'The Bachelor' recap: Ariel is Zach Shallcross' "biggest surprise," Zach dumps Jess after a fight, Brooklyn slams Kat, and Aly goes home

The Bachelor featured Zach Shallcross and Jess Girod breaking up after an argument, Brooklyn Willie sparring with Kat Izzo over an "inappropriate" intimate moment with the Bachelor, Zach comparing Ariel Frenkel to Sean Lowe finding Catherine Giudici, and Aly Jacobs' elimination during the Season 27 episode that aired Monday night on ABC.


Zach and Jess, a 23-year-old e-commerce coordinator from Winter Springs, FL, appeared to mutually part ways during the group-date afterparty in Estonia after an argument about how Zach had not asked her on a one-on-one date.

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"This doesn't feel fair. I'm so confused. I literally did not see this coming. I feel like I showed up and I have done everything that he has asked, and it's frustrating because all I needed was quality time, and he wasn't processing that," Jess lamented in her final words.

"It's the craziest thing to want to go on a date with somebody I could potentially marry? Like, it's the craziest thing that I'm upset that I'm the last one? If it's someone I want to marry, wouldn't I want to feel chosen right away?"


Jess added, "Wouldn't I want to feel like he wants to take me on a date? So for him to be shocked that I was hurt is crazy to me! I am so confused!"

And Zach denied Aly, a 26-year-old healthcare strategist from Atlanta, GA, a rose at the sixth Rose Ceremony of the season.

The Bachelor broadcast began with Zach and his nine remaining bachelorettes in Tallinn, Estonia, where Greer Blitzer, a 24-year-old medical sales representative from Houston, TX, was quarantining with coronavirus, although The Bachelor host Jesse Palmer noted she was asymptomatic and feeling fine.

Zach and Jesse were shown having coffee together before Zach's week of dates, and Zach summed up how he was feeling about each woman left.

Zach called Kaity Biggar, a 27-year-old ER nurse from Austin, TX, sweet and funny, and he appreciated how Brooklyn, a 25-year-old rodeo racer from Stillwater, OK, is "a straight shooter" who had been herself the entire time.


And Zach said, "Kat is one I just naturally get excited and butterflies for when I'm near."

Zach also said there was something "really strong" with Gabi Elnicki, a 25-year-old account executive from Pittsford, VT, and he thought Aly was "great."

As for Ariel, a 28-year-old marketing executive from New York City, NY, he called her "intriguing" and said that when she looked at him, it felt like she was looking into his soul.

And with Jess, Zach said there was "something there" and she had caught his eye right out of the gate.

"But I don't know if I fully know Jess yet. I don't know if she's been comfortable enough to share that with me," Zach said.


Zach also shared with Jesse how he had the best time with Charity Lawson, a 26-year-old child and family therapist from Columbus, GA -- who missed her one-on-one date in London and feared she was going to get "skipped over" -- and their relationship was only getting better.

Charity then learned Zach wanted to "make up for lost time with her" in the week's first Date Card.

Zach was finally recovered from COVID-19 and out of quarantine, and the women were thrilled to see him again.

When Zach picked up Charity for their date, Kat, a 26-year-old registered nurse from Tampa, FL, asked to speak with Zach for a moment, which rubbed all of the other bachelorettes the wrong way.

Kat told Zach that she just missed him and wanted to say "hi." Kat said she didn't care if it came across needy, and Zach assured her that he liked it when a woman takes initiative.


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Meanwhile, Charity lamented to the women how it wasn't "the most appropriate timing for a conversation," and Brooklyn noted how it really annoyed her.

When Zach returned, Gabi could tell that Zach had lip gloss on his lips, and so she felt pretty certain the pair had kissed before the beginning of Charity's date.

Once Charity and Zach departed on their date, Kat said she just wanted to let Zach know that she missed him. Aly said if that happened before her one-on-one date with Zach, it would've messed her up and the incident would've remained in her thoughts.

Kat explained how if she wanted to see Zach and have a moment with him, she was allowed to do that. But Brooklyn explained it was Charity's moment.


"That's for her to tell me, not for you," Kat snapped.

"I'm telling you how I feel, and I think it's classless," Brooklyn told her fellow bachelorette.

Kat told Brooklyn that she was being "aggressive" and using "offensive" words. She felt "extremely attacked" and vented to the cameras, "Everybody was coming at me. Who's to say who's allowed to do what and when they're allowed to do it? Why can't I have my moment?"

Kat said everyone had an individual relationship with Zach, who could potentially be her husband at the end of this process. And so Kat said if she could find a moment here or there to check in with Zach, she was going to take advantage of it.

Brooklyn then dubbed Kat "selfish," and the girls weren't able to bury the hatchet.

For Charity and Zach's date, Zach was hoping he and the beautiful bachelorette could re-establish their connection by checking out the town in a cozy horse-drawn carriage ride.


The couple then joined a huge crowd and participated in a wife-carrying contest in which Zach had to run through an obstacle course with Charity on his shoulders. Zach, showing off his athleticism and former football days, won the race.

Charity and Zach proceeded to take an "electrifying" shot of alcohol in Estonia and try sweet almonds from a food cart. Zach said Charity made everything fun and comfortable, and he noted it was like no time had been lost between them at all.

Over at the women's hotel suite, Brooklyn admitted to Kaity that she felt "baffled" by Kat's "disrespectful" behavior before Charity's date. Brooklyn said Kat was trying to play the victim and she had never used "harsh" words with Kat -- although her words were true, in her opinion.

But Kat told Ariel that The Bachelor wasn't about the dates and the one-on-one dates and she probably wouldn't have done that to charity had Zach not contracted COVID-19 and missed their group date in London.

Jess was also shown talking to Gabi about how she was getting in her own head due to the fact Zach had yet to ask her out on a one-on-one date.

During the dinner portion of Zach and Charity's date that night, Charity got choked up when recalling how she had been in an "emotionally abusive" relationship in her past in which she never felt seen or wanted. Charity also said there had been several instances of infidelity, more than anyone could probably imagine.


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Charity struggled to compose herself while opening up to Zach about the "vicious cycle of manipulation" she had subjected herself to with this ex-boyfriend. Charity said she hid this from her parents, including her mother, who is her best friend.

"It's shameful and regretful to think I was ever in that position," Charity cried. "But I'm genuinely so grateful to have gone through that because it's really made me who I am today."

Zach thanked Charity for her vulnerability, and he shared how he had also lost himself in a relationship once by always doing what he thought his partner wanted. Charity felt safe, protected and comforted by Zach, and she gushed about how he's so great.

Zach assured Charity that there was something between them and he couldn't wait to see where their romance was going to go. After the couple kissed, Zach handed Charity a rose and said he felt lucky to be dating her.

"Look at her, she is literally the person that can make everyone in a room feel good and happy and comfortable. It feels good with her," Zach told the cameras.


Charity called her date with Zach a dream come true, and she said she was "100 percent falling for Zach" and could "definitely see a future with him."

Meanwhile, a Date Card arrived for Brooklyn, Kaity, Kat, Gabi, Aly, and Jess, which meant Ariel would be going on a one-on-one date with Zach.

Jess immediately broke down into tears and expressed how she was "scared" to lose Zach.

Gabi reminded Jess that Greer hadn't enjoyed a one-on-one date yet either, but Jess pointed out how Greer had COVID-19 and so she couldn't go on a date with Zach even if he wanted her to join him. Jess thought this was a bad sign and indicated she may be going home.

The next day, Kat asked the women to not let her incident with Charity ruin the upcoming group date, which prompted Brooklyn to tell the bachelorette that she had her "head up [her] ass" and was "tacky."

Kat accused Brooklyn of intentionally trying to hurt her feelings and attack her character, and Brooklyn snapped, "If I hurt your feelings, like, if the shoe fits, lace that b-tch up!"


For the group date, Zach and the group of women tapped into witchcraft in Estonia by meeting a witch, who called herself a healer and said she helps people to find love.

Kat hoped negative energy with Brooklyn wouldn't bleed into the date, but when Zach saged his bachelorettes, Brooklyn said all the sage in the world couldn't clear Kat.

Zach and each bachelorette then stared through a candle into each other's eyes, and Jess said it was hard to watch Zach's connection grow with the other women. Jess' flame also burnt out when she had her solo moment with Zach, which had a serious impact on her confidence and anxiety levels.

"I want him to want me," Jess told the cameras.

That night, Jess admitted to her pals how she had struggled with an anxiety attack before the afterparty. Gabi really felt for her friend and could tell this environment was difficult for her.

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During a moment alone with Kaity, Zach said he could tell that Kaity cared for him, and he noted how he was constantly drawn to her. For Kaity's part, she never expected to feel so strongly for Zach so soon, and she was picturing her future with him.

Zach then told Gabi that he felt butterflies with her, and Gabi said she could see him in her life forever. Gabi received validation from Zach and called The Bachelor star "a gem."

Zach pulled Jess aside for a chat next, and Jess -- a self-declared hopeless romantic -- shared how she didn't have much confidence in their relationship, mainly because she's "a slow burn," and it was hard to see his other relationships progress.

Jess admitted she had been waiting for a one-on-one date with Zach in order to open up to him more, but Zach said, "That shouldn't be a thing."

Jess said she felt the clock ticking and struggled to get to know him naturally, in a way that wasn't forced, because of their lack of alone time together.

"I felt pressure coming into tonight because you haven't seen all of me yet... I'm doing the best that I can. I really, really do wear my heart on my sleeve, and my perspective was to get vulnerable and open up on that one-on-one," Jess explained.


"I never want you to think of this as a process, where you can only open up on a one-on-one," Zach replied. "There isn't a rule on a one-on-one with each other."

Jess said she was trying really hard to get out of her head with that but a woman receives an entire day with Zach on a one-on-one date. Zach was apparently bothered or surprised by Jess' emotion, insisting that he felt so confident about them.

"And then it's about a one-on-one? What am I missing?!" Zach asked.

Jess started to yell about how a one-on-one, when in her position, is a big deal. Jess cried and said she felt confused and had no idea where Zach's head was at.

Zach pointed out there was "a disconnect" between them and he felt nervous.

"I'm not feeling that confident, as hard as it is -- and it pains me to say," Zach confessed to the teary-eyed bachelorette.


"I told you from the start that I'm not going to fight for someone," Jess cried. "I told you that all I wanted was someone to fight for me, and, like, I'm not doing that. I'm not. I'm not going to beg for you; I'm not doing that."

Zach therefore walked Jess out of the party, and it was seemingly a mutual breakup.

Zach appeared shocked and told the cameras he was at "a loss," adding, "This was literally the last thing I could have expected with Jess. We were just butting heads and we weren't going to get to a better place. For us both, I think this was the right thing."

Zach, however, said he couldn't wrap his around the fact that actually happened with Jess, and he broke down into tears as she drove away from him.

Once Jess left, Zach told his remaining bachelorettes that he and Jess had reached a breaking point that resulted in him sending her home, which was something they had both agreed upon.

"But it was [over] a shocking detail," Zach announced. "I know Jess was your friend, but it's what's best... A rose will not be given out tonight, and I hope you understand."


The next day, Zach took Ariel to a nudist sauna and spa, which took Ariel out of her comfort zone. The pair changed into their bathing suits and meditated, and they joked about their "ugly" hands and feet. Zach said Ariel made him laugh and was "always game" for anything.

It was a pretty romantic experience for them both -- until another naked couple joined them in the sauna and "traumatized" Zach. The pair, however, was able to laugh through it and put each other at ease.

Zach and Ariel ended up in a hot tub with champagne, and Zach told the bachelorette that Ariel made him laugh more than anyone else had.

"She's fun, she's absolutely gorgeous -- like holy sh-t. But now, more importantly, I feel like I can be myself and be comfortable around her," Zach told the cameras.

"I'm loving it... We get along. It feels like she could be my best friend. At the start of this journey, I spoke with Sean. And Sean [spoke about] how he envisioned his journey would go and who he'd end up with, and he's with Catherine, who he was like, 'Oh my god, you've been in front of my face this whole time.'"

Zach admitted that in "a very similar way," that was his relationship with Ariel.


"You've been in front of me this whole entire time, and holy sh-t, you could be it!" Zach concluded in his confessional.

Zach told Ariel that their date blew him away. Zach complimented Ariel on being so well put together, but Ariel acknowledged how she often cut things with humor and used humor as a veil.

Ariel explained to Zach how she had been in many relationships in which she couldn't be her true self. Ariel had been through many heartbreaks, which caused her to stop loving herself.

Zach promised Ariel that he'd never ask her to sacrifice who she is for him, and he said he cared about her and what she genuinely brought to the table.

"I was always attracted to Ariel and I thought this one-on-one would tell me a lot. But this is now what I expected. Ariel has far exceeded my expectations, and I'm so excited," Zach gushed to the cameras.

Zach then handed a rose to the "stunning, witty and funny" bachelorette, telling her that she "might be the best surprise yet" for him on this journey.


Ariel, who had shown Zach her insecurities, felt more solid with The Bachelor star than ever, and she said she was tired of being alone. She had been alone for so long that it was almost a comfort for her.

"I feel like for the first time I can kind of breathe. And the idea I could love someone again and they could make me feel like I once did, it's a bizarre feeling," Ariel explained.

"I don't want to be hurting anymore. I think Zach could be my forever person."

It then became time for the cocktail party preceding the show's sixth Rose Ceremony.

Aly said she was feeling good about her relationship with Zach but she also didn't know where he was at. She wondered if she was missing something.

Zach and Gabi then ate mini pancakes together and goofed around, and he also deepened his connections with Kaity and Gabi.


Kat then pulled Charity aside to talk, but Brooklyn didn't think Kat was going to acknowledge that she had done anything wrong. Brooklyn therefore interrupted the women's conversation, which caused Kat to flip out and walk away from the conversation.

Kat felt upset and "pushed down," and she accused Brooklyn of being "aggressive for no reason" and "being aggressive to be mean." Kat thought Brooklyn just wanted to fight and spark drama.

Brooklyn said she saw through Kat and hoped Zach would see Kat's true colors.

During Zach and Kat's conversation at the cocktail party, Zach confessed something felt "off" between them during the witch group date. Zach said there was a disconnect or he could sense some nerves from Kat, but she admitted she wasn't feeling that way.

Kat explained how she was simply trying to navigate dating Zach in a group setting and that she valued every moment she had with him. Kat wasn't sure if Zach was going to send her home because of this incident, and so she entered the Rose Ceremony fearful.

At the Rose Ceremony, Zach handed out roses in the following order: Gabi, Kaity, Brooklyn and Kat.


"I'm feeling a lot of emotions right now," Aly said in her final words.

"I just thought that he was incredible and he had the qualities to be my person. You put so much on the line and you open up to someone and they're not your person. You're hurt by the hope that something can work out and you could get your happily-ever-after. It just doesn't feel good. I don't like this."

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski