'Bachelorette' finale reveals Jenn Tran's final choice — and how it all went wrong
Is Jenn Tran engaged? Is she single?
The "Bachelorette" finale revealed all nearly two months after her season premiered, and how Jenn's journey for love ended was uglier than even Bachelor Nation's biggest online sleuths could've ever imagined.
Fans have been eager to learn why Jenn, the franchise's first Asian American lead, tells one of her final suitors, "I can't let you propose to me." As it turns out, that was far from the most dramatic revelation on Tuesday night.
Back in Hawaii several months ago, the 26-year-old aspiring physician assistant called things off with Marcus Shoberg, 32, because he was reluctant to express love for Jenn due to "not giving you want you need."
The road was clear for Jenn to ride off into the sunset with 28-year-old Devin Strader. She was ready to take the reins and propose to the freight company owner from Houston.
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Then a record scratch.
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Host Jesse Palmer interrupted the program during the live portion of the show to reveal that they were not about to show a happy ending.
For viewers to understand what truly happened, a sobbing Jenn bravely appeared on stage to explain that though she did get engaged to her last man standing in Hawaii, they were no longer together.
Jenn says Devin ended their engagement in a 15-minute phone call
According to Jenn, Devin broke off the engagement in a 15-minute phone call sometime in August as the season was airing.
"He basically said that he didn’t love me anymore and didn’t feel the same way," she said, adding that "he denied ever being in love." As her mom cried in the audience, Jenn said Devin refused to go to couples' counseling and "didn't want to fight for the relationship anymore."
To the tune of scattered applause and boos, Devin joined Jenn and Jesse on stage to explain his side of the story: "I failed you, but everything I felt for you was real." Devin also said he had "a lot of doubts" throughout their two-month engagement and asserted he was transparent about these feelings.
When Jenn pushed back on how honest he truly was with her, he admitted, "I was regretfully late on letting you know. You are 100% right."
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Devin admits to following 'Bachelor' alum Maria Georgas on Instagram post-breakup
Among Jenn's allegations was that Devin followed Maria Georgas the day after he broke up with her. (Georgas was also in contention to be the "Bachelorette" lead.)
"I can't excuse the Instagram follow; I know how much that hurt you," Devin replied. "Obviously, I failed you, and there's nothing I can say other than that."
Around this point, 2022 "Bachelorette" co-star Rachel Recchia, whose season also ended in heartbreak, appeared to be dabbing at her tears in the audience.
She also accused Devin of clubbing with fourth-place finisher Jeremy Simon in New York shortly after their breakup. Devin defended himself by stating he was in town meeting with a client and retorted, "Am I not allowed to live a life?"
Jenn also accused Devin of being unaffected by the end of their relationship despite claiming he "(knows) how bad this hurts.
"You're out here promoting the show on Instagram, posting memes about Sam (McKinney) and all this stuff. It's like you don't even feel anything," she said. "This past month, every Monday night, my heart was broken over and over again. Whereas you don't give a crap. Great old time. And I am heartbroken every Monday night watching the lies that you said to me on TV."
Devin insisted he only showed up to "After the Final Rose" to make sure Jenn was OK and took responsibility for making her unhappy once the cameras stopped rolling.
"I watched this beautiful girl grow and flourish into this amazing woman on her own. It took none of us on the show to make you that person. I think it was amazing to watch you flourish into who you were," he said. "And I found myself falling short of those expectations in the real world, and I found myself not being able to live up to the things that you need, that you deserve."
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Jenn sobs watching back her 'Bachelorette' proposal
In an attempt to happily segue into the footage of Jenn and Devin's mutual proposal in Hawaii, Jesse praised Jenn for "(showing) all of us what a strong, powerful woman is."
When Jesse asked Jenn, who was sobbing, whether it was time to show Bachelor Nation her engagement, she replied, "Do I have a choice?"
As the studio audience watched the video, ABC showed live footage of Jenn crying in the corner of the screen before eventually removing the voyeuristic box.
During the proposal, filmed earlier this summer, Devin professed his love again before Jenn surprised him
"I love you so deeply, Devin. But I can't let you propose to me. I've decided to choose myself in this journey, and the best version of myself is when I'm with you," she said. "I'm strong on my own. But I know that we're stronger together."
She produced a silver ring from a case that looked like a seashell and placed it on Devin's finger, and he returned the favor with an engagement ring for her left hand.
Fast forward to the present day, Jesse spoke softly to Jenn, who was still crying and whimpering as Devin sat next to her on the sofa.
"I can't imagine how hard it is to watch that back and to relive it," Jesse said. "But Jenn, my biggest hope is that when you see that back a small part you feels empowered. Because you really did do things your way."
After collecting herself, Jenn affirmed, "I do know what I deserve."
What happened before the Jenn vs. Devin conversation
For 10 episodes, Jenn whittled her cast of 25 men (plus an ex who came out of the woodwork mid-season) down to just two: Marcus and Devin.
The outcome of Jenn's reality TV journey was revealed after both men met Jenn’s family, who largely expressed concern for her. Jenn's mother, Trinh, her aunt Lylan and brother James grilled Marcus and Devin about their relationships with Jenn, with Trinh expressing skepticism about her daughter having enough time to fall in love and get engaged.
James was "not too happy," he told Jesse during the live airing clueing fans in on the fact that Jenn's experience did not end happily ever after. Finalists Jeremy and Jonathon Johnson Soliz were also in the studio audience to "support" Jenn and their friends Marcus and Devin, adding to the ominous mood.
Members of Bachelor Nation who are eager for another bachelorette's journey won't have to wait long; Joan Vassos' inaugural "Golden Bachelorette" season premieres Sept. 18. Grant Ellis, whom Jenn sent home in Episode 6, is slated to film his upcoming "Bachelor" season in the coming months.