But maybe we shouldn’t expect a full redemption arc…

Gentle reader, we are officially halfway through the third season of the hit Netflix romance series Bridgerton. All eyes are on Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) this season, as Colin agrees to help Penelope find a husband. While Colin begins to realize that he’s falling for his old friend, the third season also takes the time to explore Penelope’s enemy in a new light — Cressida Cowper, played by Jessica Madsen.

In many ways, Cressida has always been linked to Colin and Penelope’s story. In the series premiere of Bridgerton, Colin saves Penelope from embarrassment after Cressida “accidentally” spills her drink on her. From there, Cressida is quick to take a jab at Penelope as an easy target, bringing down Penelope’s confidence in the process. Cressida had even made attempts to catch Colin’s eye. However, Bridgerton‘s third season pulls back the layers on Cressida in order to reveal why she’s the way she is. This is all thanks to her new friendship with Penelope’s ex-best friend, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie).

Eloise and Cressida’s Friendship Is Genuine in ‘Bridgerton’

Fans were heartbroken when platonic soulmates Eloise and Penelope had their falling out in the finale of Season 2. From the ashes rose a new Eloise re-emerged with her new companion, Cressida, by her side. At first glance, Eloise aligning with the ton’s mean girl would give anyone pause, especially considering how Cressida’s influence could alter Eloise’s personality. However, their friendship in the third season actually proves to be good for them.

Both Cressida and Eloise come from well-respected families of the ton. Unlike previous seasons, Eloise is lonely and needs someone outside her family to confide in now that she has severed ties with Penelope. Cressida, too, is lonely, but her personality often isolates her from genuine connection. Cressida briefly mentions to Eloise that she used to have a friend when she was younger; outside of that, as an adult, Cressida doesn’t keep friends close to her. Eloise is the exception.

Cressida and Eloise have strong personalities, and as friends, they are able to confront each other without scorching the earth in the process. In fact, they hold their own ground and actually listen to each other when they’ve done something wrong. After Cressida purposefully steps on Penelope’s dress in Season 3, Episode 1, “Out of the Shadows,” causing it to rip, Eloise calls her out the next day for her cruel behavior. Instead of lashing out, Cressida is humbled by it. Likewise, when Eloise accuses Cressida of spreading gossip about Colin helping Penelope secure a husband at the end of Season 3, Episode 2, “How Bright the Moon,” Cressida maintains her innocence, suggesting Eloise own up to her mistake instead of mistrusting her friend. In a way, Cressida and Eloise can handle each other’s honesty, deepening their trust in each other.

‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 Explores Cressida’s Cold Upbringing

Eloise’s involvement in Cressida’s life opens up the Cowper household like the audience has never really seen before. Since Eloise is spending more time with Cressida, it means the audience is spending more time with Cressida and learning why she acts the way she does. Unlike the lively, loving nature of the Bridgerton household, the Cowper household is cold and uninviting; Cressida even compares her house to a mausoleum. She’s an only child with the sole responsibility to secure a good match. When Cressida fails to draw in suitors during her third season, her authoritative father, Lord Cowper (Dominic Coleman), threatens to arrange a match between her and one of his older friends. Like Penelope, she’s also looking for freedom from her family, which is partially why she competes with Penelope for the affections of Lord Debling (Sam Phillips).

Season 3, Episode 4, “Old Friends,” gives the audience a better glimpse of Cressida’s home life when Eloise comes over to visit her. Cressida had never had a friend come over before, which is a lonely admission for an only child. Lady Cowper (Joanna Bobin) informs her husband, and Lord Cowper sends Eloise on her way. As she leaves, she overhears him forbidding Cressida from spending time with Eloise. Later at the ball, Cressida finds Eloise and discovers Eloise did overhear her father. Cressida apologizes on behalf of her father, and Eloise apologizes that he’s a “bloody fool.” Eloise understands that Cressida needs to keep her distance for a while, but Cressida insists that her father has to deal with her friendship whether he likes it or not. With Eloise as a friend, Cressida is emboldened to act against her parents’ expectations of her. Cressida is slowly becoming her own kind of rebel.

We Shouldn’t Expect a Full Redemption Arc for Cressida in ‘Bridgerton’

Bridgerton is taking the necessary time to explore Cressida, a character who has been around since the beginning of the series. While there are reasons to feel sympathetic towards her, don’t be too sure that this mean girl is making a full recovery. Over the course of these first four episodes of Season 3, Cressida has shown she’s very possessive of Eloise and her friendship. She is not willing to share her with anyone, the least of which is Eloise’s ex-best friend, Penelope. This is going to be a problem, considering Penelope ends the first half of the season engaged to Colin. As much as Eloise has been a good influence on Cressida, she has shown no interest in herself or Eloise making peace with Penelope.

Plus, Cressida is still on the search to find freedom through a husband. With Lord Debling seemingly out of the picture, there goes Cressida’s best chance at escaping her father’s plans to match her with an elderly gentleman. Although Cressida might have thought she was ruining Penelope’s plans by revealing how close Colin and Penelope are, Penelope is about to get everything she’s ever wanted. Out of jealousy and desperation, Cressida might be tempted to act rashly in order to secure her independence at the expense of Penelope’s happiness.

In the course of four episodes, Cressida Cowper has become a richer character. Through her friendship with Eloise, audiences see how cruel an exterior she presents to the world. Underneath, Cressida is a lonely girl desperate for genuine connection and warmth, which she lacks from her family. While we don’t know what awaits her in the second half of Season 3, there are breadcrumbs of what they can potentially build up the rest of the season or perhaps in the fourth season. Could we learn the identity of Cressida’s childhood friend? Will Cressida discover what her happy ending is? No matter where the story goes from here, Cressida is giving Regency mean girls a new spin, and honestly, we’re here for it.