‘The Bachelor’ Says Goodbye To Maria Georgas (Who Would Make A Great ‘Bachelorette’, Just Saying)

The Bachelor found one of its most complex, entertaining, and deliciously dramatic contestants in Season 28 star Maria Georgas. But sadly, she and Joey Graziadei said their goodbyes following Hometown Dates, marking the end of her delightfully chaotic Bachelor era — at least until the Women Tell All special, we hope!

Since the 29-year-old executive assistant from Kleinburg, Ontario, first stepped foot out of the limo on Night 1 waving her blurred-out Canadian flag, she’s never had a dull moment on the show. Her official ABC bio described her as “a bold, outgoing woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind,” and that sentiment rang true every second she appeared on screen.

On Night 1, Maria memorably announced she wasn’t kissing Joey because he’d been smacking lips with too many girls that night, only to be shown making out with him mere minutes later. Amazing. She shared her love of horror films, trashed Joey’s love of Remember the Titans, then took to TikTok to post an apology video following the episode upon learning her beloved Denzel Washington was in the movie. Sheer perfection.

During the first group date, Joey astutely noted, “I gotta keep my eye on Maria! [She] just keeps me on my toes, man!” And on the second group date, The Golden Bachelor‘s spunky senior Kathy Swarts echoed the shoutout, saying, “That Maria, she had some energy!” Later in the episode, Joey marveled, “Maria knows how to work a crowd 1000%,” and their assessments were all spot-on.

From a top-tier talent show routine to a spontaneous sexy outfit change, Maria always had surprises up her sleeve. But somehow, after seven weeks of watching her in our living rooms and on social media, she still maintains an air of mystery. Her bio says she’s a black belt in Taekwondo karate. Her dad owns a sprinkle company! She was in the 2005 movie The Pacifier, acting alongside Vin Diesel for goodness sake! Just when you think you have Maria all figured out, she throws another curveball — like the emotional reveal that she and her mom got into a terrible car accident when she was a year old and she was pronounced dead at the scene before making a miraculous recovery. (Yes, that really happened.)

Despite Maria’s big heart and contagious sense of humor, the fan-favorite contestant found herself at the center of The Bachelor Season 28’s biggest feud, Agegate, aka “the dumbest fight in Bachelor history.” The conflict ended in a dramatic two-on-one date that sent fellow contestant Sydney Gordon packing, but after weeks of navigating arguments with grace and relentlessly defending her character, Maria was unfairly met with more drama in the house, which made her briefly consider heading home. Choosing to stay took guts, and it also paid off with a Pretty Woman one-on-one date in Canada where she gave Joey a fashion show, braved her helicopter fears, made a perfectly-timed “that’s what she said” joke, and busted out her French — even tricking Joey into saying “I love you.”

On top of their electric chemistry, week after week Maria brought out a personality and spontaneity in Joey that we have yet to see emerge in the presence of any other contestant. During their week in Jasper, Canada, however, she also ignited his biggest fear — getting left by someone he saw a future with — which ultimately played a role in her leaving Hometown Week without a rose. Fresh off an out-of-her-comfort-zone LumberJill date and a week of seeing Joey’s strong connection with other women, Maria’s self-doubt and jealousy admittedly got the better of her. She briefly wanted to bolt, but talked things through with Joey and snagged the final rose of the week. Sadly, a delicious meal and a pleasantly surprising conversation with Maria’s unexpectedly sweet sprinkle boss dad Nick Georgas wasn’t enough to quell Joey’s doubts when Maria ended the date without saying she was falling in love with him.

Though it was a rocky road, Maria consistently kept viewers on the edge of their seats, staying true to herself and following her heart every step of her Bachelor journey. She never let anyone dull her sparkle, embarked on an intimate journey of self-discovery, and navigated the perilous reality TV landscape in The Maria Way from beginning to end.

Earlier in the season, Joey hit the nail on the head when he called his Final Four contestant an enigma, explaining, “I don’t know if you can ever fully understand Maria.” Sure, we may never know exactly what to expect from the Bachelor star, but that’s half the fun, isn’t it? Second and third runner-ups are usually considered for the following season of The Bachelorette, but whether you love her or hate her, there’s no doubt that Maria would be one of the most interesting, amusing leads this franchise has ever had.

The Bachelor Season 28 airs new episodes Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu.