The Bachelor Season 26, Episode 12 recap: Season finale (Part two)

Welcome back to The Bachelor  Season 26 finale! The ending to Clayton Echard‘s season has been hyped up for a while now but lacked the “shocking” events that were teased. We all knew there was going to be devastation when Gabby and Rachel found out he loves three women.

We knew that there was going to be drama meeting Clayton’s parents. Did we know that Susie was still in Iceland? Probably not, but if that was the most “shocking” event of the evening I hope there is much more in store for part two.

Out of 31 women three remain. Clayton’s season ends tonight, but does it end with him finding true love?

The Bachelor Season 26, Episode 12 Recap

1) Susie’s Back Like She Never Left (because she didn’t)

Part two kicks off with Jesse meeting with Susie to tell her that there is still a chance with Clayton. She indulges and meets Clayton and walks into a room with him and his parents. What an awkward way to follow up on their argument. We need to try to make up but by the way here are my parents. Susie made the right call and asks Clayton to talk outside.

The two brave the Icelandic cold and discuss what went down. Clayton hears Susie out and then asks if he can have a second chance. Susie’s not ready to dive back in but shows appreciation for his offer and willingness to reconcile.

Susie is carted away saying she’ll think about it as Clayton cries on the bench. Not only is the man crying but he’s crying in the blistering cold in three layers. And for the record, he did cry. Someone tell Sarah.

2) The Dual Breakup

Clayton decides that he loves Susie and needs to call it off with Gabby and Rachel. Mind you on last night’s episode he said he loved both of them, was intimate with both of them, and fought for them both to stay. Was he afraid of being alone once Susie left? That’s what it’s looking like.

Instead of having a sentimental moment with each of them, Clayton decides to break up with both of them at the same time in the same room. What is going on? We knew Clayton was losing it and has made questionable decisions but what is actually going on?

Gabby has nothing to say and walks off. Clayton goes to her room to discuss it in more detail. Gabby lets him have it, as she should. Both she and Rachel felt lied and betrayed because how could his emotions change that quickly. Literally a day later if that. Meanwhile, Rachel is still speechless in her room.

Rachel gets her moment back in Iceland and lets Clayton have it. She was the only one that stood with Clayton at the rose ceremony when he had to track down Gabby. She’s been in love with Clayton for so long and feels betrayed at this point. Clayton says he can’t be 100% in love with Rachel when he still has feelings for Susie.

Rachel lets Clayton walk her out as he continues to apologize. Rachel tells him that he gave up on the girls although she never stopped fighting for him. Rachel deserves so much better. Although she’s heartbroken and sobbing she makes a good point that Clayton never cried or felt like it bothered him. Did he ever love her?

3) Ladies Live

Gabby joins Jesse on the live portion of the show and talks about how she felt in the moment now having time to reflect. She has not spoken to Clayton since the incident but gets the opportunity to talk to him live. Clayton says all he can do is apologize. Gabby lays out how she felt and the separation that should have existed between the three women’s relationships with Clayton. She explains where she is coming from and how words are important to her and that they (Rachel and Susie) never had all the information on how Clayton was feeling. He acknowledges this and they both move on. What’s going to happen when Rachel meets Clayton live?

On The Bachelor Season 26 live finale show, they continue to cut to Rachel’s dad. Hopefully, there are restraints on the chair when Clayton gets back on stage. Rachel talks with Jesse first as he gets her initial reactions after watching the scenes back. Rachel believed it was going to be her at the end. However, after that interaction and trying to fight for their love she no longer has feelings for Clayton. She says she can never love someone that disrespects people as Clayton did to Gabby and herself.

Once Clayton gets on the stage Rachel tells him her emotions are not for him as she feels he was extremely selfish and disrespectful in his journey to find love. She notes that he didn’t even shed a tear when he walked her out. Didn’t shed a tear for a woman he “loved.” Clayton apologizes and says she shouldn’t have had to go through that and he should have made fewer assumptions. Rachel says she doesn’t believe Clayton as she watches the scenes back from the past few episodes. She even doubts that he actually loved her.

Jesse turns things over to Rachel’s parents and they decline to say anything because they have nothing nice to say. Although we know Rachel’s dad has a lot to say and potentially do to Clayton. Clayton isn’t haunted by what happened in Iceland with the women. Rachel asks Clayton a final question, did he say he loved her so he could sleep with her. Clayton says no, but is he telling the truth?

4) Last Woman Standing on The Bachelor Season 26

We return to Iceland where Susie is the last woman left. Jesse hand delivers a note to her from Clayton. She reads it aloud as he is chauffeured to the proposal location. Hearing the note aloud I think Clayton had some help writing that note seeing his vocabulary so far this season. Jesse called this a hail mary play as Clayton has no idea what Susie is going to do. Is it really a hail mary if she is the only one left? I mean she can show up to tell him no.

Susie pulls up to this rustic Viking longhouse. What a great spot for a proposal amidst the shields of fallen Vikings. This season has been a battle if you really think about it. Susie outlasted the competition and had to leave for Clayton to realize she is the one. Clayton asks Susie to give him a chance to be the man she deserves and to continue to love her for at least another day. Now that ball (or ring) is in Susie’s court. Susie says that she knows the man that Clayton is and that their feelings for each other are real.

However, Susie, in the nicest way possible, tells Clayton that they are at two different places in their relationship. Clayton is ready to settle down and find his long-lasting love but Susie just doesn’t feel that way right now. She goes far enough to say that they may not be each other’s person. Will it ever get to that point? Well according to Susie it won’t. She officially calls things off with Clayton saying it’s over and decides to leave Iceland alone. The two embrace before Clayton walks her out.

The Bachelor Season 26 has closed its final chapter. This season has been a roller coaster of emotion and drama that ultimately ended in Clayton without love in the end. For the first time in The Bachelor history, the bachelor was rejected on the final day. As they cut back to the live show Jesse recaps the ending but drops the bomb that Clayton may have still found love. What is happening?

5) It’s Over…Or Is It?

Clayton joins Jesse back on the live show to discuss how he might not be a single bachelor. First, they discuss Clayton’s outlook on the season. I think he summed it up well saying it was five years of growth in two months. He said that he felt like he failed when Susie drove away. He walked into this alone and left alone…or did he?

This is the biggest reveal of the season. Clayton was contacted by someone from the show when he returned to his “normal” life. Despite all the trials, tribulations, and turmoil that he put these women through one of the women decided to take another chance. The one that got away….it’s Susie. Wow. Well, that sucks. After all that transpired in Iceland and on their journey, Susie decided to come back to Clayton. Well, at least he only has one woman in his life now. That doesn’t mean he can’t cheat on Susie but at least there is no one else to compete with.

Looking back on it Susie was the only woman that still respected Clayton at the end of it. She did break it off at the end but after some time apart they were able to recenter away from the lights and cameras and got back together. The two love each other now and want people to support them as a couple instead of individuals. Their future plans include moving in with each other in Susie’s hometown of Virginia. There was no proposal but Clayton gave Susie a ceremonial final rose.

6) Who is (are) The Next Bachelorette?

As The Bachelor Season 26 comes to an end The Bachelorette Season 19 begins. Jesse said before a break that it wasn’t Gabby or Rachel. Instead, it is both Gabby and Rachel! After last season’s double Bachelorette seasons the franchise is mixing it up having Gabby and Rachel together on the same season of The Bachelorette.

As of right now, the format of the show hasn’t been announced but it sounds like the two will be on the show together potentially at the same time. Boy, could that get awkward. Let’s see what’s in store for the next installment in the franchise.

What a crazy ending to The Bachelor Season 26! What do you think about Clayton and Susie back together? What has you most excited about for Gabby and Rachel’s combined Bachelorette season? 

Let us know what you’re thinking in the comments below, Bachelor Nation!