It’s the season finale and to recap: Ben has told both JoJo and Lauren that he loves them, but he can only choose one in the end (unless they’re down for that polyamorous stuff). And since we were also watching After the Final Rose to see the aftermath of the proposal, we had to add a few extra crazy moments to the list.
- Before we even got a chance to see Ben and his hopeful ladies, Chris Harrison announced at the live viewing party that he has all the ingredients (plus the families) for an After the Final Rose wedding–since, you know, Ben told Chris on The Women Tell All that he’s so sure about his choice he’d marry her immediately. Le sigh.
- Ben’s mom referred to his loving two women as disturbing and we didn’t disagree. When she asked Ben if they both knew that he was in love with both of them and he said no, she made this face and it was literally the face we’ve been making since that fateful moment.
- When introducing Lauren to his parents, her and Ben referred to their dating history as a long time.
- On Ben and Lauren’s final date, Ben was being super quiet and awkward while Lauren prattled on and on. It’s no wonder it made her feel nervous. When he finally started talking, he expressed that he’s concerned they won’t know how to deal with things when they get rough because it’s been “so perfect and so easy” (I mean, it’s been like three weeks… if it’s already work there’s something wrong). So, naturally, you shake things up…?
- They had a very intense, emotional exchange that left Lauren more concerned than anything, especially since Ben seemed distant (granted, he couldn’t talk about his internal struggle) but still emotional since he’s in love with two women and all.
- JoJo had some rose-coloured glasses on during her last date with Ben, thinking she hadn’t had any concerns with him up until this point (really? your brothers didn’t raise any concerns?), but when he admitted he was torn between her and JoJo, the anxiety set in.
- JoJo pulled Ben into the bathroom to try and get him to secretly admit she’s the one (like the one), but instead he admitted he also told Lauren that he’s in love with her.
- After an enormous amount of emotional contemplation and mulling over large engagement rings (that was the easy decision, apparently), as Ben waited to break one woman’s heart, JoJo got off the first helicopter and, like many of her predecessors, had to walk on unstable terrain in five-inch heels and a gown just to have her heart ripped out and stomped on. AT LEAST MEET HER HALFWAY. JoJo did her little “I love you and can’t live without you” spiel (this whole process is so cruel), and then Ben dropped the “I found love with you, but I found it with someone else more” bomb. BOOM.
- After an emotional goodbye to JoJo, Ben made an important call to Lauren’s dad to ask his permission for her hand and it was the cutest thing ever. Of course, when Lauren arrived, it was time for the big moment… and OF COURSE she said yes.
- During After the Final Rose, JoJo came out to confront Ben (looking fly AF–her revenge outfit was ON POINT) and it was announced that JoJo would be the next Bachelorette–because the best way to get over heartbreak is to have 28 fresh guys to choose from!
- Jimmy Kimmel was back to ask some serious questions: What really happens in the fantasy suite? Naturally, Ben and Lauren didn’t answer, but they got very shy when Jimmy started demonstrating with dolls.
- The moment we all stayed awake for, Ben was not true to his word and him and Lauren did not in fact get married on live TV because even though they put themselves through the ringer on a dating show, they’re not that dumb. Instead, we got a second (real?) proposal so Ben could do it right or something like that. Awwwwww.
