The highly anticipated finale of “The Golden Bachelor” season 2 is finally here, as Mel Owens faces his biggest decision yet, choosing which of the two finalists will receive his final rose and possibly an engagement.
It’s been a whirlwind journey for Owens and his final two women — Cindy Cullers, 60, and Peg Munson, 62. As viewers watched in last week’s Fantasy Suite Week episode, Peg got the clarity she needed from Owens after an overnight stay. However, we were left with a cliffhanger during his one-on-one date with Cindy, but hopefully, she gets the reassurance she needs to continue to the end.
Stay tuned after the finale for the “After the Final Rose” special, where Owens will sit down with both of his finalists.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD. DO NOT KEEP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ SPOILERS.
‘The Golden Bachelor’ Finale No One Was Expecting
ABCIt all comes down to this, as Mel Owens prepares to choose which of his two finalists will receive his final rose.
The finale episode kicks off with Owens’ one-on-ones with both Peg and Cindy. As viewers recall, the previous episode ended on a cliffhanger with Cindy waiting to get reassurance from Owens that she should continue this journey.
As the episode airs, we are taken to the “After the Final Rose” special, where host Jesse Palmer introduces some “Bachelor” alums and current couples like “The Golden Bachelorette” Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple, and “Bachelor in Paradise” couple Jess Edwards and Spencer Conley. And, Palmer teases the new “The Bachelorette” Taylor Frankie Paul, who is currently on her journey to find love!
Now, back to Owens and Cindy.
Owens admits that he is “torn” between her and Peg, and although that isn’t the clarity she may be looking for, she decides to still hear him out. “When Mel tells me he likes me a lot, I believe him. I actually think Mel and I are very well suited for each other,” she shares with the cameras.
However, when Owens admits that he does not see a proposal happening, this bothers Cindy. “I want my guy to feel like he got struck by lightning and can’t live without me.”
Cindy decides she does not want to continue with Owens. As he walks her out, she shares, “I’m just sick to my stomach, it’s hard. I was so hopeful.” Cindy was looking for a life partner, but Owens’ hesitation to commit became a major factor in her decision to walk away.
Owens is adamant that he is not looking to propose to any of his finalists, which really comes as no surprise. Throughout his journey, he’s shared that he doesn’t move fast, but hopes to find someone special. But then why did he sign up for this show?
But, wait. Palmer sits down with Owens and convinces him to talk to Cindy. Will he end up changing her mind?
Cindy Speaks Out on Her Finale Ending
Cindy joins Palmer on stage on the “After the Final Rose” special. When Palmer tells her to reflect on that moment with Owens’ on the dock, we learn that Owens did not chase after her, nor did she decide to give him another chance. She stuck to her decision and decided not to move forward.
Cindy shares that she needed to hear more from Owens to convince her to stay. She felt that everything he said was surface-level, leaving her unsure if he was truly the one for him.
When asked why she walked away, Cindy shares, “I don’t think I need to convince a man to love me.”
“He’s not my guy. He deserves to be happy,” she adds.
Owens joins Palmer and Cindy on stage. The two have not seen each other since that night in Antigua. Cindy tells him that she is “disappointed” that he was not ready for a “commitment,” not only for her but for the other women.
“My heart and my head just weren’t there to give you those answers yet,” he tells her. He adds that he hoped she would have joined him during the Fantasy Suite with no cameras in a way to connect better, but that didn’t matter to her. Cindy felt he remained guarded and unclear about his answers.
For Owens, he couldn’t give her an answer on the dock; he still had Peg to think about. As their conversation went on, Owens stood firm, insisting that he doesn’t move quickly when it comes to love.
“You know the saying, first comes love, then comes marriage… that’s how it works,” he tells her, adding that he doesn’t believe in the “leap of faith.”
They end their conversation hoping they both find happiness. Cindy handled that conversation with class. Cindy for “The Golden Bachelorette,” please?
Peg Meets Owens’ Two Sons
ABCOwens comes to greet Peg the next morning. He shares with her that Cindy chose to leave the show, and Peg is shocked.
Peg understands why Cindy left, and it concerns her because she also wants someone ready to commit. He assures her that his feelings for her are real and asks her to continue this journey with him, wanting her to meet his two sons, Lucas and Andre, and his good friend, Diane.
Peg has a private conversation with his two sons. She plays a game of word association with them to understand their father better. She shares things like “avoidance” or “accountability,” with the men choosing the latter. “Funny or serious?” And they share that he’s both. They also assure her that while he isn’t emotional, he can be if she “digs deep.”
Both Andre and Lucas share with Peg that they believe she can be the right fit for him. They admire her energy. “I love Peg; she’s very personable.” Speaking with their dad, they share that they love her personality. “I think that she’s like, perfect for you,” they tell him.
“I got to see more of who Mel is,” Peg tells the cameras.
Not a Typical ‘Bachelor’ Ending
ABCPeg is ready to meet with Owens and see what their future holds. “I’m ready for my forever guy. I’m hoping Mel is that guy,” she tells the cameras.
As Owens makes his way to the beach, he shares that he is ready to listen to his heart. Will he choose to continue his journey with Peg?
The two meet on the beach, where Peg touchingly shares, “When I started this journey, I wasn’t looking for anyone to sweep me off my feet, nor take care of me. I know, meeting you, I met my match. You definitely are the man I can trust.”
Mel shares, “On this journey, I reflect on our journey, and I learned a lot of things. Listen to you talk about your family and what it means to you … I want to invite your family into my family.”
Owens gives Peg a promise ring, not an engagement ring. However, she agrees that the two should take things slow. She accepts his final rose.
Owens & Peg’s Status After Their Finale
Palmer invites Owens and Peg on stage for “After the Final Rose.” They share a kiss on stage, which tells fans everything they need to know about the status of their romance.
The two look incredibly happy together as they finally get to take their relationship public. Peg shares that the Fantasy Suite really helped her get to know Mel and vice versa. In an update about their romance, Owens shared that he and Peg got to spend a lot of time together, and he admires her “get up and go” energy.
When asked if there was any talk of an engagement, Peg shares that they will “continue to grow their love” together and see where life takes them. Both Owens and Peg admit they are in love with one another.
Palmer Teases ‘Wild’ Bachelorette With Taylor Frankie Paul
During the “After the Final Rose” special, Palmer shared a clip of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette.”
In a sneak peek of her journey, which airs on March 22, 2026, Paul shares that she already had “crushes” and “chemistry” with her contestants after her first rose ceremony.
She also jokes that “PDA is a fear” of hers and hopes that the men don’t judge her for being a reality TV star with a complicated past. Additionally, she teases a very shocking rose ceremony, which potentially sees her confronting one of the men for being there for the wrong reasons!
On top of that, Paul shares that one of her one-on-one dates was going to “Dancing with the Stars!”
When asked by Palmer if she sees her future husband in the contestants, she shares, “Yes.” It sounds like Paul’s journey to find love will be a very exciting one.
Cindy dodged a big bullet. He’s so wooden and cannot express his feelings nor be warm and loving. Cindy ought to be the next Holden bachelorette!
Cindy dodged a big bullet. He’s so wooden and cannot express his feelings nor be warm and loving. Cindy ought to be the next Golden bachelorette!