Bachelor in Paradise recap: The final rose ceremony is here

The penultimate episode of Bachelor in Paradise opens with everyone's favorite beachside bartender Wells reminiscing on the good, the bad, and the absolutely unhinged moments that occurred this season. But we're all really here to see who's making up, who's breaking up, and who's potentially getting down on one knee before the season ends. So let's get to it, shall we?

Mara decides to self-eliminate rather than wait until the final rose ceremony to be sent home. Then, host Jesse Palmer makes things spicier by announcing that there will be no cocktail party. In fact, he suggests that if anyone is unsure about getting engaged to their partner, they should break up.

Will anyone heed his advice? Let's find out.

The final rose ceremony goes like this:

Michael and Danielle
Brandon and Serene
Johnny and Victoria
Tyler and Brittany
Aaron and Genevieve
Justin and Florence
Joey and Shanae

Then, Logan steps up to the plate. He tells Kate that they've "walked through fire together" to get where they are today. But if Logan is a hunk of burning love, then consider Kate a fire extinguisher: she swiftly douses any flames of love with zero remorse.

"Logan, we have had some unforgettable moments on the beach... But you also told me that I was critical, looked down on you, not warm enough, and stimulated by the drama. When in reality, those are projections that I feel from you," she says. "When Jesse told us earlier to ask ourselves if we were happy or in love? The answer for those questions, for me, is no. I know what I want and this isn't it."

It's not surprising that Kate doesn't like Logan. The weird thing is the comments she uses against him feel like an accurate reflection of how she's treated him throughout the season: she was critical of his age, looked down on his financial situation, and thrived on playing hot and cold with their relationship. I'm not saying Logan's innocent by any means, but seriously: pot meet kettle.

With Kate gone, that means Logan is headed home. And yes, he knows part of the reason they didn't make it is because he doesn't have Hayden-level money. "Kate did not like what I brought to the table. And it tore me up because I had nothing I wanted to change about Kate," he says. "[To] have that returned with anger and disappointment in me. Yeah, it just hurts."

Meanwhile, Kate is already on the lookout for Mr. Right. "I want something that's effortless and that flows and that shouldn't feel like this much of an uphill battle in like the early stages. We should be dry humping in a corner," she shares. "Please God, bring me a grown ass man with a big [bleep] and a bigger bank account."

The day after the rose ceremony, Jesse returns to announce that paradise is officially OVER… kind of. There will be no more new suitors or rose ceremonies. Instead, the couples will embark on Fantasy Suite dates or be sent home. Here's how the final few hours in paradise play out for each couple.

Serene and Brandon:

Brandon and Serene are this season's success story. They're both fully ready to get engaged and have no qualms when it comes to planning their future together.

"For Brandon and I, we both came into this with past experiences of feeling like we had the rug pulled out from under us," Serene explains. "So we've been having these conversations about the future this entire time. So I'm not scared. I'm excited."

Brittany and Tyler:

Brittany and Tyler's adorable relationship is the only good thing to come out of this season's absurd decision to separate its cast for a week. During their discussion, Tyler admits that he fell in love with her during the Sadie Hawkins dance. Brittany reveals she loves him, too, and they share their hopes for the future.

"I see us outside of this. I want this so much. I really do mean that. Am I ready to get engaged right away? No," Tyler shares. Brittany looks relieved. "But, in the future, yes. I see that with you."

So, Tyler's suggestion? "Why don't we get out of here? Go to Chicago. Meet moms," he says. "I'm excited for life outside of here with you and to just start our journey together." Brittany agrees, and the pair leave the show together. Ya love to see it!

Shanae and Joey:

They say that breaking up is hard to do, but Shanae really drops the ball when it comes to splitting up with Joey.

It starts off well when Shanae tells him that she sees their relationship as more "playful" and less "serious" than what the future of Paradise holds in store. That makes sense: they just met a few weeks ago. She cites their age gap and how he's living with his parents as a problem and, at this point, surely it would've been easier to say that you're just at two different stages in your lives?

Not if you're the Shanaedo. Now, she's mad about Joey's TikToks? "I just feel like I'm your fun, cool aunt, not your girlfriend. I'm not looking for someone that continues to be a social media freak, TikToks all over the place," she pauses when Joey gets obviously offended. "I'm not! You're a great person, but I'm not looking for that."

Joey is confused because "none of this was mentioned before," so Shanae pivots to an even worse tactic. "I want a man," she says. To which Joey then replies, "You're saying I'm not a man?" Yeah, it's safe to say their relationship is over.

Florence and Justin:

If Shanae wants pointers on how to end a relationship, then she should look at Justin and Florence's breakup. "I think we shouldn't pursue things outside of paradise," Justin says. Florence replies, "I agree."

Done! 10/10!

Victoria and Johnny:

Victoria and Johnny are sticking together. During their sit-down, she affirms that she sees a life with him outside of paradise, but wants to "make sure that's where you're at too."

Johnny, who previously wasn't interested in marriage, claims that Victoria has changed his viewpoint. "When I met you, you kinda flipped my whole world upside down," he says. "It scares me because now, the more we hang out and the more I spend time with you, I really can't imagine life without you."

It's obvious that the pair like each other, but their conversation doesn't end with any concrete plans for their future, including whether or not they'll get engaged.

Genevieve and Aaron:

Genevieve and Aaron's toxic relationship has served up some unforgettable moments this season — did we ever decide if itching was a low-level form of pain? — but these two truly shouldn't be in a relationship together. Aaron seems to understand that loud and clear.

"The main thing that I have an issue with, with us, is whenever there's something wrong, you've wanted to leave," he explains. "And that's scary for me. And, especially if you love someone, this is probably the easiest it's going to get. I'm going to be honest with you: life is not easy and we need to be teammates."

Genevieve being a flight risk is the opposite of what Aaron needs in a partner. "I need someone that can give me security," he says. "And, for that reason, I don't think I can continue my relationship with you outside of paradise."

He tries to end things on a good note by swearing that he "would not do anything different" and cherishes their time together. Genevieve, clearly in shock, says nothing and marches to her room to pack her bags. Aaron hasn't had the most sparkling reputation during their relationship, but at least his reasoning this time makes sense.

Once she's had a moment to process, Genevieve tracks Aaron down for round two. She claims that he's trying to "rewrite" their story and make her the villain. He replies that she was the one who packed her bags, which causes Genevieve to question why he asked her to stay.

"I thought there would be a change," he says. "It's clear now that we don't fit together and it will happen again when I'm deeper in love and when you're deeper in love and it will hurt even more."

So Genevieve insults him rather than listening. "You say you've matured a lot since last season, but I feel like there's still a lot that you have to do," she says. Aaron responds, "Thank you for that. I really appreciate it." Hopefully they'll get some closure during the reunion?

Michael and Danielle:

Michael and Danielle are very wholesome. They've both lost a significant other in their lives, which means that discussions about their future are grounded in a sense of reality and maturity. (Not to mention Michael has a son waiting at home for him, too.)

"Ever since Laura passed, I've had difficulty giving and receiving love. And for the longest time I have felt incredibly just lost, wandering, numb, you know?" he says. "Which — for empathetic, emotional people like us — is a death sentence."

Michael reveals that he keeps a compass in his pocket that was made before his wife died. "I bring it with me everywhere so I don't get lost," he explains. "On the inside of it, it says, 'I find you wherever you are.' And I can't help but think this compass brought me to you."

They're both crying now. "I think about what this looks like and what it can be and my goal is obviously to get that introduction with you and James when the time's right," Michael shares. "I know it'll be something really special. He's the most amazing kid. And it's not just that introduction. It's meeting your family. You meeting mine. The future just feels hopeful."

Danielle is ready, calling it an "honor" to meet James and swearing that she wouldn't try to "step in" and replace his mom. "Our losses are very different," she says. "I can't look back on mine and say it was this beautiful, safe, happy relationship. And I know that when you look back on yours with Laura, it is. It's just this incredible love and just know that I really respect that."

"She would love you," Michael adds. "I know that for certain. She'd be happy it was you."

The pair agree they're not ready to get engaged, with Michael calling it "something we're building up to," before they leave paradise together.

At the end of the day, there are only two couples left on the beach: Johnny and Victoria and Brandon and Serene. They commemorate their time in paradise with a dinner date before heading to their Fantasy Suites.

After marveling over their hotel room, Brandon and Serene break out the alcohol and toast to their relationship. "When we got separated, I trusted you the entire time. I like, don't even have a second thought in my mind that this isn't gonna work out. And it's not scary at all," Serene shares. "I know that this is the real deal between you and I."

"This is the only time you'll have to do this in your life, because I'm never letting you go," Brandon replies. "I am going to love you for the rest of your life, señorita. No doubt."

Over in Johnny and Victoria's Fantasy Suite, the pair are discussing their deepest fears. Victoria's afraid of being "abandoned," while Johnny admits that he hates "everything" about himself. "You are enough," she says. "When I'm telling you that I love you and that I've never felt this way about anybody ever, I wouldn't just say that to anybody."

She thinks he'll be a great husband and dad too. "I've always been honest with you from the start: I want to be engaged, I want a family, I want all those things," Victoria adds. "Just because I didn't come in here with the intention of finding that doesn't mean I'm not ready. I'm 1,000 percent ready and I see that with you."

"That's what scares me," Johnny replies. "I feel like engagement and things like this, I don't ever know if you're ever ready." Uh, red alert?

If getting engaged stresses Johnny out, then why didn't they just leave yesterday? Is it because he thinks marriage is what Victoria wants? Whatever the reason, the couple find themselves at odds for what their future has in store.

Well, rose lovers, it's all coming to an end! Do you think Johnny and Victoria will end up getting engaged? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

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