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When Calls the Heart
Elizabeth’s big decision between Lucas and Nathan will finally be made tonight on Hallmark’s hit series “When Calls the Heart.” Here’s a roundup of every hint we’ve been given so far, as the hours count down before the finale airs at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Tonight’s episode is called “The Kiss.”
The synopsis reads: “Elizabeth has finally realized who she’s supposed to be with. Big changes are coming to Hope Valley. The town rallies together to say goodbye and good luck to one of their own.”
Many people involved in the show have been dropping hints about Elizabeth’s decision. Here’s a look at everything they’ve shared or what fans have discovered so far.
This article will have minor SPOILERS for Season 8 Episode 12, the season finale of “When Calls the Heart.”
McGarry Said We Were ‘in for a Ride’ When Filming Wrapped
When Season 8 first wrapped filming, Kevin McGarry shared behind-the-scenes shots from the season and wrote: “Hearties – this is the backbone of Hope Valley, this amazing crew! 78 days of shooting and not a single Covid case to report! Thank you to everyone on the S8 crew (not all pictured – I don’t have any pockets in the serge to carry my phone everywhere…..like some people)You were all amazing and I was honoured to work alongside you. Buckle up season 8 is a ride!”
Brian Bird Said the Finale Will Leave You ‘Gasping’
Creator Brian Bird dropped a hint about the finale in October 2020, noting that something will happen that fans won’t see coming.
He wrote: “Um #Hearties I just read this and had to invent a new acronym… ROFG, which now stands for “‘Rolling On Floor GASPING.’ You won’t see this S8 finale script for When Calls the Heart coming. I don’t really know what else to say except for there’s a reason why we invited writer John Tinker to Hope Valley and this is it.”
Could Faith & Nathan Make a Romantic Connection?
Two sets of photos from the finale were shared by Hallmark that show Faith and Nathan together. The first one looks normal enough. Faith is treating Nathan’s hand, like any doctor would.
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But the look they exchange in this next photo is pretty interesting.
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Some fans, however, believe this photo really doesn’t indicate anything, and Nathan would be too in love with Elizabeth at this point to even notice Faith anyway. What do you think?
The Bridge Might be a Clue
When Hallmark released official photos for the finale, the network included this one:
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This photo is where Lucas and Elizabeth had a date in a previous episode, so some fans think it’s a clue that they will meet at this bridge again in the finale.
Bird Shared This Photo of Elizabeth on Twitter
Um #Hearties I landed on this moment and realized I was watching the Season 8 finale episode. It was too late for me to withdraw this tweet… so sorry. 😙🥄 pic.twitter.com/Lxqk3ELvUs
— Brian Bird (@brbird) April 19, 2021
Bird shared the photo above on Twitter while season 8 episode 9 was airing.
He wrote: “I landed on this moment and realized I was watching the Season 8 finale episode. It was too late for me to withdraw this tweet… so sorry.”
One fan replied: “My poor girl- always going through something! I hope this is a good surprise.”
My poor girl- always going through something! I hope this is a good surprise
— JennyisnotaCat 🐱🍷💖🦄🧙🏻 (@GryffindorJenny) April 19, 2021
Fans Spotted a Letter Elizabeth Wrote in The Hallmark Channel’s Sneak Peek
The Hallmark Channel also shared a sneak peek of the next episode, which you can watch below or at this link.
Elizabeth is reading a copy of her new book and considering her final decision, while looking at a photo of Jack, in this sneak peek. Some viewers think that you can just barely make out a letter addressed to Lucas that she’s written, sitting right next to her advance proof of her book. Here are screenshots of the letter in question.
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If Elizabeth did write a letter to Lucas, it could mean anything. It could just be a thank you letter for helping with the book, it could be a letter declaring her love, or it could even be a letter telling him goodbye.
Canada’s Trailer Includes Scenes Missing from Hallmark’s Trailer
There are two trailers for the finale. One was released by Super Channel Heart & Home in Canada, and it’s different than the one from Hallmark. You can watch it in the video below or at this link if the video doesn’t show up in your browser.
The next trailer was released by The Hallmark Channel. You can watch it below or at this link if your browser doesn’t show the video for you.
This trailer is similar but still distinct from the Canadian trailer. During the Hallmark trailer, it almost appears that the network is trying to hint that Nathan will be her choice. It clearly shows Lucas while Rosemary says that some people are here “for a season” and Nathan while she says “for a lifetime.”
But the Canadian trailer is different. Here, we first see Elizabeth removing her wedding ring. Then we see Lucas when Rosemary says “for a reason,” followed by Elizabeth looking up and seeing the saloon’s balcony empty. Then we see Nathan when Rosemary says “for a season.” But we don’t see either when she says “for a lifetime.” Instead, we Elizabeth looking at the North West Mounted Police Regional Office as Rosemary says “for a lifetime,” quickly followed by Elizabeth running down a road in Hope Valley.
The photo Bird shared, which is included earlier in this article, appears to show Elizabeth after she stopped running.
Interestingly, we could see the North West Mounted Police Regional Office from a similar (but not identical) angle when Elizabeth first learned that Jack died in one of the series’ most heartbreaking scenes.
What She’s Wearing When She Takes Off the Ring Is a Clue
In the sneak peek when she takes off her ring, Elizabeth’s wearing a long-sleeved off-white blouse with a V-neck top.
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When she goes to speak to Nathan and Lucas in the trailer, she’s wearing a different outfit. She’s wearing a lilac-colored coat and a lilac-colored top with a different collar than what she’s wearing when she takes off her ring.
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But when she’s running down the town street looking upset, as seen in the Canadian trailer, she’s wearing a camel-colored coat and an off-white skirt. This is likely also when she’s wearing the off-white shirt seen when she’s taking off her ring. So she’s either seen running down the street slightly before or after she takes off her ring.
Super Channel Heart & Home
Bird & Krakow Commented About the Scene Where She Rode Away After Nathan Declared His Love
After Season 8 Episode 2 aired, Bird revealed the deeper meaning behind Elizabeth’s horse ride after Nathan proclaimed his love. On Twitter, he wrote: “That horse ride took her right back to where she was in the moments after Jack’s death. This is hard TV, but good TV. #Hearties @hallmarkchannel @SCHeartHome”
That horse ride took her right back to where she was in the moments after Jack’s death. This is hard TV, but good TV. #Hearties @hallmarkchannel @SCHeartHome
— Brian Bird (@brbird) March 1, 2021
He warned that more surprises were coming in future episodes, as we’ve seen.
Okay, #Hearties… hang in there… life is a journey in Hope Valley and in your life. Thank you for watching and for supporting @WCTH_TV. We will see you for more gasps next week! #Hearties @hallmarkchannel @SCHeartHome
— Brian Bird (@brbird) March 1, 2021
He wrote: “Okay, #Hearties… hang in there… life is a journey in Hope Valley and in your life. Thank you for watching and for supporting @WCTH_TV. We will see you for more gasps next week! #Hearties @hallmarkchannel @SCHeartHome”
He emphasized that as of Episode 2, she was still nursing a broken heart over Jack’s death.
Everybody in Hope Valley needs Carson this episode… Lee, Mike, Henry… and now Elizabeth nursing a broken heart. #Hearties @hallmarkchannel @SCHeartHome
— Brian Bird (@brbird) March 1, 2021
Erin Krakow talked to ET about what was going through Elizabeth’s mind when Nathan made his big confession. She said:
There’s a line in the scene, something like, ‘If I stay, it’ll only make things harder.’ And I think that was probably the mantra that was running through her head, that sense of, like, ‘This is an impossible situation. I’m just trying to follow my heart, my gut here, and make a decision. And you are making it impossible.’ So I think the goal there was really to just extricate herself. And even when by sitting up on that horse and Kevin cried out the way he did… It was just, it’s heartbreaking. I mean, he did such a great job…
A fan said that Elizabeth’s heart was “bursting” when Nathan proclaimed his love because she just wasn’t ready to answer his proclamation yet. But Bird had a different take.
But her heart was bursting in not a good way. #Hearties @hallmarkchannel @SCHeartHome https://t.co/FuD41LGYpF
— Brian Bird (@brbird) March 1, 2021
He replied: “But her heart was bursting in not a good way.”
Still, it should be kept in mind that Bird is known for “stirring the pot” and retweeting comments from fans that seem to lean both Team Nathan and Team Lucas. So he’s been careful not to give any hints that truly indicate which way she’s going to choose.
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