Dear readers, Bridgerton Season 2 is only a few months away! With the anticipation of the second season comes speculation about the series' latest leading lady -- Kate Sharma. After Season 1's success, Bridgerton proved a market for mainstream adaptations of romance novels exists. Subsequently, its mass appeal begs the question of whether or not Bridgerton should emulate the storytelling beats of Daphne and Simon's romance when telling Anthony Bridgerton and Kate's romance. Moreover, it is an unfortunate side effect of popular culture that some fans will compare Daphne and Kate as if competition is necessary.

The contrasts between the women and their romantic ventures are evident in the source material -- The Duke & I and The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn. Furthermore, Daphne and Simon's "fake courting" trope shouldn't be replicated for Anthony and Kate when the "enemies-to-lovers" trope is perfect for them, especially considering Anthony's outward demeanor in Season 1. Anthony's perception of love and women leading into the latest season tees him up for a reckoning, and Kate Sharma is the perfect woman to knock him off his pedestal. The first sneak peek at Season 2 shows Kate doing just this after hearing Anthony speak of women as tools rather than human beings.

Kate and Anthony staring at each other in Season 2 of Bridgerton.

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Kate doesn't apologize or cower in the face of someone as influential as Anthony Bridgerton (not that Daphne would either). Instead, Kate forces his hand, so Anthony is the one to step back and rethink his words. Unlike Daphne, Kate isn't the Diamond of the season and has no desire to find a love match as a means of romantic fulfillment and familial security. Because of that, Kate has less affinity for maintaining bridges with men like Anthony. Rather, her sights are acutely focused on ensuring her sister Edwina (the actual Diamond) marries a man with the best intentions.

Daphne and Kate are fiercely loyal to and protective of their families. However, Kate's manifestation of those qualities is different from Daphne's because of their personalities and desired roles in society. Daphne often uses the patriarchal system she lives in as a means to find a love match, a comfortable lifestyle for herself, and most importantly, a stable future for her mother and siblings. Daphne's methods are sometimes commendable and sometimes controversial.

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Daphne-Bridgerton

As seen in the clip, Kate's methods are different, and that should be encouraged rather than scorned. Bridgerton cannot replicate Daphne's tale with Kate because it simply would not work, and it would simply be boring to watch the same story unfold in eerily familiar ways. Kate Sharma has no problem breaking down the patriarchy and looking out for her family in her own way -- one Viscount at a time.

Kate's soon-to-be epic love story with Anthony is only one chapter of the upcoming season. The Bridgertons are a tight-knit group, and the first season does a commendable job of creating real bonds between the family members. The cast's chemistry is excellent in that regard. Season 2 will also focus on another family -- the Sharmas. Kate's love story with her sister Edwina is equally compelling and influential to the overall story. It will be interesting to see  if Bridgerton can strike that balance more finely than it does in Season 1.

Kate and the Sharmas in Season 2 of Bridgerton

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Kate's two great loves are beautifully connected. So, the show would miss out on the unique qualities of the Sharma sisters by emulating the season before it. Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey's chemistry is already electric, giving perfect amounts of push-and-pull that come from the beginnings of an "enemies-to-lovers" romance. Still, Charithra Chandran (who will play Edwina) and Ashley's chemistry should be as much a selling point of Season 2's success.

As for Daphne and Kate, foundational similarities between two female characters shouldn't create competition. Kate deserves her time in the spotlight without the burden of stepping into Daphne's shoes and walking in her shadow. Kate's relationships with the women in her life are as formidable as the fan-favorite one between Eloise and Penelope. Why compare two female romantic leads when their similarities and differences can build a strong friendship? If one thing is certain about Bridgerton, it knows great romances can be platonic, too.

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