age season 3. When George gained the upper hand on Clay, he told Richard that he would make sure that Clay would never be hired again. This naturally makes Clay the prime suspect for wanting Mr. Russell dead.

Patrick Page won't reprise Clay in The Gilded Age season 4. Perhaps Clay fled New York in disgrace, and he is now destitute. Maybe Mr. Russell even had Clay eliminated off-screen in between seasons. Yet if Clay turns out to have hired the gunman who shot George, he doesn't have to appear in The Gilded Age season 4 to be revealed as the man who paid to have George Russell killed.

John D. Rockefeller

The Gilded Age season 4's premiere established John D. Rockefeller (Neal Huff) as the newest thorn in George Russell's side. The founder of Standard Oil was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the late 19th century. Rockefeller is an oil tycoon that Russell Industries' trains rely on, but Standard Oil is pricing George out of business.

What if Rockefeller tried to have George put in the dirt before he buys Russell Industries?

Historically, John Rockefeller was a notoriously pious man. However, The Gilded Age could tweak his character to be capable of an insidious act like paying a gunman to kill George Russell. Rockefeller is a tycoon who is levels above George, and a powerless-feeling Mr. Russell raged about him. What if Rockefeller tried to have George put in the dirt before he buys Russell Industries?

Oscar Van Rhijn

It's hard to conceive that Oscar Van Rhijn (Blake Ritson) is capable of plotting a murder, but he does have reasons to despise George Russell. Oscar was brutally rebuffed by George when he asked for Gladys Russell's (Taissa Farmiga) hand in marriage. Oscar never forgot the insult, and perhaps he put a revenge plan into motion.

Logistically, Oscar is not likely to be a criminal mastermind. George Russell's attempted murder happened before Oscar and Enid Winterton (Kelley Curran) joined forces and married. Oscar wouldn't have had the purse strings to hire a gunman before he married Enid at the start of The Gilded Age season 4. Yet the new Mr. and Mrs. Van Rhijn both have reasons to want the Russells destroyed.

New episodes of The Gilded Age season 4 premiere Sundays @ 9pm ET on HBO and HBO Max.