Season 3 of Heartstopper finally hit Netflix as part of the 2024 TV Schedule, and despite my aversion to binge-watching, I managed to stream all eight episodes in just two sittings. As an adult fan of the show, it can be hard for me to relate to the teen characters at times, even when they're going through major challenges, and yet I’ve never had that problem when it comes to Tori Springs, Charlie’s older sister. At first, I wasn’t quite sure why I connected so much to her, but after watching Season 3, I realized it’s because I relate to her struggles as an eldest daughter.
Tori (Jenny Walser) has been around since Heartstopper premiered back in 2022, but her screen time was much lesser back then. It makes sense, given most of her character development happens outside the graphic novels the series is adapted from in her own stand-alone novel. Thankfully, some of those story points like her budding friendship with Michael, who joined the cast this season, helped flesh Tori’s character out and made me realize how amazing she is.
From the very beginning, it’s been clear that Tori loves Charlie and wants nothing more than to protect him. Her affection might not be over-the-top, but it comes through in her constant teasing and check-ins. I think anyone with younger siblings can relate to the idea that she’s the only one who can mess with Charlie, and anyone who does will feel her wrath — which we saw in Season 2 when she stood up to Nick’s older brother.
Tori doesn’t just bear the responsibility of protecting Charlie from strangers but also from their own family. There are countless scenes this season where she goes toe-to-toe with their mom when she starts in on Charlie, defending him fiercely while trying to get their mom to change her viewpoints. And even though she doesn’t call out her close-minded relatives when they visit for the holidays, it’s clear she wants to after Charlie flees to spend time with Nick.
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It’s not that Tori thinks Charlie can’t stand up for himself; he can and has in the past, but she definitely feels an obligation to support and stand behind him. As the oldest sibling in my own family, I find that incredibly relatable, especially with how that affects her own development.
While the love and support she shows her brother aren’t weaknesses or flaws by any means, they do hinder her from figuring herself out at times. It’s hard for Tori to open up to her parents or Charlie about her own mental health struggles because she doesn’t want to add more things for her family to deal with. Thankfully, as Season 3 progresses, we see her start to open up to Charlie. It begins with simple conversations about how she doesn’t have any friends because her brother is the only one she cares about and culminates in the two having a heart-to-heart conversation on a carnival Ferris wheel.
Allowing herself to be open and vulnerable is a huge moment for Tori, which also ends up being a turning point for Charlie, too, since it allows him to reciprocate the same love and support she’s given him in the past.
Knowing that her brother will always be there for her gives her the courage to deal with her own issues. Though she still maintains her dry sense of humor and somber outlook on things, she does start to connect with more people. It starts with learning to trust and rely on Nick and leads to her making a friend of her own when Michael arrives. They may seem like baby steps, but for Tori, they’re major steps pushing her toward becoming the person she’s been scared to allow herself to want to be.
When it comes to representation, Heartstopper is always hailed for showcasing different sexual identities and relationships and how those LGBTQ+ stories make fans feel seen. And while I would never want to downplay that, I do think it’s worth looking at what other forms of representation the show gives us, like Tori’s relationship with her siblinghood. It might not hold the same weight as showing off positive teen queer relationships, but it is important in its own right.
You can stream all three seasons of Heartstopper with a Netflix subscription now.
