Warning: This post contains spoilers for Bridgerton season 2How Bridgerton may have already avoided one character’s tragic fate. The Netflix series, which is based on the novels by Julia Quinn, follows the titular family as each sibling finds love. However, not everyone’s story in the show ends on a happy note.
Marina Thompson went through a lot during Bridgerton season 1. Sent to live with the Featheringtons by her father, Marina joined Penelope and her sisters during the Ton’s season, but her pregnancy pushed her to find a husband so she and her twins would be well taken care of and not shamed by high society. Ultimately, Marina married Sir Philip Crane, brother to George, Marina’s lover who died in battle. Marina’s story in Bridgerton is vastly different from the books, in which she is a very minor character. In the novel To Sir Philip, With Love, Marina is already dead at the start of the book from a fever after attempting suicide. More information is revealed about her later — she was officially engaged to George before marrying Philip — but her death and the lack of love Philip feels for her is what shapes her story. Worse, Marina’s death leads Philip on the path towards Eloise Bridgerton and the pair fall in love.
The events of Bridgerton season 2 have possibly altered Marina’s sad ending from the books. Marina has already given birth and she seems happy caring for her children. She admits she’s content and, though she may not love Philip, he seems to be a good husband. What’s more, the writers don't seem keen on bringing Eloise and Philip together romantically. As of the season 2 finale, Eloise ended her friendship with Theo Sharpe, but Bridgerton season 3 could see the pair reunite. If the Netflix series goes the route of Eloise and Theo, an original character created for Bridgerton, being together, Marina's death could be avoided altogether. Theo is also a much better match for Eloise, who is strong-willed and opinionated, and setting her up with Sir Philip wouldn’t make much sense.
Why Bridgerton Should Avoid Marina's Book Ending
If Bridgerton has already changed Marina’s — and almost every character’s — storyline, then it wouldn’t be out of left field to continue making alterations to give Marina a good ending. It's unnecessary to give Marina such a tragic fate when her story has already had enough hardship and sadness. It also wouldn’t look good for Bridgerton to kill her off to advance Philip and Eloise’s romance, of which the series doesn’t seem interested in pursuing. Eloise knows Marina in the show, and it would be rather strange to watch her consort with Sir Philip should a tragedy occur. This is especially the case now that the romance series has made Marina a Featherington cousin and not a Bridgerton relation as she is in the books.
It’s unclear how Marina’s story will continue in Bridgerton season 3 or if it will carry on offscreen. Season 2 brought her back so that Colin Bridgerton could have some closure; Marina had already moved on because she had to. However, Bridgerton could extend Marina’s story by showing how she and Philip grow in love over the years. It would certainly be a far better story than the book’s for a character who has already suffered enough.