The Strongest Soldiers In The Bridgerton Fandom Are The Polin Fans Who Actually Like Colin. Taking Hits

The strongest soldiers in the Bridgerton fandom are the Polin fans who actually like Colin. Taking hits from all sides but we’re still here!

I'll be honest, my biggest takeaway from the sneak peek wasn't, "Yes Pen, read him for filth!" It was, "Oh Pen is totally shame spiralling out of control." Because yes, Penelope has every right to be upset with Colin and tell him why she is upset, but most of the emphasis in this scene is on just how much Penelope hates herself. She doesn't believe Colin when he compliments her dress (a direct parallel to scenes Pen has had with Marina and Edwina in the past), she calls herself a spinster even though she's only 19 (I'm willing to bet Portia refers to Penelope as a spinster at some point before this scene), she assumes Colin sees her as an embarrassment, and again she points out that even though she managed to change her wardrobe, she is still a laughingstock.

This whole scene does way more to demonstrate Penelope's insecurities than it does to paint Colin as someone who needs to grovel for forgiveness. If anything, Colin is handling the situation maturely. He openly communicates his feelings, he doesn't deny what he said, and it's clear he wants to work through the issue.

Penelope is so unhappy with herself that she's taking it out on him more than she should. It's easier to blame him for the one thing he said rather than force herself to look inward. But I think once Colin comes to her again with his plan to help her find a husband, this is going to shift. Penelope will be put in a position where she will have to reflect on those insecurities and Colin will be the one with her on that journey.

Which brings us back to Nicola talking about Penelope putting Colin on a pedestal. He might be off of that pedestal after what he said last season, but she still doesn't view him as a fully flawed human being yet. Once Penelope forgives Colin at the end of 3x01, it's going to open up her eyes and allow her to see Colin as a full human being and as her equal (not as her idol). This is how we get "You're my mess," and "You're the imperfect man of my heart."

I hope people stay openminded either way. The experienced man/virgin woman trope is fine, but other dynamics can be hot too. Every character having the exact same relationship to sex will be boring after (hopefully) 8 seasons.

Even Anthony and Benedict as rakes have different relationships to sex. Anthony chooses to sleep with sex workers who expect payment (Siena, as a 19th century opera singer and courtesan fits this category, even though he’s most attached to her) while Benedict sleeps with a more free-love crowd of women who are in it for a good time and don’t really expect anything in return. Both things fit each character really well, and suit the love stories they have to tell about them in unique and interesting ways. Anthony who treats sex like an arrangement because he likes control and to manage his emotions ends up trying to treat marriage like another arrangement, only to get swept up falling in love for love’s sake. Benedict who has women fall into his lap pretty easily and without effort will fall for a woman who turns him down at every opportunity forcing him to take things slowly.

Whatever relationship Colin does have to sex should be based on what fits his character. From what we’ve seen of him so far, it would be entirely out of character for him to be a rake, BUT that also doesn’t mean he’s necessarily a virgin. Wouldn’t surprise me or disappoint me either way, although I will say if he’s not a virgin, waiting until the Polin season to show him being physical with a woman who’s not Penelope would be the weirdest choice possible, so I doubt we’d actually see anything even if they say it.

The viewers that want to say Colin is undesirable for being a virgin I can’t really take seriously lol. It’s a fantasy show, they haven’t portrayed losing virginity in a realistic way so far, nor have they portrayed the more sordid realities of being a 19th century rake in a realistic way either. They’re going for romance and sex appeal, everything’s filmed with rose tinted glasses.

A rant (but not really)

People have semi-moved on, but the whole debate of virgin Col vs not is something still so confusing to me. I'm feeling it in multiple aspects of living tbh-women are honestly becoming more vocal on things like this that sound toxic. For another show I'm watching, viewers have speculated so much about a man's sexual experience and it's about a real not fictional person(!), which is baffling to me. And so I wrote this to say I don't even think the argument re: Colin's experience was going to be something satisfying to a bulk of people regardless. If Colin was a virgin, viewers would shame him for it and act as though he's undesirable. If Colin was a rake, viewers would shame him for it, acting as though he is unworthy of Penelope; and even if not quite a rake but definitely not a virgin, people still would think he is not allowed to experience outside of his future spouse. It really is like the lose-lose of judgement women have faced for years on their sexual history. In summary, women are now men; men are still men (I luv it here).

i know everyone's mad at colin but he's literally soooooooo ' oh, by the way, if you ever speak disrespectfully again about my wife I'll kill you. haha, sorry, that sounded like a joke, I will, actually kill you. ' coded i promise !!!!1

He is literally three apples tall😭

I keep seeing things where people are like "it was so nice to see Colin's satisfied little smirk fall when he realized she wasn't going to fall over herself for him anymore" because they seem to think he really only sees Penelope as an ego boost, but like...my guy just found out he hurt one of his best friends feelings? And thats why shes been ignoring him for months? Hes not upset because his ego isn't getting stroked, he's upset because he hurt someone he cares about. Why is it so hard for y'all to grasp