Cressida Cowper’s Untold Story — Why Her Alternate Ending in Season 3 Was So Much Better (And She Deserved It!)

Season 3 of Bridgerton finally brought together a fan-favorite romantic pairing in Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, but it also gave fans an unexpected arc in one of the show’s most despised characters — Cressida Cowper. Introduced in season 1, Cressida has gossiped and flirted her way through London’s cream of the crop, but her actions have also made her one of the most reviled snobs in the series. As an antagonist that fans love to hate, it was a refreshing change for the show to present Cressida as more than meets the eye in season 3.

In the latest season of the acclaimed Regency-era romance, Cressida is on the verge of becoming a better person, thanks to her new friendship with Eloise Bridgerton. With the way things ended for her at the end of season 3, Bridgerton is clearly setting up more storyline for the character. However, there was once another conclusion to Cressida’s story, and it might have been a much more satisfying one.

How Cressida’s Character Changed In Bridgerton Season 3

She Developed A Friendship With Eloise That Humanized Her

The evolution of Cressida Cowper takes her from the series’ most hated antagonist to a fully fleshed-out and likable character. In seasons 1 and 2 of Bridgerton, Cressida is a snob and a bully, with little to no depth to her personality. She is a rival to Daphne Bridgerton for Prince Friedrich’s affections in season 1, and the majority of season 2 sees her insulting Penelope. Season 3, however, rightfully gave Cressida’s character an arc that made her more interesting and sympathetic.

As Cressida befriends Eloise, she genuinely tries to be a better person, partly thanks to Eloise’s influence. When Eloise confides in Cressida about Colin helping Penelope, Cressida keeps her word and doesn’t tell anyone. Yet when the rumor spreads anyway, Eloise immediately accuses Cressida, who is innocent. Cressida even stops picking on Penelope so much after Eloise asks her to lay off.

Cressida is also under a lot of pressure to get married, and her unlucky search for a husband starts to cause real problems for her. Bridgerton season 3 reveals that Cressida’s parents are even worse people than she is, which explains her cutthroat attitude when it comes to finding a husband. Out of desperation, they intend to marry Cressida off to the horrible Lord Greer, a staunch, elderly man who insists upon strict rules of constraint for his bride-to-be.

As Cressida became more humanized in season 3, fans finally started coming around to her. True, she still uses deceitful tricks and manipulation to get what she wants, but at least now there’s a better understanding of why that is. The dislike of her in previous seasons mellowed out, and began to evolve into something closer to respect — though she still has a long way to go.

Cressida Cowper’s Season 3 Ending

She Is Sent Away In Disgrace To Live With Her Aunt

Bridgerton season 3 ends with Cressida’s lie about being Lady Whistledown exposed, and her being disgraced from London society. Much to her distress, Cressida has no other choice but to obey her father’s wishes and travel to Wales to live with her aunt. Her final scene has her sitting alone despondently inside a carriage, which then drives away into an uncertain future

In the Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn, Cressida’s fate is a little different. Firstly, it should be noted that Cressida doesn’t appear until book 2, The Viscount Who Loved Me. In book 3, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, 10 years have passed. It is revealed that Cressida has become a widow after her husband, an elderly man named Horace Twombley, died. The plot where Cressida pretends to be Whistledown and then blackmails Penelope is in the book. And, just as in the Netflix series, Cressida’s plot is foiled and she is humiliated.

Unlike season 3 of Bridgerton, Cressida’s story ends there. There is nothing about her being sent away, or anything about her parents pressuring her into marriage. She also does not appear in any of the following novels in the Bridgerton series. Leaving Cressida’s story with her going to Wales suggests that the makers of Bridgerton the TV series may have more plans for the character in Bridgerton season 4.

Season 3’s Alternate Ending For Cressida Would Have Been Way Better

Her Mother Jumps Into The Carriage With Her

Cressida’s fate at the end of Bridgerton season 3 left viewers wondering what could be next for the young London socialite, but it turns out things might have gone a bit differently. In an interview with Elle magazine, Cressida actor Jessica Madsen revealed that the series initially had an alternate ending for her character:

“We did shoot a different ending. Lady Cowper actually came to save her, and got in the carriage with her and they left together. I had a caged bird in my hair with a little door and Lady Cowper had the key.

Cressida’s mother, Lady Cowper, went along with Cressida’s scheme of masquerading as Whistledown, along with helping her to write a new issue. However, when Cressida was found out, Lady Cowper did nothing to rescue her from the wrath of Lord Cowper. She also did not intervene with the engagement to Lord Greer, or when it was decided that Cressida would live with her nasty aunt.

It’s unfortunate that the makers of Bridgerton decided not to go with the other ending, which would have fit in well with the feminist themes in Bridgerton. It would have been so satisfying to have Lady Cowper be inspired by her daughter’s courage, to go against her husband’s wishes and stand by Cressida’s side, even if it meant being away from London society.

According to showrunner Jess Brownell, as beautiful as that alternate ending was, the show’s producers decided to nix it. “It felt like an ending for Cressida,” Bronwell said. “It felt like it wrapped up her story and we intentionally wanted to leave it so that we can tell a bit more story with Cressida next season.”

While Brownell has a fair point, it’s still a bit disappointing that Bridgerton fans didn’t get to see Cressida get at least a somewhat positive ending in Bridgerton season 3. Hopefully, whatever the creators have in store for her in season 4, Cressida will find the happiness she deserves.