Conrad Fisher Character Autopsy: What All Three Seasons Reveal About Him and What to Expect in The Summer I Turned Pretty Movie
Conrad has never been confused about whether he loves Belly. His real problem is that he believes loving someone means carrying the pain alone, deciding what is best for everyone and disappearing before anyone can stop him.
That one habit explains almost everything: the infinity necklace he keeps in his pocket, the prom breakup he barely tries to prevent, the motel confession he takes back by morning and the wedding he helps Belly plan for his own brother.
Season One: He Hides the Truth and Pushes Belly Away
In season one, Conrad already knows Susannah’s cancer has returned. Everyone else is enjoying the perfect summer she wants to give them, while he is silently preparing to lose his mother.
That is why he quits football, drinks, fights with his father and pulls away from Belly just as she is ready to get closer to him. Even the infinity necklace becomes part of the pattern. He buys it because he understands what Belly means to him, then hides it because admitting those feelings would make everything more real.
His panic attack on the sailboat is the first time we see how much he is holding inside. Yet when Jeremiah disappears from the debutante ball after discovering Susannah’s secret, Conrad immediately steps in to dance with Belly. This is Conrad in one scene: terrible at explaining how he feels, but always watching closely enough to notice when someone needs him.
Only after Susannah’s illness is revealed does Conrad finally kiss Belly. Once the secret is no longer his to carry, he allows himself to choose her.
Season Two: He Disappears Instead of Asking for Help
Season two shows how much damage that habit can cause.
At prom, Susannah is getting worse and Conrad is barely holding himself together. He cannot explain that to Belly, so she assumes he no longer wants their relationship. She ends it, and he lets her walk away.
After Susannah dies, Conrad disappears from college and tries to save the Cousins house alone. Even when he gets into Stanford, something Susannah wanted for him, the news triggers another panic attack. This time Steven stays with him, showing Conrad that he does not always have to manage everything by himself.
Then comes the motel. Conrad tells Belly he still wants her after seeing her with Jeremiah, but takes it back the next morning and leaves the infinity necklace behind. He believes stepping aside is the kind thing to do. The problem is that he once again makes the decision for Belly instead of giving her the truth and allowing her to choose.
Season Three: He Finally Starts Saying What He Means
By season three, Conrad is in therapy and building a life in California. He is calmer and more honest with himself, but his first instinct is still to put Jeremiah before his own happiness.
When Belly and Jeremiah announce their engagement, Conrad does not try to ruin it. He helps Belly with the wedding instead. He runs errands, fixes problems and pays attention when Jeremiah does not.
The peach scene makes his feelings painfully obvious. Conrad notices Belly wants another peach, buys it for her and wipes the juice from her chin. He still struggles to say “I love you,” but his attention says it for him.
We later learn that Conrad promised Susannah he would look after Jeremiah. He has spent years treating that promise as a rule that Jeremiah’s happiness must always come before his own. Learning what happened in Cabo finally changes that. Conrad admits that he still loves Belly, although his timing remains painfully Conrad: the wedding is almost there.
The wedding does not collapse because of his confession alone. Belly and Jeremiah’s engagement is already carrying betrayal, secrets and Belly’s unresolved feelings for Conrad. When Belly admits that she still loves him, Jeremiah refuses to marry her.
What Conrad does next proves that he has changed. He works on repairing his relationship with Jeremiah. He writes to Belly without demanding an answer. Then he goes to Paris and tells her how he feels without hiding behind another sacrifice.
Belly initially sends him away, and Conrad respects her decision. She is the one who runs to the train and chooses him. For once, Conrad does not decide what is best for her. He lets Belly decide for herself.
And that is the biggest clue for the movie.
The movie is now in production, and Jenny Han has said it will follow another major milestone in Belly’s life. Since Belly and Conrad are together and their wedding has not yet appeared on screen, the milestone is very likely their marriage.
I do not think the movie will reopen the love triangle. Belly had an entire life in Paris before choosing Conrad freely. Making her question that choice again would undo the ending of season three.
What feels more believable is that the movie will show Belly and Conrad trying to build a real adult life together.
Belly has created a future beyond Cousins, while Conrad’s medical path has taken him to California. They will have to decide where to live and how to support both careers.
Conrad’s old response would be to sacrifice his own future, tell Belly she deserves better and quietly leave. His growth will be learning to make that decision with her instead.
The wedding could also bring Conrad’s grief back. Susannah imagined Belly becoming part of the Fisher family, but she will not be there to see it happen. Conrad may panic or pull away when that loss becomes real again. The difference this time should be simple: he tells Belly, Jeremiah or Steven that he is struggling, accepts their help and stays.
Jeremiah also needs to be part of the ending. Conrad has spent years believing that being a good brother means giving Jeremiah whatever he wants.
The movie can finally show both brothers choosing each other without turning Belly into something one of them has won.
Jeremiah standing beside Conrad at the wedding would complete that story better than another fight ever could.
So this is what I think we will see: a Belly and Conrad wedding in Cousins, Susannah’s absence quietly felt, Jeremiah beside his brother and one final moment when Conrad is tempted to disappear but does not.
When you and I are watching him reach for Belly’s hand, the ring will not be the detail I am waiting for.
I will be watching to see whether Conrad finally understands that he does not have to leave to prove he loves someone.
Your Conrad department has reached its verdict: this time, he stays.