Every Monday and Tuesday at 7:55 p.m., my apartment buzzes with excitement. My friends and I have already eaten dinner, homework is done for the night and we have our snacks ready. It’s time for Bachelor in Paradise.
But this Tuesday marked the end of the sixth season in a three-hour finale episode where Dylan, Chris and Demi got down on one knee. This season brought too much drama to mention but this episode didn’t disappoint with its unexpected heartbreak, unanswered questions and amount of love.
Unexpected heartbreak
The episode began with all four couples deciding whether or not to go to the Fantasy Suites. The first three couples — Hannah and Dylan, Demi and Kristian, and Katie and Chris — all accepted the invitation. Unfortunately for Nicole, Clay wasn’t sure where he was emotionally. Nicole decided she needed space for the night and the two parted ways.
The next morning the two met on the beach for the long-awaited proposal. Clay and Nicole had a pretty strong relationship throughout the season and seemed to be a lock for engagement. But when they took each other’s hands, Nicole laid her heart down, and what did Clay do? Crush any dreams Nicole had of leaving Paradise with a fiance.
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Then came Katie and Chris, who got engaged on their last day in Mexico. At the reunion, Katie came out — without her engagement ring, I might add — and completely bashed Chris’s ability to be emotionally vulnerable. When Chris finally came out to talk, it was clear he was surprised that Katie was being so open about their relationship.
It was honestly much too intimate of a conversation for national television and at some points resembled a session of couple’s therapy. After talking, Katie asked for her ring back, but it didn’t look like anything had actually been resolved. During the commercial break, viewers got to see a sneak preview into Katie and Chris’s fight about what had gone down and it didn’t look pretty. Since the episode aired, both have posted on Instagram to assure fans they’re still together.
Unanswered questions
After Nicole and Clay’s breakup in Mexico — which Clay didn’t seem all too upset about — neither of them got any air-time at the reunion show. There was no mention of how either is doing.
Nicole posted on Instagram and didn’t reveal much, but it’s clear the couple didn’t get back together after the show. On the other hand, Clay’s Instagram post about the experience shows a bigger picture. He said that wasn’t ready to get engaged “after 16 days of exclusive dating,” and honestly, respect. Clay also tweeted that he and Nicole had a more civil conversation at the reunion, so the big question is why the show didn’t air it.
So much love
It’s corny, I know, but come on, Dylan and Hannah? Those guys were adorable. Don’t even get me started on Demi and Kristian. And, the wild card of the night, Tayshia and John Paul Jones announced that they’re back together.
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I’ll even shout out Dean and Caelynn who, weirdly enough, have a special place in my heart. After a tumultuous breakup on Caelynn’s birthday, I’m glad Dean came back for her. The two are an unlikely pairing, with Caelynn a former beauty pageant queen and Dean currently living in a van, but I think she’s absolutely smitten with him, from what I can see on Instagram.
Speaking of couples that seem to make no sense, Tayshia and John Paul Jones are together again! Full disclosure: These two are definitely my favorites this season and when they broke up, I felt that. Seeing Tayshia fly out to Maryland made my heart smile. Best line of the night goes to John for “Look at my girlfriend! Isn’t she hot?” Well said JPJ, well said.
Hannah and Dylan never got nearly enough air time as a couple, but I love them all the same. Dylan is like a little puppy who just loves Hannah with all his heart. They were the diamond in the rough this season, and I couldn’t be more excited for the wedding to come.
Last, but definitely not least, Demi and Kristian made history as the first same-sex couple to get together on an American spinoff of The Bachelor. Demi was nervous about being so publicly out of the closet when Kristian first came to Paradise, but she said they’ve been getting a lot of love and positivity from fans. The best part of their interview was Kristian getting down on one knee, this time proposing to Demi. All in all, it was a truly magical night.
