As The Golden Bachelor Season 2 progresses, it might seem like the journey has just started. However, after this week’s emotional farewells to three contestants, Mel Owens has determined the trio who will receive Hometown Week roses, setting the stage for family introductions.

Indeed, Hometown Week looms near, followed by the much-anticipated Fantasy Suite Week, a Women Tell All special, and the grand finale of The Golden Bachelor Season 2! Want to know who survived the cut, who was sent home, and who decided to bow out voluntarily ahead of this pivotal week? We’ve got all the details.

This episode of The Golden Bachelor showcased Mel’s last group outing to Butterfly Mountain and a special one-on-one date with Cindy Angelcyk Cullers, a 60-year-old retired biomedical engineer. In a surprising move, Mel opted not to distribute any roses during the dates, choosing instead to wait until the rose ceremony, allowing himself ample time to ponder his important choice.

Curious about who left The Golden Bachelor this evening, October 15? Who made the decision to self-eliminate before the rose ceremony? And who will be advancing to the Hometown Week? Check out Decider’s recap of Golden Bachelor Season 2, Episode 5 for all the answers.

The Golden Bachelor Group Date Recap: Good Vibes Only

During the season’s last group date, Mel invited Peg, Debbie, Cheryl, Nicole, and Carol to a spiritual retreat at Butterfly Mountain. The objective was to shed negative emotions and find greater harmony. Mel seized the opportunity for meaningful one-on-one interactions with each participant as they engaged in mud baths, ice plunges, tantric yoga, and other rejuvenating activities. However, two of the women seemed to be struggling with some negative vibes.

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.