Can Benedict redeem himself after his offer in Bridgerton Season 4? Here's what Reddit fans think

''Sophie...be my mistress.'' With this, Netflix's Bridgerton Season 4 broke its fairytale illusion in the concluding moment of Part 1. After ignoring their feelings for one another throughout the fourth season, Benedict and Sophie finally caved in in Episode 4, only for the second-oldest Bridgerton sibling to make a shocking offer to his maid.

After Benedict asked Sophie to be his mistress, she was taken aback by his disgusting offer and left him on the stairs.

As Bridgerton Season 4 (based on Julia Quinn's An Offer From a Gentleman) gears up for its concluding part on Netflix on February 26, fans are wondering if Benedict can redeem himself and win Sophie's love back.

While Benedict has enjoyed the status of the most thoughtful Bridgerton brother, fans have expressed disappointment over his offensive offer to Sophie. The ask is not only offensive to Sophie but also carries deep childhood trauma because of her late mother. Benedict’s offer lays bare his selfishness, greed, and deep-rooted class privilege, traits many fans may find difficult to forgive.

Here's what fans are saying about Benedict's offer in Bridgerton Season 4.

Reddit fans debate on Benedict's offer in Bridgerton Season 4

As anticipation around Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2 continues to grow, fans are debating Benedict's shocking offer and its repercussions on Sophie in the upcoming installment.

Since Benedict compromised his 'most beloved Bridgerton sibling status' with his 'mistress ask' in Episode 4, fans are wondering if redemption is possible. Quinn's readers already know how Sophie and Benedict's story ends in the books, but new fans are eager to learn how the second-oldest Bridgerton son makes up for his horrible offer.

Even before dissecting Benedict's offer in Bridgerton Season 4, it's important to understand why he made that offer in the first place. While the concluding moment in Episode 4 took many fans by surprise, it was foreshadowed. Benedict refers to Anthony's mistress (in Season 2) before Kate and even considers the matter when one of his friends shows up with his mistress at a party. These instances show that Benedict had been thinking about this offer for a long time. Considering Sophie's low rank in the ton and Benedict's growing feelings for her, the offer seemed like the only plausible solution for them to be together.

A Reddit user explores (and somewhat justifies) Benedict's thought process before making his offer to Sophie in Bridgerton Season 4:

''I guess in his mind being a mistress would realistically be a pretty good deal for Sophie. He'd pay for her to have a house and she wouldn't have to work as a maid anymore, she could attend the sordid fun events with him at night and have free time to do whatever she wanted during the day. He doesn't understand why that's an offensive offer to her.''

This explanation, albeit still offensive to Sophie, seems like a good bargain. Since there is no way for women like Sophie (who belongs to the lowest rungs in society) to gain upward mobility, being a mistress would free them from the struggles of their class.

However, another Reddit user is quick to call out Benedict on his offer, as it is deeply insulting to Sophie, who had only seen misery since her childhood:

''He's also a privileged white dude who doesn't consider how unfair the mistress life would actually be. He thinks he's offering Sophie stability but it's so dependent on his goodwill to support her...he doesn't think about how it's still pretty unstable and completely dependent on her keeping him happy sexually.''

As fans continue to debate Benedict’s offer in Bridgerton Season 4, many have noted that the series draws from fictional novels, where character flaws are essential in shaping compelling arcs that ultimately lead to satisfying resolutions by the season’s end. Since Benedict is the leading man in the fourth season, it was important to introduce his character flaw, only to resolve it in the concluding part of the series. Many fans saw Benedict's offer from a creative point of view:

''Media literacy is dead. This is what we call character flaws and a character arc.'' boldly wrote one Reddit user.

''People are writing is off as 'poor writing' and 'character assassination' when in fact, flaws like this are absolutely necessary for character arcs and growth.'' chimed in another user.

While Benedict was marketed as the Bohemian & free-spirited sibling who doesn't adhere to society's rigid ideals of class and marriage, his offer in Bridgerton Season 4 proves that he is very much like his family. The Mistress-ask was important because it would likely make him realize that he is no different than the ton. A Reddit user calls this Benedict's deep character flaw:

''He isn't capable of thinking of any other solution than having Sophie as a mistress because his mind is still confined by the rules of society.''

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As fans continue to have differing opinions on the titular offer (from Quinn's novel), it will be exciting to see how Benedict will redeem himself and make things right with Sophie in Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2, scheduled to arrive on Netflix on February 26.

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