Who Will Katie Pick in ‘The Bachelorette’ Season 17 Finale? (POLL)

'The Bachelorette' Season 17's Katie Thurston with Blake and Justin
ABC/Craig Sjodin

Katie Thurston’s Season 17 of The Bachelorette is coming to a close with the series finale next Monday, August 9. This week’s Hometowns episode saw the dramatic and surprise exit of frontrunner Greg, leaving Blake and Justin as Katie’s final two men. However, Katie’s disappointment over Greg’s exit left her questioning what her future on the show will be.

Will Blake or Justin be the one for Katie, or will she not pick anyone at all? Catch up on Greg and Justin’s journeys so far, as well as possible hints about the season’s outcome in the finale trailer, below.

And be sure to vote for who you think Katie will pick on the Season 17 finale of The Bachelorette in our poll. But before doing so, let’s remind ourselves of the two guys vying for her love…and why they may or may not be the right choice for Katie:

Blake

Blake has been a frontrunner for Katie’s affection since joining mid-season in Episode 4. The pair’s physical attraction was clear from the start, but the two share a deep emotional connection, as we saw during their one-on-one date in Episode 5. Despite having appeared on The Bachelorette before, it’s clear that Blake is back on the show for the right reasons. He even comforted Katie after Connor B.’s emotional elimination in Episode 6 by surprising her with a jukebox outside her window.

Going into Hometowns, neither had said “I love you” to each other. Blake even admitted in Episode 7 that he was not in love with her yet, yet stated: “But with the way it’s going, it’s f***ing inevitable.” While his confession might have worried him, we learned during Hometowns that Katie is waiting to say “I love you” until the finale, as she thinks it’s unfair to say it to some of the guys and not others. Thankfully for Blake, he comes of Hometowns just fine, as his little taste of Canada and family wins Katie over. By the end of the night, Blake regrets not saying the “L-word” to Katie before she left, but still feels confident enough that he could be the one to put a ring on her finger.

'The Bachelorette' Season 17's Katie and Blake

ABC/Craig Sjodin

Going into next week’s finale, Blake seems to have some concerns. In the finale trailer, he says: “If Katie’s still hung up on Greg, then there’s no point to this.” However, a burning statue is seen in both the finale trailer and the 2021 season preview, the latter of which shows Katie and Blake kissing underneath the statue. Could that be a hint that Blake is the winner? At the same time, could Katie’s feelings about Greg’s exit change things? If Blake confesses his love, will that be enough?

Justin

Justin has been a constant for Katie throughout the season, as she has said several times that their connection has been strong from the get-go. After all, he was her first kiss of the season! After being on the sidelines for a short while, his one-on-one date in Episode 6 truly cemented his place in Katie’s heart, as the two held a fake wedding ceremony, with handwritten vows and all. His relationship with Katie was enough to get him through to her final four men, and now her final two.

'The Bachelorette' Season 17's Katie & Justin

ABC/Craig Sjodin

Before he showed Katie around a makeshift version of Baltimore on their date, he found out that his parents could not make it for Hometowns. Of course, that put a damper on the day, but Katie still got to meet his two closest friends from home that he considers his family. His friends were surprised by the way Justin opened himself up to her compared to his past relationships, giving Katie their stamp of approval. Like Blake’s family, Justin’s friends asked if they had said ‘I love you” yet. He replied that they haven’t, as he wants to wait for the right moment to share his feelings.

In the finale trailer, a sad Justin is seen telling Katie: “I hope he doesn’t take you for granted.” Could this be a clue that his proposal will be rejected? However, in the 2021 season preview, Justin and Katie can be seen together in bed, presumably during Fantasy Suites. Could something have happened in between that time that turned the tide on their relationship?

Finale Trailer Hints

The season finale trailer suggest that Katie may end up picking neither of the men. Katie’s mom makes an appearance and tells her: “We don’t put ourselves in a position where we have to rely on a male.” Tayshia and Kaitlyn are then seen telling the guys, “What we’re about to tell you will actually change everything.” Perhaps, Katie will end the season without a ring on her finger. However, given the footage of Katie and Blake seen kissing under the statue, she might choose Blake but not get engaged. Maybe Katie and her winner will choose to date and see how things work out instead of jumping straight into marriage. As Justin says in the trailer: “I have no idea what’s gonna happen.” Neither do we, but we can’t wait to find out!

The Bachelorette, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC