'Bridgerton' S04 ending twist: Who is Lady Whistledown now?
What's the story
The fourth season of Netflix's popular period drama Bridgerton has come to a thrilling conclusion with a shocking twist. The final episode, which dropped on Thursday, ended with a serene wedding and several plot developments that are sure to have far-reaching consequences for the Ton. Showrunner Jess Brownell recently spoke about the dramatic changes.
Future plotlines
Some important plot developments in the finale
The finale cleared several plotlines for the next season. Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) was allowed to retire from her role as Lady Whistledown, though someone else mysteriously takes up the task and promises "fun" in the last episode. Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) becomes the new lady-in-waiting to the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel), and Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) finally heads for a vacation. Cressida (Jessica Madsen) returns as Lady Penwood and reaches some peace with Eloise (Claudia Jessie).
Mystery deepens
'Penelope was Julia Quinn's Whistledown'
Among all of these open plotlines, who could be the new Whistledown? Brownell told TUDUM, "Penelope went through such a giant growth arc last season. She's not the powerless girl who needs Whistledown to take back her voice anymore." "Penelope was Julia Quinn's Whistledown, so we knew we couldn't really play with that reveal for too long because people could just Google it," she added. "But now, we get to play with audience expectations."
Wedding
Benedict and Sophie got a fairy-tale ending
While we don't know who has taken up the pen now, the finale of Bridgerton Season 4 saw Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek/Gun (Yerin Ha) getting married at their cottage estate. This was after a season-long forbidden love story between the two characters. The couple's concluding kiss in the gazebo where they first met at a masquerade ball was a fitting end to their fairy-tale romance. Interestingly, the show fit the wedding scene in a post-credits sequence.
Creative choice
The wedding was a last-minute addition
Brownell revealed that the wedding scene was not originally intended to be a post-credits tag. She and Shonda Rhimes decided to place it there so viewers could "breathe" after the season's romantic climax. The showrunner also said this change was a gift for dedicated fans - "a late Easter egg" that could influence discussions among viewers.