The 'Bridgerton' season 3 mirror scene is finally here — but it's not like what happens in the books at all (2024)

The much-hyped erotic sequence finally plays out in part two. Here's a breakdown of what happens, and how it differs from the book the season is based on.

Polin's mirror scene happens in 'Bridgerton' season 3, episode 5

After introducing Penelope to his family as his new fiancée — and confronting Lady Featherington over the validity of his proposal — Colin introduces her to their future home. Penelope thanks him for standing up to her mother, then Colin draws her in front of a mirror. And one thing has certainly changed about Mr. Colin Bridgerton after his travels — he is extremely good at dirty talk.

"You are the cleverest, bravest woman I have ever known," he tells her, leaning over her shoulder. "You make me feel seen in ways I have never felt seen before.

"And then there is… the way your hair cascades down your shoulder. The way your eyes shine when you look at me, like two blue pools. The firmness of your lips, parted just so. The softness of your skin," he continues.

"And then there are other parts I've been… I've been dreaming about," he says, before cupping her breast.

Penelope immediately turns toward him, kissing him and expressing her desire to go further. In turn, Colin undresses her in front of the mirror, baring her breasts and telling her to lie down on a nearby chaise as he undresses.

As you can imagine, they do end up having sex. And yes, it's pretty hot.

Netflix — and the actors — have actually been teasing the 'Bridgerton' mirror scene for years

Months before we got to see the scene play out on screen, a brief teaser Netflix released ahead of the premiere sent Polin fans into a frenzy.

That teaser was only half a minute long. But trust me — it was plenty. In it, Penelope looks at herself in a mirror, while Colin emerges to stand behind her before the two look at each other with enough sexual tension to knock you flat.

Fans were quick to link the teaser to the book's famous "mirror scene."

"BRIDGERTON GAVE ME MIRROR SCENE??" one fan wrote on X.

Another fan uploaded the clip to TikTok, writing, "FREAKING MIRROR SCENE!!!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH SKDHJFHDBEISNKS."

But "Bridgerton" and its stars have been teasing this for even longer. In 2022, Coughlan told Entertainment Tonight that "mirror" was a word she'd use to describe season three of the show. And a first-look image teaser for the new season back in December 2023 showed Penelope looking at herself in a hand mirror.

On the day that Netflix released the first proper trailer for season three back in April 2024, the official Netflix account posted an image of Penelope looking at herself and Colin in a mirror on Facebook with the caption, "Let us have a look in the mirror."

Interestingly, what the show delivers is way more explicit than the mirror sequence from the books.

Here's how the 'Bridgerton' mirror scene actually goes down in the book

In book four, "Romancing Mister Bridgerton," Penelope and Colin finally get engaged. Shortly after officially announcing their engagement (and some drama over the reveal of Penelope's secret identity as Lady Whistledown, which plays out very differently in the show), the pair have sex for the first time.

But before they really get into it, Colin drops a devastating line of dirty talk.

Here's the actual passage from Quinn's novel:

"I want to see you sitting up,'" he groaned, "so I can see them full and lovely and large. And then I want to crawl behind you and cup you." His lips found her ear and his voice dropped to a whisper. "And I want to do it in front of a mirror."

"Now?" she squeaked.

He seemed to consider that for a moment, then shook his head. "Later," he said, and then repeated it in a rather resolute tone. "Later."

We don't see any actual sex in front of a mirror play out in the book, though. So congrats to Show Colin for finally getting to play out his fantasy on screen.

All episodes of season three of "Bridgerton" are now streaming on Netflix.