ADVERTISEMENT
Image Credit: Amazon MGM Studios

Um, Will Conrad Die In 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'? A Breakdown Of This Distressing Theory

As a Day 1 #TeamConrad woman, I’m extremely disturbed by the latest Summer I Turned Pretty conspiracy theory. It seems the fandom’s been getting pretty creative (derogatory) while they wait for the last few episodes to come out. (I guess Belly ending up with Jeremiah isn’t the worst possible ending after all!)

Apparently, lots of people are now convinced that Conrad’s gonna die in the series finale? The theory’s spreading like wildfire on TikTok and Reddit, of course, and it appears to be based on little moments throughout the season that fans are interpreting as foreshadowing. I do not like what I’m seeing. My husband deserves a fairytale happy ending after all the bullshit everyone’s put him through this season! I wanna see him with a big smile and a wedding ring — not in a coffin.

So, does Conrad actually die in The Summer I Turned Pretty? And where the fuck is this theory coming from? Here’s everything to know about the rumor that’s ruining my week.

Does Conrad Die In The Summer I Turned Pretty? Theory Breakdown

Why Do Fans Think Conrad Will Die In The Summer I Turned Pretty?

@alexisprkers#thesummeriturnedpretty #tsitp #tsitpseason3 #conradfisher #teamconrad ♬ son original – 🕷️


If you’ve been down the ~Conrad is definitely dying~ TikTok rabbit hole, I feel for you. It’s a dark corner of the internet, and I’ve wound up there myself a few times this week.

Basically, a bunch of TSITP fans are analyzing possible easter eggs/moments that might be foreshadowing Conrad dying or getting diagnosed with some kind of terminal illness. They’re making heartbreaking edits of his funeral… I’m really not okay.

But why?? Well, one creator, Kirsten Trout, observed that Conrad grabs his chest a lot throughout the season, and at one point, he mentions that heart disease runs in his family. She’s convinced he’ll be diagnosed with a serious heart condition by the end of the season.

@kirstentrout Replying to @✨💖Roslyn Peralta💖✨ ALSO IN THE COMMERCIAL BELLY SAYS “life’s too short to not spend it with the person that you love” is this Conrad?!?! 😭😭💕 #tsitp #thesummeriturnedpretty ♬ original sound – Kirsten Trout

Another fan echoed that sentiment and shared possibly telling moments from season 3 episode 7. There’s a clip of Belly saying, “All of a sudden he can’t stop injuring himself,” and a clip of Conrad sitting on the couch with Jeremiah, saying that his palms hurt. “Am I the only one scared Conrad has some kind of health condition,” they captioned the TikTok.

Some fans are… celebrating the theory? TikToker With a k said that she “fucks with” the Conrad death theory because she wants all the other characters to “feel pain” after how they treated him: “I want Jeremiah to feel the most pain. I want Belly to feel the most pain. Steven to feel the most pain, Adam to feel the most pain. Because y’all have been treating this man like dirt!” Okay, maybe that’s the karma they deserve, but Conrad doesn’t deserve to die!

@kommentarykeziah yall gon regret how yall been treating him #tsitp #thesummeriturnedpretty #conradfisher #jeremiahfisher #bellyconklin ♬ original sound – With a k

Does Conrad Die In The Summer I Turned Pretty Books?

Nope, Conrad doesn’t die or get diagnosed with a terminal illness in the books. But, TSITP author and show creator Jenny Han’s already teased that the show ends differently than the book. “I always knew how I wanted to end the books,” she told Elite Daily. “But with the show, I went into it with an open mind, I wanted to approach it with fresh eyes and just see what sort of magic happened on screen. I am somebody who is always changing things up.”

SPOILER ALERT: In the books, Conrad is perfectly healthy, and he and Belly eventually get married. Praying Jenny didn’t stray too far from that.

Ilana Frost
Ilana Frost is an entertainment writer at Betches. As a teenage girl in her twenties, she spends her time stanning Olivia Rodrigo, baking cakes for award shows, and refusing to ever leave her Reputation era.