The old saying goes that truth is stranger than fiction, and that's certainly the case with Netflix's latest historical drama Death by Lightning, which recounts the meteoric rise and short-lived administration of James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States.
Portrayed in the four-part miniseries by two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon, Garfield held presidential office for only a handful of months, from March 4, 1881, to September 19, 1881, when he tragically succumbed to injuries following an assassination attempt by deranged admirer and disgruntled office seeker Charles J. Guiteau (played by Succession great Matthew Macfadyen). The stacked ensemble for the period piece also includes Nick Offerman as Vice President Chester A. Arthur, Betty Gilpin as First Lady Lucretia "Crete" Garfield, Bradley Whitford as Secretary of State James Blaine, and Shea Whigham as Senator Roscoe Conkling.
Based on the 2011 Candice Millard novel Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President — with each episode written by Mike Makowsky (Bad Education) and directed by Matt Ross (Gaslit) — Death by Lightning chronicles a shockingly true period of American history that is largely overlooked in academic textbooks and public consciousness.
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But even knowing the real-world outcome of the limited series doesn't lessen the twists and turns that Death by Lightning takes in its dramatization of the true-crime story. With the series available to stream on Netflix as of November 6, here are some of the biggest questions answered about the ending of Netflix's Death by Lightning.
Warning: Major spoilers for Death by Lightning are ahead.
Death by Lightning's Ending Explained
Michael Shannon as James A. Garfield in Netflix's 'Death by Lightning'LARRY HORRICKS/NETFLIX
As in real life, the Netflix series sees President James A. Garfield get shot twice by Charles Guiteau while at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 1981. Garfield did not have private security with him and was instead joined by his young sons and Bradley Whitford's character, Secretary of State Blaine; the latter chases Guiteau out onto the street and alerts nearby law enforcement of the assassin's treason, resulting in Charles's arrest.
Garfield does not initially succumb to his injuries, being seen by a medical team that includes Dr. Bliss (Željko Ivanek) and Dr. Purvis (Shaun Parkes), the first Black doctor to attend to an American president. In fact, the ailing POTUS is transported to the White House where he manages to survive for several months. However, it ultimately ends up being a septic infection — likely developed due to unsanitary medical care — that claims Garfield's life on September 19, 1881.
Related: The 10 Best Movies About Real U.S. Presidents, From Lincoln to LBJ to JFK and More
Why was James Garfield assassinated?
Post-shooting, Garfield's killer Charles Guiteau proclaims in the series: "I did it! Take me to jail! Now Chester Arthur will be President! The Republic is saved!"
That declaration is a major about-face for Guiteau who, as in real life, previously was a staunch supporter of James Garfield, even believing that his early championing of the dark-horse candidate in the 1880 election means he is owed a governmental position in Garfield's administration. After his numerous requests for a consulship are denied, however, Guiteau changes course, throwing his support behind Nick Offerman's Vice President Chester Arthur and vengefully plotting the president's assassination, which he sees as a righteous act to save the Republican Party.
Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Guiteau in 'Death By Lightning'Courtesy of Netflix
Related: 50 Presidential Trivia Questions and Answers To Show Your Love for American History
What happened to Charles Guiteau?
Following the assassination attempt, Matthew Macfadyen's character Charles Guiteau is taken into police custody, where the prisoner continues his delusions of grandeur and speaks of writing a book called The Truth, which he wants released after his death.
Following true events, Guiteau's plea of insanity was rejected and he was found guilty of murder; he was sentenced to death by hanging for the assassination of President James A. Garfield. At the gallows on June 30, 1882, Guiteau delivers a final address in the form of an original poem entitled "I Am Going to the Lordy" to a crowd of unimpressed witnesses.
In the final moments of the miniseries, we learn that Guiteau's corpse was disinterred and sent to the U.S. Army Medical Museum after his execution, where his brain and other organs were preserved for science.
Related: Matthew Macfadyen on His Drama, Stonehouse, Plus The Surprising Word He Used to Describe Season 4 of Succession
Michael Shannon as James Garfield, Betty Gilpin as Crete Garfield in ‘Death by Lightning.’Larry Horricks/Netflix
One of the most emotional scenes in Death by Lightning is a meeting between an incarcerated Charles Guiteau and President Garfield's widow, Lucretia (played by Betty Gilpin, of GLOW and Mrs. Davis). There, a furious and fiercely grieving First Lady trivializes Charles's so-called "legacy" and promises him that she will ensure his book never sees the light of day.
It's a chilling encounter and one that, unlike much of the series, was not inspired by real life and was instead created for dramatic purposes. Though there's no historical evidence to prove that Guiteau ever met Lucretia Garfield, he did, however, meet her husband both IRL and in the series, taking a meeting with President Garfield during the White House's open hours. (For obvious security reasons, this is no longer a thing.)
Related: Betty Gilpin on Playing a Homemaker Trying to Fulfill Her Desires in 'Three Women'
Who became president when James Garfield was assassinated?
Following the shocking death of James Garfield, his political rival-turned-VP Chester A. Arthur (Nick Offerman) ascends the presidency to become the 21st President of the United States.
Though Offerman's character spends much of the series conspiring with Senator Roscoe Conkling to block the new POTUS's appointments, by the end of the series, it's clear that Arthur has been influenced by the late leader, with title cards revealing that he went on to pass civil service reforms that endure even today. Arthur ultimately served for one term from 1881 to 1885; he died a year later at the age of 57.
Nick Offerman as Chester A. Arthur in ‘Death by Lightning.’Larry Horricks/Netflix
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What happened to the Garfield family?
The last moments of Death by Lightning are spent with the Garfield clan, gathering around the family table that James himself built. Via title cards, we learn that Garfield's daughter Mollie (Laura Marcus) goes on to marry her late father's personal secretary, Joe Brown (Archie Fishe). We also learn that Garfield's devoted widow Lucretia lives on 37 years after her husband's death. The former president's place at the table remains empty, leaving space for his memory and for the family's grief.
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