‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Just Took the Netflix Show’s Darkest Turn Ever With This Character Death

Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2.

With the release of Season 4's last four episodes, Bridgerton has officially concluded its latest love story, as Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha) finally get their happily ever after. Like every installment before it, Season 4 follows a Bridgerton's pursuit of romance while devoting the rest of its runtime to the other members of the family and those who run in society. Season 4 is full of swoonworthy romance, messy drama, and several surprising twists — ending with the major reveal that Penelope's (Nicola Coughlan) retired column is now being continued by an anonymous new Lady Whistledown.

Unlike the stories before it, though, Bridgerton Season 4 contains a major character death. Francesca's (Hannah Dodd) husband, John Stirling (Victor Alli), suddenly dies of an aneurysm in the series when he goes to take a nap. John is barely in the book series by Julia Quinn, but the show fleshes him out more and turns him into one of the show's most beloved characters. John's death is the darkest that Bridgerton has gone yet, but it's also fundamental to the best storyline of Season 4.

John's Death in 'Bridgerton' Season 4 Is the Show's Saddest Storyline Ever

Bridgerton has never shied away from the long-term impact of grief, as family patriarch Edmund's (Rupert Evans) death long before the series continues to haunt the narrative even now. This pain leads Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) to close himself off to love for years, while Violet (Ruth Gemmell) has only just started dating again for the first time since her husband's passing. Bridgerton has never actually killed off a true main character before, and John's death naturally hits much harder than that of the insufferable Lord Featherington (Ben Miller) in Season 1. John's wife, Francesca, and cousin, Michaela (Masali Baduza), are the most affected by his death, but everyone struggles with the loss, showing how much of an impact he had on everyone who loved him.

Francesca initially tries to hold in her grief after John's death because she believes that she's pregnant, and that intense emotions could hurt the baby. After learning that she's not pregnant, though, Francesca finally breaks down. She's devastated by the loss of John, whom she later refers to as her "truest friend." He was the first person who really understood her and took the time to get to fully know her, and that grief is already all-encompassing on its own. Because of the time period, though, Francesca is dealing with added pressures, like her guilt that she was never able to get pregnant and give him a child. Not only has she lost John, but Francesca also feels like she failed him, even though his love for her, as well as the confirmation that she and Michaela were finally getting along, was enough for John to die happy.

Francesca's Storyline Is the Best Part of 'Bridgerton' Season 4 Part 2

Bridgerton Season 4 has a lot of moving parts, and Francesca's storyline stands out as the strongest. Leading up to John's death, Francesca struggles with Michaela's presence because she's not ready to confront the way that Michaela makes her feel. Despite this initial tension, though, the two become friends late one night after Francesca oversteps in trying to set Michaela up with a suitor. There's an electric chemistry between the two, and when Francesca isn't holding herself back, it's obvious how much she enjoys being around Michaela.

As those familiar with the Bridgerton books know, the series is building up to a deeper relationship between Francesca and Michaela, and the setup in Season 4 is perfect. After John's death, Francesca asks Michaela to stay with her longer, but Michaela panics and leaves without saying goodbye, perfectly setting up the angst for their season. Bridgerton does an excellent job of fleshing out John's character, his marriage with Francesca, and his sibling-like bond with Michaela. As such, his death hits especially hard, building a very strong foundation for the grief that will be woven into Francesca's upcoming season.