Love Island OG Gets Voted Off In Show’s Most Emotional Exit — Even After Becoming Exclusive

Season 7 of Love Island USA is down to the wire, with couples locking in their connections as they head toward the $100,000 finale. But it wouldn't be Love Island without a whirlwind of drama, love triangles, and jaw-dropping recouplings along the way.

As the reality TV show nears its end, emotions are running high as the Islanders say heartfelt goodbyes to the close friends they've made throughout their time in the villa. On the July 8 episode, the first couple were sent home following America's vote. Fan votes have played a crucial role this season, leading to some shocking eliminations and giving Islanders a look at how America truly feels about them, both as a couple and individuals.

Love Island USA Sees An Emotional Farewell To One Of Its OG Islanders After America's Vote

Taylor Williams And Clarke Carraway Became "Exclusive" Before America Voted Them Off

America has been voting, and they haven't been shying away from the Islanders they aren't quite fond of. On the July 8 episode of Love Island USA Season 7, the eliminations were again in the hands of America as they had voted for their favorite couples left in the villa, and their least favorite.

The episode saw one of its most emotional farewells as OG Islander Taylor Williams and bombshell Clarke Carraway received the lowest number of votes from America and had to go home, despite seeming like the only geunine couple in the villa. It was certainly a heartbreaking goodbye, most notably for the men in the villa, including Nic Vansteenberghe and Ace Green, who Taylor had become especially close to.

Still, given the remaining couples in the villa, it wasn't all that surprising that Taylor and Clarke were sent packing. Viewers were especially critical of how Taylor handled his messy love triangle with fellow OG Olandria Carthen, who he had been coupled up with since the start of the season. After meeting Clarke in Casa Amor, he quickly became smitten and ultimately chose to recouple with her, leaving Olandria behind when they returned to the villa.

Taylor and Clarke's elimination also came after America was given the chance to rank the Islanders individually for a series of categories. For the boys, when America was asked to rank them from most to least genuine, Taylor found himself in the bottom. When America had to vote for the boys from best boyfriend material to worst, Taylor again, found himself at the bottom.

Clarke also found herself at the bottom of both categories: voting for the girl who was most to least genuine and ranking the girl who you'd most likely share your deepest secrets to. In fact, Taylor and Clarke were also voted the least likely couple America would want to vacation with.

Are Taylor Williams And Clarke Carraway Still Together After They Left The Villa?

Clarke Came In As A Bombshell From Casa Amor

Although Taylor and Clarke were eliminated from the villa just before the finale, Taylor still walked away a winner in his own right as he left with the woman he chose to become "exclusive" with just before their exit.

Before the Islanders met at the fireplace for the dreaded elimination, Taylor asked help from the guys to perform a cheer routine in which he would then tell Clarke that he didn't want to close off but become "exclusive." Even Olandria seemed happy for the two as Taylor and Clarke shared a kiss and hugged after the routine.

When Taylor learned he was going home, he was comforted by the men, with Ace giving him a great realization that even though he didn't make it to the end, he already left with a prize.

"You came here and you did what you needed to do. You found somebody that was meant for you. Proud of you, man. Thank you, man, for everything," he told Taylor while hugging him. Speaking to Nic and Ace he shared, "What me and Clarke have is real. You know what I mean?"

Sharing a final confessional together, Taylor shared, "My Love Island experience was a damn near rollercoaster. When I spoke to Clarke for the first time, that spark and connection, we had something that I had never had before. I can't be too sad because that's what I came here for, to find a connection and I found it, and also I'm leaving with it."

Clarke then added, "Unfortunately, time wasn't on our side. But that's okay because we're leaving together."

In a joint interview with Chicks in the Office and in the real world, Taylor shared that he was "happy" to be outside the villa with Clarke. He shared that he wasn't "shocked" about their elimination, knowing that they were "bottom three" in all the pervious rankings.

When asked about his feelings for Olandria, Taylor expressed that they were very real, but the feelings Clarke gave him were very different. "There was an instant spark there, so why try and force something with Olandria when I have something instant with Clarke. That's why I ended up choosing Clarke."

The podcast hosts then touched upon Taylor making things exclusive with Clarke and how that resonates in the real world.

"He told me in that moment he used the word exclusive because closed off is more of a villa term," Clarke said, noting that Taylor wanted to make sure Clarke understood that he wanted to pursue their relationship outside the show. "So, exclusive definitely translates in the outside world," she added.

Taylor Williams hails from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Clarke Carraway is from Columbia, South Carolina.

When asked the first thing they wanted to do as a real life couple, Taylor shared, "Rodeo."

If Taylor and Clarke manage to make it work in the real world, they’ll join the ranks of successful couples to come out of the villa. Last season's couples, including winners Serena Page and Kordell Beckham, runner-ups Leah Kateb and Miguel Harichi, and third place's JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez, are still all going strong, proving that reality TV really can lead to lasting love.

The Love Island USA Season 7 couples that remain include: Ace Green and Chelley Bissainthe, Huda Mustafa and Chris Seeley, Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia, Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales, and Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe.