Since avoiding Fortune Lover’s doom flags was what drove the plot forward in the last season, we were a bit worried that this season would lack the high stakes and internal strategizing that were so entertaining before. Luckily for us, though, Catarina’s life is still fraught with danger... and now she has no reference point to draw from! She has no way of knowing which characters are planning on double-crossing her, which decisions will lead to a bad ending, or even how to navigate the school play without messing up her lines (leading to a hilarious scene that will live in our brains rent-free for the rest of the season). She has to rely more on her friends, who still adorably fall all over her at every opportunity, and her own heart to survive this time. We have to say, we like this change of pace!

Catarina is nothing if not a Disaster Bisexual™ so, naturally, any and all new friends must be inducted into the ever-growing Bakarina harem. So far, we have the princes Ian and Jeffrey Stuart (who are competing for the throne with Geordo and Alan), anxious but warm-hearted noble Selena Berg, disguise artist/bishoujo queen Susanna Randall, and mysterious butler “Rufus” (who may or may not have Catarina’s best interests at heart). We’re particularly rooting for Selena this time since she seems to be crushing harder on Catarina than her actual fiancé Ian.

The returning characters aren’t just slacking off in the background, though. Alan and Mary have teamed up to protect their mutual love interest, Geordo and Keith continue to act cutely possessive of Catarina, Nicol admires her from afar, and Maria and Sophia are still the gold standard for pure sweetness. Can everyone just be in one big polyamorous relationship so Catarina doesn’t have to choose?