There were no winners on this season of The Bachelor … but Clayton was the biggest loser of all.
Rose lovers, is there a Witness Protection Program for Bachelors?
After what just went down tonight, Clayton Echard is gonna need to layverylow for averylong time.
The families.ABC
I would very much love to see gramps and Tony give Clayton the what-for.
Reader, both Gabby and Rachel said yes.
), Palmer showed up just at that moment to reveal that Susie is still in Iceland.
Clayton is a fool.ABC
Which leads us to Clayton today.
She’s still feeling pretty emotional about her break-up with Clayton.
“I think maybe we go talk outside if that’s okay?”
Susie arrives.ABC
she asks Clayton, as Kelly and Brian watch with trepidation.
“Selfishly for Clayton I’m hoping that she can forgive him and move on,” says mom.
Well Clayton better be hoping that the world forgives him for wearing this (faux?)
What is he wearing?.ABC
“You are a good human, I genuinely believe that,” says Susie.
“But I was really shocked by how everything ended.
The way you treated me, the way you turned, that’s when my mentality on you changed …
Oh my god.ABC
It was humiliating, if I’m being honest.
she says, wiping away tears.
What can the Bachelor possibly say?
Gabby confronts Clayton.ABC
“I know the love’s there,” Clayton continues.
I love you and I don’t want to lose you.”
Sorry Clayton, but Susie is simply not ready to make a decision right now.
Clayton crushes Rachel.ABC
She needs time to think, away from you and your giant hood.
“Gabby and Rachel did nothing wrong,” says the Bachelor, stating the obvious.
“I owe it to them to tell them everything and ultimately break up with them.”
Rachel is back to stand up for herself.ABC
Good Lord, this guy.
They make anxious small talk (“Did you meet his parents?”
and so on), and both look as if they know something Not Good is coming.
Feel the burn, Clayton.ABC
Welp, let’s get this over with.
Clayton, you have the floor.
“This whole journey went not as how I expected,” he says.
Run for your life, Clayton.ABC
It’s with Susie."
Poor Rachel looks like she’s about to start sobbing again, while Gabby is 1-800-PISSED-OFF.
“For both of us, you could have thought about it before putting yourself in our shoes.”
Neil Lane’s contractually obligated product shot.ABC
Gabby walks out, andof courseClayton follows her back to her own room, which is down the hall.
She allows him to come in, and then lays into him once again.
“I can’t believe anything you say.
Susie wants nothing to do with that ring.ABC
Not one thing.”
The more the Bachelor talks, the worse it gets.
“I didn’t want you to leave!”
Oh for God’s sake.ABC
“But now you do!”
“What the f— is the difference?
And now it’s your decision, so it’s easier.”
Susie gets her final rose.ABC
“You don’t want to admit that you’re wrong!”
“And now you do the same f—ing thing to us?
Address us as a group that you don’t give a f— about us?”
Our new Bachelorettes!.ABC
The Bachelor takes this verbal lashing and apologizes once again.
“There’s nothing I can say to fix this,” he adds.
“Am I able to walk you out?”
We cut back to the Tealight Candle Thunderdome, where Gabby is in the house looking amazing.
And of course, she has to give a hug to grandpa before sitting down with Palmer.
“It’s been up and down watching the show back,” says Gabby.
“Looking back, I didn’t know everything.”
She sure as hell did not.
Palmer cedes the floor to Gabby, as he should.
“That really is what hurts the most for me is that I truly did feel betrayed.”
The Bachelor says he’s sorry, because at this point that’s all he knows how to say.
Oh, but Gabby’s not done.
Nor does she buy Clayton’s argument that he “compartmentalized” his relationships with the three final women.
“It really seemed like a competition …
It seems like you had your mind set on Susie way before you wanted to tell us.”
The crowd LOVES it, and they burst into applause.
“But you didn’t tell me that you loved Susie the most,” she interrupts.
“You have to treat us as individuals.”
Whoa there, Gabby you just broke Clayton’s brain.
All he can do is apologize, again.
“I apologize for not figuring that out until it was all said and done.”
Blech, enough of this.
We’ll hear more of Clayton’s weak words later.
Let’s just get back to the “journey.”
“You told me that you were willing to fight for this,” she sobs.
“And I believed you … Poor Rachel is just beside herself.
“Okay,” she says, clearly trying to shut him the eff up.
As they walk out to the Reject SUV, Rachel continues to scold Clayton through her tears.
“You gave up on us,” she whimpers.
“You gave up.
I never gave up.”
Still, Rachel gives him a weak hug before getting in the SUV and buckling herself in.
“He didn’t even cry,” she wails.
“He didn’t even fight at all.”
That’s right, Rachel.
And you will if ABC has anything to say about it.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
c’mon welcome Rachel to the Thunderdome stage!
I was begging him not to put me in a car.”
Well, honey, now’s your chance to stand up for yourself.
Bring Clayton back to the stage so he can take another verbal lashing!
It has nothing to do with any lingering feelings," says Rachel coldly.
“Because I became collateral damage in your journey for love, that was the most completely selfish journey …
There was no empathy at all for me or Gabby.”
When it’s Clayton’s turn to talk, we get more of the same.
“I’m incredibly sorry for my actions …
I could have done things way better the way I did,” he says.
“It does pain me to see this pain …
I made assumptions and I couldn’t have been more wrong.”
Rachel simply doesn’t believe him, and why should she?
“You left out the part that you already knew who the one was who you love the most …
I don’t believe that you were in love with me at all.”
Adds Mary Anne, “I’m very angry, myself.”
Clayton has a ring?
And now he wants Susie to show up to the Proposal PlatformTM so he can offer it to her?
Palmer arrives at Susie’s hotel room and hands her a handwritten letter from the Bachelor.
“Because without you, I am nothing … Um, “waiting for you in the countryside”?
That sounds like a warning from a serial killer, not a romantic invitation from a suitor.
Doesn’t she look delighted?
“I am this serious about it,” he says.
So, what’s it going to be, Susie?
“You are this incredible person,” she says.
“I still believe it … And there’s no doubt about our connection.
The love that I have for you in my heart, it’s so real.
And I know that you have it, too.
But… " That’s right, rose lovers!
She said “But”!
“I’ve made the decision to leave Iceland alone…
The Bachelor isn’t giving up hope.
So, to recap (within this recap): Clayton f—ed around and found out.
He said “I love you” to three women, and then went home with zero zero!
A truly impressive self-own, sir.
Back in the Thunderdome, Palmer is somber.
Oh my God, what fresh hell is this?
Clayton’s back on the couch, and he’s still looking pretty glum.
When he left Iceland, he felt like a failure.
“I did, because that was my intention was to walk out with somebody,” he says.
I did have those thoughts maybe that’s what needed to happen.”
Who could it be?
THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME!
“What a pleasant surprise!”
(It’s not.)
And yes, they’re together.
“That’s my boyfriend!”
“I loved him as a person before I ever fell in love with him,” adds Susie.
“We all made mistakes.”
But don’t worry they’re not dumb enough to get married yet.
“I’m moving right in with her.
I’m going to Virginia in the next couple days,” says Clayton.
“I left my job, I sold my condo all to give us a fair shot.
We know it requires effort, like any other relationship.”
I refuse to say “Awwwww!”
(Dammit, it was kind of sweet, wasn’t it?)
The evening’s final order of business is upon us: Who will be the next Bachelorette?
And look how happy they are for each other!
It almost makes me tear up.
“You deserve this!”
“You too!”
Palmer explains that they’ll both be Bachelorettes the entire season.
“Do we date the same guys?”
Gabby asks, giggling.
“I have PTSD!”
Welp, rose lovers, that was a happy ending to an otherwise catastrophic season.
How long do you think Susie and Clayton will last?
And will you miss Tayshia and Kaitlyn as hosts?
(ABC announced Jesse Palmer will be taking back theBachelorettereins for season 19.)
Post your thoughts below!
