It was a night of tears, a night of surprises and a night that two people will probably never forget.

In what might have been the most evenly matched finale ever, it was anyone's trophy to take home on the Season 13 finale of 'Dancing With the Stars.' And indeed there was a shocker -- at least when it came to the top two.

Going into the Season 13 finale, it really was anyone's Mirror Ball to win -- or lose. Rob Kardashian was on top after a stellar freestyle, while season-long frontrunners J.R. Martinez and Ricki Lake were tied for second, trailing Kardashian by three points after Monday night's performances.

It was an intense 10 weeks for all three contestants, but in the end it all came down to a fight between the most improved of the season and the indestructible fighter.

In the end, Iraq War veteran-turned actor, J.R. Martinez was crowned the 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13 winner, and it was especially hard not to feel a little misty-eyed as he proudly held the Mirror Ball over his head with partner -- and first time winner -- Karina Smirnoff.

I've been rooting for J.R. since week one, and not because of his harrowing story, but because of his inherent talent for dance and his unbreakable spirit.



Now, if someone had told me a few weeks ago that Derek Hough and Ricki Lake would come in third place, I wouldn't have believed them. However, after an underwhelming performance on Monday night, it became apparent that judges' favorites Derek and Ricki had been coasting the entire season, relying on the judges', not the public's, votes.

J.R.'s win wasn't all that surprising, but it wasn't easy, and there were probably more than a few fans who were waiting on the edge of their seats in anticipation for Tom Bergeron to announce the winner.


But with a two-hour live show to fill, there was also quite a bit of fluff, as all the season's castoffs returned for one final dance. Once again we were reminded that Elisabetta Canalis couldn't dance -- and that Metta World Peace was even on the show. At least Wilson Phillips singer Chynna Phillips could redeem herself after forgetting her steps in week four.

Meanwhile, Chaz Bono teamed up with Lacey's dad, Buddy Schwimmer, to deliver quite a unique performance, while David Arquette teamed up with Kym and the troupe in a fantastically fun and enthusiastic dance that made me want to go watch 'Grease' again.

However, there was one castoff that nearly stole the entire show with his Vogue. Carson Kressley served up one of the most memorable -- and deliciously campy -- dances in 'Dancing With the Stars' history. Anna was more like a back-up dancer than a partner, leaving room for Carson to pair up with a dashing young fellow, and yes, it was just as entertaining as it sounds.

Aside from the fluff and crowning the winner, the main event of the night was the finalists' "Dancers' Choice" performances and instant sambas, with the judges dishing their last critiques and dolling out their final scores.

Ricki and Derek revisited their dramatic 'Psycho' tango from week 4, hoping that this time they would walk away with a perfect score -- and rather unsurprisingly, they did.

Without a doubt, the 'Psycho' tango was one of the most memorable dances of the season, and the second-time around, you could really tell how much weight Ricki has lost. She looked fit and trim in her silky black dress.

Rob and Cheryl, who earned their first perfect score of the competition on Monday night, followed their incredible freestyle with another take on their emotional week three foxtrot. This was a great choice to show how far Rob's come. Of course, it didn't go off completely without a hitch. There was a bit of a slip, but according to Len, that small slip wasn't even worth mentioning. Hm, Len, I'm not sure you would have said the same thing if it was J.R. that had slipped.

So after the slip-that-must-not-be-mentioned, Len told Rob that he's has some of the best footwork he has ever seen from a male contestant. Now, I think Len was a little caught up in the moment. I'm not saying that Rob hasn't grown and improved tremendously, but the musicality is lacking -- and that's what J.R. is all about.

J.R. and Karina revisited their ill-fated jive. Now, I happened to love this jive the first time around, so I was a little sad that they had to eliminate the lift that Carrie Ann penalized them for -- and she was too! It wasn't as exciting this time around, and the judges had a few criticisms. Of course, the slip-that-must-not-be-mentioned didn't count, but J.R.'s "erps, oohs and woos" did.

For a second, I started to get a little worried for J.R., thinking that Rob was actually going to pull through and win it all. But then Ricki and Derek were eliminated, coming in third place, and I started to realize that there was just no way Rob could pull off the biggest upset of the show's history.

Unless the network was that desperate for ratings, it was always J.R.'s Mirror Ball to lose.

What do you think? Did the they crown the right Season 13 'Dancing With the Stars' champion?