Netflix’s Heartstopper follows Alice Oseman’s books of the same name, meaning we have some idea about what to expect for Season 3 – so, here are the potential spoilers for the third chapter of the beloved LGBTQ+ show.
Season 2 of Heartstopper has once again proven to be a hit with Netflix fans, bringing back our favorite cast and characters as well as some new faces as they embark on a trip to Paris while navigating their blossoming relationships and educational futures.
As per the official synopsis for the latest chapter: “Nick and Charlie navigate their new relationship; Tara and Darcy face unforeseen challenges; and Tao and Elle work out if they can ever be more than just friends. With exams on the horizon, a school trip to Paris and a prom to plan, the gang has a lot to juggle as they journey through the next stages of life, love and friendship.”
To refresh your memories, Netflix’s adaptation of Heartstopper is based on Volumes 1 & 2 of Oseman’s graphic novel series, while Season 2 is based on Volume 3. If it follows the same pattern, Season 3 (which is already in the bag) will likely center on Volume 4 – so, here’s what to expect. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Heartstopper Season 2 and some may find this content distressing.
Heartstopper Season 3: Spoilers and speculation
Following the end of Season 2 of the Netflix show and Volume 4 of the Heartstopper books, we can expect Season 3 to delve further into Charlie’s mental health struggles after the homophobic bullying he experienced – specifically, his eating disorder.
This is touched upon in the second season. For a while it seems like Charlie’s eating issues are under control, but they come up again later on. Charlie opens up to Nick about the fact that it stems from the bullying – and he later stops eating again as the pressure mounts from school and Nick’s homophobic brother.
Up until now, the books upon which the show is based have centered on Charlie and Nick exploring their romantic feelings for each other and their sexualities. But in Volume 4, the pair are settled into their relationship, and the story delves into various themes surrounding mental health.
The graphic novel sees Nick devising a plan to get Charlie the help that he needs for his eating disorder. And since Charlie isn’t formally diagnosed or treated in Season 2, it seems likely that this will be explored further in the next chapter of the Netflix series.
While much of Volume 4 focuses on this arc, Season 2 has given us plenty of indication of what to expect for the other characters, including Tao and Elle. With Elle accepting the offer to study at the Lambert School for art, she and Tao seem set to embark on a long distance relationship – and all of the trials and tribulations that come with it.
We will hopefully be seeing more of Naomi (Bel Priestley) too, Elle’s art school pal who she befriends at the “Here and Queer” exhibition. The fans would certainly love for the character to be explored further, with one writing on Twitter: “I love Naomi. She’s so wonderful, I enjoyed every scene with her AND I hope we get more of her in season 3.”
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i love naomi. she’s so wonderful i enjoyed every scene with her AND i hope we get more of her in season 3 pic.twitter.com/ujPfw9ZapH
— ANNA (spilled) 𐙚 (@annalbxu) August 4, 2023
As for Isaac, he explores his asexuality in Season 2 – but he’s only at the very beginning of his journey, meaning there’s plenty more of his story to tell. Isaac is yet to come out as asexual, but he does read a book on the subject in front of his friends in the Season 2 finale. Could he come out in Season 3? Time will tell.
We’ll no doubt be seeing more from Darcy and Tara, whose relationship went through the wringer in Season 2 as Darcy deals with problems at home, causing her to distance herself from Tara after she says: “I love you.”
Thankfully, Darcy eventually feels comfortable enough to share her fears with Tara and they profess their love for one another in the finale. We can expect their relationship to continue in Season 3.
And then there’s Imogen, who has been the “token straight girl” up until this point. At the end of Season 2, however, there are a number of hints to suggest she has feelings for Sahar. As such, the third season may see Imogen explore her sexuality and take inspiration from her peers.
While we can look to Volume 4 for indication of what’s next for the Netflix show, Oseman herself has made it clear that she wants the series to stand on its own while still staying true to her graphic novels.
In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, she explained: “I’m always very committed to preserving what is in the comics and making sure all the big, exciting moments are in the show, but honestly, there is just so much extra space around that to do whatever we want.
“Now that we’ve got Seasons 1 and 2, we’ve had so much development for the supporting cast: Tao, Elle, Tara, Isaac, even new characters like Imogen. There’s so much new stuff that gives us so much to play with in Season 3.
“I feel very comfortable letting the show be its own thing. In my mind, the show and the comic feel very separate, although it’s quite a faithful adaptation. I feel excited to get to expand Heartstopper for the show.”
Heartstopper Seasons 1-2 are available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out our other coverage below: