Forget Polin, This Is the Most Satisfying Relationship in Season 3 of Bridgerton
Although it was shown briefly, it solved many years of problems.
Summary
- Colin and Penelope's romance had many ups and downs in Season 3.
- Penelope's best relationship development wasn't with Colin.
- The revelation of Lady Whistledown helped Pen mend fences with an important person in her life.
Dearest Gentle Readers,
This past weekend must have been a very busy time for you as you surely watched the second part of Bridgerton's third season. Some of you may have even re-watched the entire season to better understand the complicated and fast-changing dynamic between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington.
The love story that seemed non-existent in the first few episodes sprouted with Colin and Penelope's midnight 'pity kiss' and culminated with a marriage proposal at the end of Part 1 of Season 3. Then a brief period of blissful happiness was shattered when Colin learned that Pen was Lady Whistledown. And with their entire romance in tatters, a breakup seemed inevitable. But the two lovebirds married and found their way to happiness.
Looking at the story of Colin and Penelope in this way, it seems quite exciting. But in reality, it was quite dull and uninspiring. So much so that another relationship that was only touched upon in Season 3 ended up being the best part of Bridgerton's third season.
A Tardy Frank Conversation
Part 2 of Bridgerton's third season revolved largely around Penelope's Lady Whistledown secret, which was revealed to the whole ton in a grand gesture orchestrated by the scribe herself, who was then under the thumb of the Queen and Cressida. But before Pen could tell London's high society that it was she who held the quill, she had to discuss it with the one person who had learned it from Miss Cowper and who meant a great deal to the columnist.
Penelope's mother, Portia, was told of her daughter's writing business by Cressida Cowper, who had come to extort a large sum of money from the Featheringtons. Shocked, angry, impressed – Portia was all of these things. And frankly, she had every right to be, since Penelope had often lambasted her mother and her own siblings in Lady Whistledown's pamphlets. But at the same time, Portia found the courage to listen to her daughter's side of the story, to understand her motives, and to accept her own faults.
When Penelope explained that she felt invisible in her own home and demeaned by her own family, Portia also shared that in her day, women couldn't even dream of achieving anything, which is why she had ridiculed Pen's aspirations for years. This frank conversation, which should have happened years ago, helped the characters see the world from each other's perspectives and allowed them to build a very beautiful and caring relationship. And given the amount of tension between Pen and Portia, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call this the best character arc of Season 3.