Aahana Swrup
‘When Calls the Heart’ sets a captivating stage for its season 12 with episode 1, ‘The Mountie Way.’ Elizabeth Thornton and Nathan Grant have finally decided to give their romance a real chance after their years-long will-they-won’t-they dynamic. However, now that they are together, they are prepared to confront complications as a couple. Meanwhile, Rosemary and Lee must make some big decisions regarding their futures as an exciting business opportunity awaits the latter outside of the town’s borders. Thus, with a hand on the sentimentalities of the past, the town of Hope Valley and its residents drive towards a new start at full speed. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Little Jack Attends His First Day of School
After Mike and Mei’s wedding reception, Superintendent Hargraves reaches out to Elizabeth to share some news about her late husband, Jack. During a search, the Mounties find Jack’s commissioner medal, which the single mother inherits with great pride. Still, the medal highlights some of the more complex aspects of her relationship with Nathan. Jack’s death and the unwitting part Nathan played in it remain one point of contention that has made their relationship complicated in the past. Jack had died while on a mission in the mountains, which Nathan was originally supposed to lead.
Even though Nathan bears the responsibility of that mistake with heavy grief, he can’t help but grow concerned about what it would mean for his and Eliazabeth’s future. Even she found it difficult to look past it when she first discovered the truth. Therefore, while the Mountie is prepared to share the truth with Little Jack once he grows older and starts asking questions about his father, he is also weary of it. For now, Elizabeth simply tells her son about the medal, highlighting its value. As such, when the time comes for the kid’s first day out of daycare and into actual school, his mother lets him wear Jack’s medal as a source of courage.
This school year promises to be special not only for Little Jack but for Elizabeth as well. For one, she will also be saying goodbye to some of her older students, such as Emily, Angela, and Timmy, who will be graduating. Furthermore, she will become her young son’s teacher, welcoming him into her class. In the end, Little Jack ends up surprising her when he lets his friend, Lilly, another young student starting school, wear the medal to share some of his father’s courage with her. Therefore, it seems the kid has already inherited the best of his parent’s traits.
Rosemary and Lee Both Find Progress in Their Careers
Lucas arrives at his decision to open up a National Park only after Rosemary and Leland’s intervention. Consequently, he sees it only fair to include Lee in his ventures going forward. The National Park would prove to be a culturally significant addition, which compels Lee to throw in his proverbial lot with the Governor despite his dubious popularity among the masses. Still, it isn’t Lucas’ political career or a particular ex-girlfriend who leads to complications. Instead, the idea of Lee’s departure from Hope Valley makes him and his wife take a boss.
Lee and Rosemary have only recently become new parents, and they’re still nursing their The Valley Voices newspaper to success. Therefore, Rosemary is opposed to her husband’s move to Capitol City for months to oversee the construction of the National Park. While the same also proposes a problem to Lee, he’s more willing to work around it. He genuinely believes in the good that the project can bring to the community and is excited at the prospect of contributing to it. For the same reason, he works with Lucas and Henry to arrive at a negotiation that Rosemary would find appealing.
Meanwhile, after a conversation with Lee about the necessity of keeping The Valley Voices interesting as it competes with the rising popularity of the radio, Rosemary comes up with the idea of having a news radio program. On the other hand, Lucas and the others finally arrive at a solution that just might sway the woman. Lucas offers to have Lee back in Hope Valley every weekend with the promise that the project will only last a month. Moreover, he decides to name the Park after Goldie, Rosemary & Lee’s daughter. The same paired with Rosemary realizing how much the project means to her husband convinces her to greenlight the idea. Thus, Lee finds himself embarking on a new adventure with Lucas.
Nathan Trains a New Mountie Recruit
While Nathan is absorbing the reality of following up Jack’s big shoes, he finds himself overtaking a mentorship responsibility as a new mountie trainee, Oliver Garrett, arrives in town. From the get-go, Oliver establishes his intelligence and discipline, showcasing great promise and potential. For the same reason, Nathan can’t help but grow suspicious of his poor ranking in the training program. The same suggests an eventual discovery about the young man’s past might be in the cards.
Furthermore, from the brief interaction we see between Oliver and Allie, Nathan’s niece, it’s fair to assume the young pair might find their paths crossing again in the future. On the other hand, Nathan finds himself with an opportunity to bond with Young Jack as he oversees the kid’s riding lessons. During this time, he also realizes the importance of the medal for the boy. Later, he puts this knowledge to use and crafts a display box for the medal to make sure Little Jack and Elizabeth have a safe place to store the memento. As he showcases the same to Elizabeth the night he visits her home, it becomes clear that the budding family won’t let any past complications get in the way of their future.
Read More: Hallmark’s The Christmas Secret: Filming Locations and Cast Details
