Reality sunk in for Matt James on Monday night.
"It's hard to fathom that one of those women who I handed a rose out to last night could be my wife," The Bachelor lead said early on this week's revealing episode, adding;
"I feel like today, right now, is where the journey is official beginning for me."
The first one-on-one date of the evening involved Matt and Bri going on an ATV ride while the other suitors looked on from the resort.
"I'm literally so sick of you guys," Victoria told the group, establishing herself as a villain. "I want to hang out with Matt."
Well, yeah.
All the women do, Vicky. But they need to wait their turn.
Have you ever seen The Bachelor before?
She likely has, and Victoria was likely aware that one can make a name for oneself by just being very mean.
She trashed Matt and Bri as "fake as s---" to the cameras.
Later on, Victoria complained that she didn't like the camaraderie amongst the women, either.
"I hate this girl power bulls---," she said.
After their ATV rides, The Bachelor and Bri headed to a wood-fired hot tub to enjoy some champagne.
When Matt took off his shirt to chop wood, something definitely not planned or scripted, Bri couldn't help but label him "the most gorgeous man I've ever seen."
Cut to dinner... and to Bri opening up about her mother giving birth to her at age 13... and the pair bondiing over how they grew up in single-parent households.
At the end of the meal, Matt gave Bri a rose and they spent the rest of the night smooching under a fireworks display.
Back the resort, the self-proclaimed "Queen," Victoria, continued to focus her wrath on her competitors.
"Well, now you guys know how I felt this morning," she told them.
"Because you guys were just so rude to me. This was the issue I had all day. I'm here to spend time with Matt.
"That's important to me, so if it's not important to you, that's what's perplexing to me."
After Victoria blasted her roommate and went to sleep on the couch, she ended up on a group date with Chelsea, Serena P., Abigail, Sydney, Illeana, Kristin, Lauren, Jessenia, Serena C., Kit, Kaili, Katie, MJ, Mari, Pieper and Rachael.
"I don't know what it's like to have a healthy marriage and today I'd love to see what that looks like," Matt teased of the date.
As luck would have it, the women then learned they'd be posing for wedding photos with James to visualize what their special day together could look like.
They had 10 minutes to put on their bridal best.
Once the photo shoot began, Victoria jumped her place in line for a "royal wedding" and asked Matt to take a garter off of her leg.
After he obliged, she leaned in for the kiss. Because of course she did.
"I feel like Victoria putting the garter belt around her leg is kind of a reach for attention," Serena C. said in a confessional.
"I think it was a little strange, honestly."
With about half the ladies left to pose with Matt, Chris Harrrison then interrupted to tell the ladies they'd have to "truly fight for Matt's heart."
Still in their wedding gowns, Matt's suitors split into two teams and competed in a game of "Capture the Heart," in which they could tag each other with paint.
The winning team earned more time with Matt at the afterparty, while the losers went home.
Things got messy during the brawl before they calmed down at the after-party.
Once there, Lauren spoke to Matt about putting God first and accepting a partner for their flaws.
"I couldn't have put it any more perfect than that," Matt replied.
"Growing up in the church as I did, I've never led in a relationship with the fact that I am a Christian because I feel like it's … there's a preconceived notion with it. It turns a lot of people off. And it's not something I've done.
"You saying that is affirming. That's what I would like a healthy relationship to be built off of."
James also locked lips with Jessenia -- who confessed that she had been cheated on; and Victoria, who assured Matt she has insecurities despite coming across so confident.
Although Victoria thought this admission would earn her the group date rose, Matt awarded it to Lauren.
"I really enjoyed our conversation tonight," Matt told Lauren.
"I feel like we share a lot of similar values and you couldn't be more deserving of my rose tonight. I'm extremely happy you're here."
For the final one-on-one date of the episode, Sarah and Matt went on a biplane.
Afterward, they talked about their family... but only to a certain extent.
"I had a great time with Sarah today but I could tell that Sarah was struggling with something," Matt told the cameras.
"And she's slow getting started, but I need her to be open and vulnerable, because I have already had other women being authentic and real and that's what I'm looking for."
At dinner, however, Sarah confided in Matt about her dad being diagnosed with ALS and quitting her broadcasting job to move home to San Diego to take care of him
James appreciated her candor and her bravery and gave her both a rose and a kiss to end their time together on this date.
At the cocktail party, meanwhile, after Matt bonded with Marylynn... Victoria once again bared her figurative claws.
"[Marylynn] just like cries to manipulate situations and she's just like, straight up toxic," she told James.
"[I] had to sleep on the couch temporarily because having that in the house, it's really hard, and I don't think you've had that experience."
To the cameras later on, Victoria asserted, "Marylynn definitely needs to go home tonight because I hate her
Did this Queen of Mean have her wish granted?
We don't know!
After Kit, Magi, Rachael, Abigail, Chelsea, Jessenia, Katie and Serena C were given roses, Sarah said she was "seeing stars" and feeling light-headed.
The show therefore cut to the credits and saved the conclusion of the rose ceremony for next week.