Guys, we need to talk about Clayton.
We’ve already seen some shady people being catered to in The Bachelor, but this guy can take the cake. Throughout the season, he’s been telling each girl what they want to hear at the moment, praising the “special bond” with each of them (even when there’s still a dozen left!) ever showing how he really feels. Well, those chicks are finally back home to visit this week as he took his last three ladies – Susie, Rachel and Gabby – to Iceland for fantastic numbers. He can’t love all three of them equally… or can he?!
Well, he’s definitely trying to be: Tuesday’s episode starts with him flying off to Iceland – watch out, Clayton, or you might form a “special bond” with this stewardess! — and worrying about your conflicting feelings. “I think maybe I’m falling in love with all three of these women,” he admits, “and maybe I’m already in love with Susie.” Ouch! It will definitely end well. Meanwhile, the three ladies share an awkward moment together when Gabby announces that she “doesn’t want anything to be taboo” with Clayton. (That’s the code for “I totally sleep with him, just so you guys know.”) But Susie says it would be “devastating” if she found out he was intimate with any of the other girls: “I hope that he is as serious about physical intimacy as I am.” Hmmm… we’ll just fix it and save it for later.
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Rachel arranges a first date, and when she and Clayton take a helicopter ride and explore the bottom of a volcano, he reveals that he has “the strongest physical bond” with her. (Did you hear that Susie?) Rachel is still a little hurt that she got the last rose last week and she admits she is still waiting for Clayton to open before she says yes to the fantasy suite. At dinner, she tells Clayton of her concerns, but he reassures her, “I’m falling for you.” (And the other two girls too, but he doesn’t mention it.) That’s all Rachel needed to hear, and she happily heads off to the fantasy suite with him—as Susie repeats that his sex with another woman “would be really great.” border to be crossed. Oh, premonition!
The next morning, they look in love, and when Rachel yells at him that she loves him, Clayton yells back, “I love you too” – so maybe he made up his mind after all? Rachel beams when she returns to the hotel, and Susie begins to worry that her connection with Clayton is “too good to be true”. Meanwhile, Clayton is confused again: he does love Rachel, but he thinks he can love the other two as well. (We keep thinking this guy has to make up his mind at some point…but not now!) He takes Gabby on a rowdy dune buggy ride and he definitely has fun with her, but he doesn’t give off the same “loving” vibes. with her that he is with Susie and Rachel. She stresses that she’s ready to marry him, and he tells her how much he “appreciates” it…which isn’t really the same as reciprocating. But he still tells her that he’s falling in love with her! Is there anyone this guy doesn’t fall in love with?
As he and Gabby play fantasy suite together and “connect on a whole new level,” Susie tells us she’s “moving in a spiral,” literally going down a spiral staircase. (Thanks, producers.) Clayton even screams about her feelings for Gabby: “I’m falling in love, and it feels so good!” When she returns, Susie remarks that she has a “headboard” – oops – and it starts to dawn on Clayton that he’s told several women that he’s falling in love with them. And he hasn’t finished yet! His date with Susie is besieged by hurricane winds, which is not a good omen. However, they rekindle their relationship at a hot springs spa, and Susie admits that she is “nervous” about their connection. He calms her nerves with a kiss and they have a romantic kissing session under a waterfall. It looks like love… again!
Of course, Clayton tells Susie that he loves her…which is different from how he “falls in love” with Rachel and Gabby. (The wording matters, okay?) But she nudges him into whether he feels the same way about the other two, and whether he’s slept with them, which she says will make it “impossible to move forward.” (Clayton’s face right here shows intense, burning regret.) He reminds her that she told him to “explore” another relationship—and then admits that, yes, he did sleep with “someone else” and said “someone another” that he has loving feelings for them. (Two “someone else” indeed.) He says, “I love you the most,” which he thinks helps, but Susie cries. He wished he knew it was a deal breaker – really, so it’s her fault she didn’t tell you that, dude? – and pushes her to “hard times”. Yes, the hard times you caused with your actions, mate.
Clayton stammers out, admitting that he has slept with “both” other women. However, Susie holds firm: she can’t get past this. He keeps trying to make her feel guilty for not forgiving him, and she finally leaves, saying, “I can’t.” He leaves, telling the producer, “That’s exactly what I was afraid of… I don’t believe in anything anymore.” Susie comes back to talk and now he’s acting like he’s been wronged? He even makes her apologize (!) – “I feel like I just screwed everything up” – but when she says, “I don’t feel like I can leave here with you,” he blows up on her, telling her, “You just canceled everything we had.” He becomes cold and cruel, telling her, “I don’t even know who I’m looking at anymore,” and concluding, “I’m done.” She tries to apologize again (!!), but he just holds the car door open for her and says he will find someone “who can handle this and understand me for who I am.” Oh, you mean the guy who tells every woman he loves her so he can have sex with them and then gets mad when one of the women dares to ask questions? Who are you?
As Susie leaves in tears, she confesses that she thought Clayton would show her more “compassion” in this conversation. (Yes, and so are we!) Meanwhile, Clayton is still ranting. “My heart is no longer in it,” he declares. “Its end.” Then, in a preview of the two-part final season, which airs next week, Jesse Palmer teases that “the crazy drama is about to begin.” (Start?!) We see Gabby telling Clayton “I can’t believe anything you’re saying” and his dad telling him he’s “fucked up” before Jesse has a “Rose Out of Hell Ceremony” and Clayton tells Rachel and Gabby that he fell in love with both of them and was “close” to both of them. (Spoiler alert: they don’t take it well.) But then Jesse also informs Clayton that he has news “that will change everything for you.” Well, this season has started off slowly, but is certainly picking up at the right time.
Has Clayton committed the most dubious act in undergraduate history? Will he propose to Rachel or Gabby after this? Leave your thoughts – and we know you have them – in the comments below.