WCTH S8 Episode Review: Changing Times

 

    Oh wow.... So... that happened...😱

    Hello everyone and welcome to today's blog post! I hope you all are having a fantastic week so far! Can you believe we're in the month of May already? I mean, where did the time go? (Maybe this roller coaster of a season had a bit to do with that... Lol!)

    Well, another Sunday has passed, and with it another new episode of WCTH. And... oh boy... what an episode it was. I wouldn't say it topped off as my favorite of the season, but it was definitely an enjoyable episode. And boy did it set things up for one crazy finale! We got more triangle drama, heart-melting moments, and danger!!! I mean... Wow!

Side Notes:

Christopher and Rachel are still gone, and I worry they may not be back until possibly next season.

Where on earth did Molly and Allie go this episode?

Robert watching Little Jack was genius. Pure. Gold. :D

Fiona

    What now? Fiona was once engaged? Who knew!

    Finally we’ve gotten a little peak into Fiona’s past, and who knew it would involve a former fiancé! But apparently that ship has sailed. It’s also the reason she went to San Francisco for so long. She was finally settling things with the guy. It also sounds like her parents weren’t the happiest with her choice to break things off. But boy, oh boy was she happy with her decision. Finally she feels she can breath knowing everything has been settled between her and her ex-fiancé. And… she even says she’s opened to love. Ooooo! Well I just happen to know two young men who just happen to be available. (Or at least one is… The other is… preoccupied for now. Lol!)

    Fiona actually asked about Mike this episode, but it seems the man has taken a few days off. (Suspicious…) But again I am pretty doubtful that they will become a couple. At the most I would suspect a date or two, but probably no more than that. Fiona has long been rumored to be a possible match for whoever Elizabeth rejects and so I don’t know that her and Hickam will ever become a thing. (Sadly… Sniff!) I also am still not a fan of the idea of her ending up with either Lucas or Nathan. She just isn’t the woman I’d prefer for either of them. I’d be more okay with her ending up with Nathan (For obvious reasons…Lol!) especially since I know Kevin and Kayla are dating but… I just still am not a fan of the idea of their characters becoming a couple. Then again I’ve barely seen them together and so who knows? I never thought I’d like Bill and Molly together in a million years and yet here we are. Maybe my mind would change once I saw Nathan and Fiona together.

     I also have to say… Bravo girl! She not only told that Wyman Walden what for but she also sicked the Mountie on him! Yes! You go, girl!

 

 

The Proof Is in the Pudding

    🎵Na na na na… na na na na… hey hey hey… good-bye…🎵

    I’m going out on a limb and making a bold prediction here. Okay it’s not that bold. Actually it’s kind of obvious. Like a needle in your eye kind of obvious. Carson and Faith are going to split up… and Carson is going to leave Hope Valley.

    Now to clarify I have absolutely nothing to base this off of other than what I’ve seen in the episodes so far. It all just seems to point to the inevitable. And that would be Carson leaving Hope Valley. Do I think Faith will go with him? No. N.O. And I shall explain why, but before that… Can we all just give a round of applause to John Tinker and Paul Greene for that hilarious pudding scene? Lol! I mean… Oh poor Carson! :D

    The man is trying so, so hard. He has the ring, and he’s already to ask the question when of course the ring goes missing. And where should they suspect it went? Yep. Right into the pudding. And the sight of Faith finding Carson with his hands wrist deep in a bowel of pudding was absolutely hilarious. But couldn’t Minnie and Clara have come up with a better excuse then, “He really loves Clara’s chocolate pudding?” Lol!

    However I have to back things up to his initial goal and how… completely wrong he was to try and propose. I mean, how is he so absolutely oblivious? Faith has outright told him that she doesn’t want to move to Baltimore and pretty much given him all the signs that she wouldn’t come if he asked. And no proposal would change that. Faith literally said the words herself.

    She seemed so worried rather than excited that Carson was going to propose. And why not to be honest. She knew she wasn’t able to give him an answer just yet, and he was about to ask her in the middle of the café. Not only would she have been embarrassed in front of Carson, but also every single person in the café. Yikes!

    I also believe that Faith and Fiona’s conversation pretty much summed up what is potentially about to transpire for Team Infirmary. Fiona told about her fiance (Something I’ve already touched on) and said how “They were head over heels for each other at the beginning, but... people change."

    Hmm… Uh… Yeah. That pretty much summed everything up. In the beginning Faith and Carson were head over heels for each other, but then… both of them changed. Carson now has his dream to become a surgeon in Baltimore, while Faith wants to be a doctor in Hope Valley.

    Well, these two are about to have quite the history when it comes to relationships. Carson was married, his wife died, he dated Sofia for a brief moment, and then dated Faith for around two years, almost proposed, and then left her to go to Baltimore. (If that’s what he ultimately decides.)

    As for Faith… She possibly had a crush on Jack, (The jury is still out on that one) was engaged to Peter, got dumped by Peter to stay in Hope Valley, kissed Shane Cantrell, was harassed by Ray Wyatt, and then dated Carson for around two years, only to get dumped by him so she can stay in Hope Valley. Wow. Does anyone see a repeating pattern here? Just me?

    Anyhow, when it’s all said and done… I just don’t know that I see these two staying together, and I don’t know that they should. If their dreams are so important to them that neither is willing to follow the other person… they honestly should just split. Faith shouldn’t move to Baltimore if she is going to end up discontent and longing to be in Hope Valley. Just like Carson shouldn't stay in Hope Valley if he’ll forever feel like he missed his calling and have nothing but discontentment and regret.

    Oh well. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

 

Henry

    Oh… Henry… why do you and your son have to keep melting my poor little weepy heart into a puddle? Lol!

    Honestly their story has been one of my absolute favorite storylines this entire season. You know what? Scratch that. It’s one of my favorites out of these past three seasons! There has been such a transformation of both father and son and it has been the most heartwarming thing to see them both change for the better. AND… show each other how they love each other. I mean… please tell me I’m not the only person who physically “awed” at that, “P.S. I love you,” in Christopher’s letter. Ugh! (Places hand to heart) Oh, my heart! That was just the sweetest thing ever! And Henry… he actually has a picture of him and his son on his desk. And they’re writing each other and… and… I just LOVE their storyline! (Sniffs tears away while sighing in contentment.)

    And it turns out that things seemingly went well for Christopher and Rachel. I have no literal idea how on earth Christopher got past Rachel’s mother. He must have used that Gowen charm or something as I think the only way to get past that woman would be to knock her out cold with a broom stick. (What? It’s true.) Anyhow it seems he followed after the woman he loves and it paid off. And aren’t they sweet together? The thing is… I’m not quite sure if either of them will be back for this last episode. Of course this is just me speculating. But… we already have a plethora of storylines to finish up. Could we handle anymore? :D

    The last thing I have to mention is that moment between Henry and… wait for it… Flo! That’s right! Henry went and called Florence Flo! And I think that is just the sweetest thing! Just like his advice. Florence says she can't reach Ned, so what does Henry tell her to do? Keep trying. Right on! Say, when did Henry become such a great person at giving advice? Lol!

 

Where's Jesse?

    Jesse... (Said in irritated motherly tone of voice) How can you get into so much trouble? Lol! I mean... dude! Why? How? Wagon, motorcycle, car... It doesn't matter. If Jesse drives it, it's going to get stuck or stop somehow. Some way Jesse will get stranded or lost out in the middle of nowhere.

    And I actually think him being up on that mountain may be what this whole finale hinges on. (Well... that and those creepy Pinkerton guys.)

    Poor Clara. I guess the saying is true. You don't know what you have until it's gone. Now she sees how minor, ho meaningless their bickering has been. She was so mad at him for losing their money, which in the end they ended up getting back in full. All her unforgiveness and anger... it was all for nothing. And now Jesse is lost out on some mountain and she realizes what is most important in life. How much she loves her husband and how much he means to her.

    I found it to be really sweet when Lee gave Clara that hug as she cried for her husband. Lee isn't a big "hugger" and it just showed how much he cares. He's probably pretty worried himself about Jesse. He's like a little brother to Lee and I'm sure it won't be long before he's up there looking for Jesse too.

    I also wonder just who else might help look for Jesse up on that mountain.... Lee's words about how dangerous that mountain is for people who aren't familiar with the land has me very curious as to how things may end... 

FloYo

    Mr. Tinker... While I have enjoyed many of the scenes you've written... If you mess up my FloYo we are going to have a problem.

    What on earth happened to Florence and Ned?!? Or rather where on earth is Ned? He didn't even come home with Florence from their honeymoon! What is that all about? Now Florence claims that everything is alright but... I'm not sure whether to believe her or not. 

    A thought I had (And this is just me spitballing an idea) was maybe Ned went to visit Abigail for Henry. Maybe to bring back a letter or something. Or maybe he really did just have some business? Maybe he has a surprise for Florence? Other than these ideas... I really just don't know. 

 

The Canfields

    And the Canfields have joined the row house dwellers! Honestly that is a great place for them. It’s a wonderful community far enough away from town, yet so conveniently close to the church/school as well as the café. It’s perfect!

    While Joseph didn’t get a lot of screen time this episode, his wife Minnie did get a more prominent storyline this time. Aside from being a wonderful addition to the café, (And very sweetly helping/not helping Carson propose) this Mama was looking out for her baby girl. And for good reason!

    She knows how heartbroken Angela would be if she wouldn’t be able to start the school term with all the other children. And as a mother she is making darn certain her daughter doesn’t get hurt. Of course Elizabeth promises her that Angela will get to start with the other children but… I don’t know if she should have. Maybe she should have promised she would do everything she could for Angela or that she would look into everything to be certain Angela could start with everyone. Of course Elizabeth didn’t know about those nasty papers and rules Mr. Landis would suddenly drop in her lap. And that brings me to my next topic.

 

 

Mr. Landis

 

    And.... he's back. And... I'm not happy with him right now. From the moment Mr. Landis stepped foot in Hope Valley I did NOT like him. He seemed arrogant, prideful, greedy, and just flat out yucky. Now he's back, and I have some mixed feelings about him.

    First off, we now know there is a huge problem for the Jack Thornton School. Apparently the Board of Education projects over ONE HUNDRED students coming to the area. Let me repeat that. ONE HUNDRED. That's... insane.

    Now I don't know about you, but I really feel the school is way better off not being apart of the Valley School District. Elizabeth has always done amazingly by her students and will always continue to do so. Being apart of the Valley District will no doubtedly make things complex and just worse overall. Anyhow Elizabeth is not going to stand by and let all this happen, and has pulled in Bill for his expert advice. (Very anxiously at that. Lol!)

    Then we come to Mr. Landis... Now I will be honest. I actually started to like, even understand his character. He says he was a teacher in his past, and wants to give children the best education possible. I can totally believe that. I also found it very thoughtful, even sweet that he gave Elizabeth his umbrella so she wouldn't get caught in the rain. Yes, by then I was starting to think maybe he was an okay guy, who just had a different outlook on how schools should be run. But then... he did something nasty.

    Elizabeth admitted to him that she planned on having Angela in class at the start of the school year... and just like that Mr. Landis struck. He then claimed that he would be staying in Hope Valley longer... to see that she is shut down. (Clears throat...) How dare you!!! How dare you deny sweet Angela the chance to learn with all her friends!

    However, despite all of this I still believe he has a good heart. (Down under all that stubbornness.) And I know that Elizabeth is not going to stand by and do nothing. She will do whatever it takes for her students!

Rosemary

    Oh. My. Goodness. Rosemary was in danger!!! That woman hasn’t been in that kind of danger since those thugs tried to kidnap her back in Season 2! I mean… goodness gracious! Wow! That trigger happy hoodlum just fired a “warning shot” out of no where, spooking her horse, who then bucked up and launched her to the ground with a thump! And Lee was not happy about it.

    And all I can say is… Yes! Lee you should have gone with her! How many times has Rosemary actually been right? Okay it’s a give and take thing there, but…. Still! Lee should have been there! Then again... Rosemary should have waited for him really. It's not his fault he has to work. Anyway, speaking of the dynamic duo…

    Rosemary has finally figured out what she wants to do! And… I think every Heartie could have guessed what it is. Lol! Yes, she wants to start a newspaper! And she is such a great person to do this. She’s written for the newspaper before, and is a “lot-a-bit nosy” as Lee so perfectly put it. Lol! Yes, I see great things for Rosemary. (And probably some unhappy neighbors when she starts snooping in their business. :D ) And… after some frustration… Lee has lovingly given his wife the other desk in his office! How sweet was that? Although I do think he’ll come to regret that decision in the future, and Rosemary probably will eventually get her own place to work but… hey! It’s cute for now! :)

    As to Elizabeth’s response to everything… (Blows raspberry) Augh! What is wrong with that woman? Her friend, her best friend, was in danger and ended up in the Infirmary… and she still can’t bring herself to apologize?!? Elizabeth… I understand you are going through a lot right now and you have my sympathy…I also like that for once you aren’t acting perfect BUT… you need to fix this. Now.

    I have one more thing to mention about Rosemary in particular… Please tell me I am not the only one who instantly thought “Maybe Rosemary’s pregnant,” when she mentioned her back hurting. I mean… yeah. It’s a loooong shot, and I very well may be wrong but… you can’t blame a girl for hoping. Lol!

    As for the man behind all of this craziness…. 

SPURLOCK?!?

    Oh my chicken crackers! That Pinkerton’s name is Spurlock!!! I.. I.. I just… How? Why? Who? Augh! (Winces at pain before finding a ball of hair in hand.) I mean… A Pinkerton… named Spurlock… who appears to be up to no good… out at a cabin in the woods… Yeah, that doesn’t sound familiar. Not at all.

    Okay, seriously guys… Who is this guy? First off that guy is one of the scariest and most intimidating looking baddies Hope Valley has ever seen. Oh my goodness that guy is intense! And tall… with broad shoulders… and leather strangler gloves… (If that’s a thing) So is this guy related to Gowen’s old henchman Mr. Spurlock from Season 1? Maybe his brother? Or a cousin? I. Need. Answers!!! NOW!!!

    And it appears this dude also has something to do with our other mystery man… Wyman Walden. Alright guys, I do NOT like this guy. Period. He is so suspicious… and… and yicky! And I totally believe that he’s that Spurlock guy’s little lackey in the grand scheme of things. But that won’t stop him from collecting small businesses and using them to line his own pocket… (Again… yicky.)

    However I was glad to hear he gave Jesse and Clara their money back. That is the best thing he did. Everything else… the disgusting way he treated Fiona… trying to buy up the whole town and sucking everyone else into his plans… Ick!!!

    All in all I am now wondering what these two men might mean for this grand finale coming up. Is more danger on the way for one or two citizens? Will this have something to do with Elizabeth figuring out her feelings or even FINALLY apologizing to Rosemary? I’m not sure. All I can say is I am SO intrigued!

 

Thanks For Warming Me Up...

    Alrighty now... (Clears throat...) Just... just when did Elizabeth and Nathan become so... so... friendly? (Yeah... let's put it that way. Lol!) Well, one thing is for certain. No one can ever say Elizabeth removing her jacket back in Season 7 was suggestive after this episode. :D

    Now I am very much Team Lucas and so of course I found this whole scene between Elizabeth and Nathan quite... interesting to say the least. But beyond that I also found it very... suggestive and slightly inappropriate. Just for the time period. Asking Nathan to remove his jacket while they are alone in Elizabeth's row house would have been kind of... scandalous back in those days. But honestly it was just more the way Elizabeth said it, then what actually happened. Lol!

    Anyhow... As odd as it sounds I found this scene to be literal evidence that Elizabeth is NOT going to pick Nathan. (Audience gasps collectively) Let me explain.

    While there were a lot of sweet things that happened, even things Hearties could consider romantic, there was one particular thing that stood out to me here. 

    So apparently it would seem Nathan stopped by to deliver Florence's bridal bouquet to Elizabeth. Florence forgot to throw it and decided she wanted Elizabeth to have it so she asked Nathan to deliver it. And he did.... by the time Florence had already returned from her honeymoon. Lol! (Seriously I'd think he'd be jumping to deliver that bouquet.)

    Once he does Elizabeth seems to act a bit... strange... All of a sudden she's jumping left and right to make Nathan comfortable. She can tell he's cold so she tells him the kettle is on. He admits that he can't find his gloves and so she offers him an old pair of Jack's... Wait. What now?

    Alright. Was anyone else completely and utterly shocked that she offered that to Nathan? This isn't even a question of who is she going to pick anymore. Those are Jack's gloves! And she was just offering them to Nathan like nothing! I don't know... If it were me I feel I'd want no one except Jack's hands to have worn those gloves. (I mean, unless Nathan was literally freezing to death or something.) But that's just me.

    Anyhow Elizabeth then says that while they wait for the kettle that Nathan can take his serge off and... And what?!? Lol! Nathan's expression was gold! And very quickly Elizabeth realized just how... suggestive that sounded and hurriedly explained how she wanted to warm his serge by the fire.

    She then seemed to go into this daze, seeming to possibly forget Nathan was even there and said... "I used to do this for Jack on chilly mornings." And that right there is the statement that summed up this whole scene for me. Suddenly things now made sense, and her words even felt like foreshadowing.

    It just felt so... odd that Elizabeth would all the sudden be so friendly, even chummy with Nathan. Not that they weren't friendly before but let's be honest. There has been a LOT of tension between them this season. But at her words about Jack I then got a new picture.

    I can't help but think Elizabeth was thinking of Jack for a lot of that scene, even if it was subconsciously. Now I'm not saying she didn't know Nathan was there, but... Nathan is a Mountie. He wears the red serge. The red serge represents Jack to Elizabeth. Not the Mounties. Not Nathan. It will forever be a symbol of Jack to her. And in warming Nathan's coat and maybe even in having him over at her house early in the morning (Something Jack used to do all the time) I am only left with this conclusion. She was reminded of her life with Jack. And within a few seconds she further proved my point.

    She then seemed to snap out of her daze for a moment, and then proceeded to help Nathan into his serge. Now this I could believe she would do for Nathan... maybe. BUT she then proceeds to begin buttoning up his serge! And it was there that she seemed to wonder, "What on earth am I doing?" 

    She started to button his serge... out of habit. Her and Nathan have never been that close, nor have they even spent an incredible amount of time together. (Compared to her and Lucas or even her and Jack anyway.) Obviously Elizabeth must have used to button Jack's coat up for him, as I refuse to believe she would ever consider doing that for Nathan. Not yet anyway. So this to me seems to further prove my theory that she was remembering Jack in this moment. Am I completely biased? Yes. Could I be totally wrong? Absolutely. I'm just giving my opinion.

    And with that being said I have to say if Elizabeth doesn't end up picking Nathan... the poor guy! She just dumped a bucket full of hope down his throat! Unless he could see through her and realized she was remembering Jack in that moment... he totally would have taken that moment as a sign she loves him. And should she not pick him (Let's be honest. Things can still go either way at this point.) he will only be let down again.

   The scene ended with Nathan thanking her for "warming him up." (How... suggestive. Lol!) And Elizabeth thanks him for the flowers. Now while they were outside Rosemary also happened to exit her own house, and the tension between her and Elizabeth was thick! (Shakes head at Elizabeth...) Elizabeth then goes back inside, and leans back against her door, clearly overwhelmed by her conflicted feelings. Is it because she has feelings for Nathan? Is it because she's unsure what she's feeling? Is it due to her memories of Jack? Is it because of the tension between her and her best friend? Is it all of these things combined?!? Only this final episode will tell... (However I do have my own thoughts about this that I plan to share this Friday. :)

    The next time we see Nathan is when Elizabeth watches him ride by while at the school house. (More on that later.)

    Then the next time is when Elizabeth has left Bill's office, and her and Nathan meet in the street outside. She gives him a warm smile, and Nathan says that he'd wanted to tell her earlier just how much her words at the wedding meant to him. Her words telling him she doesn't blame him for Jack's death, and rightfully so! I can only imagine the burden that must have been for him to carry, especially since he has feelings for her. How could he know how she would take the info he had to share? So to know she whole-heartily doesn't blame him... he must feel like he's walking on air.

    Elizabeth is glad she could put him at ease and hopes that they can put it all behind them. Nathan gives a nod, and tells her to have a good day before riding off. BUT not before letting her know that he found his gloves! Lol! And Elizabeth chuckles in response.

    Again... I'm not seeing this to mean she's picking him. I could be totally wrong but for now that's my story.

    We then happened to get... wait for it... a Nathan and Fiona scene! Now before all you Team Nathan fans groan and roll your eyes... (Which you may have already done as I know I probably would have. Lol!) I am not taking this to mean they're going to become a couple. I mean... sure. It could. There's just not enough to base that theory off of from this scene alone. But apparently it was enough to get this picture in the WCTH gallery. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    However, as to the reason Fiona came and got Nathan... Bravo! He took that Wyman Walden and actually threw him in jail! :D I literally clapped for him when he made that decision. That was a very smart move. I also totally applaud him for going after that Spurlock guy. You go, Mountie! And he let him know on no uncertain terms that there is going to be trouble between them. (And we all know there's going to be.)

    And that was about it for Nathan this episode. I really could go on more about what I think is going to happen, and how I feel about this Mountie's chances with Elizabeth, but... That's for Friday's post... ;)

I Need to Set You Free

 

    It happened. 

    I feel like all I keep saying for this guy is just, "Poor Lucas," but honestly... Poor Lucas! This guy has gotten his heart busted and bruised so many times. I honestly feel that Elizabeth has just been dragging this poor man through the mud all season long, all unintentionally of course. I actually don't think she even realizes all the pain she's put him through. Her reaction in the previous episode to Lucas asking her what she told Nathan when he professed his love really told me that she doesn't see what she's doing to Lucas.

    And so, all in all... I believe Lucas was right to break things off with her. I also believe this was one of the biggest signs of his love for her.... as well as a sign that he wants her to love him back. I shall explain, but first let me back things up a bit.

    So the first time we see Lucas he appears to be on his way to see Elizabeth. He then sees Nathan's horse standing outside, obviously indicating that Nathan is currently inside. And with a sad and pained look he drives away. Now my first thought was, "Oh no. What is he going to say/ Don't break up with Elizabeth." Lol! But he simply drove off, which was totally the right thing to do.

 

    The next time we see Lucas he has stopped by the school on a whim to see Elizabeth and to see if she'd have lunch with him. I loved how sweet he was offering to have lunch with her, and how he stepped in to help her hang the banner. And my heart goes out to the poor man. He's really trying to hide his feelings. Really trying to make things work. He just wants to spend time with her, and I almost wonder if he's trying to figure out where he and Elizabeth stand. But Elizabeth.... (Sigh...) Yeah, she's really just throwing punch after punch at his already breaking heart. And again, I believe it's all unintentional. I don't think she fully realizes the pain she's causing him. Elizabeth is a sweet and kind person who's last wish is to hurt anyone. However I do feel like she is pushing Lucas away. Keeping him at arms length.

    It was clear when he stepped in to hang the banner that both of them realized how close they were... and Elizabeth intentionally stepped away. She's putting distance between them, and I see that as a good thing. Story-wise anyway. 

    I was glad that she told Lucas why she stepped outside with Nathan at the wedding. She was upfront and honest with him which is always a good thing. HOWEVER... Lucas then revealed that not only did she leave Florence and Ned's reception afterward but also that she didn't even say good-bye to him!!! I mean... Come on, girl! You sat with him during the whole wedding, and are (Or rather were) dating the man. And you didn't even tell him you were leaving or say good-bye? That... was not cool. Once again this shows that she is really putting distance between her and Lucas, and she almost doesn't seem to know why. She didn't even know why she left the reception early, or why she didn't say good-bye.

    The next scene with Lucas is pretty brief, but again it's planting those seeds of doubt in Lucas' mind about where he and Elizabeth stand. Again Lucas is standing up on the saloon balcony and finds Elizabeth and Nathan talking in the street. And the tea cup observation is back! (Okay actually it looked more like a coffee mug, but close enough. Lol!) He is clearly unhappy and pained to see what appears to be a very intimate conversation between Elizabeth and Nathan. I doubt he could hear much but to see her earnest expression at Nathan and the small smile as Nathan left... Yeah I'd say that painted a pretty grim picture for Lucas.

    He then walked back inside and for the first time Elizabeth seems to realize that something is wrong with Lucas. She seemed to realize he was sad or hurt in someway, and I believe she may have known why.

    The next scene with Lucas and Elizabeth is extremely brief as they almost run into each other when she came to speak to Mr. Landis. There's not much to say, other than I liked how concerned he was for her, and that there was a definite tension between them.

    And then... (Sigh...) Then came that conversation with Carson.... And I believe that was the moment Lucas made his ultimate decision concerning Elizabeth. Honestly... Carson was probably the the best person for Lucas to talk to and yet... the worst. Lol! Both these guys are having similar problems with the women in their lives and so they had a lot they could relate to. 

    So Carson is at the bar telling his troubles to Lucas. Carson tells how he still couldn't find the ring, and how it seemed to sum up him and Faith's whole relationship. He details how he lives in a picture perfect town, with wonderful neighbors, and has a wonderful woman but then states... 

"But try as I might that brass ring eluded me." 

    He then asks Lucas if he's ever felt that way... and of course Lucas says he has a few times. I mean.. duh. Try and try as that man might to show Elizabeth just how much he loves her... somehow he just can't seem to feel secure in their relationship.

    Carson then asks what did Lucas do to get past it... and Lucas says that he "moved on." The way Carson seems to be doing. Looking for a new way. A fresh start. Alright now... back the train up. I'm very curious about this statement. Is he just relating to his situation with Elizabeth, or perhaps something in his past? I'm not sure. He may have just been talking about his struggles with Elizabeth, but it's worth mentioning all possibilities.

    I believe his statement may be referring to when he left town after the hug. He needed to sort his thoughts and feelings out, and he did so by helping others. Getting a new perspective. And then he returned, ready to move on. He told Elizabeth that he would be fine with whatever she decided, and that all he wanted was her happiness. Something he has proven once again this episode.

    The scene then ends with a very truthful statement from Carson. He says that Faith knows he loves her, and that if she really wanted to be married to him she wouldn't need a proposal or a ring. And that was when it hit Lucas. 

    Elizabeth knows that Lucas truly cares about her and has feelings for her. All he has ever done is show her how special she is to him. How much he cares about her. And yet... she keeps looking to Nathan. At this moment I think Lucas realized this. He knew that if Elizabeth truly has feelings for him, she would have no doubts. She would be with him with no uncertainty, and would have made it obvious by now how she feels. But all Lucas gets from her is the message that she really has feelings for Nathan. And so he realizes that he has to.... let her go.

    Now to clarify, this is what Lucas is probably thinking. I am in no way saying this is how Elizabeth feels. Just from Lucas' perspective I believe this is how he feels. And it all led up to... the end scene.

    I mean... wow! So Lucas shows up at night to Elizabeth's row house. She seems surprised to see him, and he apologizes for stopping by so late. We then have yet another instance where Elizabeth invites him inside her house, and he does not go in. I do believe the writers are doing this on purpose, and actually think it could be a good sign for Lucas. Perhaps he will finally enter during this last episode, showing us Elizabeth has fully let him in her heart. (Should she pick him, of course. :) Anyhow he then goes on to say...

"Elizabeth you've always maintained that love is worth fighting for. And that includes when it needs defending."

    Immediately Elizabeth's face shows concern and even fear at his words. She knows this is serious, and probably has to do with them. Again she asks him to come in, this time in a more pleading manner. But Lucas refuses, asking her to please let him finish. He then goes on to say...

"I appreciate your telling me that you took Nathan aside to assure him he wasn't to blame for Jack's death. But I have to admit I witnessed the discussion. I also noticed his horse here the other day. And while I'm not resentful, from what I've seen... And from what you've told me, I believe that you and Nathan still..."

    Oh, his poor little heart! He can't even bring himself to say the words he believes to be true. And that would be that he believes Elizabeth and Nathan still have feelings for each other. He certainly knows Nathan does. (The man literally told him that straight to his face.) However when it comes to Elizabeth I believe this idea has come from all the "teacup observing" he's been doing. Lol! He just keeps witnessing things that make him believe her heart is not with him. His words about how he "witnessed" her and Nathan's discussion said as much.

    And may I just take a moment to say how amazing it is for him to tell her that he's not resentful? I mean... Bravo, man! He has every right in the world to be angry with her for how she's treated him. And yet... he loves her too much to be angry. (Aww!)

    So by now Elizabeth's eyes have glossed over, and she is clearly distraught. She was so upset during the whole discussion so far. She then tries to cut in and say something, but Lucas goes on saying...

"Love is not just an emotion. It's also an act of will. It can't be demanded. It can't be forced."

    And that my friends is the HUGE difference between Lucas and Nathan. I mean this literally sums up Lucas and his intentions this whole season! And for anyone who believed Lucas wasn't fighting for love, I believe this explains everything.

    For nearly all of seasons 6 and 7 Lucas has been fighting for Elizabeth. From the first moment he laid eyes on her he knew there was something special about her and offered her a job. He's fought to make her dreams come true, caring so deeply about the things that mattered to her. Everything he did for her was so thoughtfully and lovingly planned out. He fought so hard to just be around her. To spend time with her, and show her just how amazing he thinks she is. And in the end... she hugged Nathan. Lucas has by all means fought for Elizabeth and her love. But as he so truthfully stated... Love can't be demanded. It can't be forced. It is an act of will, something Lucas has continually done. He doesn't want to force or demand that Elizabeth love him. He wants her to want to love him. To show him that she loves him.

    And so... to finish this emotional and heartbreaking scene Lucas says...

"I want you to find your true love. And in order to do that I... I want... I need to set you free."

    Okay... Just give me a second... (Sniff!) Elizabeth! What is wrong with you?!? This man loves you so much that he would sacrifice his own happiness for yours! I mean...Augh!

    To me, this was the ultimate act of love. Lucas could have continued on with the way things were. Elizabeth definitely seemed to have no desire to end things. But... he cares about her that much that he was willing to let her go. To let her find her true love, because he wants her to be happy. And he believed the way for that to happen was for him to let her go.

    Now let me say that was the most poetic and sweet way to say, "I'm breaking up with you." Lol! Honestly he could have been angry with her, and told her off. But he doesn't want her to be sad. He wants what's best for her. He wants her to be happy.

    Now I am not super emotional when it comes to movies and TV shows. I mean, yeah I am to an extent, but it seems that for some scenes that would have other people in tears I just... am not. Lol! But during my re-watch of this scene... I got emotional. I was just going through Lucas' words so I could write them here, and just... yeah... I got emotional all of a sudden. It's just so...sad! (Sniff!) I mean, did you notice how he started to say "I want" but then stopped and switched to "I need to set you free?" It was like he started one way but then realized that he doesn't "want" to set her free and changed it. Because... duh! He doesn't WANT to let her go. He just believes that he NEEDS to.

    Now... let's talk about Elizabeth's reaction... She was so... heartbroken to be honest. Her eyes were watery and she looked like she was going to cry. And she should! (I mean...cough... how sad... ;) She honestly seemed to be in shock that he was breaking things off with her, and was very distraught. She even literally gasped when Lucas told her he needed to "set her free." She knew what that meant, and as far as I can tell... she didn't want him to. Yes, I'll be so bold as to say she did NOT appear happy that he was breaking up with her. She even followed after him, when he turned and walked away. Did she want to say something? I don't know. What I do know is that she was very upset over the whole thing.

    And that is how the writers left us. But would you expect anything less by now? Lol! As you have probably gathered from this post... I still believe Lucas has a chance. Actually... I'm probably way too confident right now. Lol! However I am going to wait until my next post to really explain why I am so hopeful for Lucas right now. :)

Elizabeth

    And we found the scene that adorable picture Erin posted awhile back is from! Guys, Erin has such a pretty voice! And the fact that one of the Taylor twins was willing to just sit there so contently in her lap is so sweet!

    Honestly I feel the real point of this scene was to show us all that yes, Elizabeth is indeed a mother. We have seen so little of Little Jack and it's been really sad honestly. There was so much I wanted to see with the sweet boy. He's grown up so much, and I was looking forward to watching him run and play. However I do understand why he's been so absent this season, just like most of the Hope Valley children have been. But it was so sweet to get this little moment between Elizabeth and her son. It just shows how much she loves him, and gave us a special treat to not only have a sweet mother and son moment, but also to hear Erin's lovely singing again. (Thank you Erin!💗)

    And since I'm on the topic of Elizabeth I could go into detail about what I believe she's currently feeling in this triangle-y situation thus far. However I will save that for Friday's post. :) I do however want to ask... What happened to her novel? She hasn't mentioned it since that picnic she had with Lucas. Is she done with it? Did Helen Bouchard give even more notes? I don't know. The writers kind of just dropped it, and I'm hoping they at least mention it quick in this final episode Sunday.

 

 

    And so... we have one episode left. How on this green earth is everything going to be wrapped up in ONE MORE EPISODE? Well... I have some theories on how it's all going to go down. (Or at least the triangle anyway.) But I'm going to save those for a separate post I hope to have out this Friday. (Yes. I still occasionally post on Friday. Lol!)

    Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to tell me your thoughts below or on my Twitter page! (Just please no spoilers. :) Have a wonderful day! God Bless!