Nick and Athena: Inside Their Reality TV Romance Journey
Things can heat up fast in the pressure cooker environment of a reality TV show, as with Nick Metzler and Athena Thea Vas on Hulu’s Got to Get Out. Their bond captivated viewers through mind-bending puzzles and daring escapes, highlighting the real evolution of relationships under pressure.
This article explores their dynamic — from strategic partners to possible lovers — with insights about their chemistry, professional lives outside the show, and what happened after cameras stopped rolling. It’s a peek into their career lives for fans wondering what they are up to now while allowing space for their private matters.
How Nick And Athena First Met On “Got To Get Out”
Nick Metzler and Athena Vasmet as strangers on Hulu’s escape room challenge show. Their relationship began as a straightforward game alliance. Players had to partner up to navigate a series of tricky puzzles to help them escape the show’s manor setting. Nick immediately saw that this Athena was different.
Behind her serene face was a keen mind that attracted his attention. What started as team strategy sessions eventually escalated into deeper discussions. Their relationship deepened during a later challenge, when they had to collaborate with the contestant Omarosa to assemble a puzzle and succeed in locating an escape clue.
As they spent time together, Nick’s emotions developed. He leapt and asked Athena out on a date on the show. She said yes, and they had a special dinner together, away from the other players. Over this period, they opened up and shared secrets, building trust in a game where the commodity was scarce.
Their relationship peaked when they kissed under mistletoe on the show. The partners, who had started as strategists, were watching it seemingly evolve into what appeared to be a real romance. Unlike many reality TV “showmances” that feel fake, fans loved how natural their interactions were, and their story became a highlight of the season.
Trust Issues And Tests of Faith
Nick and Athena didn’t have a smooth path to romance. Their developing connection would be tested in earnest as the competition intensified. There is real tension in the trunk of Hart’s car, during which one of the seven bomb threats threatens Nick’s low-tech escape with the other players, leaving Athena behind.
It hurt her and shattered the trust that they had built. After feeling betrayed, Athena kept her game secret from Nick. Then Nick found out she had received an important clue, but he couldn’t work with her because she hadn’t told him her plan.
One of those moments, laden with tension, captured his frustration bursting forth in an increasingly heated argument that startled viewers. “It was such a high-pressure game, it brought out the good and the bad in us,” Athena said later in a show interview. This candid admission emphasized how reality TV’s high-stakes setting can put the most solid bond through its paces.
The final escape challenge, however, brought them back together. When victory was all there was, they made peace with their troubles. This reconciliation demonstrated their capacity to resolve problems, but viewers questioned whether the damage had been too significant for a lasting union outside the show.
These emotional challenges generated the drama the show’s viewers adore while illustrating the difficulties of forming relationships under constant stress and competition.
Where Is Nick Metzler Now? Pursue Your Career as a Game Designer
Nick Metzler: Nick has done great things in the gaming industry since GOT TO GET OUT. His career didn’t just start in front of the television cameras; he was educated at the University of Southern California and graduated with a Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship in 2016.
His earlier career included a position at Visibility Unlimited Inc. from 2008 to 2011. In 2012, Nick was President of Messy Desk Ideas Inc., and his board game “Squasheed” was licensed by PlaSmart. He also worked as a Dream Team Member at Survivor Entertainment Group, gaining experience in the entertainment industry.
Nick’s game design talents earned him a gig at Spin Master in 2015. After a few years of climbing, he left as their Incubation and New Business Specialist for Games in 2021. In 2022, he made a unique move in his career, joining Framework Ventures as a Tokenomics and Governance Designer and transferring his industry knowledge to the blockchain realm.
In October 2022, Nick founded Win-Win, a gaming advisory firm that assists games with expert design and token strategy to launch successfully on the market. In 2023, he continued on a venture path as a Venture Partner at Shima Capital.
Nick has designed some of the biggest games throughout his life, including Jumanji and Harry Potter Catch the Snitch. He discusses his gaming insights in various podcast appearances, including a recent visit on “Channeling Hallmark” (April 2025) to talk about his board game development approach.
Now, Nick has had more visitors than the Coliseum. He visited Rome in 2023 and Tokyo later that year. Updates on game development projects frequently populate his social media, offering curious fans peeks into his creative process and personal travels.
Athena Vas Today: Working As A Variety Performer And Author
Athena Vas turned her reality TV lineup into a triple-threat career in entertainment. She holds a PhD in Mathematics from Stony Brook University and a Master of Fine Arts from Saint Joseph’s College. Athena was well-known in New York City’s entertainment space before “Got to Get Out.”
Her performance career has spanned everything from Broadway skating to theater to ARS NOVA. Since 2020, she has been a social media consultant, providing clients with authentic brand voices online, and she has signed on as a model and actress with Made Worldwide Agency Inc.
Athena’s reality TV journey started before “Got to Get Out.” She became a contestant on The Bachelor from June to December 2021, where her wit and charm won her the competition. In August 2023, she released the podcast “The Athena Vas Show,” which is dedicated to empowerment and self-worth.
She became a published author in January 2024 with her book, “F*CK IT: When you want a better life, but don’t know where to start, start here,” which quickly became a bestseller. This self-help guide channels her no-nonsense communication approach and dedication to helping others understand their worth.
Her athletic physique was most notably on display in March 2025 after she competed and became the overall winner in multiple categories in the leading fitness model company, Angel Competition Bikinis. Athena stays active on social media, with 332,000 followers on Instagram. She uses those forums to share professional milestones and glimpses into her life.
Although Athena has enjoyed career success, she has also had personal difficulties, including her mother’s death, which she has written about movingly. Her openness on this grief has only deepened her bond with fans who admire her rawness on-screen and off.
Is Nick Currently Dating Athena? The Current Status
Even now, five months after the show’s ending, “Got to Get Out” fans want to know: Are Nick and Athena still together? Although the connection viewers saw unfold on screen was deeply intense, the two have kept their personal lives at arm’s length since filming wrapped.
By the end of the season, their relationship had experienced some serious highs and lows. Nick got emotional and finally broke down, sharing his feelings for Athena. Both said their bond might have taken a different shape without the game’s high stakes. Still, especially after Nick’s emotional outburst, she approached the “trust issues” carefully.
“The competition made a pressure cooker that brought us together and created challenges we may not have had if we weren’t competing,” Nick said in a post-show interview. That frank admission reflects the peculiar way reality TV relationships are forged and tested.
Though they reconciled before the show’s end, neither has publicly confirmed a romantic relationship since. Their social media accounts provide few clues — they still follow each other on Instagram and occasionally interact with likes and supportive comments on professional milestones, which suggests there is no bad blood between them.
Reality TV couples are known to be under intense scrutiny when dating someone, which insiders believe could explain why the two have decided to keep their relationship status under wraps. Whether romance is flourishing off screen is open to speculation, as fans have yet to receive official confirmation, but their continued online friendship suggests there may be something more.
Why Reality Television Couples Hook Viewers (and Ourselves)
The interest surrounding Nick and Athena’s romance is precisely why reality TV romances succeed so strongly in keeping an audience’s focus. Unlike scripted shows, these relationships are forged organically in unique situations, creating the impression for viewers that they’re watching real emotional development unfold.
“Got to Get Out” set up a perfect environment for relationship drama — high stress, constant proximity, and shared goals combined with competition. That environment foisted Nick and Athena’s true selves on each other more quickly than in regular dating scenarios.
We witnessed an emotional roller coaster in a few minutes—vulnerability, strategic thinking, jealousy, and encouragement—all within the 20-minute episode, a compressed evolution of emotions that may take months in the real world.
Studies find that audiences develop parasocial relationships with reality contestants, feeling psychologically attached to the contestants and their journeys. When viewers root for couples like Nick and Athena, they get emotional payoffs when the relationship works out and disappointment when it falters.
The editing of reality shows certainly adds to this investment, accentuating emotional moments, building narrative arcs, and leaving strategic cliffhangers about relationship status. This method of storytelling has audiences debating and discussing the relationship long after episodes hit the screen.
“Competition shows facilitate unique bonding experiences that aren’t replicated in regular dating,” says Dr. Maya Johnson, a media psychologist. “Contestants work on problems together, face elimination stress together, and build trust together in ways that accelerate emotional connection. This pacing also explains how Nick and Athena’s relationship felt uniquely compelling within the staged reality dating show genre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Had Nick and Athena been acquainted before “Got to Get Out”?
No, Nick Metzler and Athena Vas first met as contestants on the Hulu show. When the competition started, they had never met.
What did Nick and Athena fight about the most on the show?
Their biggest fight came when Nick learned that Athena had gotten a vital clue but hadn’t told Nick about her escape plan. His angry response sparked a fight that left a rift in their trust.
Are Nick and Athena officially dating after the show?
So, neither has made any statement that they have been dating since the show’s end. They appear to have remained on good terms and friendly on social media but have kept details about any romance under wraps.
What are some of Nick’s best-selling games?
Some of Nick’s hit games include Jumanji, Harry Potter Catch the Snitch, and Squashed. He’s still co-creating new games through his company, Win-Win.
What other reality TV shows has Athena been on?
“Got to Get Out” isn’t Athina’s first foray into the spotlight—the producer was a contestant on The Bachelor from June to December 2021, where she won her season.
When did Athena publish her book, and what is it about?
Athena also published the book, “F*CK IT: When you want a better life but don’t know where to start, start here,” on January 16, 2024. The book is about empowerment and serves as a reminder for readers to see their worth.
Final Words
The story of Nick Metzler and Athena Vas —an ordinary couple who found extraordinary love —embodies what makes reality TV endure: real human true love prevailed despite rather excellent odds. Their journey from strategic friends to possibly romantic acquaintances adds to the complications of relationships when they are in the public eye.
Though fans may not know where they stand now, they have parlayed their reality TV stardom into dynamic careers. Nick is a game field innovator, and Athena is a performer, writer, and media. Professional. Their journey reminds them that reality TV can ignite talented careers, no matter where the romance leads.
How they sustain post-show life, straddling public careers and private lives, is a case study in how to handle success healthfully. For fans who’ve tuned in to see how their romance develops — or doesn’t — the important takeaway is that Nick and Athena have become better people, with or without a connection.
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