'Heartstopper Forever' Movie Ending Explained & Summary: Do Nick and Charlie Stay Together?

The last of Hearstopper, or rather, the Nick and Charlie story, is here, unfortunately or not, depending on whether you see the glass half full or half empty. The series has been an avenue for queer kids to come out to their parents; it’s been a space of comfort and a really wholesome experience as a whole. Now, the last hurrah comes in the form of a film that’s more grown-up and deals with more complicated emotions than the show has put on screen so far. Heartstopper Forever is a reflection of what’s happened so far in the show, and what that means for the future of our main cast. It starts off straight after the events of season 3, where Charlie went to get therapy for his anorexia, and Nick went with the girls to check out colleges, for it’s nearly time for him to leave. This is the biggest point of conflict in the film, the thought of leaving Charlie behind, especially when Nick feels like he needs to protect him from everything. How can he protect Charlie if he’s 5 hours away? On the other hand, Charlie struggles with understanding what Nick is going through because he’s unable to open up about it. Nick’s always been rather reserved thanks to his traumatic childhood with his dad. Will Nick and Charlie be able to get past this situation? What will their faith lead them to? Let’s find out.

Spoiler Alert

What Is Nick Afraid Of? 

The thing that has made Nick become non-communicative is his fear of losing Charlie completely. It’s not just the fact that his fav pick for college is Leeds, which is very far away, but Charlie’s eating disorder, which Nick feels responsible for looking after. Ever since he picked up on it, Nick’s been wanting to protect Charlie, because he’s such an important person to him. There’s a scene early on in the film when Nick has a nightmare that Charlie died. This has him crying in his sleep, and he tells Charlie that the thing that’s affected him the most is not the fact that he died, but the way he died. He talks about missing out on spotting the signs of the eating disorder and completely blames the death of dream-Charlie on himself. There’s a lot to unpack here, but most importantly, Nick’s taken over the role of protector rather than just boyfriend in this situation. He feels like if he’s not around, Charlie won’t make it. This is especially untrue, because Charlie has many more people who care for him, as we see later in the film. 

Nick is the one who’s never really had friends. He’s kind of a loner who just happens to be nice to everyone. He never fit in because he always felt he was different, like an outsider, wherever he was. With Charlie’s friends, he finally learned to accept himself. So the thought of losing Charlie constantly haunts him, because he’s got no one else really. Alright, he’s really close to his mum, but you know what I mean. This also comes from his fear of abandonment, thanks to his French father, who was essentially a terrible parent and never did right by his two sons. David grew up to become a mean person because of this treatment, but Nick turned out entirely the opposite. He’s shy and reserved, but also finds joy in spending time with animals. But all of this makes him so sensitive that he starts to think Charlie is better off without him. 

Do Charlie and Nick Get Back Together? 

The biggest shocker, not only to us, but also to the characters of the show, is the Nick and Charlie break-up that seemingly happens accidentally. Really, neither of the boys says they want to break up; they’re just in a bad way and end up saying the wrong thing to each other, making both of them feel like the other one wants to leave. But this distance is especially important for both the boys to realize some things about themselves and see that they can handle being apart, even if for the moment it comes with bouts of tears. Nick has a moment with his brother, essentially forgiving him and admitting that they will always be family. On the other hand, Tori really comes through for Charlie, and the gang comes by too, to make sure he gets better and actually eats some food. He also goes straight back to therapy, admitting that he needs help, so it’s everyone who’s grown up, and unlike what Nick thought, Char can survive without him, even if he doesn’t want to. 

In Heartstopper Forever’s ending, Charlie finally gets the photos on Nick’s camera developed, and delivers them to his house when Nick’s not around. Nick goes through the pictures by himself before reading the mini notes Charlie’s left for him. He’s asked to meet him at the beach (the place where they first got to be a couple openly). Nick rushes there in his car, showing us how grown up he is now, and they finally talk it out. In this conversation, Charlie tells Nick he feels like he can’t take care of him the way Nick does, but this is not true. The most important thing here is that these two really love each other and they’ll be there for one another no matter what. Nick admits to not knowing how to express his feelings, but he also tells Charlie that he’s shown him how to be himself and understand his feelings, and even express them. He says he usually doesn’t know how he feels, but with Charlie he can think about it. They’ll always look after each other. This conversation ends with their pinkies crossing, just like before their first kiss. It’s a sign that they will be alright. Plus they’ve both admitted that they’re different from regular teen couples, so yeah, maybe they will last forever. 

Are Elle and Tao Done For Good? 

Already, when Elle and Tao got together, they struggled to handle it because the idea of Elle being away was too much for Tao to handle, but he told himself it was okay. However, when the film rolled around, we learnt that they’d been breaking up and getting back together on loop. But at the end of the film, Tao makes a really sweet speech to Nick, kind of like what he’d done when Nick and Charlie first got together, and he found out about it (even the chip sharing). He says that even though they might not be romantically involved, they will still be in each other’s lives forever. They’re each other’s comfort people; they’re always there for the other, especially in hard times. Truthfully speaking, even though Tao is arguably one of my favorite characters on the show, he has some growing up to do. Something we see a glimpse of in this film, finally. It happens when he’s talking to Nick. By the end of the film, Elle’s gone off to Berlin to study, but Tao visits her. It definitely seems like an unexpected visit. Though Elle and Tao grew apart, I think no matter what, they’ll remain best friends forever. There’s a chance they get back together for real, but hey, that’s up to your imagination. 

What Are Tori And Michael? 

Tori and Michael were introduced together last season, and the question on everyone’s mind was whether they were or were not together. Tori is ace, and she finally tells Charlie, though she had assumed it was only too obvious. Michael may actually be into men romantically, but despite all odds, they’re together, and they love each other. This love might not be something everyone understands or even sees, but the fact that Charlie called them a straight couple is proof enough that they can do what they like and survive this harsh society. So, I can’t really answer the question: what are Tori and Michael? But I can say that they’re together and they’re happy, if that helps.  

Does The Movie Have A Happy Ending? 

I suppose I’ve kind of given this one away through the rest of the questions, but I want to emphasize the nature of the ending of the film that feels like the end of an era. I hope Heartstopper inspires more such queer work that is liberating and less daunting for young people who don’t need any more darkness in their lives. The ending of the film includes a cameo by writer/artist Alice Oseman, who shows up when Charlie gets on the train to go see Nick in Leeds. The epilogue is really sweet, and I’m looking forward to seeing Isaac’s work come to life. If we ever get to see it (I hope we do). The ending of the film finally showcases a big chunk of Oseman’s graphic novel in the form of illustrations during the credits. If you haven’t been through the graphic novels, I highly recommend them. They’re definitely for a young-ish audience, but sometimes we all need a bit of whimsy in our lives, you know? With that, lads, Heartstopper Forever comes to an end, but Nick and Charlie and the gang will always be with us. 

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