Chris Harrison hilariously tell us at the end of every season of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette that this is going to be epic.
We’re about to see the most shocking, most dramatic, emotional finale ever, he tells us. But which finales truly stand out most?
Sometimes, it’s the season finale with a surprising winner.
Sometimes, it’s a little extra drama or an epic meltdown.
And sometimes (cough, Brad) there’s no proposal at all.
Well, we’ve decided to take a look back and rank the 17 most shocking finales from both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.
Where do we place last night’s The Bachelorette season finale, in which JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers got engaged?
Which was the most insane in BACHELOR HISTORY?
Check them out and see if you remember these – we’re sure you do, if you’re reading this – and if you agree with our rankings!
The Bachelorette Season 8: Emily Maynard
Emily wanted to be considerate of Arie’s feelings on the finale of The Bachelorette Season 8, so once her mind was made up about Jef, she sent Arie home before they made it to the rose ceremony.
The Bachelor Season 4: Bob Guiney
It’s kind of amazing how often a finale on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette ends without a proposal. In Bob Guiney’s case, he offered a promise ring to his chosen lady instead. They broke up a few months later.
The Bachelorette Season 6: Ali Fedotowsky
Ali gave use a suprise at the end of The Bachelorette Season 6 when she sent Chris Lambton home early, incredibly confident in choosing Roberto.
The Bachelorette Season 12: JoJo Fletcher
While there were final rose ceremony tears and a bit of drama – Robby Hayes really thought he had it in the bag, while Jordan Rodgers held back, initially, when it came to asking JoJo Fletcher’s parents for permission to propose to her – the Dallas beauty ultimately went with her heart, and the frontrunner all season (Jordan).
The Bachelor Season 14: Jake Pavelka
Jake shocked fans on his season finale when he chose the season’s villain, Vienna Girardi, over fan-favorite Tenley Molzahn.
The Bachelor Season 1: Alex Michel
Believe it or not, even The Bachelor Season 1 didn’t end as we thought it would. Alex Michel told Chris Harrison he was planning to pick Trista Rehn, but then chose Amanda Marsh at the last minute. He didn’t propose, though, but instead just wanted to keep dating.
The Bachelor Season 16: Ben Flajnik
Whew. This one was rough. Ben shockingly chose the villain of his season, Courtney Robertson, who everyone warned him against. But by the time they got to the After the Final Rose special, they’re relationship was already falling apart.
The Bachelorette Season 11: Kaitlyn Bristowe
Kaitlyn’s season of The Bachelorette was continually shocking. It even started out with TWO bachelorettes, plus a surpise suitor: Nick Viall. When things came down to Nick and Shawn, Kaitlyn chose Shawn, but not before standing awkwardly and allowing Nick to go on and on about how much he loved her. At least she stopped him as he tried to get down on one knee.
The Bachelorette Season 7: Ashley Hebert
This one was just seriously painful to watch. The shock came from Ashley’s inability to handle rejecting Ben with any sort of grace, actually allowing him to get down on one knee and propose only to tell him no. THEN, she ran after him to tell him how glad she was to have met him and such, only to make matters more uncomfortable.
The Bachelorette Season 3: Jen Schefft
Jen Scheftt’s final two suitors on The Bachelorette Season 3 were John Paul and Jerry, but her final decision was actually neither. Jerry was her choice, sort of, but she rejected his proposal and suggested they wait a while and do it right. But then at the After the Final Rose Special, she said they both knew they were really just friends.
The Bachelor Season 5: Jesse Palmer
Awkwardly, the woman Jesse Palmer chose arrived first, so after telling her he wanted to be with her (but didn’t propose) he still had to break with up with Tara, who gave a whole speech about how much she loved him before being dumped. And since Jessica had showed up first, she ended up watching the whole thing from her window. Talk about dramatic!
The Bachelor Season 18: Juan Pablo
Juan Pablo’s season was pretty much dramatic the entire time, and the finale followed suit. Clare gave him a piece of her mind after Juan Pablo insulted her. He then chose Nikki, but wasn’t sure of their relationship enough to give her a ring just yet.
The Bachelorette Season 13: Rachel Lindsay
The Bachelorette Season 13 finale certainly did not lack for drama, as Rachel Lindsay got engaged to Bryan Abasolo … reluctantly, it appeared. Peter Kraus dominated the storyline of the final episode, and may well have gotten the final rose had he been open to proposing on the spot, which he wasn’t willing to do, despite genuine feelings for Rachel. As a result, she went back and forth between the two guys until the 11th hour, which is seldom seen.
The Bachelorette Season 9: Desiree Hartsock
The guy Desiree REALLY wanted to choose at the end of The Bachelorette Season 9? Brooks. But he didn’t have the same feelings, and took off early, leaving her completely heartbroken. The shocker? She went ahead and chose one of the other guys anyway, decided Chris was a good choice too. Awkward!
The Bachelor Season 11: Brad Womack
Brad Womack’s first time as the bachelor didn’t quite work out. At the end of The Bachelor Season 11, he sent both DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft home. He later decided to give the whole Bachelor thing a second chance, returning for The Bachelor Season 15.
The Bachelor Season 7: Charlie O’Connell
Who says you have to play by the rules? Bachelor Charlie O’Connell made the shocking decision to choose BOTH of the final women rather than choosing one. He didn’t propose to either, but asked that they both keep dating him so he could have more time. Then at the After the Final Rose special, he asked Sarah Brice to continue seeing him, but still didn’t make a proposal.
The Bachelor Season 13: Jason Mesnick
Jason Mesnick made the wrong decision on his finale, choosing Melissa over Molly. He admitted this later in the After the Final Rose special, and expressed his love for Molly instead.