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Clayton arrives at his mother's house and surprises her with the news that he is the next bachelor. The 30 contestants prepare for the first night. Entrances include Sarah presenting a pin fromClemson University; Susie holding a buzzer to shock Clayton's right hand; Kate presenting two mini-bottles of whiskey, hidden in her dress; Sierra's reference toBack to the Future; Melina bouncing in modified kangaroo boots; Marlena throwing a penalty flag; Jane driving a vintage car, and Kira in a sexy doctor's uniform.

Clayton has one-on-one time with Susie, and Elizabeth shows him a picture of her great-grandfather. Teddi tells him that she became interested in him after he was solicitous about Michelle's cast onThe Bachelorette. Kira gives him a check-up, and Eliza gives him a German language lesson. Claire surprises Clayton with a tailgate party, but gets drunk and says that she hates him; he sends her home. Genevieve tells Clayton that she is close to her parents, and Rachel offers to teach him how to fly a plane. He give the first-impression rose to Teddi, and Daria, Hailey, Ivana, Jane, Lindsay D., Rianna, and Samantha are sent home.

On the season's first group date, Teddi, Ency, Melina, Gabby, Kira, Mara, Sierra, Genevieve, Serene, and Cassidy go to aBeverly Hills mansion and meetHilary Duff to help plan a children's birthday party. Genevieve decorates a cake for Maya, and Cassidy drops it on the lawn when she brings it to her. The women talk about Cassidy, and Serene tells Clayton that she is a teacher who loves children. Teddi and Clayton kiss, and Genevieve makes him another cake. Cassidy receives the group-date rose.

On the season's first one-on-one date, Clayton takes Susie to a seaside cliff and on a helicopter ride. On a yacht indowntown Los Angeles, they relax in a hot tub with a glass of champagne and plunge into thePacific Ocean. Susie tells Clayton about her father's health problems and their effect on her parents' relationship, and accepts his rose. Shanae, Marlena, Elizabeth, Kate, Sarah, Lyndsey, Rachel, and Tessa are the week's second group date, and meetZiwe Fumudoh for a relationship-red-flags challenge. Shanae and Elizabeth quarrel, and Sarah wins the challenge. Eliza shows Clayton her scrapbook of their journey together, and the episode has a cliffhanger ending.

Cassidy admits lying, and Clayton sends her home; he also sends Ency, Kate, and Tessa home. Serene, Susie, Eliza, Marlena, Mara, Genevieve, Hunter, and Jill, on a group date, have a therapy session withseason 11 bacheloretteKaitlyn Bristowe. Hunter talks about her ex-boyfriend's infidelity, Serene about her struggle with anorexia, and Mara about being bullied at school. At the after-party, he gives Eliza a group-date rose.

Sarah has the one-on-one date, and she and Clayton meetseason 14 bacheloretteBecca Kufrin for a scavenger hunt in Los Angeles. They go for a long run in a park, smash piñatas and go to the Van Gogh Exhibit Los Angeles, where Sarah talks about her adoption and receives the date rose.

Gabby, Rachel, Kira, Melina, Teddi, Lyndsey, Sierra, Elizabeth, and Shanae are chosen for the second group date atWill Rogers State Beach, whereNicole Eggert gives them two tasks for aBaywatch training challenge; they test sunscreen and practice CPR. At Clifton's Cabinet of Curiosities, Gabby treats Clayton's sunburn. Shanae tells him about problems with Elizabeth, who tells him about Shanae's disrespect. Gabby receives the group-date rose.

Clayton talks to Shanae and Elizabeth; Elizabeth, Kira, and Melina are sent home. Jesse announces that they are going toHouston. Clayton is surprised to see Clarence Green, his formerMissouri Tigers football teammate, visiting their hotel and they catch up. Rachel has a date with Clayton inWillis, Texas, where they ride horses to a farmhouse for a barbecue, and see the bandRestless Road.

Sierra, Gabby, and Genevieve discuss Shanae and her behavior. Sarah, Eliza, Teddi, Marlena, Jill, Susie, Mara, Sierra, Hunter, Lyndsey, Genevieve, Gabby, and Shanae are chosen for a group date atNRG Stadium. Clayton throws a tailgate party.Houston Texans playersJonathan Greenard andKamu Grugier-Hill divide them into two teams of seven and six: the Purple Punishers and the Shrimp Stampede. Jesse andHannah Storm provide the commentary. The Punishers shut out the Stampede 21–0, and are invited to an after-party at Hughes Manor. Teddi shows Clayton her left knee, which was injured during the game, and Sierra asks him to ensure that Shanae is on the show for the right reasons. Shanae crashes the Punishers' party, interrupts Clayton's conversation with Sarah, insults Genevieve and Sierra, and throws the trophy before leaving.

Susie, Rachel, and Jill discuss Shanae's behavior. Serene goes toGalveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier to meet Clayton, who used to work there; they eat ice-cream cones, go on a ride, and play games. She talks about her recent loss of two family members and her upbringing by a single mother. Clayton talks to last week's group date, and Sierra tells him about Shanae's behavior. Clayton pulls Shanae aside; she apologizes for throwing the trophy and apologizes to the others. Jill, Lyndsey, and Sierra are sent home, and Clayton announces that he and the 12 women are going toToronto.

Gabby and Clayton take a helicopter ride overdowntown Toronto, play street hockey and eatfried dough. Gabby talks about her life and her closeness to her mother, and she and Clayton take a night swim. The group date takes Rachel, Sarah, Serene, Marlena, Susie, Hunter, Eliza, Teddi, and Mara to theDistillery District. The women perform stand-up comedy; most refer to Shanae, who is not there. Shanae and Genevieve have the season's first two-on-one date. Shanae is a little worried when they arrive atNiagara Falls; they board a boat, and the episode has a cliffhanger ending.

Genevieve, Shanae and Clayton picnic on theDufferin Islands, and Genevieve apologizes to Shanae. Shanae apologizes to Clayton, who gives each woman a rose and sends Shanae home. Rachel and Clayton kiss; Hunter and Marlena are sent home, and Clayton announces that the remaining women are going toHvar, Croatia. They explore theold town; Clayton meets them for lunch, and picks Teddi for the one-on-one date. They stroll around Hvar; Teddi tells Clayton that she is a virgin, and has never been in love.

Serene, Rachel, Susie, Gabby, Eliza, Genevieve, and Mara are chosen for the group date; Mara is discouraged because she has not had a one-on-one date. The women accept a challenge and meet Katrina; Serene wins. Clayton prepares for hometown dates, and asks each women about their hometown. Rachel is eager for Clayton to meet her family; Mara is ready to marry, but is not connecting with Clayton.

Sarah has the second one-on-one date. Clayton expresses his concern that she is young and may not be ready for marriage, and Sarah starts to cry. Clayton apologizes, and walks away. He returns, and many of the women are relieved to see Sarah return to the hotel.

Eliza and Mara are sent home. The women exploreVienna, and Susie has her second one-on-one date: toInnere Stadt. She and Clayton shop for clothes at Fisher's; after Susie returns to the hotel, a bellboy arrives with a red Eva Poleschinski dress. AtSchönbrunn Palace, Susie tells Clayton about her life; he gives her a rose, andChris de Burgh serenades them with "The Lady in Red".

In the season's final group date, Genevieve, Sarah, Teddi, Rachel, and Gabby have couples-therapy sessions with Dr. Katherine and Clayton. Teddi talks about her childhood, and Genevieve looks miserable as she talks about her feelings; Clayton sends her home. Sarah has a difficult session; Clayton talks to her atPalais Modena, and sends her home crying.

Serene has the season's final one-on-one date. She and Clayton ride in afiacre fromHofburg Palace to explore Innere Stadt. Over dinner inBelvedere Palace, Serene talks about her past relationships. Clayton gives her a rose, and they reenactGustav Klimt'sThe Kiss in front of the painting. Rachel and Gabby receive roses, and Teddi is sent home.

Clayton visitsPoquoson, Virginia to meet Susie. She tells him about her father's health, and invites him to meet her family and her best friend. Clayton tells Susie's mother that he is fond of her, and Susie says that she and Clayton are falling in love. The next hometown date is with Gabby inDenver; her father cannot be there because his girlfriend has cancer and cannot risk being exposed toCOVID-19. Clayton meets Gabby's grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousin. Gabby runs outside when she hears a car horn, and her father holds up a sign to greet her.

Serene meets Clayton inOklahoma City. He conquers his fear of heights with a free-fall ride and meets her mother, brother, and best friend. Serene and her mother talk about the deaths of her cousin and grandmother.

Clayton meets Rachel for her hometown date inClermont, Florida, where they go kayaking on a creek with alligators and spiders to a "kissing tree". He meets Rachel's mother, father and two best friends, and talks about Rachel's love of flying; Rachel tells her father that she is falling in love. Serene is sent home, and Clayton accompanies her to the exit.

Sixteen of the twenty-seven eliminated contestants are onstage, and old rivalries and hostilities are revived. Teddi, Shanae, Sarah, and Serene are interviewed by Jesse, and Shanae and Genevieve reconciled after a controversial two-on-one date. Clayton appears onstage, and Jesse reviews his bachelor journey. The episode ends withbloopers.

Clayton arrives inReykjavík for overnight dates with the three remaining women. He and Rachel take a helicopter ride over theFagradalsfjall volcano andReykjanes Peninsula; they kiss and descend 400 feet (120 m), below the dormant volcano. Rachel tells Clayton that she is falling in love with him, and he tells her the next morningl that he is in love with her.

Gabby and Clayton ride an ATV to a nearby café inSuðurland. They have dinner at Hafið Bláa inEyrarbakki and enjoy a hot tub at Reykjavik Domes. Clayton tells Gabby that he is falling in love with her.

Susie meets Clayton at Sky Lagoon, where they enjoy a sauna and cool plunge and kiss at a waterfall. At a villa inThingvellir National Park, Clayton tells Susie that he is in love with her. She tells him that she will not stay with him if he had been intimate with either of the other women. Clayton admits that he was; they argue and break up, with Clayton walking Susie to the car. Susie wishes that the conversation had been kinder and more mature, and Clayton does not know how he feels.

The day after Clayton’s date with Susie, Clayton is in theHallgrímskirkja church. He and Jesse talk atAusturvöllur.

At theHarpa concert hall, Rachel and Gabby notice that Susie is missing. Clayton tells them that he is in love with Susie and was intimate with them, and is in love with them both. The women walk out, crying; Rachel says that she thought she was special. They talk separately to Clayton, who apologizes and hopes they can reconcile.

Clayton meets his family (his father Brian, his mother Kelly, and his brothers Nate and Patrick) at a rented house outside Reykjavík. Clayton tells them about his overnight date with Susie and subsequent events. His parents are upset. Gabby and Rachel meet Clayton's family. Clayton talks about his relationships with Gabby and Rachel as he thinks about his relationship with Susie. Jesse tells him that Susie is still in Iceland, and he realizes that he has a chance to win her back.

Jesse asks Susie if she wants to talk with Clayton. Susie meets Clayton’s parents at the rental home; she and Clayton talk privately, and he apologizes. She returns to the hotel. The next day, Clayton writes to Susie and tells Rachel and Gabby that he is in love with her. Gabby walks away angrily, saying that she cannot trust him, and Rachel is heartbroken.

On the final day, Clayton has a box with an engagement ring, Susie receives a letter from Clayton, and reads it as he arrives at a restaurant. It is a proposal, which she declines. Weeks after filming ended, Clayton resumed his normal life. Four months have passed; Susie says that she protected herself after she left Iceland, and she and Clayton are back together. Clayton says that he is going to Virginia for a few days; he has left his job and sold his condo. He gives Susie a rose instead of a marriage proposal, and Jesse announces that the next bachelorettes will be Gabby and Rachel.