WARNING: spoilers for Bridgerton season 4 part 2 ahead.
I was pretty annoyed that Netflix decided to split another of its hit shows into two parts, but I think the payoff in Bridgerton season 4 part 2 is worth it.
Do Benedict and Sophie end up marrying in season 4 part 2?
Yes! Thankfully, Sophie immediately rejects Benedict’s offer of being a mistress, demeaning him for asking something of her that would push her even further down the social scale. There’s a lot of back and forth from Benedict insisting that this is the only way they could be together, and Sophie refusing it.
One thing leads to another and the pair end up in bed together — oops, they’re only human — leading Sophie to try and seek employment as a maid elsewhere. She asks Violet for a letter of introduction to another family, who becomes suspicious of why Sophie wants to leave so suddenly… and what she’s hiding.
Almost everyone in the town is convinced that Benedict has a secret woman, it’s just a case of working out who. Violet begins to dig deeper into Sophie’s past, sending her maid out to try and gather information. Another maid informs her that she used to work with Sophie’s mother, leading Violent and Lady Danbury to guess Sophie is illegitimate.
Violet also enlists Anthony’s (Johnathan Bailey) help to try and talk Benedict out of his fascination with Sophie. Anthony reminds him of the shame and scandal he would bring to the Bridgerton name, ruining the prospects for his younger siblings while effectively sending himself into social exile. Benedict is ready to retreat to the country cottage where he spent time with Sophie in part 1, but Violet is completely against the idea.
From there, it all kicks off. Benedict is beside himself that Sophie is to leave the Bridgeton house, but she’s missed the main opportunity that she was planning to go for. However, another opportunity comes up: help a family move overseas to the States, if she’s prepared to get on a boat in three days’ time.
At Hyacinth’s (Florence Hunt) recital, Benedict spots Violet and Lord Anderson together, furiously taking his mother aside to call out her hypocrisy over him and Sophie. Benedict reminds Violet that she taught her kids to follow love wherever it takes them, and after realizing that he’s indeed in love with Sophie, Violet does whatever she can to help him.
At this point, even approval for Queen Charlotte would only get Benedict off the social hook so far, leading him and Violet to plan his countryside escape. This is just before Sophie plans to leave for the Americas… but instead is thrown in jail by Araminta.
Why? Araminta is convinced that Sophie stole her diamond shoe clips, and also wants to punish her for impersonating nobility at Violet’s ball in episode 1. Benedict and Violet catch wind of what’s happened thanks to their maids, sweeping in to get Sophie out on bail just before she’s sentenced. The judge pleads for the ladies to sort their issues out between them, but Araminta doubles down on her cruelness.
At the Bridgerton house, Violet finally accepts that Benedict wants to marry Sophie. Before the, ahem, bathtub scene, Sophie reveals to Benedict that she’s the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Penwood, with Benedict sure that he would have provided for her in his will.
With the help of Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Sophie sneaks into the old Penwood house to find her dad’s will, uncovering that the Araminta was being paid £4,000 for every year she kept Sophie in the house. On top of that, the Earl had split an equal dowry between Sophie, Posy (Isabella Wei) and Rosamund (Michelle Mao), with Sophie’s portion hijacked by Araminta to secure Rosamund’s engagement.
New lady in waiting Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) manages to get the two sparring sides into a room at the end of season ball thrown by Queen Charlotte, and they hash it out. Both sides threaten to take down the other if they are exposed, with Violet rationing that they come up with a mutually beneficial story that works for them all. By the time Queen Charlotte is called in, Sophie is presented as a cousin of Rosamund and Posy’s, officially becoming part of the Penwood family.
You’ll have to wait until after the episode 8 credits to see their wedding, with Benedict asking Sophie for her hand later at the ball.
So where does this leave the other Penwoods?
Unsurprisingly, Rosamund’s offer of engagement is immediately retracted when it’s discovered that she doesn’t have as much money to offer as first thought. However, Posy has a suitor of her own, with Eloise encouraging her to go after her heart rather than her mother’s wishes. It’s hinted that Posy’s romance could be what saves the Penwoods from complete social ridicule.
Then there’s the return of Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), who is now the new Lady Penwood. She’s taken up residence in Araminta’s old house, and is at risk of being shunned in her reintroduction to the social circle. She tries to enlist the help of Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) but this doesn’t go as planned, with Penelope using Cressida’s ball to announce that she’s “hanging up her pen”.
What do you mean there’s no more Lady Whistledown?
Well, in a manner of speaking. After coming under some scrutiny and the power of being known as Lady Whistledown getting to her, Penelope gets the Queen’s permission to take her passion for writing in a different direction. As episode 8 draws to a close, we learn that she’s instead writing a novel.
However, somebody else has resumed Lady Whistledown’s newsletters, and we’ve got no idea who it is.
What about Francesca?
Sadly, Francesca (Hannah Dodd) has the most upsetting storyline of the bunch. After failing to reach her pinnacle in part 1, the pressure of giving John (Victor Alli) a child and being a respectable wife is getting too much for her. To top if off, his carefree cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza) constantly spending time with John after turning up at their house unannounced is getting her down.
Then, tragedy. At the end of episode 6, John dies in his sleep from a brain aneurysm, with episode 7 dedicated to his funeral. In the scenes beforehand, Francesca and Michaela became unexpected friends once they opened up to each other, and are on hand to get each other through the process as unsteady allies.
While Francesca feels obliged to grieve in the proper way, Michaela allows her to see things differently, commemorating John’s spirit with a lively family celebration. Michaela later takes off and leaves without word.
At Benedict and Sophie’s wedding, Francesca admits that she’s “had her one love” when asked if she’d ever marry again.
What about Violet?
Violet and Lord Anderson continue to see each other, with Violet desperate for her children not to find out. Anderson gives her the option to ease off or to make things official, leading to their engagement in episode 6.
However, this doesn’t last for long. While Violet has Agatha’s (Adjoa Andoh) blessing, she starts to have doubts about what she really wants, with all her attention diverted to Francesca.
At the last ball of the season, Anderson again claims his intensions to marry her — he wants to build a life with Violet, not just be a bit on the side. Violet refuses to go ahead with the engagement. She’s rather continue to see him while she discovers who she is as a single woman, but as their interests don’t align, they part ways.
Does Agatha get to leave?
Yes she does! Queen Charlotte’s ball is thrown in honor of Agatha, having agreed to let her leave after Agatha successfully installed Alice in her place. The Queen is tearful, but ultimately accepts what she didn’t before.
We don’t yet know how long Agatha will be gone for, but it could affect season 5.
Season 5 predictions
With Benedict and Sophie set to take a back seat, Eloise is the obvious choice to take over the leading role. She’s had a much quieter outing in season 4 part 2, after failing to avoid Violet’s matchmaking efforts in part 1.
Benedict and Eloise were Violet’s priorities for the season, and now the former has been successful, there’s only one left. However, we could be thrown a complete curveball, as returning cast are as of yet unconfirmed.
The books also suggest Francesca and Michaela (who was originally Michael) will begin a romantic relationship, but this is also unconfirmed for the show.
We also need to find out who the new Lady Whistledown is, though this isn’t a guarantee either.
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