Warning: Spoilers from “Love Is Blind” Season Five below.
While Izzy Zapata expressed early insecurity going into Season Five of "Love Is Blind," he quickly became one of the most in-demand cast members in the pods, eventually ending up engaged and based on a teaser for the end of the season — making it to the altar.
In the rollercoaster first seven episodes of "Love Is Blind," residents of Houston, Texas, went through the Netflix reality dating show's signature experiment: dating without seeing your potential partner.
Izzy's charms immediately caught the attentions of three women: Lydia Gonzalez, Johnie Maraist and Stacy Snyder.
Read on for what happened next.
Episodes 1 to 4 recap
With three potential matches, Izzy first broke things off with Lydia in Episode One, realizing they were on different pages. Lydia was open about her intense feelings for Izzy, and at one point confided in Stacy, who, knowing she had her sights on the same person, kept her emotions to herself. Izzy did not reciprocate.
After breaking Lydia's heart, he was left to choose between Johnie and Stacy.
'I'm falling for both of them, for different reasons," Izzy revealed in Episode Two.
The early dates between Izzy and Stacy were described as "fun" and "easy." But Izzy felt their relationship was still pretty surface level after several dates in the pods.
"You're not vulnerable," he told Stacy. "With the other girls I go a lot more deeper, and with you it's just, I'm kind of just enjoying the ride."
"I think that sounds like a much more fun ride," Stacy responded.
Izzy later referred to Johnie as his “top pick” due to their vulnerable conversations. However, things seemingly got too deep.
After she confided in him about the things that make her a "walking red flag," including her struggles with dating people dealing with addiction and previously marrying someone she didn't truly love, Izzy shut down.
"I'm feeling like I am learning things about you that I should've been learning all along," he responded. "Now I'm in my head again."
Izzy ended the date and his thoughts continue to get tangled.
On his date with Stacy in Episode Three, she confessed the depth of her feelings for Izzy, but admitted that it took a slow build-up of trust, in herself and a potential partner, to get to that point.
"I haven't connected like this with someone in I can't even tell you how long — that's why it scares me," she said. "You make me feel like my lungs and my heart are fighting against each other, like my breath can't keep up with my heart rate anytime I'm around you or even just thinking about you."
"That's how I feel right now," Izzy responded.
After, Izzy broke up with Johnie, citing sudden intense feelings he developed for Stacy.
"Out of nowhere, it was just like, boom, she comes," he told Johnie about Stacy.
Johnie, having already broken things off with her other date Chris Fox, was crushed.
"If I don't leave here with you, and you don't leave here with me, I'm always going to think about you for the rest of my life as a what if," she said in parting. "And I think you're always going to feel that way about me, too."
By the end of Episode Three, Stacy told Izzy she was close to being able to say "I love you."
After a series of deep conversations about his feelings, the kind of vulnerability he wants in a relationship and plenty of tears, Izzy got engaged to Stacy in Episode Four of the season after deciding that their relationship was the most effortless and fun.
"I am so confident in you, I feel safe," he said. "I've never been more certain with anybody in my life."
Stacy responded with a resounding "yes" to Izzy's proposal.
At the end of the episode, Stacy and Izzy meet in person for the first time and share their first kiss.
Episodes 5 to 7 recap
Once Izzy and Stacy got to Mexico, they were physical and constantly giggling. In their first post-reveal scene. Stacy shared that she was getting more confident with being Izzy in-person and told him she still felt "butterflies" around him as they spent time together face-to-face.
The couple got intimate quickly. Izzy said he enjoyed sleeping beside her, calling it "the best night of my life." They also rejected any initial awkwardness, instead saying they felt total comfortable with each other — even after Stacy clogged their toilet on Night One.
"It's just so easy and comfortable. I feel like I'm with my best friend," Izzy said. "It's a blast, we're laughing, we can get deep, but it all just feels so natural."
In Episode Five, Izzy also took some time to clear the air with Lydia. Izzy told her that he genuinely cared about her and doesn't want there to be any "bad blood" due to how things ended.
Lydia responded by saying she's in love with Milton and doesn't hold a grudge toward Izzy.
Meanwhile, in a conversation with Taylor, Stacy confided that she feels Izzy is "the one," even if "the one" proved to be nothing like she expected.
On a mini-golf date in Episode Six, they started to open about those expectations. Stacy revealed that she thought Izzy would "come on a lot stronger" in the bedroom. He explained that with Stacy, he feels more shy because of how strong his feelings for her are.
When it came time to leave Mexico and return to Houston, they both said they didn't want to leave the vacation, but expressed they were excited to meet their significant other's families.
"It makes me excited," Stacy told Izzy. "It doesn't make me nervous, because I've got so many people in my corner to help with the stress so it doesn't feel like it's all just on you."
Izzy's mom, however, had more reservations and asked if he's "all-in" with Stacy. In past relationships, he said hasn't felt "fully confident" in the other person. He tried to assuage her fears by saying he wants to embrace any adversity they face as a couple and let it make them a "better team."
The couple started the next phase of the experiment by moving into Stacy's home, and by the end of Episode Six, they started talking about finances, including who should pay on dates. Izzy thought they should split dinner dates, while Stacy said she's never paid on a date with a man.
As much as the money talk made her "uncomfortable," Stacy was adamant they dig through all their finances before potentially getting married.
"We need to go over everything," she said. "You have to know that before you're signing up for life with someone."
But once they visited Izzy's apartment, Stacy expressed reservations over his lack of dishes and cutlery and his "lost and found" drawer with previous hook-ups' belongings.
"I just think any sane person or engaged person would take these one earring, ring, whatever, that you don't even know who they belong to, and f----- throw them away," she said.
This led to their first major argument, with Stacy worrying Izzy isn't "ready for commitment." Meanwhile, he thought she was being "materialistic."
When they met Stacy's family, they asked the couple how they know they are ready to get married. In a confessional, her dad said while he's never seen Stacy as emotionally invested in a relationship, he worries about her luxury preferences getting in the way.
However, after chatting with Izzy, her dad said he's "hopeful and very optimistic" for their future.
During Episode Seven at a pool party cast reunion, Johnie came back into the picture. She revealed that after leaving the pods, she and Chris met face-to-face at the airport and started up a relationship. When Izzy and Johnie spoke he called her "sketchy," and the two fought, leaving Johnie in tears.
Episodes 8 to 9 recap
The start of Episode Eight picks up back at the "pod squad" party. Johnie and Stacy confront each other for the first time over their shared feelings.
"I shed tears for you knowing you were going to get rejected," Stacy told Johnie, with Chris and Izzy sitting nearby. "I had empathy for you which is why I'm so fired up, because you're a s--- person."
Back at home, Stacy questioned why Izzy cared enough to confront Johnie at all. He argued that he said something to try and look out for Chris, but Stacy wasn't convinced.
"I don't care about Johnie," he insisted.
This then led to a conversation about if Izzy makes Stacy feel wanted and appreciated. Izzy maintains that he's tried his best to adapt to Stacy's lifestyle. Stacy however said she feels like Izzy doesn't "show" his appreciation for her, and it's instead all "talk."
"You make me feel like I'm not enough for you," Izzy responds. The argument ended with him in tears, as they continued to talk off-camera.
"I'm over it," he's heard saying. "I don't want to talk about it right now."
The two debrief about their fight later in the episode. He explained why he got emotional, and that while he's still "upset and hurt," he's not going anywhere and wants to still show up for her.
Stacy responds by saying that she loves Izzy for how he handled this. "You are so calming and reassuring and open that there's nothing that I couldn't say to you. Good and bad."
"I chose you, because you brought that out in me, and I didn't even know that was there," she added.
In a confessional, he said that while their fight represented a "scare" for him, he still plans to say "yes" to her at the altar.
He then gifted her a plunger, referencing their earlier clogged toilet-turned-bonding moment.
"This is a s---- situation. But just like in Mexico, I'm here to love and fight for you," he wrote over it silver marker.
The couple then met Izzy's mom, which marked his first time seeing her since he got engaged. Understandably, she expressed reservations about the quick timeline.
"This is not a game," she said. "... Deep inside I'm thinking, is this really the right person for my son?"
But Izzy stuck up for his potential bride and agreed with Stacy when she said their bond is one she "cannot describe."
"She loves me unconditionally," he told his mom.
By the end of the visit, Izzy's mom believed that her son is truly in love with Stacy.
Episode Nine picks up one week before the weddings. While wearing a jean jacket bedazzled with "Mrs. Zapata" on the back, Stacy tried on wedding dresses. Meanwhile, Izzy gets fitted for the outfit for his big day and expressed confidence in his feelings.
They also went on one of their last dates before wedding day and talked about their favorite things about the other. They discuss their first dance, joking that it might be set to 'N Sync, before sharing an impromptu waltz next to their table.
The next time the couple is shown on screen falls one day before their wedding, and the situation is tense. Before explaining the context, Stacy addressed Izzy and said she doesn't know if she can trust him.
The serious conversation seemingly comes after Izzy admitted that his financial situation isn't as he once presented. He previously told her he didn't have a credit card without explaining why. And in an earlier episode, she asked to go through all their financial records, which he didn't express reservations over.
"It's not debt, all that stuff's paid, it's just bad credit," he said. "It wasn't a lot of money, like in total, I want to say everything was like $3500."
"It's gonna be OK," she responds at the end.
At the end of Episode Nine, a teaser for the Season Five finale, which airs Oct. 13, showed Izzy and Stacy expressing their love for each other and making it to the altar.
Episode 10
Going into their wedding day, both Izzy and Stacy talked about their love for each other while acknowledging the past few days have been tough due to their fight over money. Izzy was confident, telling his groomsmen that he intended to get up on the altar and say "I do."
Stacy expressed some reservations in conversation with her mom. She said she felt like she did not receive all the information she needed and that Izzy hadn't been "transparent" with her.
At the altar, they exchanged vows, but when it came time to say "I do," they were on uneven footing.
While Stacy teared up at Izzy's profession of love and called him her "rock" and the "calm in the storm" in return, she couldn't say yes. She needed more time.
At first, Izzy said he understood, and they shared a kiss before leaving the wedding venue separately.
After their failed nuptials, they spoke outside. Stacy asked if they could return to the way their relationship was progressing, while Izzy said it's "tough" to go backwards.
“I just want to be loved the way that I love,” he said. “Bottom line, I deserve that.”
In one of his final confessionals, Izzy lashed out at Stacy, criticizing her for rejecting his love and accused her of falling into old patterns.
