When does Susannah die in The Summer I Turned Pretty? Character's fate, explored

The Summer I Turned Pretty is a story carved by grief. The series, based on the books by Jenny Han (yes, the author of the To All the Boys series) transcends our typical sun-soaked romances about fleeting crushes and beachside heartbreaks. A profound exploration of grief lies at its core, and this motif becomes the transformative storm reshaping every character's world in the second season of the TV adaptation.

Susannah Fisher has passed away. She was the lifeblood of Cousins Beach and the glue that held families together. Her untimely demise causes a seismic shift, destroying the hope of eternal summers and bringing her loved ones face a reality that will never be the same. The phrase "we’ll always have summer" (name of the third book in the The Summer book series) takes on a bittersweet meaning, representing a summer that was promised to be eternal but is now lost forever.

At the Fisher house, why is Susannah's absence always noticeable? In light of her passing, what lessons can we draw about love, memory, and the challenges that lie ahead when a part of you clings on? This piece investigates the aftereffects of a single death and addresses concerns like these.

The unraveling: how Susannah's death changes everything in The Summer I Turned Pretty

The first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty concluded with a fragile hope as Susannah agreed to a clinical trial, a final attempt to extend her time. By the opening moments of season 2, that hope has vanished. The series shows the truth: Susannah's cancer came back bad, the therapies didn't work, and she passed away in the spring. The funeral is a somber and oppressive occasion, in sharp contrast to the lively summers that Cousins Beach used to be known for.

The way the show pulls viewers into the aftermath is where the real destruction happens. The Fisher house, which used to be a hub of late-night chatter and laughter, now seems more like a museum devoted to recollections. There is a heavier weight to the air. A new tone is produced by the waves. So much so that even the sunshine seems tainted by sadness.

The protagonists and antagonists go through life as pale reflections of who they once were. Despite her former boundless enthusiasm for summer, Belly now approaches it with a ghostly air. As a result of losing Susannah, she struggles in school, loses interest in swimming, and struggles to reconcile her pre- and post-Susanna identities.

Because he is so introverted by nature, Conrad goes into seclusion. He carries the weight of Susannah's secrets as her son and confidant. He grows distant from Belly not out of a lack of affection but out of a dread of further suffering as a result of the overwhelming guilt he feels for not being able to save her.

The most profound fissures are exposed by Jeremiah, who remains eternally hopeful. He puts on an act by smiling, making jokes, and acting like nothing is wrong, but when he's alone, his mask comes off. The fact stays that they have all been unable to find serenity.

Their view of the world is drastically altered after Susannah's death. The sound of her laughter reverberates throughout the beach. She turns the house into a series of rooms she'll never set foot in again.

The haunting: Susannah's last gifts

Aware of her limited time, Susannah left behind more than memories, she scattered pieces of herself throughout the lives of her loved ones. Steven's graduation gift, a laptop she arranged for him before her death, conveys a message: "I believed in your future, even knowing I wouldn't witness it." When he opens it, her absence strikes him anew.

For Conrad and Jeremiah, her presence lingers in subtle, poignant ways. An unfinished crossword on the kitchen table becomes a relic of her daily routine. The scent of her perfume carried by the breeze transports them to irretrievable moments. The letters she wrote them remain unopened, containing words they cannot yet face. These items function as emotional landmines, one unexpected reminder triggers a fresh wave of grief.

The silence after the storm: how grief reshapes relationships

Among the most heartbreaking consequences of Susannah's death is how it alters dynamics between characters who once relied on each other. Belly and Conrad actively distance themselves, not from anger, but because witnessing each other's pain becomes unbearable. Every interaction carries unspoken grief, making simple conversations feel treacherous.

Jeremiah and Conrad, once united by love for their mother, struggle to connect. Conrad's withdrawal leaves Jeremiah feeling abandoned, while Jeremiah's forced cheerfulness intensifies Conrad's isolation. Laurel and the Fisher family, previously sharing an unbreakable bond, now cautiously interact, uncertain how to navigate a world without Susannah bridging their gaps.

Grief isolates them while forcing them to accept that they cannot heal each other. Each must find their own path through darkness, even when that means traveling alone for a time.

Why Susannah's death was necessary (and what it teaches us)

From a narrative perspective, Susannah's death serves a purpose beyond tragedy. It catalyzes The Summer I Turned Pretty's maturation. Where the first season explored first loves and sunburned kisses, season 2 confronts the brutal truth that summer ends, people leave, and grief offers no instruction manual.

Belly learns that love encompasses more than passion; it demands presence, especially when someone you love is falling apart. Conrad discovers that grief cannot be outrun, regardless of how fast he drives or how many emotional barriers he constructs. Jeremiah realizes that being "the happy one" still allows space for vulnerability and collapse.

Most significantly, the show illustrates that losing someone physically doesn't erase their presence. Susannah's love persists: in Belly hearing her voice during moments of fear, in Conrad adopting her phrases, in Jeremiah maintaining her table-setting preferences.

The legacy of a woman who loved abundantly

Susannah Fisher embodied more than motherhood and friendship. She architected the world these characters inhabited. When she died, that world lost its center and required rebuilding around her absence.

The Summer I Turned Pretty transcends typical teen drama by using Susannah's death to explore grief's impact on love, how loss forces growth, and how those we lose remain part of us. They continue living through our laughter, tears, and perseverance beyond summer's end. Perhaps this represents the most beautiful aspect of all.

Living with absence: The true meaning of "forever summer"

In the quiet moments between heartbreaks and healing, The Summer I Turned Pretty reveals its deeper truth: that grief transforms rather than diminishes love. Through flashbacks, letters, and memories that surface unexpectedly, Susannah remains an active presence guiding her loved ones forward. The beach house, once filled with her laughter, becomes sacred ground where each room holds memories both painful and precious.

Conrad discovers her unfinished crossword puzzles tucked in books throughout the house, silent testaments to interrupted plans and thoughts she never shared. Jeremiah finds unexpected solace arranging flowers exactly as she once did, a ritual that connects him to her aesthetic sensibility. Belly, meandering through the house during sleepless nights, discovers small notes Susannah left for her sons, affirmations of strength and expressions of pride that now read like prophecies.

What makes The Summer I Turned Pretty profoundly moving is how it portrays grief not as an event but as a journey without destination. The characters learn to carry Susannah with them: in Conrad's newfound ability to voice his emotions, in Jeremiah's moments of vulnerability beneath his cheerful facade, in Belly's determination to honor promises made.

These characters learn that moving forward never means leaving someone behind. Instead, they incorporate Susannah's essence into who they're becoming. The Fisher boys don't just remember their mother but they embody different aspects of her spirit: her compassion, her intuition, her capacity for joy amid suffering.

Ultimately, Susannah's legacy endures. Her love, guidance, and warmth permanently reside within the Fisher and Conklin families. Her memory strengthens rather than fades with time; it becomes an intrinsic part of their identities and informs how they navigate a world forever changed by her absence.

The Summer I Turned Pretty began as a narrative of first loves and summer days, but will forever be defined by the love that remains when summer ends and the profound truth that those we truly love are never truly gone.