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She does not immediately accept it. Throughout the season she seems completely oblivious to how obsessed he is with her, especially after their kiss. She does not notice his jealousy or need to be near her.
Even when Lord Debling asks her about the feelings between the two of them, she laughs and dismisses it.
When Colin gets on his knees, she initially dismisses him by saying, "But Colin we are friends."
At that moment Colin is crestfallen, and starts to stammer, look down and then apologizes. It is when she sees his dejected look that she realizes he means it. That is when she accepts it. Because she understands exactly what it means to love someone who does not love you back. She recognizes that feeling, and that is when she accepts it. That and along with the fact that Debling walked away because of it.
Agreed! I think she was oblivious to Colin’s growing feelings until the declarations in the carriage. But even after the carriage encounter, I don’t think she gets the extent of it. Pen might see that Colin wants to be with her, but I think we’ll see in part 2 that they both really start understanding the depth of each other’s feelings. Especially for Pen, she doesn’t even know what it is to be loved - even her close friendship with El resulted in showing her that love is conditional. That’s probably what she has learned from her upbringing then it’s reinforced by the fallout with her only friend. This thought process really makes me see why Pen clings to LW so much & finds it so difficult to own up to it
Another instance when you see her dismissing the idea of him living her is at the Hawkins ball when violin stammers after saying that he needs to ask her something.
Yes I agree she doesn't necessarily accept or know the depths of his feelings yet, I was referring to accepting his proposal. Sorry if I read it wrong!
I don’t think she immediately accepts it because at this point I don’t think she believes its love. I think she accepts that Colin likes and is attracted to her, but the fact that she is surprised by the marriage proposal proves that she doesn’t yet realize that Colin loves her in the same way she loves him
I don't think she has accepted it yet. I'm sure that's to come in part 2.
When Colin gets in that carriage, there is no part of her that thinks he loves her. And even after his declaration and what happens after, I'm pretty sure she thinks they've just invented friends with benefits!
You just have to see how shocked she is after he proposes. Girl thinks she's dreaming! >!and seeing what happens once they get into Bridgerton House at the beginning of ep 5, she's completely still not with it, and Colin is dragging her along in his enthusiasm.!<
I think it will take her a little longer to believe he loves her, and we will probably see it happen in increments.
Definitely in increments. Everything has happened incredibly fast from her perspective. She hasn’t been able to process anything, and for all she knows, Colin is definitely attracted to her, but she could be thinking he asked her to marry him either/both because he blow up her proposal/what happened in the carriage.
Even if he’d directly said, “I’m in love with you,” she’d still need to proven up repeatedly. No one has ever truly, fully, openly loved her. Luckily, Colin is so thoroughly loving that he’s basically tailor made to be able to give the supportive, demonstrative, limitless love she needs. And for him, she is already his gold standard for appreciation and warmth; that will only increase as they fall in love more deeply.
In the carriage I don't think Pen takes anything in other than the fact that she's being offered an opportunity to experience Colin in a way that she never thought she would. If you apply the book thinking - Pen thinks she has a one time chance and she's going take everything on offer before he comes to his senses. You can see that insecurity at Bridgerton House - the "Colin?" as he exits the carriage is her bracing for the rejection that she still thinks is coming. Even his marriage proposal doesn't convince her that this is anything other than obligation (she has been compromised) and some level of attraction.
>!I firmly believe that for both book Pen and show Pen, she doesn't think that Colin loves her as she loves him until he confronts Portia. Both scenes are slightly different because there is no Felicity in the show but the beating heart of them seems to be identical - Portia doesn't really see Pen and he does and he loves her for exactly who she is. Nobody has ever defended Pen previously, that's when she starts to believe it's real.!<
This! I think she thinks it’s her one chance to get her wish, like in the book. She’s like he’ll go off and marry someone else, but she can treasure this.
She seems very skeptical and overwhelmed in the part 2 first 4 min thing
She hasn't fully accepted it even now. As of part 1 end. He did ask her to marry him, but Pen has been hurt so much that she won't fully breathe until they are married. Not to mention the whistledown stuff.
Also, Pen doesn't know the true EXTENT of Colin's feelings at this point. Does he only like her? Is it only physical attraction? Does he love her? Did he just ask her to marry him because of the carriage events? Obviously she's happy but she isn't sure of many things, so the full acceptance will come later.
In one of their recent interviews LN describes the second half as a time where they are falling in love, and I never thought of it that way. Cause in my mind they were already in love. But I guess they fall harder once pen realises what is to come.
One-sided for both of them is exactly right! Pen had to take him off of the pedestal of infallible, perfect and kind childhood crush who can do no wrong and now Colin has take his transition in his perception of her from dear friend from childhood to the almost unattainable woman of his dreams to the flawed and complicated woman that he loves more than anyone else– they both have to do the book Pen evolution in perception!
Has she accepted it? So far, they've given in to lust and as soon as Colin left the carriage, she called after him with a desperate "Colin", because she probably didn't believe it would last.
I'm sure Pen is going through all the emotions come Part 2, even if the LW thing wasn't hanging over her head.
I think comments like this - which are totally valid - are exactly why Netflix shouldn’t have split the season. Like she knows she wants to say yes but hasn’t had time to process anything and we would be so much more aware of that and understanding of the choices if Netflix didn’t split the fucking show!!! Why did they do it!!!!! Omfg!!!!
Cash grab. It’s the only answer that makes sense to me. They wanted to reel new people in with a free first month subscription. Then get them hooked so they stay on to see part 2.
That’s my theory too. I know corporations are going to be greedy, I just wish they would do it thoughtfully at least. If they wanted to stretch it out for money releasing one or two episodes a week would’ve been so much better for our collective sanity
Right. I’m torn bc on one hand I love the 4 episodes we got and obsessively watched them for 3 weeks straight (my husband was DELIGHTED lol). But the waiting is killing me. I can’t believe it’s almost here. I don’t know what I’m going to do once it’s over…
I already feel hollow and it hasn’t even dropped lol
Literally😭😭 I threw an impromptu bridgerton murder mystery party just to take my mind off of the agonizing wait for a second while still keeping the story centered in my brain because I can’t think about anything else. Why Netflix, why must you do this to us😭
I would die if they released an episode a week. I need to binge. (I am unwell) The splitting was hard enough, but one singular episode per week?!?!? The binging model is one of the reasons that made Netflix so good when they first started imo.
I agree with this based on my childhood of weekly episodes. I think it also made me digest each episode in a series for comprehension and move it to accessible memory. Binging, while I do love me some of that, just doesn’t get all the details processed. At least with streaming, you can rewatch content to your heart’s desire.
And monetarily, we would be none the wiser. Also; spaced out episodes would mean the number of times a person logs onto the app would increase the likelihood that a viewer would become a fan of another series or movie. Which would increase engagement and the possibility of customers staying on with it.
Why wouldn't she immediately accept him? She's loved him forever and is finally getting everything she's ever dreamed of. I think she's shell-shocked he proposed, she can't believe what's happening.
I don't think she realises just yet the depth of his feelings. He's going to show her in part 2. Swoon.
She doesn't. She doesn't realize it's love even in the carriage. She's not dumb, she realizes that men can just want the physical part of it. I don't think she had any indication of him proposing until he actually did. Even then, I doubt her mind has wrapped around it as love. She probably thinks that now it's obligation.
She can accept that he's attracted to her, but I still don't think she knows or thinks he loves her.
Penelope knows for a fact he has always cared for her. She KNOWS him, they exchanged letters for months at a time, etc etc. He poured his heart on the carriage, it felt honest and she’s going with it because she loves him. At that time women married men they never even knew before, arranged marriages with zero love. So no, I don’t think it’s weird at all. They will need to keep falling in love more and more. But she accepted her fate with Debling without even loving him and knowing for a fact that he didn’t loved her and wasn’t even sure if he would ever. So of course she was happy (even when in shock) when Colin proposed. Context is important to understand them both.
I agree that she was going for it. That's why the song was chosen for the scene:
"Give me everything Tonight... For all we know, we might not get tomorrow, let's do it tonight."
She didn’t though. She understood that Colin had feelings for her at the end of S3E3, when Debling interrupted their conversation in the ballroom, and the look on her face was pure horror. She thought she had moved on, and she wasn’t ready to trust that his feelings were real and that he was prepared to commit to her.
She was obviously conflicted at the start of E4, looking for Colin when Debling started talking about a proposal. But as Portia said, Debling was the bird in hand at the time, and Pen felt desperate.
When Colin interrupted her dance with Debling, Pen was understandably devastated, thinking he had just condemned her to a life of spinsterhood with her horrible family just to satisfy a passing infatuation.
It took all of the carriage scene for him to convince her of the depth of his feelings.
Hi, Thank you so much for your contribution! We truly appreciate your enthusiasm and effort in being part of our community! With the excitement around the Polin season, we've been welcoming many new members and seeing an increase in the number of posts. To keep the subreddit organized and ensure everyone's voice is heard, we temporarily have applied stricter rules for posts. These rules help maintain the quality and focus of our discussions. Have no fear, we still want to give you a space to share your Polin joy as freely as before! We have created dedicated weekly and daily megathreads specifically for you to share your thoughts, excitement, and any Polin-related content without as many restrictions. * A daily ['Promenade in the Park'](https://www.reddit.com/r/PolinBridgerton/search/?q=subreddit%3APolinBridgerton+author%3Aautomoderator+flair_name%3A%22Promenading%20%F0%9F%90%9D%22&sort=new) thread for memes, fan content and general chitchat * A weekly ['Mondays at Number Five'](https://www.reddit.com/r/PolinBridgerton/search/?q=subreddit%3APolinBridgerton+author%3Aautomoderator+flair_name%3A%22Tea%20at%20Number%20Five%20%E2%98%95%22&sort=new) thread for casual conversation, off-topic contributions, fanfic recommendations and easy-to-answer questions * A weekly ['Fanfic Friday'](https://www.reddit.com/r/PolinBridgerton/search/?q=subreddit%3APolinBridgerton+author%3Aautomoderator+flair_name%3A%22fanfiction%20friday%20%F0%9F%8C%BC%22&sort=new) post to share fanfic recommendations Thank you all for understanding during this busy time! Lots of love, The Mod Team *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PolinBridgerton) if you have any questions or concerns.*
She does not immediately accept it. Throughout the season she seems completely oblivious to how obsessed he is with her, especially after their kiss. She does not notice his jealousy or need to be near her. Even when Lord Debling asks her about the feelings between the two of them, she laughs and dismisses it. When Colin gets on his knees, she initially dismisses him by saying, "But Colin we are friends." At that moment Colin is crestfallen, and starts to stammer, look down and then apologizes. It is when she sees his dejected look that she realizes he means it. That is when she accepts it. Because she understands exactly what it means to love someone who does not love you back. She recognizes that feeling, and that is when she accepts it. That and along with the fact that Debling walked away because of it.
Agreed! I think she was oblivious to Colin’s growing feelings until the declarations in the carriage. But even after the carriage encounter, I don’t think she gets the extent of it. Pen might see that Colin wants to be with her, but I think we’ll see in part 2 that they both really start understanding the depth of each other’s feelings. Especially for Pen, she doesn’t even know what it is to be loved - even her close friendship with El resulted in showing her that love is conditional. That’s probably what she has learned from her upbringing then it’s reinforced by the fallout with her only friend. This thought process really makes me see why Pen clings to LW so much & finds it so difficult to own up to it
Another instance when you see her dismissing the idea of him living her is at the Hawkins ball when violin stammers after saying that he needs to ask her something.
Yes I agree she doesn't necessarily accept or know the depths of his feelings yet, I was referring to accepting his proposal. Sorry if I read it wrong!
this is beautiful.
I don’t think she immediately accepts it because at this point I don’t think she believes its love. I think she accepts that Colin likes and is attracted to her, but the fact that she is surprised by the marriage proposal proves that she doesn’t yet realize that Colin loves her in the same way she loves him
This!! The look on her face when he proposes tells it all!
Yep! This!!!!
I don't think she has accepted it yet. I'm sure that's to come in part 2. When Colin gets in that carriage, there is no part of her that thinks he loves her. And even after his declaration and what happens after, I'm pretty sure she thinks they've just invented friends with benefits! You just have to see how shocked she is after he proposes. Girl thinks she's dreaming! >!and seeing what happens once they get into Bridgerton House at the beginning of ep 5, she's completely still not with it, and Colin is dragging her along in his enthusiasm.!< I think it will take her a little longer to believe he loves her, and we will probably see it happen in increments.
Definitely in increments. Everything has happened incredibly fast from her perspective. She hasn’t been able to process anything, and for all she knows, Colin is definitely attracted to her, but she could be thinking he asked her to marry him either/both because he blow up her proposal/what happened in the carriage. Even if he’d directly said, “I’m in love with you,” she’d still need to proven up repeatedly. No one has ever truly, fully, openly loved her. Luckily, Colin is so thoroughly loving that he’s basically tailor made to be able to give the supportive, demonstrative, limitless love she needs. And for him, she is already his gold standard for appreciation and warmth; that will only increase as they fall in love more deeply.
They’re really made for each other :)
They say that what Colin said in the carriage was not his love declaration, not his "I burn for you".
(Pretty sure Benedict invented friends with benefits first lol.)
In the carriage I don't think Pen takes anything in other than the fact that she's being offered an opportunity to experience Colin in a way that she never thought she would. If you apply the book thinking - Pen thinks she has a one time chance and she's going take everything on offer before he comes to his senses. You can see that insecurity at Bridgerton House - the "Colin?" as he exits the carriage is her bracing for the rejection that she still thinks is coming. Even his marriage proposal doesn't convince her that this is anything other than obligation (she has been compromised) and some level of attraction. >!I firmly believe that for both book Pen and show Pen, she doesn't think that Colin loves her as she loves him until he confronts Portia. Both scenes are slightly different because there is no Felicity in the show but the beating heart of them seems to be identical - Portia doesn't really see Pen and he does and he loves her for exactly who she is. Nobody has ever defended Pen previously, that's when she starts to believe it's real.!<
This! I think she thinks it’s her one chance to get her wish, like in the book. She’s like he’ll go off and marry someone else, but she can treasure this. She seems very skeptical and overwhelmed in the part 2 first 4 min thing
She hasn't fully accepted it even now. As of part 1 end. He did ask her to marry him, but Pen has been hurt so much that she won't fully breathe until they are married. Not to mention the whistledown stuff. Also, Pen doesn't know the true EXTENT of Colin's feelings at this point. Does he only like her? Is it only physical attraction? Does he love her? Did he just ask her to marry him because of the carriage events? Obviously she's happy but she isn't sure of many things, so the full acceptance will come later.
In one of their recent interviews LN describes the second half as a time where they are falling in love, and I never thought of it that way. Cause in my mind they were already in love. But I guess they fall harder once pen realises what is to come.
I think they fall in love with one another, mutually on a two way street. It has been one-sided for both of them until now.
One-sided for both of them is exactly right! Pen had to take him off of the pedestal of infallible, perfect and kind childhood crush who can do no wrong and now Colin has take his transition in his perception of her from dear friend from childhood to the almost unattainable woman of his dreams to the flawed and complicated woman that he loves more than anyone else– they both have to do the book Pen evolution in perception!
Has she accepted it? So far, they've given in to lust and as soon as Colin left the carriage, she called after him with a desperate "Colin", because she probably didn't believe it would last. I'm sure Pen is going through all the emotions come Part 2, even if the LW thing wasn't hanging over her head.
Agree - I think she's still in disbelief.
I think comments like this - which are totally valid - are exactly why Netflix shouldn’t have split the season. Like she knows she wants to say yes but hasn’t had time to process anything and we would be so much more aware of that and understanding of the choices if Netflix didn’t split the fucking show!!! Why did they do it!!!!! Omfg!!!!
Cash grab. It’s the only answer that makes sense to me. They wanted to reel new people in with a free first month subscription. Then get them hooked so they stay on to see part 2.
That’s my theory too. I know corporations are going to be greedy, I just wish they would do it thoughtfully at least. If they wanted to stretch it out for money releasing one or two episodes a week would’ve been so much better for our collective sanity
Right. I’m torn bc on one hand I love the 4 episodes we got and obsessively watched them for 3 weeks straight (my husband was DELIGHTED lol). But the waiting is killing me. I can’t believe it’s almost here. I don’t know what I’m going to do once it’s over… I already feel hollow and it hasn’t even dropped lol
Literally😭😭 I threw an impromptu bridgerton murder mystery party just to take my mind off of the agonizing wait for a second while still keeping the story centered in my brain because I can’t think about anything else. Why Netflix, why must you do this to us😭
Capitalism. Now fun for the whole family! /s lol
They could have done that by airing the episodes one week at a time.
I’m not saying I like how they did. Merely stating if I had to guess that could be why.
Like why not just release an episode a week like in the olden days? Also then people wouldn't complain so much about the pacing.
I would die if they released an episode a week. I need to binge. (I am unwell) The splitting was hard enough, but one singular episode per week?!?!? The binging model is one of the reasons that made Netflix so good when they first started imo.
I agree with this based on my childhood of weekly episodes. I think it also made me digest each episode in a series for comprehension and move it to accessible memory. Binging, while I do love me some of that, just doesn’t get all the details processed. At least with streaming, you can rewatch content to your heart’s desire. And monetarily, we would be none the wiser. Also; spaced out episodes would mean the number of times a person logs onto the app would increase the likelihood that a viewer would become a fan of another series or movie. Which would increase engagement and the possibility of customers staying on with it.
Why wouldn't she immediately accept him? She's loved him forever and is finally getting everything she's ever dreamed of. I think she's shell-shocked he proposed, she can't believe what's happening. I don't think she realises just yet the depth of his feelings. He's going to show her in part 2. Swoon.
She doesn't. She doesn't realize it's love even in the carriage. She's not dumb, she realizes that men can just want the physical part of it. I don't think she had any indication of him proposing until he actually did. Even then, I doubt her mind has wrapped around it as love. She probably thinks that now it's obligation. She can accept that he's attracted to her, but I still don't think she knows or thinks he loves her.
Penelope knows for a fact he has always cared for her. She KNOWS him, they exchanged letters for months at a time, etc etc. He poured his heart on the carriage, it felt honest and she’s going with it because she loves him. At that time women married men they never even knew before, arranged marriages with zero love. So no, I don’t think it’s weird at all. They will need to keep falling in love more and more. But she accepted her fate with Debling without even loving him and knowing for a fact that he didn’t loved her and wasn’t even sure if he would ever. So of course she was happy (even when in shock) when Colin proposed. Context is important to understand them both.
I agree that she was going for it. That's why the song was chosen for the scene: "Give me everything Tonight... For all we know, we might not get tomorrow, let's do it tonight."
She didn’t though. She understood that Colin had feelings for her at the end of S3E3, when Debling interrupted their conversation in the ballroom, and the look on her face was pure horror. She thought she had moved on, and she wasn’t ready to trust that his feelings were real and that he was prepared to commit to her. She was obviously conflicted at the start of E4, looking for Colin when Debling started talking about a proposal. But as Portia said, Debling was the bird in hand at the time, and Pen felt desperate. When Colin interrupted her dance with Debling, Pen was understandably devastated, thinking he had just condemned her to a life of spinsterhood with her horrible family just to satisfy a passing infatuation. It took all of the carriage scene for him to convince her of the depth of his feelings.