Thought Heartstopper Season 2 Was Heart-Wrenching? Just Wait for This S3 Scene

Summary

• While Season 1 of Heatstopper was mostly sweet and innocent, Season 2 introduced some darker themes of coming out struggles and mental health issues.
• Charlie suffers from an eating disorder, which was slowly revealed throughout the season, leaving many viewers in tears.
• Unfortunately, Season 3 promises to be even more devastating as Charlie's problems continue to worsen.

Season 1 of Heartstopper was mostly all rainbows and kittens, with boys crushing on boys, girls crushing on girls, and everyone proving that we all deserve to be loved, whether it be in a romantic relationship or friendship.

Season 2, however, changed the tone following Alice Oseman's graphic novel on which it was based and introduced much more mature, deeper and darker themes such as coming out struggles for Nick and an eating disorder for Charlie.

Charlie's ED scenes were tear-jerking

From the beginning of the second season, Heartstopper raised red flags about Charlie's health. What some viewers may have seen as sweet (Charlie buying a candy bar for Nick), people with eating disorders immediately recognized as a trigger warning.

As the season progressed, Nick, along with all viewers, began to notice that Charlie was refusing to eat and had self-image issues. It culminated on the trip to Paris when Charlie fainted and the boys started talking about his eating habits.

In the season finale, in a heart-wrenching scene, Charlie finally opened up about the experiences that led to his mental health issues. Homophobic bullying and unwanted sexual experiences with Ben, as well as the struggles of being a high school student in a new relationship, led him to seek control, resulting in body dysmorphia and an eating disorder.

Season 3 may be even harder to watch

If you thought things were going to get better for our beloved protagonists after this confession, unfortunately not. Season 3, which is likely to be based on the fourth volume of the graphic novel series, is set to feature some of the most devastating scenes.

In the Season 2 finale, Charlie admits that he used to cut himself, and Nick makes him promise that if something like that happens again in the future, they will go through it together. Unfortunately, in Volume 4, Charlie is back to self-harming, and his eating disorder is getting worse.

In the book, the scene where Charlie tells Nick is just excruciating.

Not ready for this scene ✌️😢🍂🧡
byu/BritshEntertainer inHeartstopperAO

Going further, with Nick's support, Charlie seeks professional help and ends up in a psychiatric ward with anxiety, depression, anorexia, and OCD. It helps, and he takes control of his problems. Although Charlie still struggles with his self-image from time to time, the story ends happily.

It's important to keep that in mind going into Season 3, whatever the showmakers decide to do with Charlie's arc.