The Bachelor Recap: First Loves and Fantasy Fears (Season 21 Episode 9)

On The Bachelor Season 21 Episode 9, Nick comes face to face with his past.

When he finds Andi Dorfman knocking on his hotel room door, Nick can’t help but flashback their breakup — just two and a half years ago, surrounded by the very same cameras.

Nick greets Andi politely, but it’s clear they haven’t become Bachelor BFFs in the time they’ve spent off-camera. They sit down to have a chat, and he pours them two much-needed glasses of whiskey.

Ultimately, Andi gives Nick her personal advice when it comes to having sex in the fantasy suite — because what’s awkward about that? Long story short, she thinks he should do it with any and all of the girls who offer themselves to him. Ironic, as she once flipped out at Nick for “outing” their fantasy suite relations to the world on After the Final Rose…

So is this uncomfortable convo a producer-driven effort to further rectify Nick’s once-villainous persona? Or was Andi’s humiliation all those years ago just a believable act? Either way, something does not add up here.

Bye Bye Bully

Leaving Andi and her underwhelming appearance behind, Nick finally heads to this week’s Rose Ceremony. He has one final message for the woman he’s about to send home: “I appreciate you.”  And apparently, this needed to be said in front of the entire group, because telling her privately would have been too considerate.

When Raven and Rachel proceed to accept the first two roses, it’s clear our love-to-hate-her villain is finally getting kicked to the curb — because there’s just no way Vanessa’s leaving before the finale.

Sure enough, it’s Corinne who leaves in tears. Guess her daddy’s bribes and the promise of Raquel’s cheese pasta still weren’t enough to land her the guy. In her final moments, Corinne is so sad that it’s actually hard not to feel bad for her.

That is, until she quickly switches gears and gives an impassioned speech about not letting a man change her and the way she shows affection. We’ll see if she stands by her words this summer, and every summer thereafter, when she’ll inevitably appear on Bachelor in Paradise.

A Night of Firsts

With just three ladies left, Nick jets off to Finland, where he plans to beat the cold by heating things up in the Fantasy Suites. Here, we see him contemplate his future with the remaining women while struggling to walk up a snowy hill.

Thankfully, he’s soon stopped by Raven — who’s delivered to him in a warm and cozy Escalade. The jealousy on Nick’s frost-bitten face is undeniable.

Their date begins with a playful game of darts inside a fire-lit pub. After a brief conversation about household chores, they get right down to business. Raven tells Nick that she is nervous for the fantasy suite. She then boldly confesses to the camera that, though she was intimate with her last boyfriend, she’s never been satisfied, so to speak.

So it seems Raven has zero reservations about getting down and dirty with Nick — she’s simply worried she won’t enjoy it. Is Nick’s competence really about to be evaluated on national television? As though his reputation hasn’t been dragged around enough…

After a candlelit dinner and deep revelations about Raven’s past, she tells Nick she loves him — and we learn that it’s the first time she’s said this, not just to him, but to ANYONE. Given her 33.33% chance of rejection in just a few day’s time, this moment is far more disconcerting than romantic.

And just when Nick and Raven head off to face their high-pressure alone time, this week’s episode is sadly cut short.

Will their night together be everything Raven wants and more, or does Nick’s heart already belong to one of the other women? Share your predictions in the comments, and see what happens next Monday at 8/7c when The Bachelor returns to for a 3-hour special, only on ABC.