This is how Bridgerton botched Regé-Jean Page’s character, Simon, in the Daphne-Simon dynamic, leaving his side of the story unresolved

From its opening episode, Bridgerton captivated audiences with the magnetic connection between Daphne and Simon. However, as the season progressed, a growing imbalance in their arcs became difficult to overlook.

Daphne, while portrayed with evident flaws, ultimately achieved what she desired: love, marriage, and a family. The narrative offered her space to act, stumble, and still find resolution. However for Simon, whose emotional scars ran far deeper, was not afforded the same treatment. His trauma, shaped by a painful childhood and a deep fear of vulnerability, was never meaningfully addressed or resolved.

One pivotal scene highlighted this imbalance perfectly, you know which scene I am talking about. While Daphne’s frustrations were understandable, how she confronted Simon was seriously not okay. His perspective was left largely unexplored, and his pain was pushed aside to move the plot forward. Here is more on that!

How Bridgerton failed Simon and why Daphne’s treatment of him was far from fair!!

Bridgerton did a great job building up Daphne and Simon’s relationship, the friendship, the tension, and the slow-burn love everything was there. We saw them connect, fall for each other, and try to make things work. But when it came to their deeper issues and emotional conflicts, the show barely scratched the surface.

Phoebe Dynevor in Bridgerton | Credits: Netflix

Most of the focus stayed on the romantic spark, while the real problems between them, especially Simon’s, weren’t fully explored. Daphne’s point of view was clear. Her frustration made sense, and the show did a good job of showing her anger and confusion. The scene where she confronts her mother about not preparing her for marriage was powerful.

And while she had a right to feel hurt and betrayed by Simon, her arguments with him felt a bit rushed. There was room for more depth, more honesty, about why she felt manipulated by his decision to keep her in the dark.

But the biggest letdown was how Simon’s side of the story was handled. His reasons for not wanting children might have seemed dramatic or confusing to others, but they came from real pain, being rejected by his father, growing up alone, and feeling unworthy. The show hinted at this but never really took the time to fully explore it. We never fully saw how much that promise he made to himself meant to him, or how hard it was to let go of it.

They had a chance to show us how falling in love with Daphne, seeing her close-knit family, and finally feeling accepted could’ve started to change his thinking. And how deeply betrayed he must’ve felt when Daphne forced the issue in “that “scene. But instead, it all moved too quickly, and Simon’s emotional journey got left behind.

In the end, Daphne got what she wanted, and her story felt complete. Simon, though, was left without real closure. For a character with such a powerful backstory, it was a missed opportunity, and one that left many viewers feeling like the Duke deserved more.

Let’s talk about THAT scene and how Daphne completely and utterly let Simon down!

Now let’s talk about that scene, the scene in question is one of Bridgerton‘s most controversial moments, and for good reason. Daphne’s reaction after finding out the real truth was understandable, she felt deceived, hurt, and ultimately betrayed. But what happens next is where the emotional complexity of the situation completely changes, and Daphne’s treatment of Simon crosses a line that can’t easily be ignored.

Regé-Jean Page in a still from Bridgerton | Credits: Netflix

When Daphne learns the truth, the focus shifts entirely to her pain and disappointment. The show makes it clear that her emotional pain is valid; she feels like she’s been lied to about something as crucial as the possibility of having a family. But the way she handles that pain, and more importantly, the way she forces Simon into a position where he has no choice but to fulfill his part of the marriage, physically and emotionally, is where the problem lies.

Daphne’s decision to force Simon to finish inside her, even though he has repeatedly expressed his unwillingness, is an absolute emotional violation. In that moment, Daphne was not just confronting him about his choices or his past. She’s demanding something from him, forcing him to do something that he had made clear was deeply tied to his personal fears. It was so heartbreaking to see him stammer yet again as a grown man after that moment happened

What makes this even more heartbreaking is that Simon’s emotional state is barely acknowledged. The fact that Daphne doesn’t stop to consider how deeply this moment will affect Simon, the trauma it may resurface, and the emotional scars it will reopen was downright disgusting.

Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor in Bridgerton | Credit: Netflix

Simon isn’t simply a man withholding what Daphne wants; he’s a man whose deepest fear of inadequacy has been painfully confirmed in a way he wasn’t prepared for. And yet, Daphne doesn’t take a moment to understand him. She doesn’t allow him the space to express his pain, guilt, or even his anger. Instead, she’s so consumed by her own vanity that she traps him in a situation where he has no way out and no defense.

What hurts the most is what happens afterward. His trauma remains unresolved, and the show barely gives us a glimpse of him confronting the aftermath of that moment. It’s as if the emotional damage Simon suffers is swept aside to focus on Daphne’s journey, since she’s the star, the main character, the namesake of the show.

Ultimately, this scene was more than just controversial. Simon didn’t just need Daphne to understand him; he needed her to truly see him—everything he’d been through and everything he was still carrying. Unfortunately, the show chose to move on, leaving Simon to carry all of it alone, and that breaks my heart.

Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.