Diksha Sundriyal
Two worlds collide in the fourth season of Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton,’ when Benedict Bridgerton, a nobleman, falls in love with Sophie Baek, a maid. Over the course of eight episodes, their story goes through many twists and turns as they try to come to terms with the reality of their situation. Being together could have them both shunned from good society, but in the end, their love wins, and they find a way to be together. The last scene has Benedict propose to Sophie in front of everyone, and later, they share a private moment at the place where they first met and fell in love with one another. As the credits start to roll, one might think that their story is over, but the post-credits scene gives a proper happy ending to their fairytale romance. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Bridgerton Season 4 Post-Credits Scene Focuses on Benedict and Sophie’s Wedding
While weddings have been a staple in ‘Bridgerton,’ they are usually not considered the ending of a story, as more challenges appear after a wedding. The real issue in Daphne and Simon’s relationship reared its head after they were wed. Anthony and Kate’s true feelings for each other came out after his failed wedding to her sister. Colin and Penelope had to wade through the problems of trust and insecurities after their wedding. But this formula changes for Sophie and Benedict. Francesca finds her true soulmate after marrying John. The only thing that keeps them from being together is the class difference between them, and with that out of the way, there is nothing keeping them from living the rest of their lives in happiness. This is why their wedding is the first one to appear at the end of the show and actually signifies a “riding off into the sunset together” kind of ending.
The wedding takes place at My Cottage, which is now “Our Cottage,” as Benedict signified in the sketch he gave to Sophie when he asked her to be his mistress. The choice of location is a nod to the fact that this is where Benedict and Sophie first fell in love (not in the terrace where he met her as Lady in Silver). This is where they were completely cut off from society and its expectations, where they could be just Sophie and Benedict, and not an aristocrat and a maid. The cottage, at that time, was their own bubble, their little paradise, where they didn’t have to worry about being judged by anyone (except perhaps Mrs. Crabtree), and they could be with each other without any fear or inhibition. When they returned to London, they had to face the real world, which is where all their troubles began.
So, it makes sense that they chose to get married in the place that had become home to them all those months ago. The wedding is also an intimate affair with only the closest family and friends appearing for the ceremony. On one side, we have Benedict’s family, and on the other side, we have Sophie’s family, which includes Posy and her coworkers from Penwood and Bridgerton House. It is fitting that she is given away by Alfie, her dear friend and the earliest and ardent shipper of Benophie. Had this been like any other Bridgerton wedding, Sophie’s family, except Posy, couldn’t have been able to attend. Without them, it wouldn’t mean anything to her. So, by getting wed at My Cottage, they truly bring the upstairs-downstairs worlds together, something that couldn’t have happened otherwise.
Benedict and Sophie’s Wedding Sets the Stage for the Next Bridgerton Romance
As Benedict and Sophie stand in front of each other, they don’t share any vows. He calls her Sophie, and she calls him Benedict, which is yet another way to show how they have crossed all the hurdles their class difference had created. The last time they were there, Sophie called him Mr. Bridgerton, even though he kept insisting that she call him by his first name. Despite already having fallen in love with him, she knew that the real world would never accept their relationship. As Mrs. Crabtree reminded her, Sophie knew her place. She knew that once they were out of My Cottage, she wouldn’t be Benedict’s guest anymore and would return to being a maid. So, she refused to call him by his name. But now, the circumstances are very different.
They don’t have to hide anymore because in the eyes of the Queen and society, Sophie is nobility, and she and Benedict are on equal standing. There is no power dynamic between them where she is lower than him in status, and there is no shame of her being a secret that he cannot bring out in front of the world. They are equals in all senses of the term, and so, they acknowledge one another with their first name, with Sophie having no hesitation in calling him “Benedict” anymore. In addition to this, the scene also sets up Eloise or Francesca as the potential next lead.
In this season, especially in the second half, we see a change come over Eloise as she seems to become more open to the idea of love and marriage. When Kate asks whose wedding they’ll attend next, Eloise is happy at the prospect, saying that weddings bring all the best people together. While her answer surprises anyone, she quickly corrects that she is not talking about her own wedding. Had the conversation stopped here, this would have been the conversation that Eloise is next. But then, Penelope asks Francesca if she’ll marry again, to which she answers that she’s had her one true love, and one time is enough.
This, of course, is not true, as the seeds of a romance between her and Michaela have already been sown. This conversation extends the uncertainty over the next season’s lead, but considering everything, there is a better chance that Eloise is next, while Francesca and Michaela will most likely remain at a distance, since it is still too soon for Francesca to return to the marriage mart. To bring the focus back on Sophie and Benedict’s happy ending, we see a painting by Benedict of Sophie as the Lady in Silver, but unmasked, perfectly summing up their romance and showing us that their fairytale has only just begun.
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