Clayton’s Bachelor Season Ended With A Shocking First For The Franchise

During the second night of Clayton Echard’s Bachelor finale, things went from bad to worse. Even though he miraculously convinced Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey to give him another chance after “the rose ceremony from hell,” Clayton decided he still needed closure from Susie Evans after their explosive fantasy suite date.

Susie was receptive to Clayton’s request to give him “one more shot,” and met him for the final rose ceremony after he wrote her a letter asking her to meet him. He confessed his love and said he saw forever with her, but Susie didn’t return the feelings. “There’s no doubt about our connection,” she said. “The love that I have for you in my heart is so real, and I know that you have it too. But like, I don’t feel like the kind of love I have for you right now is the kind of love you have for me right now.”

Clayton asked if that might change. “It’s not over until you tell me it’s over,” he said. But Susie was done. “I feel like it’s over,” she said, ultimately leaving Clayton single at the end of his “underdog” season.

The Bachelor is a show that likes to oversell drama, often promising “never before seen” moments that turn out to be pretty lackluster. But this is, for once, the biggest first on the franchise since Colton Underwood’s infamous fence jump. Sure, roses have been rejected before. In fact, the season began with Salley Carson turning down Clayton’s very first rose (aw... full circle moment). But a final rose has never been rejected until now.

Naturally, Clayton was pretty shocked — and viewers were, too.

However, things took a turn during After the Final Rose special, where it was revealed that Susie reached out to Clayton after filming ended. Yes, Susie and Clayton are dating — she even, ultimately, accepted that last rose — but Twitter isn’t thrilled that she gave him another chance.