Heartstopper Season 2 ending explained: Does Charlie share his dark secret with Nick?

Heartstopper Season 2 is finally here, and we’re answering the questions of the ending: do Charlie and Nick say “I love you”? Are Elle and Tao endgame? Does Darcy open up to Tara? And what about Imogen, Sahar, and Isaac?

Heartstopper Season 2 has finally arrived on Netflix to rave reviews, continuing the story of Charlie, Nick, and their Truham Grammar friends as they deal with love, life, and coming-of-age with authentic LGBTQ+ representation.

The show picks up where Season 1 left off: Tao and Elle are up in the air but are both still crushing; Charlie and Nick are back on; Tara and Darcy are going strong; and Nick came out as bisexual to his mom. 

The second chapter of the series, based on the LGBTQ+ graphic novel and webcomic series of the same name, has topped the Netflix chart, so we’ve broken down the ending as we explain what goes down in the eighth and final episode. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Heartstopper Season 2!

Heartstopper Season 2 ending: Does Charlie share his dark secret with Nick?

Yes, Charlie finally opens up to Nick about the homophobic bullying he endured at school the year before, which caused him to self harm and develop an eating disorder. 

Much of Heartstopper Season 2 deals with Nick’s struggle to come out to the world as bisexual and announce that Charlie is his boyfriend – not least due to the homophobia he experiences from his brother and some of his rugby friends. 

Alongside this, we learn that Charlie is dealing with an eating disorder, even passing out earlier on in the season while on a school trip in Paris. 

Nick helps him to overcome the issue after Charlie admits that following the bullying, he feels food is the “only thing” he has “control” over. But the issue comes up again, and Charlie being Charlie, he tries his best to deal with it all on his own. 

However, in Episode 8, Nick asks him to open up while reminding him that he’s not going to be scared away if he does. 

“I know you like everything to be fine and happy and perfect all the time, but you don’t have to be perfect with me,” Nick tells Charlie, to which Charlie responds: “Someone just heard Tao talking about me coming out. I think it surprised me how homophobic people are. I thought things were better nowadays.”

Charlie bravely admits that he used to cut himself in a bid to deal with the pain, and says he doesn’t want to feel that way anymore. At the same time, he says he doesn’t want to “burden” anyone with his problems and doesn’t want Nick to see him as a “fragile mess” who needs “fixing.”

But Nick reminds Charlie that he’s been there for him throughout his entire coming out journey, and Charlie agrees to tell him when he’s struggling. 

Heartstopper Season 2 ending: Do Nick and Charlie say “I love you”?

While having their heart to heart, Nick very nearly tells Charlie that he loves him, but just before the words can get out, his mom comes home and interrupts their conversation. 

On his way home, Charlie looks at a picture of him and Nick together, and he types out the words “I love you” to send to him. His thumb hovers over the send button, but before he hits it, the credits start rolling. 

Guess we’ll have to wait until Season 3 to find out if they say those three important words to each other.

Heartstopper Season 2 ending: What happens with Elle and Tao?

Heartstopper Season 2 ends with Elle accepting the offer to study at the Lambert School of Art – and though it may be tricky for Tao, he’s happy for her and the pair are set to embark on a long distance relationship. 

Elle and Tao were in a “will they, won’t they” situation for what felt like forever, but this all changes in Season 2 when the pair finally get past the awkwardness and share a kiss, which soon turns into a relationship. 

But when Elle finds out she’s been accepted into art school, she’s worried about Tao’s reaction, given how difficult he found it with Charlie spending more time with Nick and the change in dynamic of their friendship group. 

While showcasing her work at the “Here and Queer” exhibition held by the school, one of the organizers blurts out the news in front of Tao, and initially he looks hurt. But he soon tells Elle that he isn’t annoyed and says not to base her decisions on how he feels. 

In Episode 8, the pair come together for a dance at the “Summer of Love” prom and they kiss, before Elle tells Tao that she wants to go to Lambert. “I know,” says Tao, and the pair smile at each other and carry on dancing. 

Heartstopper Season 2 ending: Does Darcy open up to Tara?

Yes, Darcy opens up to Tara about her mom in the Heartstopper Season 2 finale, which explains why she’s been holding back her feelings. The pair then say “I love you” to one another. 

During the Paris trip, Tara tells Darcy she loves her, only for Darcy to change the subject and ignore the issue altogether. Things come to a head during the prom when Darcy doesn’t show up, leading a worried Tara to go to her home. 

She’s confronted with Darcy’s homophobic mother, and she realizes just how serious the situation is at home for her girlfriend. When Darcy finally shows up and their friendship group all head back to Nick’s for their own personal prom, the pair are able to get some time alone. 

Darcy explains to Tara that while she may be confident about her sexuality at school, “I hide who I am when I’m at home… sometimes my mom makes me hate myself. But then, you said, ‘I love you.’ But what if that person doesn’t exist?”

“So you were scared to say it back because you didn’t really believe that I could love you?” asks Tara, to which Darcy replies: “You’ve only ever seen half of my life.”

But Tara reassures her, saying that now she’s “seen the other half” and she still loves her. “I am so in love with you,” says Darcy. “I’m just bad at saying it.” The couple then proceed to say how much they love each other, giving a happy resolution to their story – which is set to continue in Season 3. 

Heartstopper Season 2 ending: Do Imogen and Sahar get together?

No, Imogen and Sahar don’t get together in Season 2 of Heartstopper – but that’s not to say this can’t happen in the future. 

Up until now, Imogen has been portrayed as being straight, having previously had a crush on Nick. However, her new friendship group may have opened her eyes to her true sexuality, as she’s been seeing Sahar in a new light after finding out that she’s bisexual. 

In Episode 8, Imogen watches Sahar playing guitar in the band at prom, and Sahar spots her in the crowd. The pair exchange a smile and a look of admiration – could things go further in Season 3? Time will tell. 

Heartstopper Season 2 ending: Does Isaac come out as asexual?

While Isaac doesn’t come out as asexual in Heartstopper Season 2, he does read the asexuality book Ace while in the presence of his pals at the prom after party, showing he doesn’t feel judged by his friends. 

Isaac explores his sexuality in Season 2, with the Paris trip initially suggesting he might strike up a relationship with James. However, when the pair go in for a kiss, Isaac pulls away and is left feeling frustrated and confused. 

This all changes at the “Here and Queer” exhibition when one of the artists explains to him that his installation is about his journey to discovering he’s asexual – which is defined as a lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity.

Isaac realizes this perfectly describes how he’s feeling, and everything starts to make sense. At the prom, he heads to the library where he finds the book Ace, which explores what it means to be asexual in a world that’s obsessed with sexual attraction.

This is another arc we’ll likely hear more about in Season 3.

Heartstopper Seasons 1 & 2 are available to stream on Netflix now. Check out our other coverage below:

• Hearstopper Season 2 cast & characters
• Does Charlie have an easting disorder?
• Hearstopper Season 3: Everything we know
• Heartstopper Season 3: Spoilers and speculation

You can also check out some of our other Netflix hubs below: 

The Night Agent Season 2 | The Gentlemen | Sex Education Season 4 | Beef Season 2 | Monster Season 2 | Will there be Ginny and Georgia Season 3? | All the Light We Cannot See | Stranger Things Season 5 | The Witcher Season 3 | Chicken Run 2 | Heartstopper Season 2 | Florida Man Season 2 | Obsession Season 2 | The Sandman Season 2