The Transformation of Henry Gowen

    It's Friday, Hearties! (Not that you didn't already know that :)

    First off, let me say thank you to everyone for sharing your WCTH ideas! It's always fun to read what other Hearties would like to see happen! I have two from Ann Riddle and two from Rose M!

From Ann Riddle

#1  

    I have thought that Fiona should be with either Kevin Townsend the blacksmith or Lucas (I know I know). Fiona and Kevin would be cute, especially on a double date with #TeamClasse. However, @ChrisMcNally_ and @imKaylaWallace seem to potentially have that debate chemistry.

    Blogger's Note: Although I'm Team Lucas, I am curious what is going to happen with Fiona this season, and who will be her romantic interest. Also somebody in Hope Valley should go on a double date at some point. (Maybe Team Coulter and Team Classe?)

#2
    I also think that it would be both cute and hilarious to watch Jesse raise a little Clara. You have to admit that a baby girl Classe would have Jesse wrapped around her finger. Momma Clara would have a lot of comforting to do with Jesse, once their little girl started dating.

    Blogger's Note: I totally love this idea! Jesse and Clara were totally meant to have a little girl! 


From Rose M

#1
    I liked your cowboy idea, and since Jack's Mom AND AJ were both kind of cowboys (dressed like them), I think a cattle operation that goes on a round-up with Tess' farm (from When Hope Calls) is needed. So then we'd get AJ back for another "run" with Bill. AND crossover (Chuck) on WCTH 
    Also, maybe a visit from Jack's Mom to visit Baby Jack? That would be great! (and potential 3rd story - Gabe & Nathan work on something together in Hope Valley .. win/win!)

    Blogger's Note: Jack's mom must visit, and Gabe absolutely should too!

#2
    The Lucas to Jack connection .. You know how Jack's brother liked to get in kerfuffles in bars? (Season 2) Well maybe he got into another kerfuffle at a restaurant Lucas owned, and maybe Jack came to Lucas to make reparations from his brother's kerfuffle and got to telling him about Hope Valley and the people of Hope Valley ... about the saloon that is more than a bar, but also a place where families can be .. and that it also used to be a schoolhouse where he met his wife (Elizabeth) .. and with not a lot of fighting. 
    So, maybe Jack & Lucas kept in contact while Jack was at depot, (the training spot for the Northwest Mounted Police) and Lucas knew that Jack had been killed, got tired of his city bar and decided to head to this town called "Hope" Valley, just on conversations with Jack.  

   Blogger's Note: This is an interesting idea that I never thought of before. It would be crazy if Lucas knew Jack before he died, and came to HV because of him.

    Thank you two ladies for sharing your ideas with me! It will be interesting to see how many of these ideas actually happen in the seasons to come!

    Moving onto the titled topic, last weekend I ran a poll asking Hearties what they thought of Henry Gowen. Well, the results are in and the majority of people love him! (If 70% of 30 votes can speak for millions of Hearties.)

    But I also got a few saying they were unsure, and one saying that he's a crook. While I'm in the 70% and like Henry Gowen, his past has been far from squeaky clean. Yet with all that's happened I believe that Henry Gowen has changed into a new man. He's had one of the biggest character arcs in all of WCTH, and we've finally discovered more about who he really is.

    Today's post will be taking a look back at Henry through all six seasons, listing a bunch of major events that took place with him, and looking at who he is now.

Season 1-2

    Now first before I say anything, may I just point out that beard! Woah! It almost changes him into a different person!
    Anyhow, in the beginning Mr. Gowen was not exactly everybody's favorite character. No, I'm assuming he was more the opposite for a lot of people, and for good reason. He really was the villain of the town at the time. He was greedy, ruthless, and conducted illegal actions. A few examples include...

He tried to take the row houses, but that made sense as his new workers would need them.

He made Abigail split the profits from her cafe with him 50/50.

He wouldn't help Jack with the robbers.

He tried to hide the truth about the mine disaster by pinning it on Abigail's deceased husband.

He had his lawyer bribe Judge Black

He threatened the mayor to make him quit, so he could become mayor.

He tried to run Lee's business into the ground before it had even begun.

And so on.

    Yet even with all of this, after learning about his childhood, and this whole new revelation about him and the mining disaster he's now cast in such a different light with all of these events. It's so much easier to look at this man with sympathy and understand why he did what he did. Now of course this in no way excuses him from his wrong doings, but it helps us understand him more, and let's us realize he isn't as terrible as he might appear.

    We also saw his interest in Abigail from the very beginning. Now at first his intentions seemed more icky, and it was way easier to boo him away. However, after learning more about him, I'm thinking his feelings were actually more genuine than they appeared. Even him going into business with her seemed to be an act of love and care for her. This is a big reason I'm sad that we lost Abigail, as I wanted to see those two fall in love.

 

Season 3-4

    Moving onto the next two seasons Gowen still had not redeemed himself quite yet, and was up to his old tricks. At this time he was still mayor for the majority of the seasons, and trying desperately to conceal his illegal actions of stealing from Hope Valley. 

    He also formed a terrible alliance with the evil Ray Wyatt, and had started and ended a relationship with Bill's ex-wife Nora. (It probably ended some time around the car crashing with Gowen flying down a cliff, and her finding out about the investigation.)
    Some things that happened were...

Henry selling his share of the cafe (Almost to that terribly finicky man!)

His secret meeting to fire Frank followed by the actual firing
His alliance with Ray Wyatt

Allowing Wyatt to threaten AJ Foster
Etc.

    Yet even with all this, we got a very sweet and touching moment from Gowen. After finding out that the restaurant that Wyatt set up was harming Abigail's business, what does he do? He sits down and orders one great big order of food! (How sweet is that?) He really was showing Abigail how much he cares about her.

    There was also another tremendous moment that showed the true colors of Henry Gowen. He saved Bill's life. That's right, he saved Bill from being shot. Bravo Gowen! He didn't fight the charges laid against him, he even asked Bill to put a good word in for him with the judge. That's a bit much to ask for from Bill, but a man can try. (After all we all know that Bill is a big softy!) To me this seems like the very beginning of Gowen's redemption story.

 

Season 5-6

    We now come to Henry's most likable, and redemptive seasons. To start we had his court trial in which he was granted parole. Before this, however we finally for the first time got to learn about his past. Turns out his family was dirt poor, to the point where he began stealing the things he wanted. From there he never stopped, and now here we are. Once again it doesn't justify his actions, but helps us understand him as a character, and the motive behind his actions.

    After his sentencing Henry began to change. With this newly granted mercy, he started down a straighter path, a more honest path. The town's people showed him forgiveness, and began accepting him into their community. Lee gave him a job, and he grew from his basic position to become someone Lee actually trusted and relied on. Henry was even offered a higher position with Eleanor Roberts, (the widow of Lee's silent partner) but after learning her cheating ways actually did the right thing and exposed her. Although I have to admit as I was watching him go into Lee's office and retrieve the file I was like, "No! Don't do it!" Thankfully he did the right thing, and

    He then bought Jesse's land, (Doing nothing illegal that I can see) and actually struck oil! Shoof! Henry's life has been quite the rollarcoaster ride! From dirt poor, to filthy rich, Gowen has been through so much in his life.

    Finally, no one can forget the big reveal about what really happened with the mining disaster. He actually tried to do the right thing! Now we know that ever since Season 1 he has lived with the guilt of all 46 men's deaths. This is SO extremely sad, and makes me rethink everything that he's done.

    I also can't leave out the scene that transpired between him and Elizabeth. I'm sure some Hearties shed tears over this touching moment. It seemed like a scene that should have had Abigail, but to me Elizabeth worked better in the sense that they're both struggling with the same thing. Neither one quite knows how to move on, after the traumatic experiences they've faced.

    Gowen may not have started off with flying colors, but over the Seasons I've come to figure out more and more about him. I see a hurting, guilt-laden man who deserves a second chance. Hopefully for Gowen he will be able to find peace and happiness in this coming season. I also would like to see him get a love interest. Someone sweet and patient who will love him despite his past, and never give up on him.

    Thank you all so much for reading! Feel free to drop a comment below or on my Twitter page. (Blog comments will be answered via email.) God Bless!