😢 Belly’s heartbreaking choice in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 9 left us SPEECHLESS! 💔 A stolen moment, a crushing truth, and a decision that changes everything—will she ever find her way back to Cousins? One clue will break your heart. Ready to unravel the drama?

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The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 9, titled “Last Call,” released on September 3, 2025, on Prime Video, delivers a pivotal moment in Isabel “Belly” Conklin’s journey, cementing her as the heart of Jenny Han’s coming-of-age drama. Following the emotional wreckage of Episode 8, where Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno) called off their wedding, Episode 9 sees Belly (Lola Tung) fleeing to Paris to escape the fallout, only to face a series of challenges that force her to make a heartbreaking choice. This episode, lauded as one of the season’s best, balances raw emotion, character depth, and new beginnings, setting the stage for the series’ final episodes. Drawing from web sources and fan discussions, this article unpacks the key events of Episode 9, explains Belly’s devastating decision, and explores its implications for her relationships with Conrad (Christopher Briney), Jeremiah, and herself, while keeping spoilers minimal to preserve the drama for viewers.

The Context: A Wedding’s Collapse and a Flight to Paris

Season 3, Episode 8, “Last Kiss,” shattered fans with the collapse of Belly and Jeremiah’s wedding. Conrad’s last-minute confession of love, revealing he “will never not love” Belly, reignited her buried feelings, leading to her admission that she still loves him “a little.” This truth, coupled with Jeremiah’s discovery of their secret Christmas rendezvous, prompted him to walk away, unable to marry someone with divided affections. Devastated, Belly impulsively books a flight to Paris to pursue a study-abroad program, hoping distance will bring clarity. Meanwhile, Conrad, unaware of the wedding’s cancellation, is at the airport, heading to California, and Jeremiah drowns his sorrow in Cousins, surrounded by friends Taylor (Rain Spencer) and Steven (Sean Kaufman).

Episode 9 picks up at this crossroads, with Belly boarding her flight and spotting Conrad across the terminal. The moment is charged with tension, but a call to board pulls her away, setting the tone for her journey of self-discovery. In Cousins, the fallout continues, with Jeremiah’s pain and Conrad’s guilt driving wedges between the characters. Belly’s choice in this episode, described as heartbreaking, is not just about love but about reclaiming her identity amidst chaos.

Key Moments in Episode 9

Without diving into every detail, here are five critical moments from “Last Call” that shape Belly’s choice and the episode’s impact:

The Airport Near-Miss: At the episode’s start, Belly sees Conrad at the airport but chooses to board her flight to Paris rather than approach him. This decision, though small, signals her attempt to prioritize herself over the Fisher brothers, setting the stage for her Parisian journey. Conrad’s unaware glance, as if sensing her presence, adds a poignant layer of missed connection.

Parisian Disappointments: Upon arriving in Paris, Belly learns her study-abroad spot was mistakenly given away due to an administrative error. This crushing blow, coupled with a tearful call to her mother, Laurel (Jackie Chung), leaves her spiraling, fearing she’s lost everything. Her vulnerability highlights the weight of her decision to leave Cousins.

The Stolen Backpack and New Allies: At a Paris café, Belly’s backpack, containing her engagement ring, is stolen. Using an AirTag, she tracks it to a club, where she helps a stranger, Gemma (Corinna Brown), escape a creepy encounter, earning entry. This leads to new friendships with Gemma, Benito (Fernando Cattori), and others, who listen to Belly’s love triangle saga, offering perspective and a sense of belonging.

A Tense Call with Jeremiah: On a bus to the airport, intending to return home, Belly calls Jeremiah. He pleads for a reconciliation, but when she reveals she’s staying in Paris for now, he lashes out, telling her not to call again. This painful exchange underscores the finality of their rift, pushing Belly toward her ultimate choice.

Belly’s Heartbreaking Decision: After bonding with her new friends and reflecting on her journey, Belly chooses to stay in Paris rather than return to the U.S. This decision, framed as a commitment to rebuild her life independently, is heartbreaking because it means letting go of her past with both Jeremiah and Conrad, at least for now.

Explaining Belly’s Heartbreaking Choice

Belly’s choice to stay in Paris is the emotional crux of Episode 9, encapsulating her growth from a girl defined by her love for the Fisher brothers to a young woman forging her own path. Throughout the series, Belly has leaned on others—her mother, Taylor, or the Fishers—for guidance, but Paris forces her to stand alone. The loss of her study-abroad spot and the theft of her backpack, carrying the symbolic weight of her engagement ring, strip away her plans, leaving her raw and vulnerable. Yet, these setbacks lead to her meeting Gemma and her group, who validate her story without judgment, contrasting the tension back in Cousins.

The call with Jeremiah is the tipping point. His anger and plea for her to return highlight his dependence on her, echoing his words, “She’s my whole life,” which Taylor critiques as unhealthy. Belly’s refusal to go back, despite her initial booking of a return flight, marks her realization that returning would mean slipping back into the love triangle’s chaos. By choosing Paris, she embraces uncertainty over comfort, a decision that’s heartbreaking because it severs her ties to Jeremiah and delays any reconciliation with Conrad. As she smiles at Notre Dame, the episode frames this choice as a hopeful step toward self-discovery, aligning with the show’s coming-of-age themes.

Implications for Relationships

Belly’s choice reverberates across her relationships:

Jeremiah: The call ends their engagement definitively, with Jeremiah’s anger closing the door on a quick reunion. His arc, as noted in web sources, shifts toward independence, possibly focusing on his new job at his father’s firm, suggesting Season 3 will explore his growth outside the love triangle.

Conrad: Belly’s decision to board the plane without speaking to Conrad underscores her need for space. However, a trailer hint from IMDb confirms a letter from Conrad in Paris, voiced by Christopher Briney saying, “Dear Belly,” suggesting their story is far from over. Season 3 may see them reconnect, but only after Belly stabilizes herself.

Family and Friends: Laurel’s supportive call and Taylor and Steven’s reconciliation provide Belly with a distant support network. Her new Parisian friends, like Gemma and Benito, introduce fresh dynamics, with Benito as a potential romantic interest, though Belly’s focus remains on herself.

Setup for the Final Episodes

Episode 9 sets up the final two episodes (10 and 11) with several threads:

Conrad’s Letter: The trailer’s hint of a letter from Conrad suggests a book-faithful arc from We’ll Always Have Summer, where letters slow the narrative, allowing reflection. This could lead to a measured reconciliation, as Belly processes her feelings in Paris.

Jeremiah’s Healing: Jeremiah’s spiral, supported by Taylor and Steven, indicates he’ll need time to move forward. His anger at Conrad, telling him to “never come back,” sets up a potential brotherly rift or repair in the finale.

Belly’s Parisian Journey: Her new friends and decision to stay suggest Episodes 10 and 11 will explore her building a new identity, possibly with challenges like finding a job or navigating French bureaucracy, as noted in Vulture’s recap.

Addams Family Secrets: Subtle hints, like Susannah’s unopened letter, suggest lingering family secrets that could influence Belly’s future, potentially tying to Conrad or a new revelation in the finale.

Thematic Resonance and Cultural Impact

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 9, excels at blending romance, heartbreak, and personal growth. Belly’s choice reflects the show’s core theme of independence, as she moves from reliance on others to self-reliance, mirroring her arc in Han’s novels. The Parisian setting, with its romantic yet isolating backdrop, amplifies her journey, resonating with fans who see her as a relatable figure navigating young adulthood. The show’s cultural impact, fueled by its Taylor Swift-heavy soundtrack (like “You’re On Your Own Kid” in Episode 9), keeps it trending on X, with fans debating “Team Conrad” vs. “Team Jeremiah.”