Warning: SPOILERS for Bridgerton season 2 ahead.
Content warning: This article briefly discusses suicide.
While it may be picking up plaudits, Bridgerton season 2. Marina's story is a different matter in season 2.
Marina’s story was developed throughout Bridgerton season 1, as she was a cousin of the Featheringtons and their guest for the season. While at first uninterested in finding someone to marry and provide for her, as Marina was already secretly betrothed to Sir George, whom she deeply loved but who had left for the war, she then became eager to find someone as she realized she was pregnant. This research led her to Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), who fell for her and wanted to marry her but was stopped by Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), who used Lady Whistledown’s paper to expose Marina’s secrets and block their union.
Bridgerton season 1 managed to give Marina’s story some kind of closure, as Sir George’s brother Philip Crane (Chris Fulton) ended up finding her and offering marriage to keep his brother’s promises to Marina. While it wasn’t the best possible ending for Marina, as she loved George and much preferred him alive with her, at least it provided her some security and a way not to raise her children as outcasts of society. While the betrayal and trying to entrap him into marriage might have left Colin heartbroken, Marina was at least safe and protected by the end of Bridgerton season 1. By reintroducing her to the story while her character arc had already ended thus far, Bridgerton season 2 failed Marina Thompson.
How Bridgerton Season 1 Changed Marina Thompson's Book Story
Bridgerton season 1 completely changed Marina’s story, at least for how it was known in the books. Not only was Marina distantly related to the Bridgertons rather than the Featheringtons in the books, but she also never appeared in Daphne’s book, The Duke and I, only becoming a somewhat central character in Eloise’s book, To Sir Philip, With Love. Bridgerton’s propensity to include secondary characters and tell their stories despite the season’s main story may revolve around another character included Marina in the Bridgerton characters’ inner circle, especially as she aimed to convince Colin to marry her, causing Penelope’s anger.
Similar to Bridgerton season 2, Marina was Philip Crane’s wife in To Sir Philip, With Love. Contrarily to the TV show, though, Philip hadn’t married Marina out of duty, to rectify his dead brother’s misgivings. The two were married but were mainly estranged, and Philip used to tend to his greenhouse while Marina spent time with their twins, Oliver and Amanda. While in Eloise’s book Marina has already died, as Philip confided in Eloise, he told her Marina’s story. While Marina’s condition was never explicitly named, Philip described Marina as deeply unhappy, despite Oliver and Amanda bringing her joy in the past. Marina ended up taking her life, and details of her story and disposition were recounted to Eloise only by Philip at first and the twins Amanda and Oliver later.
Bridgerton Season 2 Fails Marina Thompson
While Eloise’s book never explained how Marina went to become Philip’s wife after she was betrothed to George who died at Waterloo as Bridgerton season 1 did, Marina’s predisposition towards Philip seemed to have changed in Bridgerton season 2. In Bridgerton season 1, Marina turned Sir Philip down twice before deciding to leave with him for his estate. The time was running out for her as she would have started showing her pregnancy soon, and Lady Portia Featherington (Polly Walker) convinced her to marry Philip and even affectionately offered her advice. Marina had hoped for a love match rather than a loveless marriage, so she wondered how Lady Featherington stayed in a loveless marriage for 20 years.
Bridgerton season 2 showed that Marina not only took Lady Featherington’s advice but was content to live by it. As she explained to Colin, she might not have been happy with Philip, but she was content, she took joy in her children, Oliver and Amanda, and she lived a pleasant life. Marina’s rebuttal of Colin’s proposals showed someone entirely different from who she was in season 1 when she would have only considered marriage if it was for love. In addition to that, despite not being particularly affectionate with each other, Sir Philip and Marina’s relationship seemed happy, in such a way that they might not have loved each other, but they were compatible and content with each other’s company.
Bridgerton Makes Marina's Book Ending More Tragic
Bridgerton season 2’s change of Marina’s approach to her marriage to Sir Philip might have even made her story more tragic if it were to follow the books. In Eloise’s book, Philip always ed Marina as someone melancholic, with Eloise having a similar memory of her. Philip believed Marina had always been like that, while Bridgerton season 2 set up Marina as someone who, if not in love, was happy about her situation.
If Bridgerton were to follow the books, it would mean Marina’s happiness would take a sharp turn if she were to become as unhappy and melancholic as book Marina was always described to be by her loved ones. Such a development would entirely clash with how Marina was portrayed in Bridgerton seasons 1 and 2, as Marina might have been sometime sad, but more often than not, she was combative and sure of what she wanted. Indeed, that might not be the case, and Marina could live happily-ever-after with Philip, especially as Bridgerton already changed various things from the books and even introduced a love interest for Eloise that wasn’t Philip Crane, but if Marina’s story followed the books in the future, Bridgerton would have definitely failed her.