In a crushing elimination just short of the finals, the pre-season favorite was shockingly eliminated on DWTS.

Tuesday night, everyone on the show was still basking in the magic that was the semifinals, with a mood far more celebratory than the usual ominousness of semifinal results. When everyone kept saying that no one deserves to go home this week, it was incredibly true. Only 1.15% of the vote separated the bottom two. But before the elimination, the show had to spin its wheels to fill an hour… a reminder that while it’s nice to have results shows, they shouldn’t last an hour. Each couple got a video recap, every star and pro got interviewed, we saw the usual video of pros talking about the remaining contestants, there was a “trip down memory lane” for no reason whatsoever…

The night started off with some clarifications about Noah’s proposal. Tom did not know about it, nor did anyone except the producers and Riker. Noah asked Riker, who would be dancing afterwards, if it was okay to have such a big moment that could upstage him – ever the gentleman!

Among the copious interviews was an excellent one with the pros remaining, where they were allowed to go on a bit, and spoke quite eloquently of what winning this competition would mean and why they deserved it. Sharna focused on what an incredible gift it has been dancing with and choreographing for Noah. Allison feels that this is her one shot, so she wants it – indicating further that she does not see herself succeeding on this show, and nor do we. Val could come up with nothing that makes Rumer more qualified to win than his other partners, a refreshing change of pace from the “You’re my best partner ever!” the other pros spout off every season. However, he eloquently said that she deserves to win, and how much it would mean to him after devoting his life to the show for eight seasons and coming so tantalizingly close. Derek, who alone of the pros has won a mirrorball – or five – spoke instead of how much it meant for him to partake in the incredible show Monday night. Warm and fuzzy feelings all around!

There were also some puzzling dance numbers taking time. The women of DWTS were wasted on a number that involved them rotating their butts and whipping their hair for a minute and a half. While titillating, it barely qualified as dancing. Sasha and Emma danced through the twentieth century in two minutes. Almay is sponsoring some kind of feel-good dance tour, and had the DWTS dancers offer a number that was enjoyable to watch – yay for corporate sponsorship! Flo Rida performed some song with an acronymic title that this writer fast forwarded through. And the cast of Teen Beach 2 performed, featuring some synergy by starring Riker’s brother Ross, in a desperate (and likely failed) bid to get people over twelve to watch the sequel.

But all this was just killing time before the inevitable elimination. In the second result, Riker was announced safe, which took some drama out of the announcements of jeopardy. Simple math: three couples in jeopardy plus one couple safe out of four equals everyone else in jeopardy. Not even the stars bought into the dramatic “You’re in jeopardy!” announcements. But since Riker was our pick for the one to be sent home, the elimination was a nailbiter. The logical choice for elimination was Noah, whose dancing is not at the same level as Nastia or Rumer, yet he was declared safe. And then, it was down to the two stars likeliest to win, one of them not getting the chance to try.

The couple, eliminated in fourth place and not getting to compete in the finals is… Nastia and Derek.

Nastia remained collected as she said that while she was sad about missing the finals (and a Derek who can dance again), she was happy to have gone out on such an incredibly high note, and thanked Len for allowing her to be a part of that. Len’s radiant beaming was all the response needed. That dance yesterday was the perfect swan song for them both. As Nastia’s season-in-review video said, Nastia walked into the competition as Nastia the Olympic gymnast, and walks out just Nastia.

This elimination hurts. Not only is Nastia an incredible dancer, but this writer is a huge personal fan of hers. We are being deprived of a freestyle made by Derek Hough for an Olympic gymnast… which, judging by precedent, would have been glorious. However, there is not as much of the usual ire, because the three advancing finalists are all deserving. And we must think of poor Val getting his shot… when it was announced he was wasn’t eliminated, he actually sank to his knees in relief. The man wore a jock strap for Bruno’s judges’ choice! He is 100% committed.

This also leaves us with a fascinating final. For the first time in eleven seasons, the finals will not feature a single former champion among the pros. The last time this happened was season 9, with Louis, Dmitry, and Kym. That was one of the best finals the show’s ever had, where the pros acquitted themselves admirably, and Kym walked away with her first mirrorball after twice being the runner up, making Donny Osmond a DWTS champ. In fact, in that season Derek was also eliminated in the semifinals, also with a worthy contestant who would have been great: Joanna Krupa. This rare occurrence, of no former champions in the finale, has only happened four previous times in the show’s nineteen seasons: the first two, season 4 (where Julianne won), and season 9.

Derek, unfortunately, has been in this position several times. Thrice before he has been cruelly eliminated in the semifinals: his debut in season 5 (Jennie Garth), season 9, and season 14 (Maria Menounos). Each time is a shame, as all those ladies had what might’ve taken to win but didn’t capture enough votes. Derek also landed in fourth place last season, but as a finalist.

Stats fun: This was Derek’s record-breaking thirteenth time in the semifinals, having only missed them twice. This is Val’s fourth semifinal out of eight seasons, and all of those proceeded to the finals. Sharna is in the semifinals for the second time, having been eliminated there with Charlie White in season 18. And Allison participated in her first semifinal.

How sad are you to see Nastia go? Who would you rather have gone home? And who is your new pick to win season 20?