The Summer I Turned Pretty: Season 3, Episode 4 - Last Stand (2025)

Belly wakes up on her 21st birthday in Philadelphia, alone in her apartment. She receives a phone call from Jeremiah, who is at work interning for Adam, his father. Jeremiah wishes her a happy birthday and vents about feeling disrespected at the office, where he is treated as a "nepo baby" and given menial tasks. He expresses frustration that Adam still doesn't take him seriously, despite his efforts.

Belly meets her mother Laurel and stepfather John for breakfast at a diner. Laurel and John surprise her with Mickey Mouse pancakes and a bottle of wine from the year she was born. The mood is warm at first, but Belly quickly brings up wedding dress shopping, asking Laurel to go with her. Laurel gently but firmly declines, saying she can't support the wedding and doesn't want to participate in planning. Belly is visibly hurt and disappointed, but she tries to hide it.

Belly leaves the diner early, upset and alone. She calls Taylor and asks her to go wedding dress shopping instead. Taylor agrees and brings her own mother, Lucinda, along for support. At the boutique, Belly tries on several dresses and ultimately chooses a simple, elegant gown. She is excited about her choice but feels the absence of Laurel deeply. After the fitting, Belly calls Jeremiah in tears, expressing her sadness and saying, "How are we going to do this without both of our moms?"

Jeremiah listens to Belly's distress and decides to drive several hours from his internship to see her. He arrives at the boutique after Belly has left, then tracks her down. He gives her a small gift--a key to the summer house in Cousins Beach--and tells her that the house will be hers in six weeks. Belly is touched by the gesture, but her sadness remains.

Jeremiah then goes to Laurel's house to speak with her directly. He delivers a heartfelt speech, acknowledging that their engagement may seem rushed but insisting that he knows Belly is his person. He appeals to Laurel's emotions, saying that Susannah would have supported them because she believed family was the most important thing, and that getting married is a way to become family. Laurel listens but remains firm. She says they will never know what Susannah would have thought and that she still cannot support the wedding. She loves them both but believes they are too young and not ready for forever.

Laurel makes it clear she will not attend the wedding. Belly overhears part of the conversation and confronts her mother, leading to a heated argument. Belly accuses Laurel of not supporting her and says she is done being told what to do. The fight escalates, and Belly storms out of the house, leaving Laurel visibly shaken.

Belly and Jeremiah leave Philadelphia together and drive to Cousins Beach. When they arrive at the summer house, they are surprised to find Conrad there. Conrad has been secretly staying at the beach house, avoiding everyone since the engagement announcement. The moment Belly and Conrad see each other, there is intense eye contact and palpable tension between them. Conrad looks stunned and emotional, clearly affected by Belly's presence and her engagement to Jeremiah.

Belly and Jeremiah settle into the summer house, but the atmosphere is strained. Conrad remains distant and withdrawn, avoiding direct conversation with Belly. Jeremiah tries to act normal, but his discomfort is evident. Belly is torn between her loyalty to Jeremiah and the unresolved feelings she still has for Conrad. The episode ends with the three of them in the same house, the past and present colliding, and the future of their relationships hanging in the balance.

At the end of The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 4, "Last Stand," Belly faces a painful birthday marked by her mother Laurel's refusal to support her wedding plans with Jeremiah. Despite Belly's hopes, Laurel remains distant and unsupportive. Jeremiah struggles at work but secures Conrad's agreement to be his best man, signaling a fragile truce. The episode closes with Belly emotionally torn, calling Jeremiah in tears about the lack of family support, while Conrad silently shows his lingering care through a small gesture, leaving the love triangle and family tensions unresolved but deeply felt.

The episode "Last Stand" opens on Belly's 21st birthday morning. Jeremiah calls her from work to wish her a happy birthday, expressing frustration about his internship under Adam, where he feels undervalued and dismissed. Meanwhile, Laurel and John greet Belly with a quiet breakfast of Mickey Mouse pancakes and a bottle of wine from the year she was born, a tender but subdued celebration. The mood is bittersweet because Laurel refuses to discuss the wedding, shutting down Belly's repeated attempts to talk about wedding dress shopping or any plans related to the engagement.

Belly's desire for her mother's support is palpable. She asks Laurel to accompany her to shop for a wedding dress, hoping for emotional backing on this milestone day. Laurel gently declines, citing work, but the refusal feels like a deeper rejection. Belly's disappointment grows as she plans a dress shopping day with her friend Taylor and Taylor's mother instead, highlighting her isolation from her own family.

At the dress shop, Belly chooses a simple yet elegant dress reminiscent of her debutante ball dress from season 1, but her excitement is overshadowed by the absence of her mother. She calls Jeremiah in tears, expressing her heartbreak and fear about how they will manage the wedding without both their mothers' support. Jeremiah, determined to fix the situation, resolves to win Laurel over.

Jeremiah's day at work is difficult. He faces hazing and skepticism from Adam's employees, who label him a "nepo baby," and his father continues to boss him around, adding to his stress. Despite this, Jeremiah finds a silver lining when Steven agrees to be his best man, a sign of loyalty and friendship.

Meanwhile, Conrad remains distant and unresponsive to Belly's calls, deepening the emotional tension. However, in a quiet, intimate moment, Conrad makes a small but meaningful gesture by baking "dirt bomb" muffins for Belly, symbolizing his lingering feelings and silent support. This act contrasts with his physical absence but shows his emotional presence.

The episode closes with Belly emotionally torn, caught between her fiancé Jeremiah's efforts and her mother's coldness, while Conrad's gesture hints at unresolved feelings. The love triangle remains complicated, and the family conflicts underscore the challenges of growing up and making life-altering decisions amid imperfect support systems.

In terms of character fates at this episode's end:

• Belly is emotionally vulnerable, struggling with her mother's rejection and the pressure of her engagement.
• Jeremiah is determined but stressed, trying to prove himself both at work and within the family.
• Laurel remains firm in her opposition to the wedding, creating a significant emotional barrier.
• Conrad is distant but caring, showing his feelings through quiet actions rather than words.

The episode leaves the core conflicts unresolved, emphasizing the emotional complexity and the characters' internal struggles as they navigate love, family, and personal growth.

There is no post-credit scene in The Summer I Turned Pretty, Season 3, Episode 4, titled "Last Stand." The episode concludes with its main narrative threads resolved within the runtime, focusing on Belly's birthday, her strained relationship with her mother Laurel, Jeremiah's struggles at work and his determination to win Laurel's support for their wedding, and Conrad's absence from Belly's life at this moment. The episode ends with Belly feeling isolated and emotional, calling Jeremiah in tears after her mother once again refuses to engage with her wedding plans, and Jeremiah vowing to change Laurel's mind. The credits roll without any additional scenes or footage following them. The post-credit scenes referenced in online discussions pertain only to the series finale, Episode 11, not to Episode 4.

Laurel refuses to support Belly's wedding because she believes both Belly and Jeremiah are too young and immature to make such a life-altering decision. She feels they haven't had enough time to experience life or truly understand what marriage entails. Laurel makes it clear that she won't attend the wedding, expressing her concern that they are rushing into something they may regret. Despite Jeremiah's heartfelt attempt to convince her by referencing Susannah's belief in family, Laurel stands firm, stating she loves them but doesn't think they're ready for forever.

On her 21st birthday, Belly asks Laurel to go wedding dress shopping with her, hoping for her mother's support and involvement. Laurel gently declines, saying she can't go, which deeply hurts Belly. This moment marks a turning point in their relationship, as Belly feels rejected and frustrated by her mother's lack of support for her engagement. The refusal leads to escalating tension between them, culminating in a major fight later in the episode.

Jeremiah drives several hours to see Belly after she calls him upset about Laurel's refusal. He brings her a gift--a key to the summer house, symbolizing their future together. He then goes to Laurel and delivers a heartfelt speech, acknowledging that they may be rushing but insisting that Belly is his person. He appeals to Laurel by saying Susannah would have supported them because she valued family above all, and that marriage is the ultimate way to become family. Despite his sincerity, Laurel remains unconvinced and tells him she won't support the wedding.

When Belly and Jeremiah arrive at Cousins Beach, they are surprised to find Conrad there. The moment Belly and Conrad lock eyes, there is an intense, unspoken tension between them. Conrad's expression reveals that he is deeply affected by Belly's engagement, and it's clear he is struggling emotionally. His presence at the beach house, having secretly stayed behind while everyone thought he had returned to California, underscores his unresolved feelings for Belly and his difficulty accepting her engagement to Jeremiah.

After Laurel refuses to support the wedding and makes it clear she won't attend, Belly becomes furious and storms out of the house. She feels betrayed and overwhelmed by her mother's lack of support, leading to a massive fight between them. Belly declares she's done being told what to do and leaves with Jeremiah for Cousins Beach, seeking solace and distance from the conflict at home.

The Summer I Turned Pretty, Season 3, Episode 4 ("Last Stand," 2025) is not considered fully "family friendly" for younger children or sensitive viewers, though it is rated TV-14 in the US and carries similar age advisories internationally. The episode is emotionally intense, focusing on characters facing difficult life decisions and the fallout from previous events, which may be upsetting for some viewers, especially those sensitive to relationship drama or family conflict.

Potentially Objectionable or Upsetting Content

• Emotional Intensity: The episode is described as "heavy" and "uncomfortable," with characters making poor choices under stress. The emotional atmosphere is tense, and viewers may feel the weight of the characters' dilemmas, which could be distressing for sensitive audiences.
• Romantic and Sexual Content: While there is no explicit nudity, characters are seen in bed together in their undergarments for an extended scene. Kissing and romantic tension are present, and there are references to sexual activity, though nothing graphic is shown. Previous episodes in the series have included brief scenes of adults and teens kissing passionately, but "Last Stand" appears to keep such content mild.
• Language: The series overall includes moderate profanity, with occasional use of strong language. While specific language in this episode is not detailed, the show's pattern suggests some swearing may occur.
• Alcohol, Drugs, and Smoking: References to drinking (including underage) and smoking have been present in the series, but this episode is rated as having only "mild" content in this category. There is no indication of drug use in this particular episode.
• Violence: There is no significant violence or gore. A character slaps another, but this is brief and not graphic.
• Frightening or Intense Scenes: The episode is rated as having "mild" intense scenes, likely referring to emotional confrontations rather than physical danger.

Summary for Families and Sensitive Viewers

"Last Stand" is best suited for teens and adults due to its mature themes, emotional intensity, and mild sexual content. While there is no graphic violence, nudity, or drug use, the episode deals with complex relationships, heartbreak, and difficult decisions that may be upsetting for younger or more sensitive viewers. Parents should be aware of the romantic situations, occasional strong language, and the overall heavy emotional tone when deciding if this episode is appropriate for their family.