Bridgerton fans get ready, season 5 will take a darker turn following the shocking death that rocked Season 4.
In season 4, the death of a major character in Bridgerton will make a tragic twist for the next season of the hit Netflix series.
At the end of the sixth episode, John Stirling (Victor Alli) told Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) he’s going to lie down for a while.
When she checked on him, he dismissed a concern calling it “just a slight headache” and asked her to wake him later.
Upon discovering the death , Francesca screamed at the top of her lungs as his visiting cousin, Michaela (Masali Baduza), rushed in to help.
Notably, each season of Shonda Rhimes’ romance revolved around a different Bridgerton sibling’s love story in Regency-era England.
While Season 5’s lead hasn’t been confirmed but John’s death — a key moment in the books — hinted that Francesca could be next.
Season 4 primarily told the fairy-tale love story of Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), it also showed Francesca’s tragedy and her husband’s funeral.
Benedict gave a speech at the funeral, saying, “What makes this death so difficult to bear is not just its suddenness, but the fact that he was a good man, one of the best of us. Always guided by an unshakable sense of integrity, his devotion to his family, to his seat in Parliament, and most especially to my sister, Francesca.”
The season showcased the show’s first significant on-screen death, since the Bridgerton father died prior to the series timeline.
Franceca faced another heartbreak in season 4 immediately after John’s passing as she found joyful news that she’s pregnant, though later on learns she’s not expecting.
To note, in Francesca's Julia Quinn book, When He Was Wicked, after John's death due to aneurysm, Francesca ultimately moves on with his cousin, Michael.
Season 4, Part 2 of Bridgerton is released on Netflix on Thursday, February 26.
