Bridgerton Fans React To Benedict’s Mistress Proposal

Before they find true love, the Bridgerton boys tend to be pretty cavalier in their romantic affairs. As Violet Bridgerton herself put it in the series’ very first episode, “I am fully subscribed to the belief that reformed rakes make the very best of husbands.” Lady Penwood tells her daughters the same in Season 4.

But even with this built-in assumption, many fans were shocked at one aspect of Benedict’s behavior in the latest installment, specifically, asking Sophie to be his mistress.

Did He Just...

In the final moments of Part 1, Benedict and Sophie share a passionate encounter on a staircase. Benedict punctuates the steamy scene with one of those great Bridgerton confessions: “I stay away because you consume me. My eyes search for you in every room I enter. My heart beats when you’re near. The reality of you has become more tantalizing than any fantasy ever could be — and one I cannot live without.”

Sophie is moved to hear this, simply whispering: “Benedict.”

“I meant it when I said you deserve better,” he continues. “And I am determined to give it to you, and more. Sophie... be my mistress.”

The proposal visibly shakes Sophie, who waits a beat before walking away without a word. And fans felt quite the same, with one writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Benedict Bridgerton I love you but you are SO STUPIDDDD for asking Sophie to be your MISTRESS.”

Others pointed out a key detail that makes the scene’s fallout even sadder. “I think what genuinely makes my heart break for Sophie more during the mistress offer was it was the first time Sophie called Benedict ‘Benedict’ instead of Mr. Bridgerton,” one fan wrote. Another noted the way Sophie “softened up” before being crushed by his request.

Season 4 is based on Julia Quinn’s An Offer from a Gentleman. But even book readers might have been shaken by Benedict’s forward proposal, because it happens a little differently on page. Book Benedict asks Sophie to come back to London with him shortly after they share a kiss by the lake. However, he doesn’t actually use the word “mistress” until Sophie tells him that’s what he is asking for. It’s still a loaded offer — but less jarring than it plays on screen.

The Controversial Scene, Explained

For what it’s worth, Luke Thompson (who plays Benedict) doesn’t think his character is in the right here, either.

“He’s got this very soft, gooey, amenable, lovely front — and deeper down, he is a bit more anxious and structured,” the actor recently told Bustle. “And so his saying, ‘Be my mistress,’ is controlling his feelings. He’s like, ‘Oh, this is perfect. I can have Sophie in this little box emotionally and then do all the other stuff.’ And that’s not falling in love. Falling in love is pouring everything together. So it’s a surprise because it’s not something we’d expect from Benedict, but it reveals that he does have insecurities and worries.”