Thoughts on When Calls the Heart Finale “Close to My Heart”

When Calls the Heart, the long-running Hallmark Channel series, came to a close last night, airing its fifth season finale. The show’s devoted fans known as Hearties have been on edge since last week’s penultimate episode ended with Elizabeth Thornton crumpling to the ground crying after an unexpected visit by an unidentified Mountie came to town looking for her.

Over the past week the Hearties have been dissecting that final scene, trying to determine just what happened, what could have happened and what might happen next. Needless to say, a lot of fans were very worried about the outcome of that scene and what would transpire in the final episode of the season.

As the season finale opened, the story had jumped to “three weeks later,” with Abigail, Bill, Rosemary and Lee and several of the other ladies from Hope Valley waiting for the stage coach to arrive. Very quickly it was made apparent that the worst had indeed happened: Jack Thornton was killed in a landslide while leading new Mountie recruits over a mountain-side. He actually sacrificed his life to save two young recruits.

As the episode unfolded, it was clear that this outcome was very real – not a dream – and Elizabeth as well as the rest of the Hope Valley residents were numb and heartbroken. Elizabeth revisited several special moments with Jack from her past throughout the episode while trying to deal with her grief. On the morning of her return to teaching, Elizabeth was overcome, running to Abigail for comfort, sharing that she didn’t think she could stay in Hope Valley any longer.

A short time later, Abigail escorted Elizabeth into the back of her café to meet with some of the other women from Hope Valley who had lost their husbands in the mine cave-in; an incident that took place only a few short months before Elizabeth’s arrival in town as the new school teacher. That meeting with the impromptu support group just may have been the breakthrough that Elizabeth needed along with a ride on Jack’s horse, which was returned to Hope Valley by a fellow Mountie as a gift to Elizabeth. It was after that ride on Jack’s beloved horse that she read the letter that Jack had written for him when he was assigned to the mission in the Northern Territories [he had left that letter with Abigail should anything happen to him]. In that letter Jack poured out his heart to Elizabeth telling her how much he loved her and that if anything happened to him, he wanted her to be happy and open her heart again. That was another breakthrough for her.

The final breakthrough came when Elizabeth “accidentally” ran into Opal at the dress shop in the hopes of learning why the little girl had been so quiet lately and acting so unlike herself. As it turned out, Opal was angry at herself for not thanking Jack for saving her from the church fire before the wedding. Elizabeth shared that Jack had done the same thing for her, saving her life from a mine collapse. Helping Opal heal – at least a little bit – was another breakthrough for Elizabeth.

These breakthroughs for Elizabeth will, of course, not mend her broken heart anytime soon, but each certainly did allow her to get back to teaching; be greeted by her students with a wonderful gift – a wooden sign made by all the kids that read “The Jack Thornton School,” which was officially hung up inside the walls of the school; and to eventually learn that she is pregnant.

This episode may not have been what all of the Hearties were hoping for, but it did have its moments of joy, its moments of fond remembrance and moments of love and comfort for those hurting – especially Elizabeth. How the new season will play out is anyone’s guess, but hopefully the Hearties will continue to support When Calls the Heart, coming back when the sixth season returns to the Hallmark Channel at some point next year.

If you are a Heartie and are available this afternoon, make sure to check out Facebook Live at 6 PM EST/3 PM PST for the first-ever after season finale online discussion with series stars Erin Krakow, Lori Loughlin and Daniel Lissing, which will be moderated by Executive Producer Brian Bird on Hallmark Channel USA.

[Photo Credit: Hallmark Channel]