*This article contains spoilers for Heartstopper season 2*
Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman has confirmed that Ben (Sebastian Croft) won't return to the Netflix series — and here's why.
Late in Heartstopper season 2, Ben showed up at the Lambert queer art show where he revealed to Charlie (Joe Locke) that he's leaving Truham.
In an emotional scene, Ben apologizes for his behavior towards Charlie, and, in turn, Charlie gets to detail exactly how his relationship with Ben had affected him. Per Oseman's comments to Tudum, we know this is it for the character, as she said: 'Ben's role in Heartstopper is now complete.'
"As season 2 begins to unpack the trauma that Charlie carries with him due to his toxic relationship with Ben and the bullying he has faced in the past, I felt Ben's presence was necessary to address those topics properly", Oseman said.
The creator went on to explain how they felt it would have been 'needlessly cruel' to offer the character a kind of redemption arc in the series. "Particularly as the aftershocks of Ben's manipulations are still causing Charlie pain. Ben can become a better person, but Charlie should not have to witness that, endorse it, or offer any forgiveness. And so he won't," they added.
Ben already had an extended role in the series compared to the original Heartstopper comics, as he did not appear beyond Heartstopper's first volume.
Sebastian Croft also weighed on his character's exit whilst filming season 2 back in November 2022. "Alice and I both felt strongly about him not having a redemption arc", he said.
"It's a really beautiful way of having these two people who have been through a lot — and Ben's been horrible to Charlie — to have that conversation and explore it on a deeper level than I felt like we got to do in season 1" Croft said of his goodbye.
Sebastian Croft also spoke about what his actual exit from the series would look like.
In his last moment in the show, Ben walks away from an animated rainbow wave that nearly washes over him. "I really wanted Ben to have a Heartstopper moment in some way", Croft said.
"I see this beautiful world of Heartstopper and then Ben who can't be welcomed in... I feel like lots of people would connect with that feeling of being scared to become part of the community and where you fit in."
Heartstopper season 2 is now streaming on Netflix. For more shows to enjoy, check out our recommendations for the very best shows on Netflix that you should be streaming right now.
