After being hauled away by the constable in the final moments of Bridgerton season 4, episode 7, the finale begins in dramatic fashion is Sophie thrown into a jail cell. The gravity of the situation is quickly felt as she’s told that if she is convicted it’ll be life behind bars at best.
While Sophie’s world is crumbling around her, things are looking up for Rosamund asLord Stutter proposes. As Lady Araminta goes to leave after the proposal, Sophie’s name comes up and Rosamund mentions that she’s likely going to the jail and that Posy helped their mother seal Sophie’s fate. Posy is shocked by the development and tells Varley the truth about the shoeclips. With this new information, Varley goes to see Alfie, asking for help to see if Sophie had any family. They then head to Bridgerton House to see Hazel.
As the family are gathered, Benedict bursts in and Violet sends Francesca off with the younger siblings so that they may have the room. Violet eagers asks Benedict if he asked Sophie the question - i.e. if he proposed – and he informs her that Sophie left before he could. Just then, Hazel enters the room and, with help from Mrs. Wilson, Hazel tells them about what has happened to Sophie.
Soon after, Lady Araminta arrives at the jail and says she’s come to help Sophie. Sophie just needs to admit to impersonating someone she was not. However, Sophie refuses to confess after Araminta has stolen everything from her. Sophie goes before the magistrate and, as he’s about to sentence her, Benedict bursts into the courtroom with Violet. He releases Sophie on bail on the condition that she remains at the Bridgerton household. He arranges for them to meet in court in one week and suggests they try to settle this beforehand.
Benedict confronts Sophie for hiding her identity as the Lady in Silver
Once at the Bridgerton House, Sophie thanks Violet and Benedict for their help. Violet admits the scandal would create quite a scandal and they need to find a solution. Mrs. Wilson and Hazel help get Sophie settled into the guest quarters just across the hall from Benedict.
He comes out as they leave and reveals he pieced things together last night. She says she didn’t mean to keep things from him, but she didn’t want him to feel disappointment. He says he fell for her at the masquerade ball because she saw him, just him. As he explains, what kind of man would he be if he only saw her as the Lady in Silver? He gives her the necklace back and steps away, leaving things icy between them.
At the same time, Violet sits down with Lady Danbury and asks for her help in trying to persuade the Queen to bless their union. Lady Danbury fears it’s unlikely, but she can try. She is afraid the best they can hope for is to slip away to the countryside together. She offers to delay her trip, but Violet urges her to go.
Later, Sophie asks John if anyone called for her before returning to her room. Hazel arrives and helps create a distraction so that Sophie can sneak into Benedict’s room. Sophie mentions she was furious at first when he didn’t recognize her, and she opens up about her father and the trust issues that she has. As they talk, she mentions that Lady Araminta told her her father left her nothing in his will, but she never looked at the will. She simply believed her and that her father would have forgotten her.
Benedict reassures her he loves her and apologizes for asking her to be his mistress. He tells her he came to ask her a question last night, but she tells him to wait and not ask while the trial hangs over them. They share a kiss before enjoying a very steamy bath together!
Sophie devises a plan to find her father’s will
The next day, Sophie is in her room when Eloise comes in. Sophie is prepared for Eloise to be angry, but Eloise jokes that she’s only annoyed that she was blind to Sophie and Benedict’s romance. With Eloise on her side, Sophie asks for help getting into Penwood House and Eloise happily agrees.
Eloise goes to see Cressida and sits down to create a distraction as Sophie heads off to search the house. She finds Alfie and mentions she needs to find her father’s will in his old study.
Back at Bridgerton House, Benedict is pacing as Violet assures him they will find a way as they always do. He’s unsure if he can move to the countryside. He doesn’t doubt his feelings, but he doubts himself. After all, he’s disappointed his mom many times. Violet admits that she was a lot like him as a kid, impulsive, carefree, and filled with a burning desire to experience all life had to offer. Then she fell in love. Anthony is just like their father, but Benedict is her son through and through. She notes his love will help him succeed in anything he sets his mind to.
Meanwhile, Sophie and Alfie search the study trying to find the will, and she uncovers a wooden box. The door begins to open and Irma enters. She helps them find a pouch expected to contain the key to the box, but there are multiple keys so they’ll have to go through them all. As Sophie tries to find the right key, Cressida admits she knows why Eloise has arrived and that it’s because Eloise is finally looking to enter the marriage market and wants to know what it takes to find a husband. The moment leads Eloise to apologize for not realizing how hard it must have been on Cressida to be thrust into a potential marriage with a man three times her age.
After many attempts, Sopihe find the key and the will is inside. As she reads it, she finds that Lady Araminta received money for housing Sophie, which is why she kept her around. She seems to find more, but we don’t learn what.
Bridgerton season 4 ending explained: Do Sophie and Benedict end up together?
Lady Danbury goes to see Queen Charlotte and tells her the tale of Benedict being seduced by a maid. Against all reason, they have formed an attachment. She saved his life and he fell in love as she nursed him back to health. Queen Charlotte is pleased in being right about her wager, but notes he cannot marry a maid.
Elsewhere, Alice asks Will what he knows about Benedict that he’s been withholding, and he points out she must be withholding as well. He tells her all he knows is that he’s in love with someone under his status. She admits she knows more, having heard them at the house. Alice does not want to walk away from the Queen, but she wants to do something meaningful like Lady Danbury had been doing. She wants to help others as well. She would like to try to help Sophie, and he lets her know she has his full support. Alice heads to see Violet and Benedict to let them know Lady Danbury did not have luck, but she has another approach she’d like to try.
Sophie tells Benedict that her father left them all an equal portioned dowry; he loved her. He tells her about Alice coming to see them and having a plan, which involves her going to the Queen’s ball, a ball being hosted in the honor of Lady Danbury ahead of her departure from the ton.
As the Queen’s ball begins, Lady Araminta arrives with Rosamund and Posy with the plan of speaking with the Queen about Sophie. At the same time, Violet, Sophie, and Benedict arrive and they sneak Sophie in as well. The group is greeted by Alice who pulls them aside. As Pen and Colin go off to dance, Eloise goes to see Posy, and Posy assures her she had nothing to do with what happened to Sophie. She encourages Posy to not let her mother hold her back as she nudges her to speak with Lord Barnaby.
Soon after, Alice pulls Lady Araminta aside and tells her she’s being summoned. She takes her, Rosamund, and Posy to a room where they’re greeted by Violet, Sophie, and Benedict. Sophie confronts her about the will and how she stole Sophie’s dowry to help Rosamund land her husband. Violet makes it clear they will agree to a more mutually beneficial recounting of events, noting neither will benefit from scandal.
For the next stage of her plan, Alice goes to see Queen Charlotte and tells her that she has brought Sophie there so that she can see the love she and Benedict share. When the Queen tries to shut things down, Alice steps up and notes that she is missing all the good gossip which gives Charlotte the push needed to see this through.
Queen Charlotte enters the room and Benedict introduces Sophie as Lady Sophie Gun to which Violet intejects to share that Sophie is a cousin of the late Lord Penwood and has only just recently come to town after living in the countryside, a story Lady Araminta begrudgingly backs up. Alice explains that her original information was mistaken as Queen Charlotte tells Sophie she would have made a wonderful diamond and therefore nobility as a daughter of Penwood.
After taking her leave from the room, Queen Charlotte appreciates the risk Alice took as she sends her off, a moment that is a clear turning point for the pair. Meanwhile, the fallout of Lady Araminta’s actions leads Lord Stutter to break off his engagement to Rosamund after learning the news of the dowry not being as big as he was promised as Pen, Colin, and Eloise watch Posy connect with Lord Barnaby, hinting one of the two sisters will get their happy ending.
Varley confronts Lady Featherington and, as she prepares to leave, Lady Featherington apologizes and welcomes her back. Sophie and Benedict enter the ballroom together as he asks her for her first dance, and they take to the ballroom floor to dance. As the others dance, Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury talk about Alice’s plan. Queen Charlotte laughs and Lady Danbury points out that she’s sure to win her bet with Lady Bridgerton. They laugh as Queen Charlotte takes her hand and notes they have such fun together and tells her she will miss her as they both fight back tears.
After the dance, Benedict pulls out the ring and asks her to marry him, and she happily accepts. Sadly, as one couple’s engagement begins, another ends.
Lord Marcus enters and makes it known to Violet that now they can announce their own engagement. However, she seems to pause as she takes him aside. She asks if they’re rushing things and he asks if she sees a reason to delay. She admits she’s been hesitant for many reasons and came to realize today that she’s only just starting to get reacquainted with her old self, and she fears if they wed she might lose that. She asks if they can continue seeing one another while still having their independence. He’s starting to doubt that she wants the same thing as he does, to spend a life together. He kisses her hand as he parts.
Our story ends where it first began: he gazebo where they had Benedict and Sophie had their first dance the night of the masquerade The pair enjoy a dance under the night stars. The clock strikes midnight, but this time Sophie doesn’t have to flee. They take hands and kiss as the episode cuts to black.
Bridgerton season 4 has a memorable post-credits scene
After the credits roll, we get a surprise bonus scene in the form of Sophie and Benedict’s wedding!
Anthony playfully bestoys a final piece of advice to Benedict as they stand at the end of the aisle waiting for Sophie: never listen to him again. Anthony tells his brother how their father would be so proud, as is he. The rest of the family is seated and the talk comes about of who will be the next to be wed. Eloise jokes that she loves a wedding, but only as an attendee, while Francesca notes that she has had her great love and one is enough - a comment that weighs on Violet.
Sophie finally enters and looks absolutely stunning in her wedding dress. Alfie accompanies her down the aisle and we get to watch as Sophie and Benedict exchange vows. After the pair are announced husband and wife and share a passionate kiss, the camera cuts to inside the house where we see Benedict’s portrait of the Lady in Silver has finally been completed and is now proudly on display
Bridgerton season 4 ends with Michaela leaving London
Elsewhere in the finale, Francesca asks Michaela to stay in London as she’s feeling a suspense about when she will leave. Michaela lets her know she would be happy to stay as they take hands. Francesca mentions she cares a great deal for her, and Michaela replies, “So do I.”
It seems as though their story is about to begin but as the episode ends we learn that Michaela packed her belongings and left in the middle of the night. She’s not the only one leaving town as Lady Danbury prepares for her own new adventure and her exit from the ton.
There’s also another unexpected ending in the mix. Before the post-credits scene, Colin comes to see Pen and he finds her hard at work writing. When she informs him she’s working on a novel, rather than a new Lady Whistledown column, Penelope is understandably surprised as it seems someone has picked up the quill and taken over the column without her knowing following her very public retirement!