Nick's Time On 'BiP' Set Him Up For 'The Bachelor'

Nick Viall earned a reputation for being the runner-up during his Bachelor nation journey. After being rejected by both Andi Dorfman and Kaitlyn Bristowe during his turns on The Bachelorette, it was starting to look like Nick would always be the guy who almost gets the girl. As if that wasn't enough heartbreak for one guy to endure on national television, his stint on Season 3 of Bachelor In Paradise didn't end happily either. But, what happened to Nick on Bachelor In Paradise set him up for the journey of a lifetime as the Bachelor.

While his time on BiP didn't end like a fairytale, it was at least more on his own terms in some aspects. When it was first announced that Nick would be appearing in Paradise, fans were excited to see if he could turn things around and finally meet a girl who would stick around. He immediately connected with Amanda Stanton and it looked like they were going to be the kind of couple who hits it off right off the jump and stays happily together, watching all of the drama unfold around them for the rest of the season. You know, á la Jade and Tanner.

Unfortunately, Nick and Amanda had a short-lived romance because Week 2 brought his nemesis, Josh Murray into Paradise and Josh immediately scooped Amanda up for a date. The pair were completely inseparable after that moment, leaving Nick in the dust once again. Remember, Josh won Andi Dorfman's heart over Nick on her season of The Bachelorette. So, this marked the second time that he had lost out to the same guy.

Once Amanda was out of the picture, Nick turned his focus on the new arrivals. When Jen Saviano from Ben Higgins' season showed up on Week 3, Nick appeared smitten. Amanda claimed in a blog post that Nick allegedly always had his heart set on wooing Jen once she arrived. Nick acknowledged Amanda's claims on AfterBuzz TV, saying her story was "mostly true," though he claimed that he didn't go on Bachelor in Paradise just to meet Jen. He claimed he told Amanda that he was simply interested in getting to know her, should she appear.

And appear she did, and Nick seemed very into her. There were dates on boats and makeouts on the beach. When it came time for the finale, it seemed like they were destined for an engagement. Unfortunately for Jen, that wasn't the case.

It was Nick this time that broke things off and after Jen told him she was totally in love with him, he had the horrible job of having to tell her that he just wasn't into it. He let her down as easy as he could, and, in the long run, that is way more preferable to proposing with doubts. The interesting thing was that Nick was announced as the Bachelor before the finale had even aired, essentially spoiling the show's outcome. Jen had a thing or two to say about the announcement on Twitter with a well-placed GIF.

The thing that stood out on Bachelor in Paradise was how much Nick has grown since his first appearance in the franchise in 2014. In Paradise he knew exactly who he was and what he wanted. He was able to give others advice, see situations clearly, and give really funny commentary through it all. The whole thing certainly set Nick up for his role on The Bachelor. He is now the guy who has come this close three separate times. Who isn't rooting for this guy? I want to see him find real love this time. He certainly deserves it.