Bridgerton Season 4 follows Benedict and Sophie in a Cinderella-inspired romance full of secrets, class tension, and classic tropes.
Bridgerton Season 4 is shaping up to be the show’s most romantic season yet, but not in the simple, storybook way fans might expect. While the love story promises fairy-tale levels of swoon, it comes with a significant catch. Season 4 centers on Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the bohemian second son of the family, and his long-awaited romance with Sophie Beckett (Yerin Ha).
Sophie is a young woman whose social status places their love firmly in forbidden territory. She is a maid trapped in servitude by her cruel stepmother, while Benedict lives freely in the world of the wealthy ton. Their worlds collide at Lady Violet Bridgerton’s masquerade ball, where Benedict meets a masked “Lady in Silver.” She disappears at midnight, leaving only a glove behind.
Their lives aren’t just magical like the Cinderella tale; they are fraught with real stakes, societal rules, and the emotional weight of two very different lives. In the Netflix series, Benedict and Sophie’s relationship will face immense pressure from societal rules and expectations. Sophie must find the courage to dream beyond, while Benedict must learn to commit and fight for what he truly wants, defying expectations of his class.
Bridgerton Season 4: Benophie Will Bring Classic Romance Tropes
Inspired by Julia Quinn‘s novel An Offer From a Gentleman, Bridgerton Season 4’s romance between Benedict and Sophie, or Benophie, leans into classic tropes, but with a more grounded twist. Love at first sight sets the stage during the masquerade. There’s also forbidden love, with the stark class divide. And, of course, the season focuses on the Cinderella trope. Sophie is lowborn, working as a maid, yet she captures the heart of a wealthy, charismatic man.
The season also includes the artist-and-muse dynamic, showing Benedict inspired by Sophie’s spirit and creativity. Then there’s the soulmate trope, with their connection feeling inevitable despite years of separation and the barriers between them. But unlike a fairy tale, Season 4 shows that love is messy.
As teased by the showrunner, Sophie is not a passive damsel waiting to be rescued. She must navigate fear, social rules, and her own ambitions. Benedict, on the other hand, must reconcile his privileged world with the challenges of loving someone from a completely different background. Their romance is conditional, built on trust, courage, and sacrifice, rather than guaranteed by destiny.
In this case, these familiar tropes feel fresh because the consequences are real. The season and the countrycore themes may elevate the genre into a more emotionally adult territory, where love is thrilling but never easy. These tropes are packed with angst and emotion, which makes the happily ever after feel even more special.
Jess Brownell Said Bridgerton S4 Didn’t Glamorize Sophie’s Life
Showrunner Jess Brownell has been clear about giving the story emotional realism. She stressed that the trope has been seen multiple times before, but Season 4 does not romanticize Sophie’s life in service. She told Entertainment Weekly,
But I think a lot of times in these classic Cinderella-like stories, Cinderella is a bit of a damsel in distress. And, in the case of Sophie Baek, she is no such thing. We get to watch a very headstrong young woman try to decide her fate for herself and pick up the courage to believe in and dream for a life greater than the one she currently has.
While previous seasons largely unfolded within the tons and ballrooms of the wealthy elite, this chapter expands the lens to include life “downstairs.” Brownell added,
We talked a lot about going downstairs and how that would affect the overall tone of the show and I think, actually, it seamlessly blends into the themes that we were trying to explore this season.
It is like the upstairs-downstairs dynamic from Downton Abbey, grounding the romance in a harsher social reality.
At the same time, returning characters like Penelope and Colin will navigate their love and parenthood. Other fan favorites, Eloise Bridgerton, Lady Danbury, and Queen Charlotte, remain present to guide them. Newcomers like Lady Araminta Gun and her daughters will add more intrigue to Sophie Benedict’s love story.
