Conrad might die? Right person, wrong time? Jenny Han is evil?
Like every year, this summer was immortalized through social media, memes, music and other pop culture phenomena. One standout contender for most influential has been the hit series “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” which ultimately left a mark on the hearts of thousands of fans across the globe.
With two full seasons under its belt, summer 2025 marks the third and final season of the show. Based on the book by Jenny Han of the same name, the show follows Isabel Conklin, aka Belly, as she experiences first love and first heartbreak through a love triangle between two brothers she grew up with, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher.
While this sounds like a mediocre romcom at its finest, several subplots, character arcs and details have made it worthwhile for fans to watch. Many fans of the show have read the books, while others haven’t picked them up at all. Book readers have noted how closely the show followed the source material until now.
Starting on July 16, the series has been releasing new episodes weekly until the finale on Sept. 17, which is right around the corner. The last half of the summer was filled with accurate details and timelines of the events that happened originally in the books, but the eighth episode left fans wondering why there were still three episodes left in the season. One TikTok user even went as far as to say that we’re now in “uncharted territory” when referring to the rest of the series.
Now is when I’ll tell you that there are spoilers ahead, and if you haven’t watched episode nine, you shouldn’t read the rest of this article (but please come back when you’re caught up!)
In the books, the wedding between Belly and Jeremiah is called off due to her conflicting feelings for Conrad. She ultimately ends up packing her bags and traveling to Spain for her study abroad trip, where she keeps in contact with Conrad. After some time of choosing herself, the duo gets married and lives happily ever after.
In a perfect world, this is what we all wanted for the Prime Video series, but alas.
In episode eight, the wedding is still called off. However, Belly packs her bags and grabs the next flight to France, where she plans to study abroad. Not too different, right?
Tell us why she looks to her right and sees Conrad sitting at her gate, also waiting for a flight.
The episode ends on a cliffhanger, leaving fans wondering, “What the hell just happened?”
This is when the series really takes a turn. Every episode following this one is unknown, and anything can happen at any point. Unfortunately, episode nine had mixed reviews from viewers, with some calling it a filler episode, pointless and an hour-long ad for Airtags, with others insisting that most people missed the point of it all.
“Even when it got hard, [Belly] overcame obstacles and started understanding what she is made of. She can and will fight for herself,” states TikTok user @Audreymartha. “It symbolizes her growing independence and her fight to reclaim her identity in the midst of chaos and change.”
Episode 10 aired on Sept. 10 and didn’t disappoint. Running just over an hour long, this episode was packed full of content, drama and even room for uncertainty.
Belly signs a permanent lease in Paris, confirming her residency for another year. In the meantime, she pursues a new romance with Benito, a friend she had met when she first got to France. While all this is happening, Belly is still receiving letters from Conrad, who has been writing to her over the holiday season. The episode ends with Conrad upgrading his plane ticket ($473, are you kidding?) to fly straight into Paris instead of Brussels, and Belly sitting in a salon where she plans to get a haircut before her birthday weekend.
There’s one more episode to end the story, and the internet is in a frenzy trying to piece together how everything will pan out. Some theories are regarding small details, while others are assuming the unthinkable for these characters and their futures. Here are some of the most popular following episode 10:
conrad dies
Dark, I know.
Social media is losing its mind after putting together several small details during the season regarding Conrad’s health. There’s a dark corner on TikTok right now with several moments and easter eggs backing up this theory, and even though we hope it isn’t true, the fact of the matter is that anything can happen.
Fans have observed Conrad grabbing his chest multiple times throughout the season with no explanation, his mention that heart disease runs in the family, and even him talking about his hands hurting in episode seven.
If there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that Han is meticulous and does everything for a reason. With several twists and turns already taking place this season, this would be the biggest one, and most heartbreaking of them all.
RIGHT PERSON WRONG TIME
On a lighter note, though still sad, some fans think Conrad picked the worst time to visit Belly.
Getting a haircut is often associated with significant life changes, and sometimes even a “shedding of the past” and other things that have happened in an individual’s life. Seeing Conrad during, or right after, Belly completely moves on from her life back home is setting himself up for failure. Belly just signed a year-long lease a few months prior (there’s a mini time jump at the end of the episode) and unless Conrad plans to drop everything and move to Paris, they would have to date long distance.
Many fans, including myself, believe this probably isn’t the route that they’ll take for the plot. Ultimately, it seems like this might be a classic case of “right person wrong time” except for the fact that this is all season three has been about.
EPISODE 11 ISN’T THE LAST
An unpopular opinion, but still existing theory circulating is the fact that episode 11 is in fact NOT the last episode of the season.
Fans were quick to point out that the official Instagram account for the show deleted the timeline of episodes. While there are many reasons this may be the case, most people believe it’s because we’re in for more than everyone bargained for. And unless there’s a huge time jump, or the episode is two hours long, there’s no possible way we can get closure for everything up to interpretation right now. Unless Han chooses to leave it this way on purpose…
Leading up to next week, fans are bracing themselves. Will this in fact be the last episode? Will every question be answered? Or will it leave us divided after the final credits, wondering about the future for Conrad, Jeremiah and Belly?