As this season of The Bachelorette starts out, it's time to reflect back on the dumpster fire that was the season finale of Clayton's season of The Bachelor. The new season will follow the dual journeys of two Bachelorettes throughout the entire season for the first time ever and it's because both Gabby and Rachel really deserve it after all they were put through.
In one of the most unwatchable rose ceremonies ever, Clayton reveals to Gabby and Rachel that he was intimate with both of them and is also in love with both of them and Susie. After essentially begging them both to stay, he ends up dumping them in what Gabby calls a "group break up" the next day.
Queen Behavior From Rachel
Throughout the last season of The Bachelor, Rachel really fell for Clayton and seemed to think from pretty early on that it could possibly be her in the end, because he gave her plenty of reason to think that way. Her heart was clearly broken in the finale, but the "After the Final Rose" was a totally different story.
After having time to process with her people and the comfort of her normal life, Rachel seemed beyond prepared to talk to Clayton, and she was ready to exhibit queen behavior in the process. Just as @maggiebachstuff points out in this meme, she stayed seated when greeting Clayton, and it's an empowering energy that's easy to get behind.
Running Into Their Own Season
This image was the most memed image from the infamous finale of The Bachelor last spring, and it's pretty clear why. These facial expressions and body language say it all, so it's easy to put this image in several emotional contexts.
This tweet by @celienahillen really aged well. Not only did both ladies successfully run far away from Clayton, they ran all around the world with men who showed up for the two of them, and hopefully they both find love by the end of the season! If nothing else, at least they have each other.
Gabby's Way With Words
Gabby Windey is an icon and has excellent lines and facial expressions that make perfect memes, as Gabby flawlessly depicts all types of moods. The arms crossed with this strong language is a mood in itself, and @theREAlemgrasso is right, this aligns perfectly with how it feels when vacation days don't get approved.
During the rocky finale, Gabby gave Clayton so many chances to fix things or offer basic human decency once she pointed out how he was treating her, and he still couldn't get it together. It will be so gratifying to see her search for the love she deserves.
Lizzie McGuire Movie Vibes
A blonde and a brunette take down a man who wronged them and then become fueled by friendship and their own newfound power- this describes both the most recent finale of The Bachelor and the end of The Lizzie McGuire movie as @liljulsie brilliantly points out with this meme.
Now, Gabby and Rachel get to embark on their own international adventure that is hopefully free of Clayton's and Paolo's. Perhaps they will even travel to Italy like Lizzie did.
Way To Go, Gabby!
During "After The Final Rose," it is inevitable that the rejected contestants will be asked if they still have feelings for their Bachelor or Bachelorette love, but what is unpredictable is the answers the cast give. Typically a few months have ed since the break-ups and "AFR," but everyone heals at different paces.
When Gabby said she does not have feelings for Clayton anymore, surely everyone watching felt as joyous as the beloved Grandpa Joe looks in this meme by @bachyardigans. Now it's time to find out who Gabby will develop feelings for next on her journey.
Rachel Reactions
Though Gabby gets a lot of credit for how expressive and relatable she is, Rachel makes incredible television too. She is lovely and lights up the screen, but she can also throw out incredible, meme-able facial expressions just like Gabby can as exhibited by this hilarious Shanae meme by @haleezzzz. Rachel will be a delight to watch in the new season of The Bachelorette.
She's fun-loving and inspiringly career driven with an amazing job title. Hopefully she won't be crying much, but if so, she even cries beautifully and gracefully like she's in a rom-com. Her tear-shedding game could give Meg Ryan, Demi Moore, or Reese Witherspoon a run for their money, but hopefully she'll find happiness instead.
The Announcement
The show really teased the audience before announcing their two new Bachelorettes, trying desperately to word things strangely to throw people off in the hopes of making it a surprise.
By the time the announcement finally came, everything between the two women and Clayton had already happened, and they had audience on their side in droves. The reveal was a satisfying, celebratory moment that feels exactly like this epic Gabby meme @CharlotteMaria7 made with Gabby's reaction to Shanae going home.
Fool Me Once
Shame on The Bachelor for trying too hard to trick fans into thinking neither Gabby nor Rachel would be the next Bachelorette based on their wording during "After the Final Rose," but baiting for drama has become a The Bachelor.
Obviously, the show is all about the drama and suspense, so it wouldn't make sense for them to not tease and build up the hype, but it definitely put fans through an emotional rollercoaster during an already tumultuous finale. It felt exactly like this meme by @flight2themoon: two major, snap reactions that hit back-to-back.
Most In Love
Luckily Clayton knows and its how wrong he was because he was an absolute buffoon who continued to handle things poorly throughout the end of the season - especially the finale. He couldn't word anything right. He just kept making up his own rules that made sense to him and nobody else, like telling all final three women that he loved them
He reserved "I love you the most" for Susie, but it's essentially the same as only telling Susie he loves her. It must've been hard, yet hilarious for Gabby and Rachel to watch as this meme by @petersgolfcart points out. Hopefully they could laugh about it while filming their season.
"I Got You Girl"
This image really is a classic. Gabby really wanted to leave Clayton in the finale, and he convinced her to stay, but she likely also came back so that Rachel didn't have to go through everything alone.
These captions by @a_rachel_fan perfectly meme and capture the mood and vibe of this still from the rose ceremony. Even on a horrible night, these two stuck it out together, and they seemed to be thriving and already growing closer during "After the Final Rose" so there is surely an incredible season in store for Bachelor Nation's very own Thelma and Louise.