The second season of Heartstopper has finally arrived on Netflix. Nick and Charlie are still very much giddily in love.
The rest of the gang—including Tao, Elle, Isaac, Tara, and Darcy—are also going through the growing pains and pangs of their burgeoning love and lives. If you are saving it for a weekend binge, then you might want to read our review of Heartstopper season two.
You might also want to rewatch season one to jog up your memories of exactly how cute Nick and Charlie are together. And while your binge session, you might have a few burning questions about Heartstopper.
Here we have the answers to five essential questions you might have after watching Heartstopper:
What is form?!
Any fans of Heartstopper who aren’t familiar with the UK school system would be confused after watching the show. In British schools, a “form” typically refers to a group of students from different year levels who are placed together under the guidance of a tutor or form teacher. The form system helps foster a sense of community and provides a support network for students throughout their academic journey.
What is Tori always sipping?
Charlie Spring’s elder sister Tori keeps appearing out of nowhere, ever observing and watching out for her younger brother. She is almost like a benign poltergeist that way. However, she is always sipping on something, as if her life source depends on it. According to the graphic novels, Tori is obsessed with diet lemonade. But Jenny Walser, who plates Tori, revealed in an interaction with Netflix that she sometimes drinks Sprite, sometimes apple juice or good ol’ Diet Coke, and a few times she is just sipping on air!
What does being asexual aromantic mean?
Heartstopper writer and series creator Alice Oseman told Attitude mag shortly after filming, “Netflix will hate me for spilling, but yes, asexuality will be discussed on TV in a big way. I’m excited. I hope it’ll change the world. I hope when it happens in Heartstopper, it doesn’t feel like a lesson. You know Isaac, you care about him, and now you’re going to learn something new about him.”
In season two, Isaac indeed starts to explore his ace and aro identity. Being an asexual, aromantic person means experiencing little to no sexual or romantic attraction to others. Asexual individuals do not experience sexual attraction, while aromantic individuals do not experience romantic attraction. However, they can still form strong emotional connections and have fulfilling relationships without the need for romantic or sexual involvement.
What are some of the books Isaac is reading all the time?
Isaac, the most relatable of the lot perhaps, is never seen without a book—whether he is on the dance floor or standing in the rain watching rugby games. Some of the books Isaac has been spotted reading happen to be Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert, Naruto: Volume 72 by Masashi Kishimoto, Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind and Art Friedman, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Gender Explorers: Our Stories of Growing Up Trans and Changing the World by Juno Roche, and There Is No Planet B: A Handbook for the Make or Break Years by Mike Berners-Lee.
He is also seen reading Proud: My Autobiography by retired gay rugby player Gareth Thomas during the rugby match, where everyone shows up to support Charlie but is utterly clueless about the game’s rules.
He is also seen reading Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. Yes, the author of Heartstopper canonically also exists in the series, which is weirdly meta! Or at least it makes Oseman some sort of an omniscient messiah in the show.
What is the purpose of the animations?
The purpose of the animations in Heartstopper is to add a touch of magic to key moments in the story. The 2D animations, brought to life by animator Anna Peronetto based on Oseman’s storyboards, make this story feel more like a fairy tale. The animations add a bit of flourish, which Oseman knew she wanted while writing the script.
In season two, no sparks fly when Tao and Elle hold hands in the theatre, but butterflies soar when they finally kiss at the Louvre. So, essentially these animations indicate the mood of the characters and are also a neat little cool visual element.
