After a two-year hiatus, The Summer I Turned Pretty is finally returning to our screens on July 16 for its third and final season. As a fan of the series and the books, I am so excited to soak up the East Coast summer vibes and watch and see whether Belly ends up with Conrad or Jeremiah. As the new season approaches, the TSITP team has been releasing promos on their Instagram, and the internet can’t get enough. Last week, they dropped a one-minute teaser trailer and official poster, and fans have been poring over them (myself included) in hopes of hints or easter eggs for what the ending holds. From what I’ve found, the promotion is full of symbolism and subtle nods to what may be ahead, and I’m here to break it down for you.
The poster
The season three poster pictures Belly between Jeremiah and Conrad, with Belly and Jeremiah cozying up next to each other. We left off season two with Jeremiah and Belly as a couple, so it’s no surprise that the two look like they’re together. However, the positioning of these characters holds more meaning than you may think. The poster is strikingly similar to one of the visuals from the 1954 film Sabrina, starring Audrey Hepburn. The plot of Sabrina has a similar premise to TSITP; a young woman is torn between two brothers, the older one more serious and no-nonsense, while the younger one is more carefree and easygoing. In the Sabrina visual, the younger brother is kissing Audrey Hepburn on the cheek, but she can’t help but look over at the older brother, who is longingly staring at her. Some fans have taken this as a hint that Belly and Conrad are endgame, but others have pointed out that Belly isn’t looking at either brother. Rather, she is staring straight ahead, perhaps hinting that she won’t end up with either of them. The series actually references Sabrina in the first season when Belly and Cam go on a date to the drive-in to watch the film, and Belly tells him that it’s one of her favorite movies. Did Jenny Han plant this easter egg three years ahead of time, or was it just a happy coincidence?
The trailer
There’s a lot to unpack in this short, one-minute clip. Most of the video shows Belly and Jeremiah dancing, spending time at college together, looking very much in love as Taylor Swift’s song “Daylight” plays over them. However, at the very end of the video (literally the last five seconds), Belly, face covered in chocolate, fire poker in hand, opens a door to see Conrad on the front porch with a candy cane in his mouth, snow falling in the background. Suddenly, the song cuts out of “Daylight,” and “But loving him was red” plays from Taylor’s song, “Red.” If you’re not familiar with Taylor Swift’s discography, it’s no coincidence that these two songs were put together. In “Red,” Taylor uses the color as a metaphor for a whirlwind romance that leads to a devastating breakup. In “Daylight,” the chorus references the metaphor she established in “Red.” Taylor sings, “I used to think love would be burning red, but it’s golden, like daylight.” You would think that if Jeremiah is being shown with “Daylight,” that he and Belly will end up together for sure, right? Besides, isn’t the song basically saying that after all the drama in Belly’s relationship with Conrad, she can finally settle into this “golden” love with Jeremiah? But, an important lyric to remember from “Red” is:
“Remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes
Tell myself it’s time now, gotta let go
But moving on from him is impossible
When I still see it all in my head
In burning red.”
So even though Belly may be happy with Jeremiah, she still can’t let go of her relationship with Conrad. Belly has been stuck in this tug of war between the two brothers for the past two seasons, and I’m excited to see it (hopefully) be finally settled.
FInal thoughts
In my opinion, (most) signs point to Belly ending up with Conrad at the end of the series. Personally, I’ve always been Team Conrad, and I’m rooting for them to live happily ever after. Also, for how little Conrad appears in the teaser trailer, TikTok editors are taking what they have and RUNNING with it. Who knew the Internet would go so feral for a five-second clip of Chris Briney saying, “Hey.”
You can watch season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty July 16 on Amazon Prime Video.