Don’t cry because it’s over, Heartstopper fans—smile because the Heartstopper Forever movie is now streaming on Netflix, and it’s exactly the heart-wrenching, romantic love story that Nick and Charlie deserve.
Directed by Wash Westmoreland (known for his collabs with his late husband, Richard Glatzer, on films like Still Alice), and written by Alice Oseman (who created and wrote the Heartstopper web series and graphic novels), Heartstopper Forever will act as the series finale of this beloved Netflix original, which was sadly cancelled after three seasons. Stars Joe Locke and Kit Connor are once again back as Nick and Charlie. All their friends think they are perfect boyfriends, but can their relationship survive as the boys enter a new phase of their lives, as Nick prepares to leave for university? Or will it succumb to the fate of most failed teenage relationships?
We know that Hearstopper fans are anxious to know if Heartstopper Forever has a happy ending or not. To spare you the angst, read on for a full breakdown of the Heartstopper Forever plot summary and Heartstopper Forever ending, including whether Nick and Charlie break up in Heartstopper Forever.
Heartstopper Forever plot summary:
Heartstopper Forever opens with Charlie (Joe Locke) delivering a speech to his classmates for his campaign as Head Boy, in which he promises to address the bullying—especially the homophobic bullying—at his school. He nails his speech, and wins the election. Charlie’s feeling good about that, and he’s also feeling good about his relationship with his boyfriend Nick (Kit Connor). Yes, this is Nick’s last year before he leaves for university, but Charlie has faith they can make long distance work and be together forever.
Nick is feeling less confident than Charlie. His older brother David (Jack Barton) is back home, which adds to his anxiety. Nick isn’t sure who he is or what he’s good at, outside of being Charlie’s boyfriend. When Charlie’s eating disorder issues start to flair up again, Nick starts to feel like maybe he’s not good at being Charlie’s boyfriend, either.
Nick starts acting out. On a night out at the bar, he gets wasted, and jealously confronts another man who was flirting with Charlie. The next morning, when Charlie tries to have a conversation with Nick about whats going on with him, Nick insists he is fine, and brushes off Charlie’s concerns. Soon after, Nick gets into a nasty fight during a rugby game. This time, when Charlie confronts Nick, Nick admits he is struggling, and feels like it’s his fault that Charlie is relapsing. Charlie suggests maybe Nick needs something in his life that isn’t rugby or his boyfriend, so Nick gets a job working with dogs at an animal shelter.
Meanwhile, Nick and Charlie’s friends, Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney), break up, yet again. Charlie starts to have doubts that he and Nick will last. What if they are just another teenage relationship doomed to fail, like Tao and Elle? Charlie gets in his head, and his eating disorder gets worse.
Things between Charlie and Nick are tense. They attend a house party together, but spend the night apart. Eventually, Charlie finds Nick alone in the kitchen. Nick accuses Charlie of avoiding him all night. Charlie apologizes and explains he wanted Nick to have a good time, and wanted to stay out of Nick’s way. He confesses he’s worried their relationship won’t survive when Nick goes off to uni.
Do Nick and Charlie break up in Heartstopper Forever?
Nick and Charlie do break up in Heartstopper Forever. But don’t panic! It’s not a permanent break up! These boys just need some space to figure out who they are without each other, before they find their way back together.
Here’s how it happens: In the kitchen, at that party, Charlie confronts Nick about not communicating well about how he’s struggling this year. Charlie admits he believes Nick isn’t communicating because he’s trying protect Charlie, and suggests maybe they should both take some space. He doesn’t want Nick worrying about him while he’s at uni. He insists he just wants Nick to be happy.
“So we should break up, then? For some space? That’s basically what you’re saying, isn’t it?” Nick asks, with angry tears in his eyes.
“If that’s what you want,” Charlie replies.
“No, no, I’m asking if that’s what you want,” Nick shoots back.
“I want you to be happy!”
“I’m only happy when I’m with you!” Nick shouts.
Then, Charlie delivers this crushing blow: “I don’t think that’s how it should be.”
A devastated Nick says he thinks Charlie would be better off without him, too. He tells Charlie not to worry about him, and walks away. Are you crying yet?
So, yes, Nick and Charlie break up. Charlie slips into a depression. His eating disorder is really bad. His friends, Tao, Elle, and Isaac pay him a visit and convince him to join them at Pride. At a bar after the parade, Charlie sees Nick flirting with a girl. (Later, we see the scene from Nick’s point of view, and see that Nick was actually politely rejecting the girl’s advances.) Charlie falls apart, and nearly relapsing on harming himself.
Even though both Nick and Charlie are devastated about the break up, with time, they both pull themselves together. Charlie, heartened by an old gay couple who visit the cafe where he works, finds himself eating a piece of cake, guilt free. Nick finds fulfillment at his job caring for the rescue dogs. During this time, both Nick and Charlie want to reach out to each other, but can’t seem to find the words. Both Nick’s mom (now played by Anna Maxwell Martin, who replaces Olivia Colman) and Charlie’s sister express their belief that while both boys could thrive on their own, they thought Nick and Charlie had something special—something more than just a typical teenage relationship.
How does Heartstopper Forever end?
Fear not, romance lovers, because Heartstopper Forever has a happy ending.
Charlie discovers the disposable camera that Nick was using to take photos, and gets the photos developed. He’s leaves an envelope of the photos at Nick’s house, with a note, “You take a lot of photos of me. Do you fancy me or something? Meet me at the beach at 5pm.”
Nick rushes to meet up with Charlie, and the boys talk it out. Charlie admits he feels like he couldn’t help Nick the way that Nick helped Charlie. Nick admits he doesn’t know how to communicate when he’s struggling, but he does love Charlie, and wants to be with him. And so, our favorite couple gets back together. Yay!
After a night of passionate lovemaking, Nick and Charlie attend prom together, as boyfriends, to the delight of their friends. Tao and Elle don’t get back together, but do share a dance, and promise to stay in each other’s lives. Nick and Charlie revisit the room where they shared their first kiss—back to where it all began. They make a plan to get through the long distance, and stay together for the rest of their lives. Nick confesses he loves Charlie more than anyone.
In the epilogue, we get a glimpse of where everyone is at in the future. Tao visits Elle in Berlin, and Charlie visits Nick in Leeds. They are making it work! And they all live happily ever after.