The Bachelor finale: Clayton Echard on Susie exit, fantasy suite order

We’re a day removed from one of the most contentious episodes of The Bachelor we’ve ever seen and with that, Clayton Echard becoming disliked by most of Bachelor Nation. We don’t think that a lot of people necessary want to blast him for being upset with Susie. He was never told by her in advance of the overnight dates not to explore other connections; sure, he shouldn’t have to be told in the real world, but The Bachelor is this strange, alternate reality. He was operating under the rules of the show while she was operating as though it was real life.

The biggest issue that Clayton had on Tuesday’s episode was how he came across as angry, dismissive, and even cold towards Susie. He was also accused of being manipulative — a charge that Clayton has denied on multiple occasions after the fact.

One of the big things we’re wondering right now is simply this: Why did Susie have to be the last overnight date? He clearly was into her more than Rachel or Gabby, and he basically made that clear to her in the midst of their argument. Ultimately, it turns out that this was partially out of control — at least in terms of how production set this up. Speaking to Kaitlyn Bristowe on her Off the Vine podcast (per Us Weekly), here is what Clayton had to say:

“…I didn’t [pick the order], but I don’t know how to answer that question … They came in and they said, ‘We think you should do this way,’ and they convinced me. … They’re like, ‘You need to keep your other options open, you need to keep everything open, so don’t close off. Because if Susie goes first, we’re afraid you’re gonna close off.’ So I said, ‘OK.’ … I did have a say in it at the end of it all.”

So really, the order was constructed in a way that made producers happy, probably knowing that it would rattle Susie to be stuck waiting until the very end, as well. So some of this was a fabrication by producers, but that doesn’t change that Clayton made the decisions he did along the way with Gabby and Rachel.

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Do you think The Bachelor production shares any blame for what happened with Clayton and Susie?

Be sure to share right now in the attached comments! Once you do just that, come back around for some other updates. (Photo: ABC.)

This article was written by Jessica BunBun. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.