Who Went Home On ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Tonight? And Who’s Headed To Hometown Week?

In some ways, The Golden Bachelor Season 2 feels like it’s only just begun, but after saying goodbye to three more women this week, Mel Owens has officially handed out his three Hometown Week stems and is headed to meet the families!

That’s right, folks. Hometown Week is already on the horizon, followed by Fantasy Suite Week, a Women Tell All special, and then Golden Bachelor Season 2 finale! So who made the cut, who got cut, and who self-eliminated ahead of the make-it-or-break-it week? We’ve got answers.

Tonight’s episode of The Golden Bachelor featured Mel’s final group date to Butterfly Mountain, followed by a romantic one-on-one date with Cindy Angelcyk Cullers, a 60-year-old retired biomedical engineer. And in a twist, the Golden Guy decided not to hand out any roses until the rose ceremony, ensuring he took as much time to reflect on his crucial decision as possible.

So who went home on The Golden Bachelor tonight, October 15? Who self-eliminated ahead of the rose ceremony? And who’s headed to Hometown Week? Decider’s Golden Bachelor Season 2, Episode 5 recap has answers.

The Golden Bachelor Group Date Recap: Good Vibes Only

For the final group date of the season, Mel brought Peg, Debbie, Cheryl, Nicole, and Carol on a spiritual group date to Butterfly Mountain, where they set out to rid themselves of negative emotions and become more aligned. Mel snagged crucial one-on-one time with all the ladies as they partook in mud baths, ice plunges, tantric yoga, and more cleansing activities, but two Golden Gals in particular were emitting some negative energy.

The first? You guessed it, Nicolle! After episodes spent packing on the PDA with Mel, openly discussing her plans to harness her Golden Bachelor fame as fuel for an influencer career, and taking credit for lemon bars she didn’t bake, she showed Mel a glimpse of her true intentions when he asked where she saw herself in five years. Rather than giving a more sentimental romance or family-related response, Nicolle got right down to business and said, “My dad is my accountant, he takes care of my finances, and he says, ‘You could have a little more income coming in’… I work on Instagram, I’m working on monetizing it, and would love to author a cookbook with plant-based recipes.” When Mel spoke to cameras after her chat, he said, “There’s a few things in the conversation that gave me pause…This could have been what Robin talked about.” YEAH, DUDE! But instead of taking her seriously or asking follow-ups you brushed her concerns aside and sent her home.

The second source of negative vibes came from Carol, who realized her and Mel must be lagging behind the other relationships, because she’s the only remaining Golden Gal who didn’t get a one-on-one. With Hometown Week quickly approaching, Carol decided that although she was interested in Mel, they hadn’t had the time needed to form a solid pre-Hometown Week connection. She self-eliminated, and though I was a big Carol fan and felt she genuine and sweet, I’m glad she accurately assessed the situation and went out on her own terms. At this point in the journey, I felt Cindy and Debbie were definite rose recipients, Nicolle’s spell on Mel had broken, and the final rose would come down to Peg or Cheryl…

Mel Owens And Cindy Angelcyk Cullers‘ One-On-One Date Recap: The Sun, The Moon, And The Stars

While Cindy didn’t snag Mel’s first impression rose, it was clear from Night 1 that he had his eye on her, and their physical chemistry accelerated quickly. For their one-on-one time, Mel took Cindy on a horseback ride up to Griffith Observatory, where Cindy opened up about her divorce seven years ago, her three daughters, and her struggles to find love in the years since.

“I am shocked to be feeling the way I’m feeling,” she admitted, telling Mel, “My feelings for you are real.” He returned the sentiment, gifted her her own personal star in the sky, and the two spent the night kissing, bonding, dancing, and stargazing at the Observatory. The date left Cindy saying, “He’s the sun, the moon, and the stars for me all wrapped up into one,” so extra safe to say that she was headed to Hometown Week.

The Golden Bachelor Group Date Recap: Who Went Home? And Who’s Getting A Hometown Date?

Ahead of his toughest rose ceremony yet, Mel said he “prayed on it” and decided which three women were advancing to the next round. Ahead of the big night, all the women FaceTimed with their loved ones before learning their fate. Then, in addition to Carol, Cheryl and Nicolle were sent home.

On her way out, in true Nicolle fashion, she had to stir the pot, saying, “When it doesn’t work out with the one you pick, cause it probably won’t, you call me. I mean that… I’m a little surprised at this outcome, I really thought it was gonna be me, it should have been… Mel didn’t choose me but maybe you’ll choose me for The Golden Bachelorette, you never know.” ABC, do NOT choose her for The Golden Bachelorette, please. Keep it wholesome, people!

So who’s headed to Hometown Week? Here’s Mel’s Top Three:

Will the loved ones accept Mel with open arms or be as skeptical as Bachelor Nation was when Season 2 first started? Stay tuned for next week’s recap!

New episodes of The Golden Bachelor Season 2 premiere Wednesdays on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu.