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SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched the Aug. 9 season finale of "The Bachelorette."
Katie Thurston’s reign as "The Bachelorette" has come to an end. During Monday’s three-hour finale, Katie walked away engaged to Blake Moynes.
But the path to engagement was less than smooth. Viewers last saw the Season 17 lead locked in the bathroom on the heels of her breakup with former front-runner Greg Grippo. The two exchanged a heated (and controversial) split during the penultimate episode, which left her with two finalists: now-fiancé Blake and Justin Glaze.
The finale episode jumped back and forth between present-day reactions and the finale production events in New Mexico. After introductions and a season recap by hosts Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams, viewers reunited with Katie in tears in New Mexico. The playback was followed by her present-day reflection, where she reacted to her exchange with Greg. She said that in the moment she tried to identify what she did to spark his outburst; she struggled with Greg’s jarring exit and questioned her self-worth. But upon reflection, she felt troubled by the conversation.
Despite her heartbreak, Katie was committed to continuing on the journey to find someone who would "fight" for her "’til the very end." Blake and Justin were informed about Greg’s exit via Kaitlyn and Tayshia, and the two were anxious to start the week of fantasy suites.
The first overnight date went to Blake. They spent the afternoon playful with a paint-throwing party before they chatted in a hot tub. During their conversation, Katie admitted to wanting to "quit" the show after the back-to-back exits of Greg and Michael Allio. The revelation rattled him, and he fixated on her attachment to her exes and worried she wouldn’t be ready for an engagement.
FIRST PROMO FOR KATIE THURSTON’S ‘BACHELORETTE’ SEASON DROPS
Katie Thurston's season of ‘The Bachelorette’ has come to a thrilling conclusion. (ABC/Andrew Eccles)
Despite that, Blake shared his feelings with Katie over dinner. He cited specific anecdotes from their hometown dates and highlighted his favorite qualities about her. He emphasized how important he considered the word "love" before confessing his own for her. Katie had repeatedly shared that she was only going to say "I love you" to one man, but she ended up saying it to Blake before the end of the night. "I love you so f—ing much," she told him before they retreated into their fantasy suites.
Katie debriefed with Kaitlyn after the overnight and gushed over her relationship with Blake. The joy was juxtaposed with the realization that Justin was still in the competition, and she realized she was seemingly less excited about him. She told him as much the next day, breaking up with him when he arrived for their fantasy suite date. The episode followed his exit with his present-day reaction, including speaking to Kate for the first time since walking off set. He admitted it was hard not to think he was there by "default" after the self-eliminations, and he questioned if Katie gave him a fair shot. Katie did her best to reassure him and affirmed their former connection.
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After Justin was out of the picture, Katie and Blake completed several milestones back-to-back. The expedited episode featured Blake meeting Katie’s mom and aunt (who offered some tough love), their last date and a Neil Lane ring selection session. The rushed timeline rattled Blake, who expressed nerves heading into the proposal. Despite that, he eventually got down on one knee.
Their happiness was starkly contrasted by the animosity on the present-day Los Angeles stage. Greg returned to see Katie and was interrogated by her and the hosts about his decision to prematurely leave the show. He said he was hoping their final conversation would have gotten them on the same page, and he blamed Katie’s inability to tell him she loved him on his decision to leave.
Since the show wrapped, rumors have swirled surrounding Greg’s persona, including about a previous stint in acting school. Katie also heard talk that he was disingenuous when representing himself during filming and said he was a "cocky guy from Jersey," opposed to the sweet man she got to know. Her new insight caused her to accuse him of being performative and using the show as a platform. When reevaluating their breakup, she cited their momentary fight as his excuse and a reason to escape. The accusations kept flying, and she said he was never ready or prepared for an engagement.
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She used their final fight as evidence, and she accused him of gaslighting and talking down to her. Despite Greg’s initial claim of "no regrets," he apologized for the way he communicated during the last fight before then attempting to justify his behavior. The conversation got heated, and the two ultimately parted way on less than friendly terms.
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That low was followed by a high, though: Blake joined Katie on stage for their first public appearance as an engaged couple. Katie and Blake took turns reminiscing about their love story before wrapping the season with an impromptu dance to their song "Memorize You."
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