After a cheating scandal, an engagement, a peach scene, a trip to Michaels, a canceled wedding, nine Taylor Swift songs, two tickets to Paris, and so much more, there’s only one episode remaining in The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s third and final season. Or, wait. Are there two?!
From the start of TSITP Season 3, fans were told that the final season would consist of 11 episodes. As is typically the case with TV, everyone believed that information to be true, until a curious sight in Season 3, Episode 10, “Last Year,” left viewers wondering if creator Jenny Han planted an elaborate Taylor Swift-related Easter egg that hinted at a surprise twelfth episode…
So how many episodes are in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3? Why are fans suddenly convinced that The Summer I Turned Pretty Episode 12 is coming? And what the heck does a Taylor Swift Easter egg have to with everything?!
Have no fear! Decider is here to break down The Summer I Turned Pretty Episode 12 theories. Buckle up, TSITP fans! We’re about to take you on a wild, potentially delusional, but undeniably fun ride down a twisty TSITP x Swiftie rabbit hole.
Before we dive into the Season 3, Episode 12 theories, let’s take another moment to stress that members of the press — along with fans — were told TSITP Season 3 would consist of 11 episodes. As of September 11, the day after TSITP‘s penultimate episode premiered, we have yet to officially learn of an Episode 12. Nevertheless, let’s explore the theories!
Prior to TSITP Episode 10, fans of the series collectively thought they’d be saying goodbye to Belly and company in Episode 11. So what changed?! Well, the Episode 12 theories were sparked by an Episode 10 scene that starts around 1:02. As a Conrad voiceover reads his latest letter to Belly, we see her moving into her new Paris apartment, which is full of cardboard boxes.
On several of those boxes, “A12” is printed in red. And while that letter and number combo may not seem particularly noteworthy to the untrained eye, eagle-eyed Taylor Swift fans like myself who regularly search the artist’s social media posts for carefully laid clues immediately recognized “A12” from a 2024 video shared by the singer.
For those unfamiliar with the famous Taylor TikTok/Instagram video, in October 2024, Swift shared a short BTS look at herself ahead of a Miami Eras Tour show. In the video, she’s seen walking around the stadium while carrying her cat. But for the purposes of this article, the noteworthy aspect of the footage is that A12 stadium seating sign seen behind her.
While fans didn’t think too much of A12 at the time, when the singer announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on August 12, Swifties were delighted to realize that the sign was a masterfully incorporated Easter egg!
So back to TSITP! Naturally, fans are inherently hopeful for a surprise 12th episode, because we want the show to continue, it feels like there’s still LOTS to wrap up at the end of Episode 10, and we’d never say no to more Belly/Conrad. But will TSITP Season 3, Episode 12 actually happen?
Because of the Swift Easter egg and reports of TSITP Season 3’s 11 episodes, when fans saw “A12” in Episode 10, they thought that maybe, just maybe, Jenny Han could be laying a Swift-inspired Easter egg of her own that hints at a surprise Episode 12. The fact that Taylor Swift’s song, “the 1,” is playing when the “A12” boxes appeared on screen only fueled the theories!
While we’ll never say never or doubt the brilliance of a fellow Swiftie like Jenny Han, there’s a very good — and downright impressive — chance that the A12/Swift connection is purely coincidence and there won’t actually be a TSITP Episode 12.
Certain cardboard boxes are simply labeled A12, so it doesn’t seem like Han had props designed specifically for the show. Plus, filming of TSITP‘s Paris scenes reportedly took place in October 2024, ahead of/close to Swift’s October 18 post and months before her August 12 album announcement and Easter egg reveal. So unless Han had some very early inside info, it’s not likely she intentionally incorporated Swift’s Easter egg into TSITP.
If TSITP scene was a callback to Swift’s A12 Easter egg, it would undoubtedly be one of the most exciting, carefully crafted TV reveals of all time. And while I’d love a surprise Episode 12 as much as the next fan — especially considering Han’s third book, We’ll Always Have Summer, has an epilogue that could be explored in an extra episode — given how elaborate the planning and execution would be, I’m hesitant to believe the A12 theories will become a reality.
Ultimately, we’ll have to tune in to The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 11 to find out the fate of the series. So mark your calendars, plan your watch parties, and brace yourselves for the series finale of this beloved series! (And if you’re wondering “How do TSITP books end?” We’ve got you covered.)
New episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty premiere Wednesdays on Prime Video.