It feels as if The Bachelorette season 13 has been going on forever. In large part that’s because the season really began, at least in terms of promotion and interviews, when Rachel was still on Nick’s season of The Bachelor. Yet now things are finally coming to an end and Rachel has just three guys left: Peter, Eric and Bryan. One of these guys will get engaged to Rachel because in one of the many bits of news that broke leading up to the season Rachel confirmed that she is engaged. The only real mystery is who will put the ring on her finger.

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Big E Is Outta Here 

On paper, Eric might be the best match for Rachel. Eric is fun but wants a committed relationship. Eric gives Rachel the amount of devotion and attention she wants but never seems like he is putting on act or getting overly serious. The pair have continually built their relationship throughout the season, almost like a real couple not just one being filmed for a reality show.

The problem with Eric is that Rachel doesn’t seem to be that enamored with his great qualities. Eric has blossomed into a fantastic guy after his rocky and insecure start on the season but the heat has never really been there with Rachel and himself. There’s affection but no real desire. Eric even said he loved Rachel, not necessarily that he was “in love” with her. 

Eric might have made to the final three and would be a great next Bachelor lead, if ABC is bold enough to have two black leads back-to-back, but he is not going to get engaged. Rachel will more than likely say goodbye to Eric before Neil Lane hauls himself out of whatever corner of the world he sulks in when Chris Harrison isn’t calling him. The race for Rachel’s hand is down to Bryan and Peter and it’s been that way for quite a while. 

Miami vs. Wisconsin (Again) 

Rachel’s feelings for Peter and Bryan are obviously real but as far as a TV show goes this season could not have been crafted better. Peter and Bryan really are polar opposites, at least in the way they have been presented on the show. Bryan is charming, flashy and very big into grand gestures. Peter meanwhile is much more reserved, skeptical of the process and sometimes brutally honest with his feelings and thoughts. They are perfect rivals.

It’s a type of match-up that has been represented pretty well in The Bachelorette history too. Bachelor in Paradise alum Tanner Tolbert even pointed out the weird similarities between Peter and Bryan compared to the situation of Nick and Josh from Andi Dorfman’s season of The Bachelorette.

Tanner seems to hold the opinion of many Bachelorette fans that history will really repeat itself. Rachel will choose the Miami guy, Bryan, over the Wisconsin native, Peter, just like Andi before her (although Josh was originally from Georgia.) Rachel has been very into Bryan for a very long time. Bryan seems like the obvious frontrunner and the frontrunner usually ends up with the lead. However The Bachelorette doesn’t really seem to be on Bryan’s side. The “winner” of The Bachelorette or The Bachelor is presented as Prince Charming or beautiful princess, and Bryan has been shown to be a bit of knob. 

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Ever since the real villain of the season, Lee, was axed The Bachelorette has shown Bryan in an increasingly negative light. The show has been obvious in highlighting his connection to Rachel but also really embraced showing his unflattering qualities. There have been multiple guys who have danced around talking about why they don’t like Bryan and think he is putting on a act. This all led up to Peter saying outright that he thinks Bryan (and his cheeks) are fake in the latest episode. Both of Bryan’s hometown dates, the one with his family and Rachel’s relatives, were pretty disastrous. Bryan’s mother is a nightmare and he seems to be completely unaware of it. Bryan also hasn’t been shy about passive-aggressively talking down about the other guys, especially Peter. 

Will the Real Prince Charming Stand Up?

Meanwhile, Peter has been presented as a real hero. Peter has been almost perfect, being kind, generous and very realistic about everything. The Bachelorette has continually edited things so it looks like Peter and Rachel are about to break up or implode but everything works out. There is no reason to do that unless you want to get the audience involved. There have been two real big cliffhangers surrounding Peter. Maybe it’s just because the show knows he’s popular but it’s more likely they want the outcome of the season to be really shocking. 

It might seem like Peter is shutting down as The Bachelorette nears the end of the season but this always happens with the eventual fiance (or fiancee). Vanessa was losing it right before Nick proposed to her last season but she got the ring. In JoJo’s year, there was a bunch of worrying if her eventual fiance, Jordan, would even propose, but he did, asking for permission at the last second. The more it looks like Peter is about to quit, history dictates that it’s more likely he will be “the victor.” 

Of course there is another possibility for Peter’s sparkling edit in the latter days of the season. He is being set up as next Bachelor lead. If Peter doesn’t end up engaged to Rachel, it is almost certain he will land that gig as he is way too popular for the franchise to ignore him and move on to someone else. The edit Peter is receiving could be a lead-in to The Bachelor. It’s more likely, though, that it’s preparing fans for the end of the season and the engagement. It’s for this reason (and perhaps pretty foolishly) that I predict Peter will be Rachel’s fiance. 

But what do you think? Who do you believe Rachel will pick at the end? Who do you want her to pick?

The Bachelorette season 13 airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC. Want more news? Like our Bachelorette Facebook page!

(Image courtesy of ABC)

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Derek Stauffer

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV

Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.