Spoiler alert! The following story includes details from The Bachelorette’s Season 17 finale, including the outcome of Katie Thurston’s season.
Katie Thurston’s journey as The Bachelorette came to an end after a dramatic three-hour finale, with Thurston handing out her final rose and leaving with a ring on her finger. But before any diamonds were handed out, the star and her betrothed had one final hurdle to jump, and it just might have been the hardest one to overcome — Thurston’s own Aunt Lindsey.
Blake Moynes, the latecomer to Season 17 who previously vied for Clare Crawley’s and Tayshia Adams’ hearts in Season 16, was the last man standing after Katie Thurston sent Justin Glaze home in the emotional of Bachelorette finale. Before Moynes could make it official, he had to meet Thurston’s family, and in true boss-level fashion, Aunt Lindsey completely roasted Moynes for “flunking out” on the previous season of The Bachelorette, and laughed off his responses as “cute.” It was as savagely amazing as it was terrifying, and Bachelor Nation was shook. For those who missed it, here is actual footage of their talk:
Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the real Bachelorette footage, but that’s pretty much exactly what happened. Right from the beginning, Bachelor Nation knew we were in for a ride upon seeing how Aunt Lindsey reacted to Blake Moynes gifting flowers to both her and Katie Thurston’s mom. She also refused to hug Moynes in the moment, instead giving him a curt handshake. And fans were quick to point out the pro-level shading on display.
Aunt Lindsey doesn’t need your flowers, kid. She’s here for answers! Except Blake Moynes also couldn’t give her the information she wanted (demanded), like how he and Thurston planned to navigate a relationship from two different countries. In Moynes’ defense, Katie Thurston had only just sent Justin Glaze home, so they probably hadn't had time to figure out any of the intricacies that come with combining two lives. But that didn’t matter to Aunt Lindsey, who didn't seem convinced that Moynes would have a better answer later in life.
Bachelor Nation felt Blake Moynes’ pain when Aunt Lindsey — who was more singularly focused on Katie Thurston than arguably anyone this season — told Moynes he ultimately meant nothing.
Many fans drew comparisons between Aunt Lindsey and Barb Weber, outspoken mother of former Bachelor Peter Weber, who infamously tore into her son’s girlfriend Madison Prewett during his season's “After the Final Rose” episode. Was it too much to ask to get Aunt Lindsey there for Katie Thurston’s finale?
Lots of fans wished we were granted the opportunity to see Aunt Lindsey tear into Greg Grippo the same way she tore into Blake Moynes (although Katie Thurston did a pretty good job of that by herself). We also missed out on the surely fantastic facial expressions she'd have inspired from Justin Glaze. Aunt Lindsey made such an impression on Bachelor Nation, some couldn’t help but think of the potential interactions between her and every single man we’ve encountered, including single dad Michael Allio.
In reality though, Aunt Lindsey may have come off harsh (huge understatement), but her love and concern for Katie Thurston were obviously the driving factors. We knew that Thurston was a strong woman, and it makes sense, since she's the product of these unassailable females. I can’t help but be a little scared for Thurston and Blake Moynes now that the season is over, though, as Thurston revealed that her family was finding out about her engagement right along with the rest of Bachelor Nation, since she didn’t trust them to keep a secret.
Good luck with that! But now that Katie Thurston and Blake Moynes are happily engaged, it’s time for Bachelor Nation to move on, and we only have a few days to wait! ABC's Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, August 16, with Lil Jon set to hype up the Bachelor alumni along with superfan David Spade and other guest hosts. The Bachelorette will then return in October for Michelle Young’s romance-filled journey. Keep up with the premieres of all of your shows with our 2021 Fall TV schedule.
