“The Summer I Turned Pretty” aired its last episode of the final season on Sept. 17th, marking the end of an era.

A lot of us, especially those who began watching in high school and transitioned into college, felt like we grew up with the characters and all the messiness in their lives.

Personally, the show felt almost ritualistic to watch during the summer. As the main character, Isabel ‘Belly’ Conklin would put it, my life was measured in summers, especially with the stress of reality. The show was a way to decompress.

Luckily, even though the television series ended, the story continues: Prime Video officially confirmed a follow-up movie. However, it won’t be released for some time. So let’s discuss what we just witnessed in the meantime.

Let’s begin with the most coveted topic before the airing of the final episode: Belly’s bob.

I’ve heard some complaints about her new styling making her look older, but isn’t that the point? There was a time jump, people grow up and you can’t be the innocent girl in love with your childhood forever.

She definitely wasn’t the same old Belly when she put on that black dress with the red lip. That was the cherry on top — quite literally.

And on the topic of styling, oh, hello Conrad. The look of Christopher Briney, the character’s actor, was top-tier with loosely undone button-ups, tailored pants, classic loafers and his signature watch that screamed quiet luxury. He served Alain Delon in “Purple Noon,” strutting among us mortals and gracing us with his angelic presence.

I am giving the two mains the spotlight on this one, but I must note the rest of the cast looked amazing as well. There was an air of put-togetherness that was previously lacking.

As a die-hard Conrad apologist, I admit Jeremiah cleaned up well after his father cut him off.

There is something about self-development that makes anyone look good, and his attempt to figure things out without people’s help was attractive.

Then the birthday dinner, the parallels and the undeniable tension between Isabel and Conrad the entire episode were bone-chilling.

Jenny Han, you will always be the queen of literary devices. I am talking about the buildup of Bonrad’s love through flashbacks spanning from childhood to adulthood.

One scene — a punch in the gut — takes place in Paris, when Isabel’s French friends are passing around a blunt, and she turns to Conrad, saying, “Do you memorize like every single thing I’ve ever said?”

And the crowd gasps again. Because that is exactly what Conrad asked her in the first season when she was swimming in the pool, being watched by him. Absolute cinema right there.

When Belly then took Conrad to her favorite spot by the river under the moonlight, it was a sight worth screaming for.

The two of them dancing close to each other for the first time in years and all the feelings pooling back in — could a romantic ask for anything else?

Then, when he asks her, “And have you moved on?” She looks at him, in the way she always has, with love spilling out of her gaze, and that is all it took for the flame to be lit: the kiss.

At this point, I was jumping up and down and having heart palpitations.

After a few deep breaths and reminders that this isn’t real, I was brought back to reality — and apparently so was Belly.

Because what did she pull after Conrad and she finally got together? She told him she was unsure whether she really loved him after this golden man flew across the Atlantic for her.

To be fair, she really needed time away from men, and having him come in, ushering all of the emotions back into her was scary.

With just five minutes left in the episode, and an unresolved Bonrad ending, the heart palpitations came back.

But thank God for Jenny Han representing all of our romantic fantasies, because Belly did end up running after Conrad after all — in a very European romance film fashion, I may add.

Speaking of Europe, the cinematography definitely changed to adopt more of a vintage romantic lens. The visuals, with their subtle grain, really brought out that old love story vibe and tied up the styling, location and emotions well.

Then, Taylor Swift’s “Out Of The Woods” began playing, marking a full circle moment in which Belly goes after what she truly wants for the first time in her life.

Even as I write this, not even 24 hours after watching the episode, I still feel the electricity.

This final episode truly is the end of an era. How else am I going to live out my dreams of finding a Fisher boy now? Sigh.

The Bonrad itch has been scratched, tears were shed and I’m opening TikTok in anticipation of edits.

Thank you to the cast and Jenny Han for making us look forward to the summer, and let’s stay tuned for that movie, everyone.