Behold, the ‘Bridgerton’ season 3, part 2 ending of your dreams

Indeed, season three of Bridgerton has officially come to a close as of this morning, and it just might be some of the Shondaland brain trust’s finest work yet; with poignant subversion did the Polin saga’s bombastic drama unravel itself, all while keeping the affairs of the rest of the ton chugging along briskly without usurping any of the main event’s mojo.

Like Penelope Bridgerton herself, the Regency drama has shown itself the door of its third season with meticulous grace, and with season four having long since been confirmed, we’re salivating at the thought of whatever new angle on love Bridgerton dreams up next. Here’s how it all went down, and, subsequently, how it might show up next season.

The Bridgerton season 3, part 2 ending, explained

Upon Colin’s failure to persuade Cressida away from blackmailing Penelope, the former Featherington girl finally went for the nuclear option in releasing the burden of Whistledown, albeit not without a fair shake of pizzazz and dignity.

After secretly using her Whistledown money to pay for a lavish ball hosted by her sisters, Penelope soon found herself called upon by Queen Charlotte herself, who appears at the ball (on account of Penelope’s letter to her) and offers the real Lady Whistledown a chance to plead her case. Penelope, taking center stage, does exactly that, delivering an impassioned speech about power, gossip, and the realities of feeling unseen. She ends with a plea that the Queen will allow her to continue to write, so long as she does so from a place of love rather than a place of pain, and the Queen grants it. The ton doesn’t know what to make of the situation, gawking at Penelope without remorse until Philippa intervenes, releasing a swarm of butterflies into the ballroom and immediately swaying the ton’s attention away from Penelope, perhaps for good. Go figure.

As Colin, Penelope, and the rest of the ton dance and drink the night away, Eloise happens upon Francesca, who has since married John Stirling during a private ceremony at the Bridgerton household, and wonders if her newlywed sister would mind if she joined the couple in their castle in Scotland; Scotland, after all, is as good a starting point as any to see the world that Eloise so desperately wishes to change. Francesca and John both happily agree, and not a moment later does John introduce them both to his cousin Michaela, who Francesca seems inexplicably flustered by. Michaela, of course, will also be joining the pair in Scotland, so we’re sure Bridgerton will be all too happy to unpack Francesca’s sputtery first impression when the time comes.

The day of departure for Francesca, John, Eloise, and Michaela eventually comes, where many a tearful farewell is shared. Least of all in the misty-eyed department was the adieu between Eloise and Benedict, but the muted emotion was certainly the most palpable; how, without the nearby empathy of his fellow maverick of a sibling, is Benedict to contend with this brand new love journey he’s found himself on, following his revelations about his sexuality and admiration for polyamory? Perhaps we’ll find out in season four?

Elsewhere, Violet continues her quiet but wholesome courtship with Marcus, while Cressida idles in a soon-to-depart carriage somewhere in the ton, learning once again that it hardly ever pays to be cruel, no matter how much desperation may be in the equation.

Many months later, the three daughters formerly of House Featherington have each welcomed a bundle of joy into the world, with Penelope bearing the only son amongst the trio of infants. Colin, newly self-assured, a proud father, and now a proud published author after completing his travel manuscript, embraces his family—both the newest members and those who have been a part of it long than he has—and shares a deep, passionate kiss with his wife, whose voice eventually takes the place of Julie Andrews as the Lady Whistledown narrator; a voice that formally introduces Lady Whistledown to the world as one Penelope Bridgerton. And they all lived happily ever literate.

All three seasons of Bridgerton are now available to stream in full on Netflix.