PicoBlog

Hello Hearties! Wow! We only have three episodes left in this season and things are starting to get crazy! Overall, I would say that I am really enjoying this season so far! The storylines are neater and tighter. The episodes do not feel overwhelmed by too many plot points, and there has been a clear sense of community that has been sorely lacking in recent seasons.

All in all, I would say a lot has improved, and I am loving it, regardless of how certain storylines end. The important thing is that as a whole, this season has been a pleasant surprise for me and a taste of the classic When Calls the Heart that I adore. But what were my thoughts on this particular episode? Let’s dive right in and find out!

I’m not going to lie; this story had a bit of a slow start for me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not fond of party/event planning, on or off the screen. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Hope Valley’s scramble to be ready in time for Governor Balfour’s arrival was a bit boring for me.

However, once the governor arrived, I was immediately intrigued! Most of us already know that Lucas has some important things ahead of him in the next three episodes. I am excited to see Lucas finally get a good storyline where his charismatic personality and gambling techniques can be utilized in a huge way.

Overall, I am just really excited to see Lucas take his place on a grander stage. He has always had a lot to offer the town and the people in it, but now is his chance to save it from complete ruin. It will be interesting to see him stepping into a true role of leadership, which is the main reason why I find this storyline intriguing.

We saw much more of Lucas’ charismatic confidence in Season 6 but haven’t seen much of it since then. I am excited to finally see this side of him again! It’s a great role for him, and it’s about time he got to use his gifts in such a big way!

I mean… These two are just so cute! Mike introducing a song about bumblebees as a fitting piece of music to sing to the governor was the most “Mike” thing I’ve ever heard! He’s a simple guy and a thoughtful one, which is why I think he and Mei make an adorable couple.

I was bit annoyed that Fiona was relegated to the role of matchmaker. She has so much more potential as a character, and like previous seasons, her screentime is minimal, which is such a crime. She deserves her own story and should be given more of a presence on the show. I do hope she has a romance of her own in store. I did think her attempts to pair Mei and Mike were sweet though.

I am hopeful that we will see more of Mike and Mei together in the last few episodes, since all of the planning in this episode didn’t leave them much time to really bond. I think their relationship seems quite sweet and innocent, which is, in my opinion, what they both need. I’m excited to see more of them moving forward!

It’s nice to finally get some Mountie action! Sure, it was a little anticlimactic, but gave us a chance to see Nathan’s cool-headedness and even his selflessness as he took the place of the hostage in question. Was it a medal-worthy moment for Nathan? I guess so…. We’ve seen him handle bigger, more dire situations before which make this hostage situation seem kind of lame in comparison.

My hope is that Nathan’s medal in the upcoming episode reflects his overall service as a Mountie, and not just this one, particular case. Like I said before, he’s done bigger things as a Mountie, and is not undeserving of a commendation. The actual situation in question, however, didn’t stand out to me as particularly noteworthy, apart from the fact that Nathan took the hostage’s place.

Lucas and Elizabeth mentioned their upcoming wedding a lot in this episode, except… The excitement and enthusiasm just aren’t there. At least for Elizabeth. In her journal entry, after describing the transpiring wedding plans, Elizabeth transitions with the words, “All should feel right in Hope Valley. But there’s something I can’t quite shake.” I know she is speaking of Montague, but it also seems to apply to her own situation as well.

With regards to the wedding and her relationship with Lucas, it almost feels as though both have become an afterthought for Elizabeth. At one point, she is distracted when Rosemary is talking to her about the day of wedding planning they have scheduled. Later, in her only conversation with Lucas, she cancels their plans to have a tasting for their reception. She also is very quick offer she and Lucas’ wedding arch when plans for the governor’s arrival come down to the wire.

It feels odd for Elizabeth to be going through the motions of planning her wedding with so little enthusiasm and interest. The wedding is only six weeks away after all. Shouldn’t she be excited about spending the rest of her life with Lucas? Shouldn’t they be planning for their future together, just like Elizabeth did with Jack before their wedding?

I don’t like to make predictions too soon but based off of what I’ve seen so far this season, I don’t think a wedding will be happening. There are a lot of serious conversations that Lucas and Elizabeth have not had. Conversations that include topics like what their living situation will look like, whether or not they plan to have more children, whether or not Lucas will become Little Jack’s new dad or remain his “buddy”.

And as I’ve said before, I don’t think Elizabeth appreciates Lucas’ love language and takes it for granted. Even Lucas showed some frustration when she canceled the plans for their tasting, prioritizing Rosemary’s dilemma over their wedding preparations.

I don’t think this wedding is happening at all Hearties. In fact, I think Lucas and Elizabeth might be on the path to breaking up. I’m not saying this will happen, but it is definitely in the realm of possibility, especially since they both deserve better than simply going through the motions in their relationship. Especially Lucas.

Kudos to Erin Krakow for this scene! Her depiction of an escalating panic attack was spot on! I don’t think we’ve seen Elizabeth this distraught in quite a while. In fact, we haven’t really seen her cry since Jack’s untimely death. As some of you already know, my favorite scenes and episodes of When Calls the Heart are the ones that are heavy on emotion, so I loved the entire sequence of Elizabeth’s panic attack.

I think the big question on everyone’s minds after seeing this happen is this; was Elizabeth’s reaction about Jack or about Nathan? From what I gather, it’s about both. Jack’s death was traumatizing for Elizabeth, and the thought of another Mountie dying will inevitably trigger a trauma response.

However, this isn’t just about Jack. Elizabeth clearly expressed fear for Nathan, even mid-panic attack to Henry, and added “I can’t do this again. Not again.” My question is, why would Nathan’s death put her through the same level of pain “again”? Sure, he’s a Mountie, and his death would remind her of Jack’s. Equivocating the pain of losing Nathan to the pain of losing Jack however is very different than simply being reminded of Jack’s death.

What made Jack’s death so painful was not simply the fact that he was a Mountie, but also the fact that Elizabeth loved him. Why would it destroy Elizabeth to lose someone who’s serge is the only thing he has in common with Jack? I really don’t think this is just about Jack.

Elizabeth and Henry shared an incredible scene together right at the end of this episode. In the scene, Henry does what he has never done with Elizabeth before; give advice. All season, we’ve seen Elizabeth helping and guiding Henry through his issues with Rosaleen and his own guilt. Now, the roles have been reversed, and Henry is the one giving advice. It was nice to see him feeling confident enough to do so.

What was a bit jarring was how defensive Elizabeth was towards him, especially considering their strong bond. Even from the moment Henry walked into the livery, Elizabeth already knew what he was going to say. I think that her reaction to Nathan being in danger took her (and Henry) off guard. Grief has a way of doing that, even, in Elizabeth’s case, five years after the fact.

If this is simply about her grief over Jack however, her defensiveness has me confused. Why would she be so defensive about having a trauma response and feeling grief over Jack? The entire town mourned Jack after his death, and no one would think less of her for missing him. She could have easily explained to Henry that her reaction was simply her reliving Jack’s death. He knew Jack. He would have understood.

Instead, however, she explains “I was just worried about a friend” to which Henry responds, “Are you certain?” Time alone will tell what conclusion she will come to about that, but for now, it’s clear that Elizabeth isn’t ready to admit to whatever she is feeling. I don’t think this is the last conversation Henry and Elizabeth will share about it either.

So… What exactly does all of this mean for Elizabeth’s future? The truth is, it’s still too early for anyone to say for sure. However, Over the last few weeks, I’ve maintained that Nathan and Elizabeth making their way back to each other was highly unlikely. Now? I would dare to say that it is quite possible. There’s a reason why it’s at the back of everyone’s mind.

Elizabeth’s struggles and doubts about the wedding and her feelings did not begin with Nathan being in danger. Even before that, she was beginning to question things, like in her conversation with Rosemary about Allie and Little Jack growing closer. Her reaction to Nathan’s possible demise did not come out of nowhere, even if it took her by surprise. I don’t think Elizabeth fully realized what she felt for Nathan until this moment, which is why she is only now being forced to examine it.

As for Nathan, he has been struggling to move on because there is something (someone) in the way. I don’t think he realizes yet that the “something” in the way is Elizabeth. And as far as he knows, he doesn’t have a chance with her. He isn’t even aware that she had a complete panic attack over the possibility of him dying. He knows nothing and has fully committed to the idea of giving up on love. In this episode, he even questioned, “What do I know about matters of the heart?”

Neither of them has the knowledge nor freedom to explore their feelings for each other. Elizabeth is so far along in her wedding planning (six weeks out) that she is afraid to examine whatever her feelings for Nathan might be. And as far as Nathan knows, Elizabeth’s wedding is fast approaching, with no complications.

Their friendship has strengthened and deepened this season, but it is possibly that their feelings for each other could be more, even if they aren’t fully aware of it yet. Time (and the last three episodes) alone will tell.

While many Hearties are focused on the possibilities of Elizabeth pursuing a future with either Nathan or Lucas, there is another outcome to this season that is within the realm of possibility. Like I said before, I don’t think there is going to be a wedding this year, and I strongly suspect Lucas and Elizabeth will choose to end their engagement. However, that does not mean that she would automatically gravitate towards Nathan.

In fact, Elizabeth could choose instead to focus on being a mother and teacher, and embrace the single life, like Nathan has. While this isn’t the outcome that most Hearties are looking for, I think that it could be a chance for the character to breathe and take her time figuring out what she wants in life.

One of Elizabeth’s best seasons was, in my opinion, Season 6, where she navigated the early months of single motherhood and leaned on the support and help of her friends and neighbors. She puts so much importance on her friendships that it would stand to reason why she might set romance aside for a little while. I don’t hate the idea of Season 10 ending this way. In fact, I think it could be a fascinating segway into Season 11.

Of course, with this outcome, I would need both Lucas and Nathan to get some closure of their own. Perhaps Lucas’ upcoming campaign for governor is his path towards more self-discovery and personal development. I really do believe that Elizabeth is holding him back from doing incredible things with his many gifts and talents. As for Nathan, he needs some kind of closure if he and Elizabeth aren’t meant to be. Leaving him single and down on himself for it isn’t closure; it’s just cruel.

Overall, I really enjoyed Episode 9 of Season 10! And thankfully, it looks as though the fun continues as Hope Valley hosts its first black-tie ball. There are several reasons why I am looking forward to this episode, namely seeing Lucas stepping into a role of leadership, and Nathan receiving a commendation. It’s about time the men of Hope Valley were celebrated and appreciated!

I think will be interesting to see Lucas taking his place on a grander stage and entering the world of politics. It’s the perfect opportunity for him to use all of the tricks that he has learned over the years for the greater good of the town. I am glad that he is getting a beefy storyline of his own, apart from Elizabeth. Lucas is so much more than his relationship with Elizabeth, and it’s nice to see that demonstrated.

I am excited to see more of Mark Brandon aka Governor Balfour and find out more about his involvement with Union City Holdings. Hope Valley is on the verge of losing their water supply, and the stakes are high. It will be a fun episode to watch! Anyway, until next week Hearties!

Let me know your thoughts on the latest episode in the comments below! Also, stay tuned for my thoughts on Hallmark Channel’s upcoming Countdown to Christmas!

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