Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 Episode 2 Recap: Hurricane Hannah Brown and the Bonfire of Truth

As Week 1 of “Paradise” comes to a close, another Bachelorette enters Paradise, a potential new love triangle brews, and the bonfire is lit for the first time. There are eight men and eleven women on the beach this week, meaning three women are going home at the end of this week’s rose ceremony.

There’s a lot to cover in this week’s recap, so let’s pick up right where we left off:

Aven arrives at the beach

The last time we saw Aven was Rachel and Gabby’s season of After the Final Rose. After Rachel’s engagement to Tino fell through, Aven asked Rachel out. But now their feelings for each other seem to be a thing of the past and Aven is ready to meet someone on the beach. Before his toes hit the sand, Jesse gives Aven a date card. Five minutes after Aven hit the beach, he and Kylee experienced a *magical moment*, according to Kylee. (AKA: They share a quick greeting and an awkward side hug as Aven introduces herself to the group.) Beneath this seemingly trivial interaction lie multiple layers of their shared history (e.g., that they like each other’s pictures and that Aven is a Fire emoji commented by Kylee). Photos). Apparently her story is enough for Aven to ask Kylee out on a date, because the only other person Aven takes to talk before asking Kylee out is Olivia.

Before she leaves for her date with Aven, Kylee brings Will along for a chat. Will and Kylee went on a date together in last week’s episode. Kylee tells Will that him going after her is the “biggest green sign,” but she still feels like she has to try Aven. Will seems to handle Kylee’s decision with grace, but as she leaves for the date, Aaron S. says Will is like a deflated helium balloon and is “bullshit.”

Aven and Kylee’s date

Aven and Kylee’s date starts with a bang, or more accurately, the lack of a bang, as Aven struggles to pop the bottle of champagne. As they lie on a blanket on a boat, Kylee tells Aven that she was hoping he would be The Bachelor when she applied for the show. They share several kisses and at the end of their date, Kylee refers to Aven as “my man.”

Eliza is in another love triangle?

Back on the beach we now see that Aaron B. and Eliza apparently get along well. The night before, Aaron B. and Mercedes talked and even smooched. Nobody on the beach seems to know what has changed overnight. Aaron B. decides to be transparent with Eliza and tells her about his kiss with Mercedes. Although Eliza appreciates his honesty, she is understandably shaken by his confession. Last summer in Paradise, Eliza was involved in a very emotional love triangle between Rodney and Justin, and she has repeatedly said that she doesn’t want to have a similar experience this time in Paradise. However, Eliza and Aaron B. talk about it and it seems like they can get over it together.

Another bachelorette enters paradise

Hannah Brown, another former Bachelorette, heads to the beach. Everyone is shocked to see her and no one seems sure whether she is in paradise or not so far. Hannah pulls the men in pairs to question them about their connections. Meanwhile, everyone else is talking about what a “queen” Hannah is. (I hope people talk about me like that in my absence.) Some of the most notable quotes about Hannah were:

– “She’s the Taylor Swift of Bachelor Nation.”

– “We all have a crush on Hannah.”

– “Everyone is as smitten as they should be, Hannah Brown is an icon.”

– “Her hair is like… And it’s real, I’m sure.”

– “It is an honor to give it to you. It’s an honor that you think it’s great, because I think it’s great too. You know what? It’s okay, you can have him.”

It turns out that Hannah met her fairytale ending outside of paradise and is only here to “help.” Hannah’s definition of helping is having a truth-or-truth bonfire for everyone on the beach later that evening.

First official paradise bonfire

It’s only the second episode of Paradise, but the tea is already being spilled. Hannah tells the group that her biggest regret from her Bachelorette season was not coming to the truth sooner. Now she wants to make sure the truth is revealed to everyone on the beach as quickly as possible. It was shocking to see how honest everyone was around the open fire. The biggest revelations from the truth session are that Aaron B. is involved with Eliza (not Mercedes), several women want to kiss Peter (who I honestly forgot to go this week), and Kylee said she has more kisses with Aven shared on her date when she had with Will. Finally, Olivia makes it clear to the group that she doesn’t like Kylee and would like to drive her out of paradise if she could. To Hannah’s credit, she definitely stirred the teapot and made sure to ask the follow-up questions of “who” and “why” to get to the truth whenever someone was hesitant to answer.

Will and Kylee break up

Kylee and Will talk about how Kylee is feeling after her date with Aven. She recognizes that she and Will have been able to delve deeply into each other, and she appreciates how committed he is to her. However, she says the spark she felt on her date with Aven today was different than the spark she felt for Will. Meanwhile, Olivia claims she has called this breakup over. She says that Kylee felt like Will was a placeholder and an easy rose, just waiting for Aven to come to the beach.

First cocktail party in paradise

At the rose ceremony, five women (Cat, Greer, Mercedes, Brooklyn, and Olivia) have no roses, and two men (Peter and Will) have their roses up for grabs.

Mercedes brings Will in for a chat

Mercedes tells Will that she liked him from day one and likes that he’s such a nice guy. Will is really touched that Mercedes has feelings for him and starts crying. (Later in his confessional, he practically sobs about being chosen by someone, and my heart melted.) Will also tells Mercedes that she shares her name with his grandmother… which I assume means they are meant to be , to be together? They kiss and it feels like the beginning of another love affair in paradise.

Peter, the bachelor of paradise

Cat, Greer, Olivia and Brooklyn all have their time with Peter, but his eyes are on Sam. Remember, Sam is in a relationship with Aaron S. Peter approaches Aaron S. and Sam while they are talking and asks to take Sam to talk. While he waits for them to finish talking, Peter stands behind Aaron S. and starts dancing. “Why?” You may be wondering… I can’t answer that for you. When Sam is finally ready to talk to Peter, Peter tells Sam that he thinks she is beautiful and mature, and he asks if she thinks Aaron S. is mature enough for her. (Pause during this recap to ask whether “mature” is the first adjective someone attacking you should use to describe you.) Afterwards, Aaron S. confronts Peter, upset that Peter is telling Sam said he was immature. and they have a heated discussion about maturity and Sam. The conversation became so heated that Cat asked if there were security guards nearby. To be fair to Aaron S., I looked up “maturity” in the dictionary and didn’t see the definition as “dancing while waiting for someone already in a relationship to talk to their partner so they can talk to you.” “talks” was found.

First Rose Ceremony of Paradise

As everyone gathers for the first rose ceremony of Paradise season 9, the only rose up for grabs is Peter’s. To shock everyone, Peter gives Olivia his rose, saying he feels like she got the short end of the stick this week and deserves it. Greer, Brooklyn and Cat go home because they didn’t get any roses.

Roses:

Brayden — Cat

Blake—Jess

Aaron B. — Eliza

Will — Mercedes

Sean—Rachel

Aven—Kylee

Aaron S. — Sam

Peter — Olivia

Preview for next week:

Tyler from Rachel/Gabby Squadron and Tanner from Charity Squadron head to the beach and Sam has a medical emergency. Women will have the power of roses next week.

“Bachelor in Paradise” airs Thursdays following “The Golden Bachelor” on ABC.