"Even ‘babe’ is a lot for me": Love Island USA’s Ace opens up to Amaya in Season 7, Episode 7

There’s tension in paradise, and it’s all over a four-letter word. On Love Island USA Season 7, Episode 7, Ace and Amaya hit a communication roadblock that got fans talking, tweeting, and taking sides. What started as a chill chat about nicknames turned into an emotional spiral that had Amaya walking away and Ace standing firm on what he called a “boundary.”

“Even ‘babe’ is, like, a lot for me too,”

Ace admitted during a conversation. The issue? Amaya’s casual use of the word “babe”—a term that, for her, is just part of her vocabulary, but for Ace, comes loaded with deeper meaning.

“And I noticed you like to say that a lot,” he added, clearly feeling some type of way.

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A nickname gone wrong on Love Island USA

It all started with a simple question. Ace turned to Amaya and asked,

“What you be calling your partner when you in a relationship?”

Her answer was casual enough:

“I usually make up a nickname for them, like my own personal nickname or babe.”

That’s when the tension started.

“Even babe is, like, a lot for me too,”

Ace told her.

“And I noticed you like to say that a lot.”

Amaya, clearly caught off guard, responded,

“Oh my god, so you want me to stop calling you babe? Dammnn.”

She then made her exit, saying,

“I’m gonna walk away from you cuz you pissing me off right now. You trying to make it seem like I’m like being so pushy right now.”

While it might sound like a small disagreement, in the high-pressure world of Love Island USA, where feelings run high and everyone’s being filmed 24/7, little things tend to spiral fast.

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Emotional fallout the next day on Love Island USA

By the next day, tensions hadn’t cooled. Ace brought it up again:

“I asked you what you call your partner.”

Amaya replied,

“Yeah you were smart.”

But instead of clearing things up, the chat only added more confusion.

“You said babe, I’m confused,” Ace said.

That’s when Amaya’s tone shifted.

“Babe… Oh my God, you see, I really do not mean it intentionally. I don’t Ace. I f*cking don’t.”

She went on to explain that it’s just how she talks.

“It’s just part of my lingo. You’re not getting what I’m saying.”

Ace stayed calm, asking,

“I really don’t, so make me understand.”

But that didn’t land well either. Amaya, now visibly frustrated, said,

“No, because I’m about to get emotional right now. You’re like pissing me off again.”

Just like that, what seemed like a misunderstanding about language turned into something much heavier.

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Fans are split over the Love Island USA moment

Once the episode aired, Love Island USA fans jumped in with strong reactions. Some couldn’t understand why Ace would pick Amaya if her personality, or vocabulary bothered him so much.

“What’s his problem WHY DID HE CHOOSE HER THEN LOL,” one fan tweeted.

Others, however, sided with Ace.

“He set a boundary, the boundary had been disrespected over and over, and yall mad at him?” wrote another viewer.

That sparked a mini-debate in the fandom: is saying “babe” really that deep?

This isn’t the first time the Love Island USA villa has become the setting for a deep-dive into relationship dynamics, but it’s one of the more unusual hills to die on. Still, it brought up an important point: everyone communicates love—and discomfort, differently.

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In a high-stakes environment like Love Island USA, where everyone’s trying to make quick connections, small misunderstandings can feel like dealbreakers. And when you throw in cameras, audience opinions, and the pressure to “vibe,” things only get messier.

Amaya’s frustration wasn’t just about being corrected—it was about not being heard. Ace’s confusion wasn’t just about a word, it was about wanting to feel respected. And that’s what makes this moment more than just TV drama—it’s real, awkward, human messiness.