'Bachelor in Paradise' Finale: Breaking Down the Blake Drama, a Surprise Proposal and New 'Bachelor' Reveal

We get a snazzy tour of Dean's van as the credits roll. 

There's a weighted blanket for Caelynn's anxiety about dating a guy in a van, a cozy entertainment center, no room for her clothes or makeup, and "that's it." 

"Welcome to your new home. I hope you love it!" Dean tells her. 

Harrison wraps up the show with a big congrats to Paradise's "best" cast ever, Peter for being the Bachelor, and the audience for tuning in, because we just can't not. 

The Bachelor will be back Jan. 6. The countdown begins!

Peter has some advice for his ladies: "Be vulnerable!" 

"This is going to be one of the most beautiful love stories ever, and I can't wait for it to begin," he gushes. 

Peter gets emotional talking about how ready he is to meet his wife. He loves the relationship his parents have, and can't wait to experience that for himself. 

Does anything worry him? Not really (since he's overcome girlfriend drama). "I'm going to follow my heart. And as cliche as it sounds, I'm going to trust this," Peter says. 

Harrison says Peter is "different from any Bachelor we've ever had"... but he LOOKS LIKE every Bachelor we've ever had, don't you think? 

We have a new Bachelor... and it's Peter Weber!

Demi and Kristian praise Derek for how he handled the whole situation -- but now Kristian has a surprise for Demi. 

She makes Demi stand up, and she professes her love for her. Soft, romantic music is playing. And now it's louder. "I wouldn't want to do this life with anyone else but you," Kristian says, grabbing a ring from Harrison. "Demi, will you marry me?" 

Demi accepts, and rose petals fall from the sky. It's beautiful, but we're wondering if Derek is having deja vu after having proposed to Taylor two years ago the same way. 

It's time for Demi and Kristian. Kristian reveals that even before she knew about Demi's sexuality, she knew Paradise was an option -- and that's why they didn't get more serious ahead of time. 

When production called her to come in and meet Demi in Paradise, she didn't know what to think. It all worked out for the couple, and Demi couldn't be happier. 

"She's the easiest person to love, ever," Demi gushes. "She cares so much about people, and she's selfless." 

Demi says she looks up to Kristian, and it's so heartwarming. "I can't imagine my life ever without her," Demi says. 

Dylan reveals that Hannah's moving to California, so they'll be closer together. And... that's it. Happy couple, moving on! 

Next up, Hannah and Dylan are in the hot seat. "We're OK!" Hannah assures everyone. 

"I'm crazy about her!" Dylan gushes, as Harrison calls him a "smitten puppy." 

Dylan reveals that he knew from their first conversation that she was the girl for him. Hannah, however, went back and forth between Blake and Dylan. "It was hard," Dylan says. "It was fight or flight... and I chose to fight." 

We get another BTS shot during commercial break, where Katie asks Chris what's happening outside the studio -- and he doesn't talk. 

"You're clearly upset," she says. 

"I'm surprised," he replies. "You blindsided me." 

Chris tells Katie she wanted and "needed" to blindside him. "We already had these conversations," he says. 

"But nothing changes," she tells him. She's disappointed by how their love story played out on camera. "I looked desperate." 

"I knew this would happen," she storms off. "He knew I was going to tell the truth... what was I supposed to say, 'I'm happy, let's have babies!'" 

Chris tries to give Katie an out -- saying he doesn't want her to be with a guy who can't give her what she needs. Katie, however, can't seem to let go. 

Chris says he feels the best when he's with her. "My family loves you, my friends love you, and I love you. I do," he says. 

Harrison asks Chris where things stand. "I want to be in it," he says. 

Katie says she wants her ring back, and Paulie brings it back on the stage. Chris puts it on Katie's finger, and they kiss. WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

We know Katie is in the middle of a level 10 meltdown because she's talking but words aren't coming out of her mouth. She regains her voice and cries about how they love differently. "I just never felt this way. It's just like a guessing game for me," she says. 

This is HIGHLY personal, but Chris doesn't seem too upset that this is happening right now. "This doesn't feel fair," Katie cries. 

Chris says he wants to give her all she wants and needs. "I'm sorry that you feel that way." 

Chris comes out, and we wonder if he's heard all the sh*t Katie just talked about him. 

"Look, relationships aren't easy," Chris says, but says he thinks he and Katie can "get better." "We have a really good understanding of each other." 

Harrison asks what it means to Chris that Katie's not wearing her ring. "I just feel like I'm exhausted," Katie repeats. "It's been really difficult to watch back. I thought I was going to watch back and see how in love with me you were, but I didn't see that." 

Chris agrees that Katie has been "selfless." "I'm not one to really show emotion too often," he admits. "I want to give you all of that back, because you deserve it. I guess I am a little bit slower with that than you are." 

Katie admits that Chris will tell everyone else he loves her, but won't show her how he feels. 

"I fell in love with potential that may never come to fruition, but I'm praying it does," she says, bursting into tears. "I just... it's just the reciprocated effort... it's this push-pull. And I feel guilty." 

Chris asks if she's considered ending things, and Katie says she doesn't want to. "I want him to want it to be better," she reveals, adding that she feels a darkness and she hates it. 

It's time to revisit a formerly "young and spry" Chris Bukowski -- who Harrison hopes has finally met his match. 

Katie hits the hot seat... solo. She recalls how "unreal" their engagement was. "It was more than I could have asked for at that time. I was just so head-over-heels," she says. "We still have our ups and downs like every couple... communication has been hard." 

Katie is slowly losing it. "I'm exhausted," she says -- as Harrison points out she's not wearing her engagement ring. "We're still engaged. I just put in so much effort everyday, and I love him so much, but I put in so much that my tank empties. And if I'm not getting it filled, I break down." 

JPJ joins Tayshia in the hot seat and they gush over their relationship. Harrison asks if he loves her, and JPJ gets down on one knee... to spit out some Shakespeare? 

"Tayshia almost had a heart attack!" Harrison notes. 

We see JPJ opening the door to Tayshia, and admitting he "avoided" her at all costs after their breakup. "You had every right to feel the way you felt. I could tell you were having a rough time," he says. 

Tayshia tells him that she didn't want to lead him on. He talks about how tough it's been for him, and he can't stop smiling. "What the hell is happening right now?" he yells when Tayshia says she wants to give things another shot. 

"I still can't believe this is real right now. This is the most pleasant surprise I've ever had... will you be my girlfriend?" he asks. 

"Yes I will!" Tayshia yells. 

"Look at my girlfriend!" JPJ exclaims. "Isn't she hot?"

We get that devastating clip of Tayshia and JPJ's break up, and Tayshia admits it's not easy to watch. 

"When he told me he loved me... I wasn't ready for that. I'm the last person to throw around engagement or marriage," she explains. After the show, however, she couldn't stop thinking about him. "He made me so happy." 

Tayshia admits she made a mistake, and "decided I wanted to go after him." She flew out to Maryland. "When I got there, I was shaking. I was so nervous. I did not know what to say," she tells Harrison. Lucky for us, they sent a camera along. 

It's time to rehash Tayshia and JPJ's breakup -- and what happened next. 

Tayshia hits the hot seat with Harrison, and she looks STUNNING. 

Carly and Evan are expecting their second baby together -- and tonight, they'll reveal the gender. 

Out comes a giant cake, with Wells Adams inside. It'll be a baby boy! 

Krystal and Chris say having babies like the other couples is their next chapter.

"It's something that we're working on," Chris says. 

Jade and Tanner open up about welcoming their second child in their CLOSET on the night of the Bachelorette finale. 

"You are an absolute boss!" Harrison says -- but Jade is clearly still emotional about the scary ordeal. 

"The paramedics got there just in time," Jade says. "They literally told me, 'Hold him in.' He was crowning." 

"All things considered, it was quick and easy, honestly," Tanner says. 

Harrison tries to lighten the mood by bringing out some Paradise success stories. 

Jade and Tanner, Carly and Evan and Krystal and Chris are here to talk about their looooove. 

We get candid shots of the cast on commercial break, with Caelynn crying into Dean's arms about how she thought Blake would finally take ownership. 

Blake, meanwhile, cries in the corner to Kristina, who says she's seen him "worse." Eesh.

Caelynn apologizes for overreacting, but she's upset Blake "stooped so low" as to leak their texts. 

The cast wants him to apologize, but he's not having it. "I released text messages to show my side!" he says, and starts to cry. "The whole situation sucks." 

Everyone wants him to "end on a good note." "I didn't want to hurt you... I am so sorry that you got attacked and I am so sorry you are feeling the way you are. I want to apologize to everybody," he says -- but isn't apologizing for LEAKING THE TEXTS. 

Now for the texts -- Blake says he shared them because nobody would have believed him if he just said that Caelynn pursued him. 

Caelynn says she's never felt more violated. "I knew she would get attacked," Blake says -- but claims he didn't think she'd get attacked for having sex. 

Caelynn says she and Blake talked it out before he leaked the texts, and she told him what would happen. She calls it premeditated and can't stop crying. 

"How were you slut shaming me? Airing my 5 a.m. text messages!" Caelynn says. 

"You were talking about my sex life on national television!" Blake shouts back. 

Blake says he wasn't trying to be malicious -- and now it's time to untangle the Caelynn web. 

"At no point were we in any kind of exclusive relationship," Blake says. "We talked from January to March... and then a week before Paradise, we decided if somebody asks us, we're going to tell people." 

Caelynn says she agreed it wasn't a big deal, but wanted to be "fully honest." "I felt like I was being ignored the whole time on the beach," she says. "I made a lot of mistakes and I take ownership for everything, but there were a lot of hurt feelings there." 

Caelynn says Blake's not a bad guy, but she was hurt. "Five days before we left, you were saying it's not a big deal," Blake calls her out. 

Jordan notes that when a girl says she's fine, "typically she's not fine." And it continues. 

Next came Birmingham, and Blake says he didn't have a plan to date her on Paradise. Instead, he says he went to Alabama just to get to know her. 

Blake says watching the show back, he could see how people were upset. "You have a kink for Bachelor girls," Jordan jokes, while Demi cracks she's offended Blake didn't come after her at the festival. Then Harrison chimes in to set the record straight: he and Blake didn't hookup either -- despite Demi's earlier joke. 

Blake's in the hot seat, and it's time to hear his side of the story. 

He says he didn't know how to approach the Stagecoach situation. "I didn't want to talk about people's private sex lives to other people," he explains. "I was surprised by the anger a lot of these women have." 

Kristina, of course, confronted Blake first. "I had told her everything before," he notes -- and Kristina chimes in that it was only three days. 

"I didn't want anything from you, except the respect of our friendship," Kristina says. 

Harrison brings up Stagecoach -- and it's officially begun. "There was no planning to do anything. Blake and I had been friends for a very long time," Kristina says. She admits she and Blake were essentially friends with benefits. "When we were at Stagecoach together, he spent the night... I come to find out a month later he was with Caelynn, and I was really hurt by that." 

Caelynn says she and Blake were dating, and had been talking for several months before the festival. She thought everything was over between him and Kristina -- and says she didn't know about Stagecoach until a week or two before filming... but that's not what she said earlier this season, is it? 

Now it's time to talk about Caelynn living the van life and ditching Connor.

"I mean, it was tough, because Caelynn was someone I wanted to meet... it was tough hearing about Dean having left you and hurting you. When Dean did come back, it was confusing to me why you did leave with him," Connor says. 

Caelynn says Dean returning was the reassurance she needed. "I've slept in the van a couple nights," she boasts. "I actually love [van life]." 

All's good with Connor, who's now dating Whitney. 

Tayshia tells Hannah that others had issues with her, and she's upset over Hannah's "mean girl" comment. 

Jordan has some advice for the whole group: "Stay off Instagram or don't go to Stagecoach!" 

"It compromises the integrity of the experience," Cam notes -- before Onyeka calls him out for wanting to meet up before the show. 

Chris calls out Blake's "preemptive strike" visiting Hannah in Alabama before the season started -- and that's what caused the drama between Hannah and Tayshia. 

"I didn't really think it was a secret," Hannah defends herself. "It wasn't making a weird pact." 

"Even for me, hearing the info about Stagecoach, I was hesitant," Hannah says. 

Sydney brings up how Blake would never go to Birmingham just for a "talk." Hannah still defends herself. 

Tahzjuan can't really explain her calling Haley a pigeon, so Chris opens up the conversation to Jordan and Christian's blow-out fight. 

Jordan says he acted in self-defense. "There was an elbow attempted to be delivered to my chest area," he claims. 

"There's a difference: a gentleman and a boy. Clay's a gentleman," Christian says. 

They yell at each other and Christian threatens Jordan with shaking his hand. "You're a b**ch Jordan, that's why," he yells. 

"Act civilized. This is a TV show!" Demi jokes.

Chris kicks things off with Derek and JPJ's fight. 

"I asked Derek directly if he hooked up with any of his Instagram followers, and he said he does, and you can," JPJ says. 

Jordan jumps in to defend Derek -- but all he wants is for JPJ to apologize to Chris and Krystal. 

"I think what happened was unfortunate," JPJ offers... and that's it. 

Haley jumps in with her qualms about how JPJ handled her. "I'm not a backup plan," she says. JPJ admits he mishandled that situation. 

Wow, we forgot how many fights there were this season -- and all about that actual physical confrontation between Jordan and Christian. Hope he brought some espadrilles! 

Mike gets a big applause... and Kristina does not. But there's no time to get upset over it, because we have a clip to watch -- and it starts with all the Blake drama! 

Blake looks PISSED that all this drama is being brought up, but you made your bed, dude. 

It's reunion time! And before we get to updates on our happy couples, it's time to rehash the drama. 

The cast is back in the studio to TALK. IT. OUT. 

All three couples hug on the beach and someone just yelled "we're all incredible" and we love this attitude. 

Demi tells Kristian she knows how much she's put her through. "I found myself in you," Demi says. "I love you so much, and I'm so in love with you." 

Demi walks around to the podium and picks up her ring. "Kristian Paige Haggerty, will you marry me?" Demi asks on one knee. Kristian accepts and we have a history-making proposal. Wahoo!! 

Kristian looks AMAZING in a white jumpsuit as she greets Chris and prepares to meet Demi on the beach. "Leaving here engaged to Demi would be a dream come true... if we were not to get engaged today, it would be really hard. I would be really hurt," Kristian says. But aren't you guys young? Where is this pressure coming from? 

Demi loves Kristian's outfit and this convo is off to a great start. 

It's Demi and Kristian's turn to end their Paradise journey. They LOVE each other, and it looks like they got edible room service they're not eating. Don't let it go to waste, sis! 

Demi opens up about her insecurities in feeling like Kristian's too good for her. "I didn't think I deserved anyone good before. I didn't think I was good enough for someone like Kristian," she tells the camera. "Why would someone that amazing want to be with me?" 

Don't sell yourself short, girl! 

Dylan tells Hannah he can't wait to meet her family, but he can't wait to propose EVEN MORE! 

"I can't leave here without showing you how much I love you," he says. "Do you trust me?" he asks, getting down on one knee. 

She starts cracking up, and he finally gets the question out. "You have to answer," he tells Hannah, who won't stop laughing. 

"Yes!" she finally says. 

Hannah doesn't want to regret "getting in something so soon," but girl, we think the train has left the station. Dylan is legit ABOUT TO PROPOSE. 

"I've never had to fight so hard for something I wanted so badly. But I never gave up, and I'll never give up on us," Dylan whispers. (Why is he talking so low?) "I didn't come here to spend my summer with you. I came here to spend my life with you, and I'm ready for that life to start right now." 

Hannah tells him that she's "so ready" to make Dylan her priority. "But... I've also just been burned in the past," she says, noting her dad gave his blessing in the past, but the relationship didn't work out. She's scared, but Dylan is undeterred. 

Hannah did not wash off her makeup from the night before. (Or did she put it on this morning? It looks like last night's, but we just want to make sure you're taking care of your skin, boo!)

She and Dylan can't stop kissing when they wake up next to each other, and he's READY TO PROPOSE. The only problem? We're in Mexico, not Alabama, and Hannah's family has not given him their blessing. 

Katie is hardcore SOBBING, but she accepts. Now she's laughing, because there's so many emotions here. 

Welcome to our first engagement of the season! "Chris has been on a Bachelor show more times than in history. His sixth time at love!" Chris Harrison says from the studio as the audience applauds. 

Chris confesses that he's not going to know until the "moment" whether he's ready to propose. That doesn't give us the most confidence in the lasting ability of this relationship, buddy. 

He and Katie meet on the beach. "First of all, I feel like it's been hard," he begins. Again, these aren't the greatest things to say right before you propose, dawg. 

"A lot of the highs are unexplainable," he finally says. "I just feel like I'm the luckiest man in the world right now. You make me feel calm, comfortable. You make me feel like myself. I feel like I didn't even know what that was sometimes." 

That was DEEP, and Chris is crying. Now it's time for "the moment." "I want to make this the best moment of our life," he says, getting down on one knee. "Katie, will you marry me?" 

Time to focus on Katie and Chris, who is remarkably confident in his relationship after being so confused just hours earlier. 

Now the question is whether or not he'll propose. 

"I feel amazing. I've always wanted to find my perfect person  that I can spend the rest of my life with," Chris tells the camera. "I'm in love with Katie." 

It's been a 7-year roller coaster ride for Chris, who HOPEFULLY will finally retire from these Bachelor shows. Crossing our fingers. 

Clay wants to figure it out, but Nicole's had it. 

"You know or you don't! That's it, Clay. I'm sorry... I have to do what's best for me right now. I can't tell people we're together, knowing you don't love me back," she tells him. "I have to go." 

STORM OFF, GIRL. We cannot express how much we love ending conversations with "I have to go," when you really have no plans. 

Clay doesn't even look emotional, as he asks to "stop at the local pub." One, are you British? Two, you realize we're in MEXICO, right Clay? 

Nicole meets Clay at the beach, and tells him about the future she sees with him. "From the moment we first kissed, I loved you then, I love you now," she says. 

"I just need you to answer this one question... Clay, do you love me?" Nicole asks. 

"I'm not there yet," Clay confesses. "Having those feelings, it's not easy for me. It's scary." 

Clay repeats that he's FALLING, and Nicole's face drops. "I know what I want, and that's for us to take things slow and to leave here together," Clay offers. 

We're in for a "proposal of a lifetime," according to Chris. And we think we know who it WON'T be -- Clay and Nicole. 

"Waking up completely alone, it's hard," Nicole tells the camera. "I just thought we were on the same page. My brain is telling me to be so upset, because I never thought I had to worry about the fantasy suite... but my heart wants to fight for him." 

She's looking GOOD as she arrives on the beach. Stay strong, girl!

Nicole cries while looking at the fireworks, and the other couples get INTIMATE in the fantasy suites. Poor girl. 

Clay holds the fantasy suite card, but tells Nicole they should take the night tonight to think about things -- separately? 

"What are you going to think about tonight?" Nicole asks, before storming off. 

"You said you needed your space tonight, so go get your space. I need my space too, and I'm going to stay right here," she says. "You need that space, so go." 

Nicole breaks down to the camera. "I'm really conflicted... now I really don't know what tomorrow has in store," she cries. 

Our wildcard couple, Nicole and Clay, talk about how much life has changed for them -- but Clay still seems to be holding back.

Clay tells Nicole that he's STARTING to fall in love with her, and that it's a big deal because he didn't say that at all in his 8-month relationship with Angela. However, he still has reservations. "There are still doubts," he says. 

Nicole doesn't look happy. 

"Honestly, I'm not 100 percent ready for a proposal. I'm not 100 percent ready to move in together. I think we have more to explore," he candidly says. 

Nicole is PISSED, but keeping her composure, telling Clay that he never brought this up before. 

Demi and Kristian enjoy a NICE GLASS of red wine and talk about how much their relationship has progressed, considering that Kristian didn't even start the season in Mexico -- or in Bachelor Nation. 

Kristian says she's still wrapping her head around what a future would look like with a woman, but she sees it with Demi. 

"I'm so in love with you," Demi tells her. 

Hannah tells Dylan that it's important to her that their families approve of their relationship -- but also tells him that she knows her family would love him. 

Dylan wants to be with Hannah FOREVER. "I love you, Hannah, so much," he says. 

Katie and Chris decide to go to the fantasy suite together -- no surprise here. 

"Let's go," he says, taking Katie's hand and walking her out the door. Are they not already in their fantasy suite? Is there another suite inside the suite? Suite-ception? 

Our remaining couples are heading right into the fantasy suite -- no dinner or nothin'! 

Katie's worried about making the right decision. "I have no clarity as to where you are," she tells Chris. Remember, he almost broke up with her on last week's episode.

Chris tells her that sometimes he needs a kick in the butt. "I'm looking forward to the future, and the rest of this evening and where we just go from here," he tells her. 

She's THRILLED. "I did not expect that," she gushes. 

"I'm excited to show you that I won't falter," Chris tells her. We'll see about that, Chris -- we've seen the promos. 

Our host and savior Chris Harrison is NOT live, but he's in the studio to kick off the finale in style. 

He's announcing our remaining couples, and the crowd is going wild! Who's going to propose? Who's headed for heartbreak? Tell us, Chris!

He can't yet, because he's got to tease to the Bachelor reveal. "We'll do that tonight right here on this stage," he teases. OK OK!

It's the moment of truth! Will Demi get cold feet? Can Clay commit to Nicole? Chris Harrison is ready to reveal the answers to those questions, because the finale starts... right now!