By far the most interesting member of her family, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) hasn’t yet gotten her endgame romance in Netflix’s Bridgerton. And, judging by the order of Julia Quinn‘s books, she won’t get her happily ever after until somewhere around Season 4. However, that doesn’t mean that the most rebellious of the Bridgerton siblings hasn’t gotten at least one shot at love. Season 2 of the hit romance series saw Eloise meeting a young printer’s apprentice by the name of Theo Sharpe (Calam Lynch) and developing a serious crush on him. Their nascent relationship was prematurely killed, but it was an essential part of the show’s second run, serving as a parallel to other subplots as well as a way to place some key characters in the positions they need to be at the beginning of Season 3.
It was also so much more than that. As a pairing, Theo and Eloise were delightful to watch, two like-minded individuals finding company in each other despite barriers of class. Sure, their story might not be endgame, but that didn’t make them any less enjoyable. Furthermore, through her relationship with Theo, Eloise’s personality was also developed. The second Bridgerton daughter was always among the wildest of her siblings, much more like Benedict (Luke Thompson) in their shared contempt for marriage and social conventions than like Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) or Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) in their eagerness to enter society. As she fell in love with Theo, we got to understand the lengths to which she would go in her defiance. However, said process was left incomplete. And now that Theo is gone, Eloise seems a lot more subdued. Perhaps it’s time, then, for the show to take a step back and bring back this Season 2 relationship.
Eloise and Theo First Get Together in ‘Bridgerton’ Season 2
Granted, Eloise and Theo don’t exactly have the noblest of beginnings. The two first meet while Eloise is doing some amateur sleuthing to find out the identity Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), whom she doesn’t know is actually her best friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). After reading a pamphlet with the same printing errors as Lady Whistledown’s, she finds her way to a printing shop in which Theo works, and though the two don’t immediately get along, they eventually bond over common interests, such as women’s rights. As a matter of fact, Theo even invites her to meetings on the subject, and they only get closer and closer as a result. As episodes go by, it becomes clear to everyone watching the show that Eloise harbors strong feelings for Theo, and vice versa. This, however, is eventually put into words by Eloise when she tells Penelope that she intends on asking Theo about his feelings towards her.
But Theo and Eloise’s relationship did not have a happy ending. As her friend experiences her first crush, Penelope Featherington faces some hard decisions of her own. For starters, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) is starting to suspect that Eloise might be Whistledown due to her constant visits to the printer’s. Then there’s the fact that Eloise herself is getting dangerously close to finding out the secret behind the mysterious gossip columnist. Last, but not least, there is the story of Mary Sharma (Shelley Conn) and the trauma that it left in the ton. Years prior, during her first season, Mary, the daughter of a wealthy, titled family, fell in love with a common clerk and eloped to India. This left a dent in her reputation that still persists to this day. Wishing to throw everyone off of Whistledown’s tracks, but also to keep her friend from being at the center of a scandal, Penelope runs an issue of her society papers in which she accuses Eloise of rubbing elbows with political radicals.
Now, the Bridgertons eventually recover from the contempt that this brings upon them, but things are a little more complicated for poor Eloise and Theo. While Theo is harassed by palace guards wanting to find out what he knows about Whistledown, Eloise is heartbroken to realize who her friend truly is and what she has done to her. Furthermore, in an effort to salvage her reputation, she is forced to put an end to her relationship with Theo. Though the two split up as amicably as possible, Eloise finishes Season 2 of Bridgerton more than just heartbroken: she is utterly destroyed. This prompts her to undergo a whole personality shift in between seasons, and by the show’s third run, she has shaken off her “not like other girls” persona and is much more partial to novels such as Jane Austen‘s Emma than to treaties and pamphlets.
Theo Is an Essential Addition to the World of ‘Bridgerton’
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This is of the utmost importance for Eloise’s character, but let’s put a pin on that for a brief second. First, we have to discuss why Theo’s addition to the world of Bridgerton is such a big deal. Much like the Mondriches and Genevieve (Kathryn Drysdale), he gives us a glimpse into a universe that is not widely explored by the show: the lives of the lower classes. Through Theo, we learn of the political upheaval that is boiling underneath all the fancy balls and promenades, as well as of the day-to-day business that keeps such a society afloat. Secondly, since Bridgerton isn’t a series to deal with flashbacks very often, his relationship with Eloise helps us understand how Mary could meet and fall in love with someone of a different social background, giving us insight into the coming and goings of the family of one of Season 2’s main characters, Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).
However, Theo’s main contribution to the plot of Bridgerton is through his impact on Eloise. A rebellious spirit who feels deeply offended by the roles women are expected to play in Regency society, Eloise dreams of being seen as more than a pretty face that can knit or play the pianoforte. Sure, she has a lot in common with Benedict in how she abhors notions of marriage and polite society, but, for her, this doesn’t translate into carefree debauchery. As a woman, her life is much more heavily policed, and her discontent is much more political. Thus, by introducing Theo to her life, former showrunner Chris Van Dusen allowed her to at least feel a sparkle of love, kind of like her brother gets every season, and gave her an opportunity to put her anger to good use through proper political activism.
Alas, this does not last long. And Eloise is never given the proper opportunity to choose between family and her social status or her heart and her political interests, nor to understand how these two universes can coexist. Like a band-aid being ripped, Penelope’s revelation forces her away from Theo, in a moment of heartbreak that isn’t natural for either of them. The question remains of whether Eloise would be brave enough to challenge society’s rules and elope with Theo, to basically put her money where her mouth is, or if she would choose a comfortable home and balls with the queen. Her development as a character is halted, and what we see now feels more like a shadow of an Eloise that used to exist than like a natural progression.
Theo Needs To Come Back for Eloise To Continue Her Growth
Now, don’t get us wrong: we are not complaining about Eloise seeming sad and a little bit dead inside. It actually makes sense considering what she has been through. And her friendship with Cressida (Jessica Madsen) is a great way for her to learn that she is not the only woman suffering injustices in her corner of London, though she might be the only one vocally complaining. But when Eloise tells Colin (Luke Newton) about the book that she’s currently reading, she doesn’t seem like herself. She seems like a woman who is making an effort to be someone she is not. Eloise’s interests and her rebellious streak have been completely erased. Perhaps they will come back by the end of this season. Perhaps there will be some development that will allow Eloise to find balance within herself, but you know what definitely would awaken a spark in her heart? Theo.
