Bridgerton’s Potential Character Death Might End Up Too Problematic for Our Comfort
Bridgerton has made one change too many from the books, and now it has to deal with the consequences.
Marina Crane (née Thompson) is a prominent character in Netflix ’s live-action adaptation, as her role is greatly expanded compared to the books. She is a big deal in season 1 when she makes her debut in the higher society, and her pregnancy and engagement storylines are completely original.
Book fans were truly shook to find out that Marina married Sir Phillip Crane – the puzzle was finally complete, and show Marina was confirmed to be the book character of the same name. It’s just that she appeared much later in the Julia Quinn novels and as a mere mention.
The Bridgerton creators have made the decision to change Marina’s race to black, which meant more screen time for a woman of color, but some Reddit fans think that it might not have been the best choice.
In the books, Marina is just a distant cousin of the Bridgertons (not Featheringtons) who is barely there in the story. In the show, the character is given a backstory and a tragic story arc in season 1, which culminates in a happy ending (sort of).
Unfortunately, it’s book canon that Marina dies after a failed suicide attempt. She has suffered from depression for years, so she tries to drown herself, but her husband saves her. However, he is a bit too late – Marina develops a lung fever and dies three days later.
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Bridgerton may have strayed far from the books, but Shonda Rhimes’ series is unlikely to go so far as to undo a canonical death, so Marina is probably a goner in Bridgerton season 3. She is supposed to pass away in 1823, and the upcoming season, focusing on Colin and Penelope’s relationship, could stretch up to 1824 (if it follows the book timeline).
But why is Marina’s death going to be problematic, you might ask? Well, considering that the show has made her black and given her a happy ending, her death might perpetuate a years-old trope – that it’s OK to sacrifice a person of color to give a white character their happy ending. This doesn’t send a good message at all.
Marina has to die in order for Eloise to end up with Phillip, but her death is going to raise some eyebrows in the Bridgerton fandom. Hopefully, the writers will figure out a tasteful way to handle this character’s passing or come up with another course of action to get themselves out of this hot mess.
Source: Reddit