Kristen Doute’s Scene In The “Vanderpump Rules” Finale Was Actually Such A Full Circle Moment And I Am Seriously So Here For It
We made it, folks. After nearly three months of #Scandoval consuming our screens, feeds, and lives*, we’re finally on the other side of the Vanderpump Rules Season 10 finale. This is how I feel:
That’s right, I’m talking about KRISTEN DOUTE.
Kristen hasn’t been seen on VPR since Season 8, because she was fired in 2020 for falsely reporting fellow former cast member Faith Stowers to the police in 2018.
BUT that doesn’t change the fact that Kristen coming back on the show to support Ariana in her time of need isn’t a RBFD (Really Big Fucking Deal™), and I’m sorry but it absolutely MUST be talked about!!! So let’s get into it, shall we?
Right off the bat, there’s the intricate web that is the dynamic between Ariana Madix, Kristen Doute, and Tom Sandoval. If you’ve made it this far in the post I already know I don’t have to tell you, but these three have HISTORY.
In case you don’t recall, Kristen and Tom dated for nearly six years before he and Ariana got together. They lived together and literally entered the show together as OG cast members in Season 1. It was a toxic, dysfunctional relationship for the ages that I’m thankful I can stream/relive anytime I want (sorry, Kristen). During their time together, Tom cheated on Kristen multiple times (and she did the same to him, but that’s a different story). One of those times was when Tom famously cheated on Kristen with Ariana at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.
There may or may not have been other trysts between Tom and Ariana, but they both SWORE up and down that nothing happened. Ariana especially went to bat for Tom, basically pushing Kristen to the brink.
And once Kristen and Tom finally broke up for good, Tom and Ariana immediately started dating. Like, IMMEDIATELY. And here we are, nine years later.
Tom’s actions and reasoning for cheating on Ariana and blowing up their life partnership are almost IDENTICAL to what he said and did to Kristen. I don’t have time to pore over every little detail, so please watch and enjoy this lovely comparison video by TikToker and fellow Bravohead, Stephanie Tlejii:
@stephwithdadeets
Do you get deja vu?? ? #greenscreen #kristendoute #scandoval #vanderpumprules #tomandkristen #tomandariana #tomsandoval #howiemandel #tomandraquel #gaslighting #realitytv #realitea
♬ original sound – Stephanie Tleiji
TLDR: Kristen GETS IT. And in the years since Tom and Kristen’s breakup, she and Ariana have actually become really good friends. She was literally WITH Ariana the night she found out about Tom’s seven-month affair with Raquel. So who better to come and console her in her time of need??? Who better to bond over the collective trauma caused by this “worm with a mustache” who calls himself a bar owner???? No one, that’s who. Not a single soul in all of WeHo or Valley Village. We see this immediately when they lovingly refer to Sandoval as “OUR ex-boyfriend.”
This is the part where I’m gonna say there will be absolutely NO comments on this post being like, “How you get him is how you lose him!!!” when talking about this, because…stop it. First of all, gross. Second of all, Kristen literally shamed y’all for saying that on WWHL, and third of all, Ariana immediately acknowledges this after they sit down. It wasn’t that Kristen was “nuts” or that Ariana was super special (even though she is, obviously). It’s a pattern of behavior!!!!
Then, Ariana literally acknowledges that she spent years defending Tom against Kristen when she should’ve been doing the exact opposite. A huge moment of self-awareness and clarity!!!
And then Kristen is essentially like, “IDC about that, at least we’re both rid of him.” We LOVE women supporting women!!!!
After their chat on the couch, the two go into the backyard to do some kind of self-love spell. Kristen brought a shit ton of crystals and some kind of vibration tool, naturally.
For this Witches of WeHo ritual, Ariana writes down something she wants to manifest for herself: “true self-love.” I’m not afraid to admit that this moment made me tear up.
Then, she burns and stomps out what’s no longer serving her, aka “unrequited loyalty.”
Finally, Ariana and Kristen close the spell with this iconic line:
And then they embrace!!! Two women who’ve been screwed over by the same narcissistic man, coming together to lift each other up and look forward to the days ahead, WITHOUT THAT LOSER.
In all my years watching VPR, I couldn’t think of a more full-circle moment. And people agree!!!
kristen doute returning like a sage who has already blazed this trail and can guide ariana to the other side is everything we needed #pumprules pic.twitter.com/PjCfm2aQ3O
— marissa (taylor’s version) (@MarissaSaysWhat) May 18, 2023
Kristen doute coming back to comfort Ariana during the worst time in her life is women solidarity at its best. The healing scene, the humor, and the heartfelt emotions #PumpRules pic.twitter.com/Ypnm0HP09v
— heebejeebes era (@bruh16110500) May 18, 2023
KRISTEN AND MIAMI GIRL HAVE FINALLY BEEN VINDICATED IT WAS REAL #pumprules pic.twitter.com/VpfqcVuxtj
— marissa (taylor’s version) (@MarissaSaysWhat) May 18, 2023
Kristen coming in dusty slides to perform witchcraft is sending me to the moon. #PumpRules
— samantha bush (@takeyourzoloft) May 18, 2023
Kristen Doute and Ariana having this heart-to-heart about Sandoval, who cheated on both of them, is genuinely pretty powerful. #PumpRules
— Gibson Johns (@gibsonoma) May 18, 2023