Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Bridgerton Season 1.
The ending of the first season of Netflix's Bridgerton sets up a number of clear storylines for season 2. Coming from creator Chris Van Dusen, based on the series of books by Julia Quinn, the Bridgerton series differs from the books in a few ways. Still, the first season, like the book, followed the lives of the Bridgerton family, and, secondarily, the Featherington clan, but kept its particular story focus on the relationship between Daphne Bridgerton, fourth-eldest of the Bridgerton children, and Simon Basset, Lord Hastings. Their blossoming but troubled romance drove the plot for most of the first season, and while other characters had arcs of their own, Daphne and Simon's story was the only one that came to a resolution.
Still, Bridgerton is a show with a true ensemble cast, and a number of other characters had their stories begun, if not completely finished, in the first season. In particular, the older children of the Bridgerton family each got their own romantic arcs. Along with Daphne's relationship challenges, Anthony struggles with loving a lower class opera singer he knows he can never marry. Artistic-minded Benedict is torn between the gentile life of nobility and the freedom of the libertine art world. Colin is a starry-eyed romantic who is naive about love and the world. Independent Eloise doesn't want to take her place in romantic society at all, chafing against the constraints of the gentile noble class.
The Featheringtons also have their own issues. Philipa and Prudence, while barely encountered in the series, are focused on finding husbands. Penelope harbors an unrequited love for Colin while having to suppress her quick and clever mind. Lady Featherington is trying to wed her daughters off while desperately trying to hide the fact her husband has gambled away their daughters' dowries. And their newly-arrived distant cousin, Marina, is desperately trying to hide a fact of her own: She's pregnant and she needs to find a husband before anyone figures out she's with child. Along with those and a few other characters who are not related to either the Bridgertons or Featheringtons, there are a number of stories season 1 sets up heading into Bridgerton Season 2. Here's where all the major and supporting characters are at by the end of season 1 and what season 2 might bring.
Daphne Bridgerton & Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings
Ingenue Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Bridgerton's brooding Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page) spent most of season 1 fighting for, frankly, unnecessary reasons while avoiding having adult conversations that might have nipped conflict in the bud. Still, by the end of the season, they've resolved their main conflicts, declared their love for one another, gotten married, and finally, truly committed to one another. Their season ends with Daphne having given birth to their first child, a son, and Simon thrilled to be a father. While the focus of season 2 will likely pull back from them, expect that their conflict will come in the form of being brand-new parents, and any lingering issues Simon may have from his own harsh and loveless upbringing.
Anthony Bridgerton
Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) has one of the most dramatic character arcs in the first season and is incredibly frustrating to watch. He starts out as an overbearing older brother, using arrogance to mask the fact he's scared to death and has no idea how to be a Viscount or handle the responsibilities of being the man of the family after his father's passing. Yet, the audience is given glimpses there's a deeply good man waiting to break out. He spends season 1 in an on-again, off-again relationship with opera singer Siena (Sabrina Bartlett), with whom he's truly in love, but knows he can't be with her due to her lower class. By the end of the season, Siena has finally broken things off with him for good. Just when it appears as though Anthony might finally grow from his heartbreak, as he has been prone to do all season, he takes the wrong lesson from it and resolves to remove love entirely from his next relationship, declaring love itself as the problem. Next season will likely find him resisting his feelings completely or finding a woman who challenges his desire to never love again.
Benedict Bridgerton
Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) doesn't get much screen time until halfway through the first season. The second-born son, he's without the extreme pressures Anthony faces but also without responsibility. As such, Benedict is a bit directionless, a young man with an artistic bent but without the courage to do more than dabble. However, midway through the season he meets artist Henry Granville and is invited into Granville's circle. Granville's world is full of nude model painting sessions, orgies, hedonism, and a marriage of convenience - Granville is in love with a man and can never reveal it. Benedict is both shocked and entranced by this new way of thinking, and, by the end of the season, he's started making art in earnest while beginning a casual sexual relationship with local Modiste dressmaker Genevieve Delacroix. Though he's without the expectations of being the firstborn son, Benedict's new relationship will likely cause problems next season. And expect scandal to spring up for the Bridgertons around Benedict's increasing immersion into the libertine art world.
Colin Bridgerton
Similar to Benedict, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) doesn't get much focus outside of being Penny's crush until his ill-advised romance with Marina unfolds. Marina sets her sights on the young Bridgerton, seeing him as a truly good man but naive and romantic enough to get caught up in a whirlwind romance and marry her before her pregnancy starts showing. But Marina's deception is revealed and a devastated Colin ends their engagement. The final episode of the season finds Colin determined to get over his hurt and embarrassment by embarking on a continental tour, starting with traveling to Greece. When Season 2 comes to Netflix, it could go a few different ways for Colin: It could focus on his travels across Europe, or it could skip his travels and pick up when he returns to London. Or it could even find him scarcely in the second season at all, instead focusing on the characters in London.
Eloise Bridgerton
Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) is the most openly miserable of the Bridgerton children, a tomboy who chafes against the constraints of Bridgerton's 1800s, Regency era setting. A Jo March-like figure, she wants to do more with her life than get married and have babies and be controlled by the men around her. She harbors a determined desire to keep the identity of the mysterious writer, Lady Whistledown, from being blown and the gossipmonger arrested; Eloise sees Whistledown as the example of female independence she longs for and doesn't want to see that independence come to an end. By the end of the first season, however, Eloise realizes she's not uncovered Lady Whistledown's real identity, after all. Season 2 will find Eloise taking her place in the next social season (and hating every minute of it), as well as continuing to search for Whistledown's identity. Much of her drama will likely revolve around her finding out or not finding out Lady Whistledown was her best friend, Penelope, all along.
Penelope Featherington
Bubbly, awkward Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) spends all season being overlooked by everyone, save her best friend, Eloise, and Colin Featherington, who shows Penelope little kindnesses and attention that result in Penny having a full-blown crush on him. Yet Penelope's hopes are dashed when Marina makes it clear Colin only sees Penny as a little sister, not as a potential lover. Colin himself indirectly confirms this when he goes away to Greece at the end of the season. But the biggest moment of the season for Penny is the revelation that it is she who is behind the mysterious Lady Whistledown identity. It's unclear where Penelope's story will go next season, but that revelation sets her up in a number of ways. There will likely be tension between her and Eloise as Eloise gets closer to her identity, or outright conflict once Eloise discovers the truth. In Colin's absence, Penny may grow out of her crush on him – while also grappling with the consequences of what she did to Marina in her jealousy. With the Featheringtons' fortunes suddenly and drastically changed, as well, it raises the question of whether or not Penelope will even be able to keep up Lady Whistledown's gossip rag in season 2 at all.
Marina Thompson
Poor Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker) has a rough first season. Pregnant out of wedlock, unwanted by both her father and the Featheringtons, she clings to the hope of hearing from the father of her child, George Crane, who has gone off to war. After desperately trying to seduce Colin Bridgerton into eloping, she's devastated when her deception is revealed by Lady Whistledown and Colin breaks off their engagement. Her heartbreak is compounded when George's brother, Sir Philip (Chris Fulton), arrives in London to inform Marina George has been killed in battle. However, upon learning she's pregnant, he offers to do his brother's duty and marry Marina. With no other choice left, season 1 ends with Marina heading off into an uncertain future with Philip, who is a complete stranger to her. It sets up a second season that will find Marina and Philip doing their best to become friends and learn about one another. Perhaps a love connection with Marina and the brother of her late lover will even bloom from their arrangement.
The Rest of the Featherington Family
Outside of Penny, the Featherington daughters don't get much attention. Neither Philipa (Harriet Cains) nor Prudence (Bessie Carter) find husbands in their first social season so they must try again next season. Despite Lady Portia Featherington's (Polly Walker) attempts to hide the knowledge her husband has gambled their money away from getting out, the end of season 1 finds the Featheringtons completely broke in the wake of Lord Featherington's (Ben Miller) death after two bookies he's conned murder him and steal back all his gambling winnings. Season 2 will find the Featheringtons' circumstances much changed: No man of the household and no income, three daughters to marry off and no dowries with which to wed them. For a family, particularly Portia, who cares so much about appearances, season 2 will be a hard one for them, indeed, as they navigate their newly destitute life and fall from grace.
Will & Alice Mondrich
Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe) and his wife, Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi), spend most of the season essentially being moral support to Simon. Will is Simon's boxing instructor and friend, providing for his young family through prize fight money. There is a minor storyline throughout the season of Will trying to secure the investments needed to become a legitimate businessman. But an interesting setup for season 2 is presented when Will agrees to Lord Featherington's scheme for Will to throw a fight in order to use the winnings to provide for his family. Will is clearly conflicted about sacrificing his honor, and it's equally clear the fiery, outspoken Alice will be none too pleased when she learns what he's done. There's also a larger question hanging over Will and his family for season 2: If the bookies figure out Will was also in on the scam, he or his family could be in danger. Or the criminals could use Will's family as leverage to get him to throw more fights or do their bidding. Either way, Will is in a complicated bind heading into Bridgerton season 2.
Bridgerton had already set up a number of storylines for season 2. It hasn't been renewed yet, but it's almost certain to get a second season. Season 1 is currently on Netflix.