The Bachelorette featured Jenn Tran "falling for" Sam McKinney and dumping Sam Nejad before her ex-boyfriend Matthew Rossi suddenly showed up in New Zealand fighting to win her back during the Season 21 episode that aired Monday night on ABC.
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"I'm leaving here confused. I'm not feeling good, I'll say that," Sam N. said in his final words after Jenn rejected his first kiss attempt and sent him packing.
"I feel like the biggest fool of the century right now. I did bold things. I wore a denim jacket. I thought I was G.I. Joe in there, but I was just left out in the worst way possible."
The Bachelorette broadcast began with Jenn and her remaining bachelors traveling to Auckland, New Zealand.
Jenn enjoyed lunch with The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer and revealed that she felt "excited" about a potential engagement.
"I can 100 percent say that I feel like I will get engaged to someone here," Jenn shared.
Jenn then crashed her bachelors' lunch and invited Sam M. on a one-on-one date.
"'Being my authentic self' is one of the four lines that Sam M. says on a day to day basis. Eventually he's going to have to have a real conversation with her," Devin Strader said in a confessional.
"I do hope that he bombs conversation like I think he will, and Jenn will see the same Sam that I think a lot of guys in the house see."
When Jenn began her date with Sam M., she told the cameras they had a very strong physical pull to each other but she wanted to go deeper and establish an emotional connection with him.
While enjoying cocktails by the window in Auckland's sky tower, Jenn saw a man fall all the way down the tower. Her waiter informed the couple that they were at a New Zealand tourist attraction and could jump off the building.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWJenn, who is afraid of heights, had absolutely no interest in this activity.
"A walk [around the top] sounds lovely," Jenn told the waiter.
"No, we would like to jump," Sam M. interjected.
"Excuse me, this is a two-person decision here," Jenn argued.
Jenn told The Bachelorette cameras she was "frustrated" with Sam M. because he had made the decision for the both of them. Jenn was genuinely afraid, and Sam M. had told the waiter that they were going to jump without even asking her if she wanted to or how she felt about it.
"I'm annoyed. I don't want to," Jenn told the cameras.
Jenn admitted to Sam M. jumping off the tower wouldn't be fun for her at all, but he was smiling and excited.
"This is going to be wild!... You're doing it," Sam M. said.
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"I'll give you a little push," Sam M. quipped.
Jenn explained how she was "unhappy" and really didn't want to do this. She didn't think Sam M. was reading the room, but this was something Sam M. wanted to experience with his "future wife."
Jenn eventually agreed to walking around at the top of the building, but once they were up there, Sam M. continued to tease Jenn and persuade her to jump and conquer her fears.
Jenn was so scared and upset that she started to cry, and she didn't feel comforted or supported by Sam M. at all. Jenn said she "hated" every second of this and she'd rather be anywhere else in the world at the moment.
"I really do feel like I'm up here all by myself," Jenn lamented to the cameras.
"I just want someone to make me a priority and he's not. It's like he's not wanting to be there for me and he's just kind of in this for himself. It doesn't feel like a date right now. It just feels like Sam M. wants to lean off the building because he's an adrenaline junkie and he doesn't really care about me and how I'm feeling right now."
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Once Sam M. read Jenn's emotions and that she wasn't messing around, he finally hugged her and said that she didn't need to jump. Jenn "ugly cried" in his arms, and he told her not to worry about it.
Jenn shared with The Bachelorette cameras how Sam M. ultimately "showed up" and was there for her. Knowing that Sam M. was in her corner, Jenn suddenly felt calmer and safer. She then found the confidence to jump and accomplish this feat for herself.
Both Jenn and Sam M. jumped off the building, and Sam M. said he was so proud of her. They kissed at the bottom and celebrated facing their fears.
Meanwhile, a Date Card arrived for Spencer Conley, Marcus Shoberg, Grant Ellis, John Mitchell, Austin Ott, Jonathon Johnson, Dylan Buckor, Thomas Nguyen, Jeremy Simon, and Sam N.
That meant Devin would be accompanying Jenn on a one-on-one date, and he was ecstatic to build on the moments they had already shared with each other.
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When Jenn had shown men her true self in the past, she said men laughed at her and disposed of her. She just wanted a man to accept her and love her during her worst days.
Sam insisted he was serious about this journey because he had experienced a ferocious love before. In Sam's past relationship, he was engaged.
"But the second we got engaged, it instantly started to deteriorate and I knew something was wrong," Sam recalled to Jenn.
"I pried and I pried and I pried and she told me that there was another guy. The moment I realized... I wasn't being chosen, it was such a gut punch. My dream in life was to find a girl and have kids and have a family, and it all got pulled out from beneath my feet."
Sam added, "There is no road I would not travel and no bridge I would not cross for the people I love."
Jenn could tell that Sam knew what it takes to have a true partnership and a successful marriage, and so she gave him a rose and they kissed. Sam could tell they had connected on a deeper level, and he said he pictured himself being at the end with her.
Jenn told the cameras, "It makes me really hopeful. I feel like I was scared today, but after the night, I am falling for Sam. He's someone I can see my future with."
The next day, Jenn participated in a group date in which they watched a traditional Haka dance and then her guys competed in a Rugby competition.
After doing some drills under the guidance of a few professional Rugby players in a stadium, the men were split into two teams. The Blue Team was comprised of Austin, Marcus, Sam N., Grant, and John.
The orange team was made up of Thomas, Jonathon, Jeremy, Spencer, and Dylan.
Marcus showed off his skills as a former Rugby player, and during practice, Sam N. stole a few sweet moments alone with Jenn. Sam N. said he had disassociated himself from the other guys and he didn't care about their feelings.
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Back at The Bachelorette's "Rugby Royale," Jonathon and Marcus were standouts. Marcus, at one point, appeared to injure his shoulder by being driven into the turf.
Sam N. also came out of his shell and surprised The Bachelorette star by being very aggressive and making a lot of tackles during the game. Sam N., trying to prove that none of the guys intimidated him, even changed the name on the back of his jersey to "Jenn's Husband."
In the end, Sam N's Blue Team won the game, and they received a trophy.
Thomas N. admitted he was annoyed because Sam N. had made it "the Sam show" and he hoped Jenn could "see through the bullsh-t" that evening. Jonathon also told The Bachelorette cameras that Sam N. was rubbing everyone the wrong way because he was acting like he had carried his team to victory and was the only winner.
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While Sam N. clearly thought he was being confident, the guys viewed him as cocky and boastful. Jonathon said Sam N. was "acting like he was the sh-t" and had been "disrespectful as hell" to the other men.
"He's a 25-year-old boy who's never been in love, and that shows he's not here for an engagement," Thomas explained to The Bachelorette cameras.
At the Afterparty, Sam N. shared in a confessional how he was after a first kiss with Jenn as well as the group-date rose.
Sam N. pulled Jenn aside first and gifted her his special jersey. He made it known that he was there for her and wanted to be with her.
After Jenn and Jonathon -- who had both played lacrosse in college -- played catch with lacrosse sticks, she shared how he's "a very hot man" who always made her laugh.
Grant then approached Sam N. how he had been acting arrogantly and didn't handle his Rugby win with Grace. Spencer agreed Sam N. was being "way too much" and didn't carry himself like a man, and Jonathon also pointed out how Sam N. had been waving his trophy in people's faces.
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"Right now you shouldn't be talking to me, you should be talking to Jenn!" Sam N. shouted at Thomas.
During that party, Jenn checked on Marcus' well-being because she said she wanted to care for him and he there for him. Marcus explained how he never wanted to be viewed as "weak" and it was hard to express himself and be vulnerable. Marcus knew that opening up about his hurt could potentially open a floodgate of hurt.
Marcus worried it would selfish to ask someone to help him carry his burdens, which made him break down into tears, but Jenn insisted to the bachelor that he didn't always have to be strong and she'd help him carry the weight of his emotions or trauma.
Thomas then found Jenn and began sharing facts about his Vietnamese family and how his parents met in the United States and he grew up with Italian and Irish roots, but then Sam N. interrupted their conversation.
Thomas was clearly furious, and once he returned to the group, Grant announced how Sam N. needed some "humbling" and "a spanking."
Sam N. -- who had never been in love or had a girlfriend before -- asked Jenn if he could kiss her, but she pointed out how a kiss meant a lot. Jenn thanked Sam N. for being vulnerable with her, but she confessed that she wasn't sure if she could "get there" with him.
Jenn told the bachelor that she wasn't the right person for him, and he said he respected her decision and it took "a lot of guts" to be so honest with him.
"He will find his person and have that amazing first kiss that he wants. At the end of the day, I don't see a future with Sam N.," Jenn explained to The Bachelorette cameras.
The other men were relieved to hear about Jenn's decision, and then Jenn gave the group-date rose to Marcus for his bravery in being vulnerable and letting his walls down.
Marcus felt a little overwhelmed about the night, but he was trying, and the other guys seemed to respect the rose recipient. Thomas, who tended to be at the center of drama, even called Marcus "a good guy."
The next day, Devin and Jenn, who is Buddhist, embarked on a group date in which they explored the local culture and participated in a spiritual ritual with the Maori people. The pair learned a great deal about "the people of the land" in New Zealand, and Devin shared with the group how he was also a "wanderer."
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During the date, Jenn revealed that she wanted to raise her kids with American and Vietnamese culture. She also wanted to carry her Buddhist beliefs into her marriage, and Devin seemed totally onboard with that.
Devin declared how he couldn't wait to have a healthy and happy family. He wanted to live in one place with his future children and put down roots since he had moved around so much as a kid and had separated parents.
At dinner that evening, Devin explained how his mother had gotten pregnant in college and had to drop out to take care of her. Growing up, Devin had issues with his father and a feeling of instability. Devin told Jenn that his mother, who had worked two jobs while raising two sons. taught him how to navigate the world.
"I wasn't a bad child, but I just didn't understand those things about [my mom] when I was young. I always idolized my father... and I saw how much that hurt my mom because she was the one who took care of me my entire life," Devin recalled.
"She never wavered once, no matter how much I lashed out or how much trouble I got in... She has taken care of me better than any father figure I've ever had."
Jenn told The Bachelorette cameras that she and Devin had a "unique connection" most people probably wouldn't understand. After all, Jenn no longer has a relationship with her father at all. Jenn said if her father didn't want to be a part of her life, then she wasn't going to persuade or force him to be.
Because of her childhood, Jenn said she didn't understand her value in the world and she gravitated towards toxic relationships with men who didn't prioritize her or handle her with care. Devin called Jenn "strong" and realized that he wanted to push even harder to become her man.
"I walked into today really liking you. I knew that, for whatever reason, but the way you've opened up to me and the way you've given me
the strength to open up about myself, it did something crazy for me," Devin told Jenn.
"I am falling for you, and I'm not afraid to say it. You are an amazing woman, and I just want to celebrate you every single day for as long as I can."
Jenn giggled and called the profession "crazy." Jenn told The Bachelorette cameras that how Devin made her feel was "a new feeling." The couple had so much in common, and Jenn gave Devin a rose, saying she was excited about what was to come for them. An opera singer then serenaded the couple as they kissed.
"I think that he is someone who could very much be my future fiance," Jenn concluded.
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The next day, Jenn thought she was just filming some B-roll by the harbor. At that time, Jesse explained to The Bachelorette cameras how a guy from Jenn's past had reached out to producers.
"It's not normal. It's obviously totally unexpected," Jesse teased. "I'm told that he's flown himself halfway around the world to New Zealand, on his own dime, just to have a conversation with Jenn."
Jesse tracked this man, Matthew Rossi, down at his hotel for a chat. Jesse admitted he was "impressed" by Matt's grand gesture and everyone wanted what was best for Jenn.
Matt explained how he and Jenn had dated about three years ago and only dated for three or four months. Since then, they found themselves hanging out over the past few years.
"When she got up and left [for The Bachelorette], I felt like I couldn't just let her go," Matt explained. "I am here to tell Jenn, 'I still love you and I'm here to show you that. Whatever I have to do to earn that trust back, [I'll do it].'"
Jesse didn't mean to put Matt on the spot, but the host explained how he needed to have this conversation with Jenn immediately because a Rose Ceremony was going to take place that very night.
As footage showed Jenn's bachelors in their suits preparing for the Rose Ceremony, Matt walked up to Jenn and shocked her with his presence.
"Oh my god. I'm sorry I can't, I can't, I can't. How are you here right now?! What?!" Jenn told Matt.
Matt and Jenn apparently had planned a trip to Colombia and Matt went alone. After a few days of the trip, Matt said he left because it wasn't the same without her there. As a result, he had blown off two weddings and traveled for 24 hours to see Jenn.
Matt, a 24-year-old insurance executive from Atlanta, GA, claimed that he and Jenn were in love.
"I think a part of us will always be in love, and for me, it's just never been so strong. I think me being here, hopefully, is one step in the right direction to proving to her how much she means to me and how seriously I'm taking this," Matt explained in a confessional.
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"I'm just asking that you give me the chance to show you how much all of this means to me," Matt told The Bachelorette star.
"You're what, ready to get engaged?" Jenn asked.
"I'm ready to do it," Matt confirmed.
Jenn was shocked about her ex- boyfriend being there, and she confirmed that her relationship with him was not the toxic one she's referred to multiple times.
"He's not the one who messed me up a little bit -- that's a different ex. [Matt and I] recently reconnected in the past few months as friends, or so I thought. I am so confused what his intentions are," Jenn explained a confessional.
Jenn told Matt that they had "so many chances" to be a couple and had been through "a lot" together. She felt like this was coming out of nowhere.
"You don't think the past few months have felt different to you?" Matt asked Jenn.
"I feel like we've been able to connect on a deeper level. You are one of the most important people in my life, and you know me better than anyone else in the world. I'm not ready to let it all go."
Jenn replied, "You know you could've said this before I left."
"I did say it," Matt responded. "But I didn't say it as grandly as this, I guess."
Jenn admittedly felt "overwhelmed," and she confirmed that Matt was important to her.
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"Matthew!" Jenn blurted out, appearing confused.
"My intentions are to be with you, and I want to continue this journey together," Matt suggested.
"So you want to date me and my 11 other boyfriends?" Jenn asked.
"Daring just you would be great, but I would love to join for me to prove to you how much you mean to me and to express to you how much I still strongly care for you," Matt explained.
Jenn took a moment to breathe and process things. Jenn had strong feelings for many of her bachelors, and she was afraid how Matt's presence might stir some things up. However, Jenn knew Matt much better than these guys she had just met two weeks ago.
Jenn's heart was pulling her in two different directions, and she wasn't sure how she was going to proceed.
The Bachelorette episode then ended on a cliffhanger.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Click here to read episode-by-episode spoilers about how Jenn's The Bachelorette season unfolds, including who Jenn picks as her winner and runner-up.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
