The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3’s new addition Blake was already introduced back in Season 2: Here’s how

 The Summer I Turned Pretty ( Image via YouTube / Prime Video )
The Summer I Turned Pretty ( Image via YouTube / Prime Video )

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 seemingly brings in a new character, by the name of Blake, who shows up in Episode 7, Last Hurrah, at Jeremiah's bachelor party. He is introduced as Jeremiah's old boyfriend, thus providing something new to Jeremiah's arc. Blake does show up as a completely new individual at first, but the series did kind of set up his arrival previously in an earlier season.

Blake's name was first heard by the fans in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2, Episode 5, when Jeremiah mentioned his name offhandedly. That inconspicuous referral didn't amount to anything at the time but seeded a possibility that developed into a larger reveal further into Season 3. That slow build continuity informs us that Blake was not dropped suddenly but built quietly ahead of time.


Who is Blake in The Summer I Turned Pretty?

Blake is a new character who appears in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 7, Last Hurrah. He appears at Jeremiah's bachelor party and then is subsequently introduced as Jeremiah's ex-boyfriend, whom Belly already knew about. His name popped up first in Season 2, Episode 5, when Jeremiah mentioned that he attended homecoming with Blake. It was said in the passing then, but Season 3 tells us that indeed, Blake was definitely an important person from Jeremiah's past.

Portrayed by Carson Blyskal, Blake never appears in Jenny Han's trilogy. He's a television exclusive character who was added to make Jeremiah's background richer. By his appearance, the show freely indulges in Jeremiah's bisexuality, demonstrating that his relationships are more than the overall love triangle between Belly, Conrad, and himself.

Blake's part is very small; however, his guest appearance does work to fill in the continuity from Seasons 2 to 3, rewarding viewers who picked up on the previous hint.


The first mention of Blake in Season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty

Blake's name was dropped in Episode 5 of Season 2. Conrad inquires of Jeremiah if he went out with anyone when discussing homecoming. Jeremiah receives a quick answer: "I went with Blake." The scene is done in a matter of seconds, in silence and no response, and most weren't looking back at the scene.

Then, his mention was waved off as a throwaway in Jeremiah's existence but, in hindsight, became the first breadcrumb that opened the door to Blake's eventual coming. The temporary mention suggests that the authors had him under contract in Jeremiah's past, many years before The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 introduced him to television.


Blake's entrance in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3

Blake is seen in person for the first time ever in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 7. He attends Jeremiah's bachelor party. Later, Belly informs Anika that Blake is not a one-shot guest; he's Jeremiah's ex. This is the first time ever that the show comes out and just flat out says Jeremiah has dated him.

The reference back to Season 2's homecoming episode makes this one important. What was initially a fleeting reference now connects Jeremiah's backstory and helps us get his life of loves. The show takes this opportunity to develop Jeremiah's character in a way that feels organic to what has gone on.


Why Blake matters in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3

Blake's introduction in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 deepens Jeremiah's character and his backstory. While the overall storyline of the show does revolve around Belly and how she interacts with Conrad and Jeremiah, having Blake around means Jeremiah's been having those romantic trysts beyond the principal triangle.

The revelation also informs us that Jeremiah is bisexual, which was an early mention but not delved into. In giving Blake a real on-camera presence, it makes Jeremiah's previous relationships seem more legitimate, giving his character something to develop from.

This is not something that disrupts the overall narrative but provides some additional facts that supplement the story already in existence.


Blake and the book comparison

You should note that Blake is not a character in Jenny Han's original trilogy. In the books, Jeremiah's relationship with people other than Belly and Conrad is not treated in this manner. This makes Blake an original character who was specifically introduced to the TV show.

With the addition of him to The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, the showrunners filled in the tale without detracting from Jeremiah's character that had been established previously. Adding Blake to the plot shows how the adaptation sometimes adds new information for additional characterization without affecting the overall storyline.


How the reveal affects viewers of The Summer I Turned Pretty

For those who recall Jeremiah's The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 comeback line, Blake's comeback in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 is a deliberate callback. It welds two seasons together in a way that is a payoff for faithful watching. To others, the surprise may have been disorienting, but the continuity was built into the dialogue all along.

This is how the series builds minute bits of information episode after episode, only to come back to them later in a larger impact. The reference to Season 2, and subsequently the return of Blake in Season 3, are examples of the writers' efforts at maintaining internal consistency within the narrative of the series.


Thus, Blake's development from a brief mention in the course of a The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 conversation to a real character in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 is worth it. Him showing up at the bachelor party is a forthright call-back to the earlier mention of homecoming, and it's worth it that this was being built over time and not dumped all at once.

While he doesn't show up everywhere throughout the series, having Blake introduce him helps bring us up to speed on Jeremiah's world and fill out the show's character work for the relationship aspect. It's a wink that what was perhaps relegated to small somewhere along the line within earlier episodes will turn out to be big in the future, enriching the experience for those clever enough to find them.

Also read: The Summer I Turned Pretty: Here’s all you need to know about Jeremiah’s favorite Mirror Glaze cake

Edited by Sangeeta Mathew