Season 3, Episode 8 Recap: Into the Light
It's the Season Finale and Lady Whistledown's identity is about to be revealed...
Dearest gentle readers, it has been a long time coming. The season 3 finale has finally arrived and several questions are yet to be answered. Will Penelope and Colin be able to mend their marriage? Has the Queen finally uncovered the identity of Lady Whistledown? And will the myriad subplots that peppered (and some might say clogged up) the season be resolved? Let’s dive right in.
For those of us used to Bridgerton’s bustling openings, where viewers are treated to vibrant Georgina scenes to orientate us in the Briger-verse, there is a marked departure to the start of this episode. It is the morning after Colin and Penelope’s wedding and the groom is waking up on the settee. A happy house this is not.
Although the wedding went ahead as planned and there were glimmers of the love between the pair that we all know is simmering under the surface, Penelope’s deception and refusal to put down her pen continues to divide them. Still, they do not have long to dwell, as Cressida comes to visit Penelope revealing that she knows her secret and demanding that she is paid double the Queen’s reward to keep it. When Lady Featherington arrives, Cressida proves how far she is willing to go by intimating to Penelope’s mama that her daughter is Lady Whistledown before sweeping out of the room.
‘Tell me it’s not true,’ Lady F begs Pen before we see the cogs start turning and she realises that her own family has born the brunt of Whistledown’s cruel pen many times. Has the lie ruined another relationship in Penelope’s life?
Meanwhile, Francesca and John tell Violet of their intention to have a small private wedding ceremony at the Bridgerton’s home before settling at John’s estate in Scotland. Noting that Scotland is ‘at least a fortnight’s ride away’, Violet is horrified, as she realises that another one of her children (with Anthony in India and Daphne who knows where) will be far away from home.
And then the writers give us this touching scene with Violet and Lady Danbury reflecting on their friendship and how their lives are changing. Lady Danbury pledges her support as Violet navigates the sadness of a rapidly emptying nest and gives her blessing for Violet to explore an attachment to her brother, Lord Anderson. And there is also an acknowledgment between the two of the affair Lady Danbury had with Violet’s father that was revealed in the Bridgerton spin off series, Queen Charlotte. This depiction of a lifelong adult friendship with its ups and downs and understanding of each other’s flaws is one of the backbones of the show. There is a sense of permanence to these characters in that the love affairs of the younger characters, namely the Bridgerton children, will come and go but this friendship between the women will endure. It is steadfast and unwavering and both Adjoa Andoh and Ruth Gemmell play it beautifully.
Later, when Colin finds out about Cressida’s blackmail plot, he goes to see her in an effort to change her mind. Here, we see Cressida has reverted back to the roots of her original character before her friendship with Eloise, someone who is alone and isolated. However, now she is also wounded by the way she has been treated by the Ton and desperate to escape a life in the country with her aunt. So, when Colin begs her not to reveal Penelope’s secret, drawing parallels with the way both of them have been treated by society, she is not moved. Then when he suggests that she will gain strength from her family, as he does. She replies:
That is the difference between you and me. You take for granted that you will always have your family’s support. We are not the same Mr Bridgerton and we never will be.
The drama in Mayfair does not extend to Benedict and his lovers Tilly and Paul, as the three continue to enjoy a lot of time in Lady Tilly’s bedroom. Benedict’s exploration of his sexuality in this season seems to dovetail with his desire for freedom and to experience new things. Always the most unconventional of the Bridgerton siblings, it is perhaps no surprise that when Lady Tilly says she is falling for him and would prefer if it was just the two of them in the relationship, he tells her that he doesn’t want it to be serious.
Then, we are treated to the second wedding of this season: Francesca and John. It’s clear that Violet is still wrestling with her feelings about the seeming lack of passion between the couple but is learning to understand her daughter and that the version of love between the newlyweds is no less valid than her own experiences.
There is another opportunity in this episode to see how a parent can raise a child but not fully see them when Penelope and Lady F discuss the lengths both of them have gone to protect themselves and their family. Acknowledging they are not so different, both begin to peel back the layers of what they thought they knew about each other, as mother and daughter, and see the flawed person beneath.
At the same time, Penelope’s sisters, Prudence and Philippa have decided to host a ball before they both retreat from society due to their pregnancies. They are astounded when they arrive to see that Varley (their housekeeper) has managed to pull off an extravagant event on a shoestring budget. Little do they know that Penelope has footed the bill using the money she made from her writing.
The Queen arrives after receiving a letter from Lady Whistledown telling her that she will reveal herself at the ball. She turns the floor over to the scribe herself and Penelope steps forward.
‘All of us talk. We gossip. Gossip is information. It forges bonds. Especially for those of us who are told so little.’
And so, Penelope begins her address to the Ton in an effort to explain why she took up her pen as Lady Whistledown. Her speech is a beautiful meditation on why many writers write - because they have something to say. In this case Penelope’s voice was silenced by her position in society, offering her no other option but to forge a career as an anonymous author. That she dealt in gossip about the people around her was an effort to feel closer to them and part of their world. And, as every writer is told, it is essential to write what you know. That is what Penelope has done.
By the time Pen finishes talking, she has been forgiven by the Queen who gives her permission to carry on her column. Colin admits that he was jealous of her success and from now on will support her brilliance and hundreds of butterflies have been released at the ball, symbolising that the transformation of Miss Penelope Featherington is complete.
Afterwards, Francesca and John are leaving for Scotland, but who is this they have with them? Eloise, who has decided to broaden her horizons beyond the Ton and John’s cousin Michaela Stirling, who at their first meeting got Francesca rather tongue-tied. Eloise promises Benedict she will be back for Violet’s masquerade ball (perfectly timed for Season 4 no doubt).
Several months later and we see Penelope and her sisters, all with babies. Penelope has given birth to a boy, the heir and new Lord Featherington and Prudence and Philippa have each had a girl, who will make good matches, as is the Bridgerton way.
Colin has published a book, which Pen helped him edit and, as the new edition of Whistledown is delivered, we get the sense that these two are going to be Regency literary powerhouses.
There is one more surprise though. When Julie Andrews’ voiceover begins to close out the season, Penelope takes over:
‘I should like to formally introduce myself. Previous wallflower, current columnist, observer, wielder of a quill. Nobody unique, and yet, I have my moments. And hopefully, dear, reader, you will stay on to enjoy them with me as we begin this next part of our journey. Yours truly, Penelope Bridgerton.’
Did the Season Finale live up to expectations? What did you think of Season 3 as a whole?