ABC/Craig Sjodin
Michael A.’s Exit
“It’s a constant juggling act,” Michael A. said after his shocking departure. The single dad decided to leave the show ahead of hometowns after a particularly heartbreaking FaceTime call with his 4-year-old son. “The fact that we were so close makes it harder,” he said, admitting that he would pick up where he and Katie left off in a heartbeat.
ABC/Craig Sjodin
Karl & Brendan’s Showdown
Things nearly got physical when Brendan slammed Karl for warning Katie about “multiple guys” in the house. And when Karl admitted that he was speaking about Thomas, Brendan wasn’t buying it. Soon enough, the two were face-to-face in a heated argument. So heated, in fact, that Karl told Brendan to “shut the f*ck up” on national TV.
ABC/Craig Sjodin
Connor B.’s Makeout Session
There’s nothing Bachelor Nation loves more than a rogue audience member. And while it’s entirely possible that ABC hired the random audience member who came up onstage and locked lips with Connor, it was clearly the pick-me-up he needed after Katie made him feel insecure about his kissing skills.
Hunter's Big Lie
Hunter’s Big Lie
Hunter was caught in a web of lies when footage played of him guessing Katie’s final four and admitting that he wasn’t in love. “There’s definitely some dishonesty with the top four thing,” he said after claiming to have no such list. “As far as the love thing, though, I was asked if I was in love, then I was asked if I was falling in love. Those are two totally different things.”
ABC/Craig Sjodin
Katie’s Thomas/Aaron Mixup
There’s nothing worse than being confused for the season’s villain, and that’s exactly what happened when Katie accidentally called Aaron “Thomas.” “I feel like a d*ck,” the Bachelorette told the audience. Fortunately, the 26-year-old insurance agent is already over it. “I’ve already forgiven Katie,” Aaron told ET after the special. “My therapist might not, but I’ll send her the therapy bills.”
ABC/Craig Sjodin
Thomas’ Surprise Visit
After being MIA for much of the sparring, Thomas made an unexpected apology to Katie over video chat. “My biggest regret over everything was speaking any doubt or uncertainty into your journey of finding love,” the 28-year-old real estate agent said. “A lot of my actions ended up taking away the attention from you and away from a lot of amazing guys in that room. I just want to say, I am so sorry for that.”