Spoiler alert! The following discusses the Season 7 finale of Bachelor in Paradise.
The beach is now closed. Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 has wrapped after a summer full of cake-throwing, clout-chasing and boob-melting. The three-hour season finale challenged our favorite Bachelor Nation alumni to look at the relationships they were in and decide if they had a future or not.
A lot of couples didn't make it to Fantasy Suites, and the drama didn't end when the cameras stopped rolling, either. A lot has gone down since filming ended back in June; this season actually could have used a separate “After the Final Rose” special. Here’s what went down in the Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 finale — and after — including who’s engaged, who’s still together, and which couples didn’t make it.
Joe Amabile And Serena Pitt
Serena Pitt showed up in Paradise at just the right time to fall in love with Joe Amabile — and by that, I mean the very beginning. Grocery Store Joe immediately questioned his decision to return to Paradise — where he and Kendall Long fell in love — and considered leaving, until he started talking to Pitt on Day 1. Not only did Amabile overcome the nostalgia of the beach, he got closure with Long, who really unnecessarily interrupted Amabile's impending proposal to say she was happy for him. But with enviable levels of grace, Amabile and Pitt didn’t let that overshadow their moment and got engaged.
Kenny Braasch And Mari Pepin
Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin were another couple that formed early, but they weren’t quite together the whole time. Braasch got involved with Demi Burnett for a while, leading to the infamous cake-in-the-fire incident. But Braasch and Pepin soon realized they had something special and focused their attention on each other for the rest of their stay. The couple were on the same page as they headed into overnight dates, and Braasch said he couldn't imagine his life without Pepin. He got down on one knee and proposed, or, as Braasch so eloquently put it: "I asked Mari to 'mari' me!"
Riley Christian And Maurissa Gunn
Wells Adams called it when he said if you can suck each other’s toes in Paradise, you can get engaged in Paradise. Undoubtedly the steamiest couple on the beach in Season 7, Maurissa Gunn and Riley Christian had chemistry to spare on their initial date and never looked back. On their overnight date, Christian told her the most romantic fantasy he had was of Sunday mornings with his future family, and he saw her in that future. They were the third couple to get engaged.
Thomas Jacobs And Becca Kufrin
The love story between Bachelorette in Paradise Becca Kufrin and former villain Thomas Jacobs didn’t get as much air time as some of the other couples, but they could often be seen laughing or kissing in the background. Kufrin broke it off with Jacobs before Fantasy Suite dates in a truly heartbreaking conversation that left Jacobs in tears. I wouldn’t have expected Kufrin to get engaged on TV a third time, but why did she have to end it altogether? Fortunately that's not the end of their story! An update at the end of the finale showed that Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs reunited post-Paradise.
Noah Erb And Abigail Heringer
Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer were another couple that lasted the duration of the season – well, almost. Tuesday’s finale picked up with their unexpected breakup at prom, as Erb blindsided Heringer and said he wasn’t her person. The couple left the show separately, still dressed in ‘80s prom garb. However, the couple was confirmed at the episode's end to have reunited, and are said to be taking things slowly.
This news comes as Abigail Heringer has found herself in the middle of cheating rumors after Clare Crawley tagged her in an Instagram post dragging former fiancé Dale Moss. There’s been no comment from Heringer and nothing official from Moss or Crawley, but Noah Erb did weigh in, with a seemingly amused Instagram Story (via @bachelornation.scoop) noting, “A lot of interesting stuff swirling around.” A woman can be heard giggling in the video, with some believing it’s Heringer.
Brendan Morais And Pieper James
Meet the villains of Paradise Season 7: Brendan Morais and Pieper James. When word spread around the beach that Morais had been stringing along Natasha Parker while waiting for James – with whom he had a relationship prior to filming – the cast and viewers both took action. The beachgoers confronted the couple, who ultimately left Paradise. Meanwhile, after seeing the filmed conversations of Morais and James bragging about the number of Instagram followers their relationship was getting them, fans responded by hitting the Unfollow button.
While the two were spotted together in August (after Paradise but before the Clout-Gate drama aired), their relationship did not survive the backlash after viewers were made privy to the extent of their scheming. The breakup was confirmed last week, as Pieper James needs time to re-evaluate this life lesson, a source told E! News.
The backlash from the show was too hard on both of them. They decided to split and focus on themselves. Pieper thinks it's best for her to spend time reevaluating her life. She thinks this is a good life lesson, but wants to move on.
Brendan Morais lost hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers in the aftermath, while the jilted Natasha Parker saw her followers skyrocket.
Ed Waisbrot And Mykenna Dorn
Ed Waisbrot picked Mykenna Dorn over Natasha Parker in the last rose ceremony, sending Parker home. But it turned out Waisbrot and Dorn were right behind her. Waisbrot gave it the good college try, asking Dorn if she wanted to do the Fantasy Suites after knowing each other only a day. When she said no, he asked if they could leave together, and she again said it was just better to walk away.
James Bonsall And Aaron Clancy
Aaron Clancy and James Bonsall may not have found their future wives on the beach, but they’re still walking away with a strong relationship. Against all odds, these guys made it to the end of Paradise without ever being in a serious relationship. In the end, Anna Redman was willing to give it a try with Bonsall in the real world, but Bonsall only had eyes for Clancy. Clancy could not possibly have dumped Tia Booth any faster, and the bromantic boys left Paradise together.
Another summer of drama is in the books, and Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 had its share of the romance. Congrats to all of the happy couples, and we’ll see you in two weeks, when Michelle Young starts her journey on The Bachelorette, premiering at 8 p.m. ET on October 19 on ABC. Be sure to check out our 2021 Fall TV Schedule for more upcoming premiere dates.
