Bachelor 22 - Arie Luyendyk Jr - General Discussion - *Sleuthing Spoilers*

A thousand times agree with those who are loving Arie’s season.  Sure I’m outside the demo but, so far, this is what I hoped a Bachelor season could be.

I agree. So far Arie is the best bachelor ever. He seems to be wearing his heart on his sleeve and I really hope that (if he really did choose Becca) that they make it because they seem to really have a great connection beyond the physical. WooHoo!

I’m loving the idea of Arie and Becca post show and she’s really someone that I can see being exactly what he needs. She’s down to earth, confident, got a good foundation and career. Lots going for her and them.

But...

The one thing that scares me is Courtney. I haven’t followed Arie closely these past 5 years but I read Courtney’s book and there’s certainly history there. And Courtney is Courtney she likes to cause trouble IMO. As easy as it is to say they’re just friends now, it can’t be super easy for a new woman in his life to be accepting of that. Obviously it all depends on Aries communication and how secure he’s making Becca feel now, I get there are other factors. But was just curious on people’s thoughts? I do think that it helps that Becca’s best friend is a guy. She would at least be accepting of that dynamic.

SeekAny wrote:I’m loving the idea of Arie and Becca post show and she’s really someone that I can see being exactly what he needs. She’s down to earth, confident, got a good foundation and career. Lots going for her and them.

But...

The one thing that scares me is Courtney. I haven’t followed Arie closely these past 5 years but I read Courtney’s book and there’s certainly history there. And Courtney is Courtney she likes to cause trouble IMO. As easy as it is to say they’re just friends now, it can’t be super easy for a new woman in his life to be accepting of that. Obviously it all depends on Aries communication and how secure he’s making Becca feel now, I get there are other factors. But was just curious on people’s thoughts? I do think that it helps that’s Becca’s best friend is a guy.

@SeekAny
You make excellent points.  Here’s my two cents;
Becca’s friend is an out gay gentleman not, someone she used to sleep with. She is shopping for a guy for him per her insta.
Arie is at a crossroads many bachelors reach especially if they’ve been single a long time, like he has. If he loves Becca, he will not give other women the power to hurt her. More importantly, he will make it clear to all that she is the most important woman in his life and anyone who hurts her, hurts him and is no longer a friend of his.
Women like Courtney, who have enjoyed “access” to a man when he was single must be given the new rules of the road, definitively. There can be no ambiguity because the need for Courtney to at least attempt to maintain her former role in his life as a sometimes bedmate is stronger now than ever.  It’s a matter of ego and power and Courtney has shown she has lots of both, up to now.

If Arie is honest about being in love, ready to marry and committed, Becca won’t have to do anything. Arie will take care of Courtney and put her on the ex-lover shelf with a dozen-plus others. Their “friendship” will not supersede his desire to make Becca happy and secure in this very new relationship.

I hope Becca knows it is not her place to deal with Courtney. Arie will do it if he is sincere. I believe he will. I believe the woman he ultimately marries can count on his loyalty because he is honestly tired of and bored with being single and (unlike some men) IMO, he is capable of committed, romantic love. His relationship with Courtney sounded a lot less like an endearing close friendship and more like serial booty calls to me. Arie will tactfully and sensitively let her know where he stands, now. We just have to hope she is not more interested in another fifteen minutes than respecting his new status. If Courtney goes for one more press junket, he will hopefully know how to protect and reassure Becca by making sure that ALL things Courtney are firmly placed in the rear view mirror. His treatment of Courtney and others like her from his past will hopefully be dictated by his regard and respect for his new status and his fiancée.   All JMO, of course.

@SeekAny and @Chgohighlife, you both made excellent points. I love that you both put the onus on Arie. That is really where the buck stops. If He wants Becca, He deals with Courtney and that leads to a happy/peaceful relationship. If he does not deal with Courtney, Becca walks. That is all there is to it. None of that juvenile and humiliating fighting over a guy. AMO.

I agree with you both and am glad we all feel this is on Arie. If he’s serious about this it won’t be an issue. I’m hoping he is, and it sure seems like he is from everything I’ve seen thus far. The fact that he brought Becca to Arizona right away always made me have high hopes for these two.

One thing, the best friend I was referring to is Scott, not the coworker she just posted about. From everything I’ve seen on social media he is straight and has truly been a best friend from child hood. Something arie will have to understand.

I think arie and Becca probably ended the season on a more level playing field than any other bachelor couple previously simply because of Becca getting that second proposal from the ex. Becca doesn’t just have to think of Lauren B, Arie had to also wonder what was going on with the ex. I think with good communication these two could be in the best starting spot of most bachelor couples.

So sorry I am very behind on the sleuthing of this season but @SeekAny are you saying that Becca the final one will have a proposal from an ex and Then Arie on the last episode? That is some great story writing. They upped their game this season. Sigh I like her I was really hoping she'd ride this season straight to her own Bachelorette season. Of course Arie has to fall in love with her instead. Oh, well she is better off this way I suppose.

What is everyone thinking about RS's report that ABC vans were spotted very recently parked outside Lauren B.'s parent's house in Virginia? Arie was also reportedly present.

http://realitysteve.com/2018/01/17/the-bachelor-arie-spoilers-reader-emails/

I'm thinking, could be something, could be nothing. They might be filming the parents' reaction to Arie's rejection of their daughter. Or it could be something more interesting.

@Amethyst
Discussion on this topic can be found beginning on page 48 here. The thread is on page 61. So there is a bit of discussion going on and feel welcome to join in.

Thanks, Kasha!

@Amethyst
Very welcome!

1st Time posting this season. I just found out about the likely switch. I don’t know if they are wanting a mesnick or a replay of Arie on Emily’s season with a different ending. Arie went to drop off his journal at Emily’s in the hope that maybe she would change her mind, but as we know, she didn’t. Maybe LB did something to try and change Aries mind and instead of his sticking to his guns like Emily did, he decides he made a mistake in picking Becca. I expect TPTB will bring up the comparison and have Arie talk about how he had been in LBs shoes, yada yada yada...as a way to justify the switch.