#Colin bridgerton they could never make me hate you

[doomed2repeat]

Shonda knew what she was doing when she cast him. He could stay on Bridgerton for all 8 seasons and I’ll watch him age like a fine wine.

[vocallywritten]

I don't think Colin should have suffered more actually because season three is literally just the season of "The Hits Just Keep Coming For Colin Bridgerton". 😂

Baby girl was going THROUGH it from the second Penelope yelled at him at the Danbury Ball and he did not recover fully until the end.

[callingbridgerton]

Literally me.

[secrettastemakerland]

i know that we're (not necessarily all cause i'm sure not) all hating on colin's apology but he truly wasn't the man he was last season!!! every time someone was talking about penelope (in front of her face or otherwise) he confronted them!!! he even yelled at his own sister to get it together!!! bc he isn't the man he was last season!!!

[abitcaughtinthemiddle]

This. Fucking this. It was so refreshing to see a different kind of leading man than previous seasons, and to have so much subtext and dialogue to analyze.

As someone who consumes a lot of romance stories (be it movies, TV- mostly books, though) I’ve been so sick of the same things over and over again- the same brooding, leading man, the same conflict, and the same subplots with popular tropes just thrown in for the sake of it.

I became worried that romance is dying. But, this season brought romance back. This season was fucking refreshing.

Season 3 is truly the best yet.

They could never make me hate it.

Bridgerton S3, they could never make me hate you.

I had been consuming a lot of contents albeit very much revolves around these two darlings, Penelope and Colin. I just couldn't get enough. I was simply never the same after Polin. Never.

It had been pressing weeks when I felt the shed of my old skin upon the compounding insinuations of loss affection toward men of haunting past. In which with all their might would do everything to sabotage the relationship, to run screaming and crying and throwing up to absolutely defy these insurmountable feelings, one could label within the word, love. Until they are utterly consumed by these thoughts and overwhelming need to express such affections as the only way to ever cope which resulted to angry, passionate confessions of love.

I am wild to see the stark difference of how we never see Colin did none of those things because in my conclusion, he wasn't as emotionally constipated and the first three and it is such a refreshing medium to see without ever actually stripping him flat. That is what I want: a tender, loving, down bad loverboy declaring that if his purpose was to love a woman as great as me, then he shall be a very fulfilled man indeed!

The argument that he didn't say the 'I love you enough' debate was at surface quite understandable but if you start to analyse closely, after the proposal, almost every interactions he has revolves around finding an opportunity to express his love and admiration to Penelope, especially his conversation with his siblings.

He sought advice from Violet, followed Anthony straight away when he told him that he should tell her he loves her. Listen to Kate's marital advice. He's open, he's receiving help, he's trying to process his hurt and overcoming his triggers. He's learning to do better but it wasn't perfect. He made mistakes along the way but eventually led him to the path of acceptance.

He wanted to love her better, despite of and in spite of. Colin has always been introspective so when he had discovered the root of his actions, he gathered up the courage to be vulnerable and admit it to Penelope, that he was feeling envious because he never truly felt good enough. But this was recieve to be affirmed of his worth. The thing I love about this couple is that they felt so human and that propelled them to move past such damaging beliefs of themselves to do better.

Don't even get me started with Penelope, I could make dissertations of how well she was written for all anyone could care. Miss girl is ambitious, I love how her mental glow-up was able to comply how well her physical glow-up was executed also. In the end, she needn't to choose between herself and the man she loves.

She can be both independent and cherished by a man. She may have wavered, she had tried, but she couldn't. She couldn't betray herself so I was glad that upon fighting for it, the people around her soon realised that this is something they could not deny and something they should fight with her not off of her. I love this passage of weilding her power into more productive causes such as giving voice to the voicless. I hope we see more of it for the upcoming season.

Of course it's not perfect, with pacing issues and subplots I had hard time figuring such purpose but if there's one thing, this season has so much depth and I was very glad to dive upon the narrowest trenches of it.

It was so beautifully done and that is why I also stand that Polin have the strongest foundation so far as they navigate their biggest block and be the best versions of themselves together, and occasionally, with the help of one another.

P.S I am only talking about the show Polin, I hated the book, but I suppose this would be for another post.

[waitingtobreatheagain]

You know what I hate real real bad?

How people mischaracterize Colin (they do the same to Pen but I am going to make that a separate post for her) when we have proof that directly goes against their claims.

"Colin did not see Pen as worthy"

"Colin did not have love for/care for Pen/or pay attention to her until season 3"

"Colin does not truly love her it's only lust"

I understand having your own opinion but there are times when the opinion is OBJECTIVELY WRONG. I also don't like how folks have chosen to do this to likely the kindest male lead we'll have who expressed his love for his partner CONSTANTLY and CONSISTENTLY.

Those aren't the only things I've heard or seen but they are among the biggest misconceptions. Outside of not realizing the extent of his feelings for Pen until a catalyst (the first kiss, while we also see in the first two episodes moments that are also leading up to the realization), it is and has never been that he sees Pen as unworthy he sees HIMSELF as unworthy. WE see this even after he knows that she returns his feelings which he did not even know until the carriage. After the carriage and even while he is working through the LW reveal, he still does not feel worthy of her which is a big part of Pen reminding him in words and actions that being him makes him more than worthy. We see how worthy he sees her when he tells her to never forget that SHE is Penelope Featherington. We also see it when he is absolutely puzzled during the first kiss scene at the fact that Pen sees herself in such a self-deprecating way. He can not even imagine a life for her that is not reflecting the very best.

Next, Colin is arguably the main person we see show a genuine interest in Pen as well as truly treasuring her in his life. From dancing with her in a protective fashion after Cressida through a drink at her, having conversation together where they are the only people who get what they are saying and what it means, getting involved with Jack's plot in order to protect Pen and by extension the Featheringtons because that is Pen's family, writing to her and seeing her correspondence as his most treasured, laughing with each other on multiple occasions, seeking her out for either conversation or a dance no matter what whenever they come across each other at a social gathering. I could go on and that's just in the first two seasons. Not showing romantic interest does not mean that he did not deeply love and care for her. Colin and Pen mutually made each other feel seen and understood in a way in no one else did...is that not an expression of love? If Colin had not already treated Pen in the way he had she likely would not have fallen so deeply in love with him. Colin being so loving, caring, kind, understanding, interested in Pen and what she had going on, and much more also plays a role in why she is able to forgive him for his thoughtless comment last season. He reflects the character we have known him to be towards the end of S3 E1 when we see a genuine apology where he takes accountability tells Pen how much she means to him and seeks out how he can make up for his mistake.

Lastly, the Colin does not love her and only lusts for her is just not even kind of true. We are talking about the same man who has expressed his love (whether via 'i love yous', in his words, actions, looks, closeness, etc.) for his partner so so so often and in such a way we likely will never see with another pairing. This the man who would prefer sleep than to be awake because in his dreams they were in love and together. The same man where his whole world was topsy turvy following his realization of those same feelings. The same man whose dream about Pen that STARTED with Pen returning his feelings of love for her then led to a hot makeout. The same man who put it all on the floor and said societal rules be damned (as he always did with her) because even if it was unrequited he was going to let Pen know just how much he loved her and wanted to be with her...to show her that one person in her life would be willing to fight her no matter the opponent or cost because she would always be worth it. The same man who stood up to her mother to show that she would no longer be allowed to treat the love of his life in such an ugly way. The same man who expresses his love for Pen without ceasing and even when we did not hear the expressions as much (while working through the LW reveal and his own insecurities). The same man who turned his fianceé around so that she could only day see and believe everything he loved about her for herself. The same man who put so much intention into their first time so that it reflected something they were doing together. The same man who was so in love enamored and joyful to be with the love of his life that it felt like his first time. The same man who even when never considered not marrying Pen even at his most heartbroken and angriest DUE to how much he loved her and knowing and believing that she felt the same. The same man who when he sees her come down the aisle he forgets everything else and only thinks about how lucky he is to marry his favorite person, his best friend, and the love of his life. The same man who has given us arguably the most touching love confession that will be so hard to beat because he expresses not only how much loves and admires Pen; he expresses what he was struggling with (how he overcame it and reframed it) and how he realized that his ultimate joy and privilege in this one life he gets to live is to be able to love and be loved by her. The love is on display in countless ways. While we also know that they match each other's freak real bad and have palpable passion and desire for each other...the love is and has always been the center even before they knew the love was requited.

I don't know which Colin Bridgerton alot of folks saw but it was not the one we have seen from season 1, 2, or 3. Do you have to love Colin/Pen/Polin/or their story with your whole heart like me? Of course not. I can't allow the blatant and incorrect character assassination though. Turn your brains on, I beg.

[neutron-stars-collision]

And you’re telling me some people hate this pookie? Couldn’t be me.

[iheartbookbran]

i cackled before the season came out and everyone was freaking out about the brothel scenes because they wanted demi!Colin and now the possibility was lost forever, when it was precisely the brothel scenes (+ the diary bit) which cemented demi!Colin to canon prosperity!

[hamletshoeratio]

Apparently, Eloise is a mean girl and is not a girls' girl???

[hhhh-snakes]

"we need more complex female characters" y'all could barely handle eloise bridgerton

[swiftiekazbrekker]

Yes bridgerton season 3 healed something in me so badly that once it ended I straight up cried for an hour because I was so sad it was over

[numberonecolinbridgertonlover]

Do you guys ever think about the joy Colin would’ve initially felt when he realised that the facade he’d constructed whilst away on his travels was working and that people were actually starting to show interest and take him seriously?? Because I do occasionally and I wanna gag and throw up a little bit ngl…

[secrettastemakerland]

no bc penelope is actually stronger than me. colin bridgerton saying that he misses me and that he loves talking to me bc i give him different perspectives on things would actually make me propose to him

[thepromisedbride]

i don’t talk about bridgerton on here but just to clarify. i will not be having ANY eloise hate on this account. i will bite.

[whistlepen]

good morning! i am still upsetti spaghetti at colin bridgerton’s twin cousin for being a big ass baby 👶🏻 my colin would never 🙅🏻‍♀️ he would go hug 🤗 and love up 💕 on his wife after realizing immediately! she was brilliant and he would be in awe 🫢 and so proud of her 🥹

[ladywhistlenow]

All of this! 👏🏾 and this is why he’s my favorite Bridgerton! episode 3x03 is my favorite! When I first saw this, I literally popped up from my couch like “OMG!” 😱🥹

We all need to take more time to appreciate Colin Bridgerton and the details of his sexy dream. In his brain, the ultimate fantasy involves

him walking to Penelope in a new (fully imagined) dress/nightgown as he is cravatless, shirt undone, in her garden in the mist

an APOLOGY to her for how late it is, and that he just HAD to see her (Colin Bridgerton out here putting the man in manners)

STUTTERING through a confession of how much he's been thinking of her ("I rehearsed that speech for hours")

The mist dissipating and turning into flames around them like candlelight (he's a WRITER!!!!!! the metaphors. the VIBES)

Her reply that she ALSO can't stop thinking of him or their kiss (consent KING)

The two of them passionately smooching as he presses her against a wall (they like it rough)

Cushioning the back of her head with his hand as she grabs onto his arm for dear life (but also tender)

Very loud moaning from her as he kisses over her neck and chest (praise kink! praise kink! praise kink!)

and then my man woke up in a SWEAT. chest HEAVING. cheeks RED. from one of the most romantic PG-13 wet dreams possible. this is the guy who was having threesomes like half an episode ago and now he's blushy blushy over the idea of Pen having feelings for him and them smoochin' about it. and you wanna tell me he's NOT the best Bridgerton Boy??? puhlease!!! 11/10, ultimate fave, sign him up for an AO3 account posthaste