'Bachelor' Ben Higgins gives out his final rose

It’s finally time: after being teased about “the most dramatic Bachelor finale ever” for weeks now, we finally get to find out who has stolen the heart of America’s favorite Bachelor. Of the remaining two women, Ben has told both of them he’s in love with them, but they don’t know what’s happening with the other. The teaser for the drama leading to the episode is enough to have my heart pumping excitedly.

Still in Jamaica, Lauren is on cloud nine remembering how he confessed he loved her last week. JoJo also feels the same way. Both girls are feeling like their relationship with Ben is stronger than ever, that they’re all on the same page and like they’re on the precipice of heading down the aisle.

Ben’s less certain. “My head’s a mess,” he confesses, not sure what he’s going to do. He can’t imagine saying goodbye to either of them, already picturing a life with both of them. So, in true Bachelor style, Ben’s parents are brought down to Jamaica to meet the girls and hopefully help him make a decision before the final choice.

His dad doesn’t beat around the bush, asking him, “Are you in love?” Ben answers in the affirmative, saying he’s in love with both of them, an idea that clearly worries his mother.

Meet the Higgins, Part I

Lauren gets to go first, bringing flowers and wine and giggling excitedly as she hugs his mom. She and Ben then stare at each other lovingly, with his parents looking slightly uncomfortable knowing he’s in love with both of them while she’s blissfully unaware. She goes off with his dad first, Papa Higgins admitting it’s obvious that the two love each other. But, regardless, he asks her how she feels. Her face lights up, gushing about how much she loves him. When he asks her if she’s ready to get married, she doesn’t falter, telling him she is.

Ben’s mom is a little more critical, also asking if she’s ready for this type of commitment with how fast everything is going. Lauren repeats that she is ready, but she wants to know more about this man she’s only gotten to see the “perfect” side of. Mrs. Higgins admits that Ben’s biggest fault is that he tends to be his own biggest critic and can be pretty harsh on himself, something Lauren’s already gotten a sneak peak of. She wants to be there for him through it all, though, excited at the idea of them getting through all of the possible hard times together.

In Mama Higgins’ conversation with Ben, she’s still not sure how he’s in love with both girls and not happy knowing they don’t know he’s in love with both of them. “They don’t know and that’s my burden to carry,” he tells her, all serious and determined to get through this as gracefully as possible.

Outside the house, Lauren tells him what she’s told his parents already: she’s ready for all of the commitment they’re possibly about to jump into. “Getting married is like a big deal,” she tells him. “Something I’m only doing once.”

Meet the Higgins, Part II

JoJo comes next, visibly nervous about meeting his parents. Their meeting already seems a lot warmer than their meeting with Lauren, which is probably attributable to the fact that JoJo doesn’t pretend she’s anything other than excited and nervous but she’s also bubbly and jokes around with them.

She also goes off with Papa Higgins first, admitting that she’s ready for them to take the next step because Ben's her best friend and she wants to make sure that he’s happy with her, that he always knows she’s happy with him. He thanks her for telling him this, clearly moved.

Mama Higgins is also enthralled with her, smiling and laughing and mentioning that Ben feels the same way she does; not just that he’s in love but that he feels “safe” with her the way she feels safe with him. JoJo does eventually break down a little, admitting that she’s scared of losing him, aware it’s a possibility. In her own video confessional, Mama Higgins is starting to see how Ben can love both of these women.

After meeting with the parents and while saying their goodbyes, JoJo does the surprising thing and asks Ben if he’s ready to get engaged. It’s nice to see someone looking after him, making sure he’s taken care of the way he’s made an effort to see that everyone else is okay before himself.

Talking with his parents, it’s obvious they’re playing the neutral team, but it’s almost obvious they favor JoJo in the way they talk about the two of them. His mother’s worried that he still doesn’t know what to do, admitting that they’re both great women and she’s not going to be disappointed either way. He reiterates he’s not sure what to do with the two of them.

The Final Date with Lauren

His solo date with Lauren comes first. She’s giddy at the idea that this could be their “last date as boyfriend and girlfriend” before they get engaged. Their date seems almost awkward; he’s clearly stressed about his decision and she’s really excited but can tell he’s off.

On the beach, she asks him if he’s got any doubts about her in specific. He admits that she’s seemed perfect and he’s fighting his natural inclination to run when things appear too good to be true, which she is to him. “With Lauren, I don’t know what’s going to happen when things get hard,” he says to the camera crew. “Maybe the feelings were too immediate and now I’m questioning it. Maybe that’s it.”

As the clock ticks down on their final night together, she’s getting more and more nervous, unsure of where his relationship with JoJo is. They both seem to be skirting around the issue, never addressing the elephant in the room: his feelings for JoJo. She calls him out, though, asking him if he’s got any last questions or anything he wants to spill. In turn, she ends up admitting that she’s anxious, but she’s ready for them to spend their life together. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my whole life.” Instead of looking thrilled by her admission, he looks terrified. Honestly, they’re being affectionate, but it feels cold and uncomfortable.

Lauren’s video confession is teary-eyed as she admits, “Tonight felt like the last time I heard Ben say he loved me. I don’t...I don’t really know what I’d do.”

The Final Date with JoJo

For his final date with JoJo, the two pack themselves into a Jeep and drive around the countryside. Unlike his date with Lauren, the two are joking around and natural, JoJo focusing more on the happiness of being with him, not on the fact that it’s potentially their last day together. They dive into a bright blue lake and then sprawl out on a rock to dry off and talk. When she asks him if he’s feeling good, her good mood comes tumbling down. “There’s two people here and you’re feeling nervous,” she guesses when he falters and he confirms. He talks to her like a peer, like a friend, and it brings back the reminder that she considers him her best friend, a feeling that is certainly (currently, at least) mutual.

However, this is the first time she’s feeling doubtful and she’s not sure what kind of flags that brings up.

That night, the doubts are starting to pile up, so she asks him what he meant about him not being sure. He ends up getting emotional and admitting that he feels bad about having said anything to make her feel bad. However, when she asks him what makes him doubt their relationship, he tells her, “It’s not going to make you feel better but nothing.” Unfortunately, he tells her he’s been unsure because he doesn’t have any doubts in either relationship.

He does tell her that she became his best friend in their two months together, which is what he loves about them. Unfortunately, she wants a sign from him but doesn't get one. They escape into the bathroom when she gets emotional and she tells him she just needs something from him. He’s not sure what else to do; when she questions his feelings for Lauren, he admits that yes, he loves her too and yes, he’s told her that.

This breaks her down; she’s tired of having to compete with other people. As they ready themselves to say goodbye, he thanks her for having dealt with him today and for listening to him, not wanting to say goodbye.

My own two cents on these final dates? I came in here expecting to watch his relationship with Lauren flourish and have JoJo pale in comparison and I am surprised at how much deeper his relationship with JoJo has become, how much stronger their foundation feels. They’re truly friends, recognizing each other’s needs and being totally open and honest, unlike the stilted, awkward night he spent with Lauren the night before.

The morning has arrived and a (sunburned and) confused Ben still has no idea what to do. He meets up with Neil Lane to decide on which ring he wants and it’s revealed he has finally made a choice.

Lauren’s feeling better, more certain as she gets ready to meet up with Ben. JoJo’s feeling scared but also excited about the idea of them either getting ready to get married or ending everything.

The Goodbye…

Landing first, JoJo steps out to Ben’s ominous voiceover, “I love her, but I love someone else more.”

She walks across the seemingly mile-long walkway towards Ben, the two embracing each other as her nervousness takes over. She gives him a heartfelt speech and confesses that she’s scared, but she’s glad she had the chance to experience all of this. “Love isn’t supposed to be easy, it’s supposed to be worth it. And you’re worth it,” she tells him breathlessly. It’s hard to not feel your heart break, realizing that Ben’s definitely about to break hers.

This seems to dawn on her as JoJo realizes he’s avoiding eye contact and stuttering his way through his own speech. He tells her that he came into this process not knowing if he was going to find love: “I found it with you...but I found it with someone else more,” he tells her.

Midway through his speech, she’s ready for this to be over. When she questions where this went wrong, he tells her it didn’t, something she didn’t want to hear. Already over it, she doesn’t want to hear anymore. As he rushes to try and make sense of this for her, for both of them, it’s clear she’s just ready to leave. She drives away tearfully, whispering, “I want to go home.”

After watching her leave, Ben admits that he never deserved her; her constant support and unwavering love for him was more than he deserved. “I’m about to get on one knee and propose to a woman I love and I was confused about that because of JoJo,” he says.

Time For The Final Rose

Though he’s still upset after sending JoJo home, he’s excited about his pending proposal. So, in the true spirit of his Midwestern good ol’ boy-ness, he calls Lauren’s dad before she arrives to ask for his permission, which, naturally, he gets.

She walks up the same path on which JoJo just left heartbroken and looks decidedly less nervous than you’d expect her to be--a feeling that pays off as he tells her that he never wants to say goodbye to her, wants to spend the rest of his life with her. The music swells around them as he slides the ring on her finger and they both excitedly announce, “You’re my person!”

In a perfect ending to this season, he carries her bridal-style off screen and they ride off into the sunset...in a helicopter.

As for what happened After The Final Rose? Lauren and Ben are still engaged, happy they finally get to date in public.

The most exciting announcement, however? JoJo is the new Bachelorette! The Bachelorette returns on May 23 on ABC.