by Gina Scarpa

From the very beginning on The Bachelor, I felt strongly that Sean's connection with Catherine was paper thin. His conversations with her didn't seem nearly as easy as those with other women, like Lesley or Desiree. Both women mentioned have already been eliminated while Catherine soldiers on. Sean seemed much more drawn to Linsday or AshLee, who join Catherine in the final three on this week's episode. Yet, Sean decided to part ways with AshLee, aka the "sweetest woman he's ever known", and brought Catherine on to the finale. Why, you ask? Well, I have one simple theory.

BACHELOR FINALE THEORY: It's much easier to take someone you're not that attached to to the end and dump them on national television than a person you truly do care about. I feel that Brad Womack similarly did this in season 15, when he eliminated future Bachelorette Ashley Hebert before the finale in favor of Chantal O'Brien. AshLee has been nothing but kind, caring, and loving to Sean. She's a girl with trust issues, who's been through a lot in her life. Would Sean really take her to the end and let her think she's going to be proposed to when he doesn't see a future with her?

No, Catherine is the safe choice. She's guarded and proven through stories in her past that she's a strong person. If she's not chosen at the end, she'll be able to bounce back and Sean won't have to walk around with such a guilty conscience. It seems very clear that a large part of their relationship is about attraction, and soulmates I do not see.

That makes Lindsay the frontrunners to become the future Mrs. Sean Lowe in two weeks, not that I'm sure things can last between them. Lindsay says she's ready to settle down, but comes across as very young a lot of the time. I don't mean that in a bad way but whether or not she's truly ready for marriage and lifelong commitment remains to be seen. Who do you think Sean is going to pick in the end and were you surprised to see AshLee go?

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.

(Image courtesy of ABC and US Weekly)

Follow Gina @ginascarpa