- The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3, episode 10, “Last Year” features multiple references to Sabrina (1954), starring Audrey Hepburn.
- Sabrina is a classic film that also focuses on a love triangle between a young woman and two brothers.
- Given the many references, Cosmo dives into what the plot of Sabrina could mean for Belly's ending on The Summer I Turned Pretty.
We are officially only one episode away from finding out who Belly picks—Conrad, Jeremiah, or herself—on The Summer I Turned Pretty. The series finale is only days away, and fans are getting desperate for any clues or theories of how The Summer I Turned Pretty will end. And Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina might hold the key.
The 1954 classic Sabrina has been a recurring theme throughout the show. In season 1, Belly's first ever date is to see Sabrina at the drive in. Fans have pointed out visual references throughout the seasons, and when the promotional art for season 3 was released, fans were quick to note that the image of Conrad, Belly, and Jeremiah mirrored a promo shot for Sabrina.
In episode 10 of season 3, we got our most explicit references yet. Belly has a poster for the film in her Paris apartment and she explicitly references it when telling her mother about her new place, telling her it has a view of the Sacré-Cœur, just like in Sabrina.
So what do all these references mean for Belly? Read on to find out.
What Happens in Sabrina?
Like TSITP, Sabrina tells the story of a young woman, Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn), who finds herself in a love triangle with two brothers. There's the older brother, Linus, and the younger brother, David. Just like Belly, Sabrina has spent her entire life in love with one of the brothers (though she preferred the younger one).
After Sabrina goes to Paris to go to attend culinary school, she returns all grown up (aka “turns pretty”) and suddenly catches David's eye. The two start a relationship, despite Linus' disapproval. And when an unfortunate (and hilarious) accident puts David on bed rest, Linus concocts a plan to split them up. He's hoping to send Sabrina back off to Paris, but ends up falling in love instead.
Sabrina ends with David realizing his brother's affections and encouraging Linus to follow Sabrina to Paris.
What does Sabrina mean for The Summer I Turned Pretty ending?
Most fans think that the ending of Sabrina means that a Bonrad endgame is imminent. This would follow the original trilogy's ending and no doubt delight the very vocal Team Conrad. And given that “Last Year” ends with Conrad getting on a plane to Paris to make a last-ditch appeal to Belly, it looks like TSITP will end with Belly and Conrad together in Paris—just like Sabrina.
However, it's not over until it's over. And while I don't think Belly will end up with Jeremiah, I'm not convinced that the Sabrina references mean that Belly and Conrad are going to ride off into the Parisian sunset together. For one thing, Conrad is a med student in California, while Belly is planning on staying in Paris for at least another year to study at the Sorbonne. (That's a 12-hour flight and a 9-hour time difference between them, FYI.) And there's also the fact that, as far as we know, Belly is still dating Benito, so she's not exactly available.
Besides, Belly ditching her plans and moving to California would undermine her entire reason for going to Paris in the first place. She's still finding herself and learning how to be independent. Plus, Sabrina spent two years in Paris, and Belly's just been there for one.
Given that it's unlikely that Conrad will abandon med school to move to Paris and that Belly won't go to the States anytime soon, here's what I think could happen:
Sabrina-inspired The Summer I Turned Pretty finale theories
1) Belly and Conrad get back together in Paris. Conrad's $500 flight change will not be for naught! He'll see Belly in Paris and the two will reconnect. They decide to do long distance while she finishes up in Paris and he wraps up med school.
2) Belly and Conrad hook up in Paris, but don't get back together. They realize that they're in two different places in their lives and end up going their separate ways—for now. A flash forward will later reveal that they eventually got back together and got married, just like in the book.
3) Conrad moves to Paris. He'll either quit med school and move right away, or finish med school and get a job at a miraculously English-speaking hospital in France. This would mirror Linus' decision to follow Sabrina to Paris, but also presents a whole lot of plot holes given that medical licenses are very hard to get in both France and America.
4) Belly and Conrad end their relationship for good. They have a romantic reunion in Paris, but realize that their childhood crushes aren't what they actually want. Like David and Sabrina, they go their separate ways.
You can rent Sabrina right now on Amazon. And The Summer I Turned Pretty series finale will be released on Prime Video on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
