Why Did Brandon Jones Go Home On The Bachelorette?

A week after Brandon Jones proudly declared he was in love with Michelle Young and would support her no matter who she chose at the end of her Bachelorette journey, Michelle sent him home. In an episode that showed Brandon reuniting with Michelle’s family before giving her a sentimental gift and letter, Michelle ultimately rejected his proposal and chose Nayte Olukoya over Brandon.

Ahead of the final rose ceremony, Brandon spoke with Michelle’s family and got their blessing. Clearly excited about the possibility of Brandon and Michelle getting married, her mom said, “I want that, too. I know there’s someone else here, but…” As for her dad, he said Brandon reminded him of himself and would be happy to welcome the traveling nurse recruiter into the family.

Later, Brandon and Michelle went off to enjoy a jet ski date and an intimate one-on-one date, where Brandon told her he was in love. Adding some suspense, Michelle began, “I really am not falling in love.” Quickly squashing his fears, she continued, “I feel like I’m already in love with you, and you make me feel very loved, and I want to make sure you know how much I care about you.”

At one point, Brandon gave her the white hoodie he wore during the first week of filming, which is also the one she thought she destroyed during their controversial hotel food fight during their overnight date. Holding the freshly laundered hoodie, Michelle said, “I love that you take little moments like this to be sentimental,” before adding, This is my favorite moment now.”

However, once Michelle met up for her final day with Nayte, it became even more clear that if Nayte gave her the reassurance she needed, she’d pick him over Brandon. “All I need is that last piece from Nayte, and I got it. Any fears or doubts that I was entering the night with have been resolved,” she said.

Despite Brandon leaving a note for Michelle that was almost certainly written by a producer and giving a sweet proposal speech, she chose Nayte in the end. “I promised myself that I’d continue to follow my heart,” she said, turning down the engagement ring. “It’s not that I don’t love you because I do. It’s just that my heart is pushing me in a different direction, and I have to go with what I feel.”

Visibly upset, Brandon wished her the best, the way he’s done throughout the season. “Giving you my heart was worth it. It’s something I’ll never regret. I will always be here for you,” he said.

During his final, tearful confessional, Brandon said he wished he could go back and tell Michelle she was making a mistake, but he knew she followed her heart and there was nothing he could do about it. “My heart’s just on the floor, just in f*cking pieces. At the end of the day, I’m still thinking about her and her happiness.” With that, Brandon got into the SUV and headed home, leaving the door open for Nayte to propose.