10 things to remember before watching When Calls the Heart Season 12

Can’t quite remember the most important details of Hallmark’s biggest show? Here’s a cheat sheet ahead of When Calls the Heart Season 12.

We get it – it’s not exactly easy to binge 11 seasons of TV, let alone remember every storyline, subplot, and romantic interlude. When Calls the Heart has seen a lot of people come and go, and things get confusing.

At the center of our story is Elizabeth, the do-gooder heart (pun intended) of the community. She’s a teacher by trade, and the rest of Hope Valley orbits around her.

Turns out, quite a lot can go down in a fictional town in the early 1900s. Ahead of the new When Calls the Heart Season 12, here are the 10 most important things you need to know. 

Elizabeth and Nathan are a fairly new couple

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Heading into When Calls the Heart Season 12, it almost feels as though Elizabeth and Nathan have been together forever… but they haven’t. The pair only admitted their love to each other in Season 11 Episode 11 after spending the previous 10 in a will-they-won’t-they situation.

As of Episode 12, they’ve officially made their public debut as a couple while also telling little Jack and Allie. Their chemistry isn’t exactly new, though.

Even for the early 1900s, Elizabeth has had a colorful dating history (but more on that later). Through it all, she’s maintained a spark with Nathan that’s finally been allowed to flourish into a full-blown relationship. If anything, this storyline was a dead cert. 

Before that, she was with Lucas

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Seasons 8-10 were a completely different story, though. The pair got together in Season 8, rounding out its finale with the passionate embrace and kiss fans had been waiting for. While their romance was sweet, things had taken a sour turn by the end of Season 10. 

After working out that they want different things in life, Elizabeth dumps Lucas, leaving him heartbroken. It’s a pivotal moment for them both – Elizabeth finally finds love with Nathan, while Lucas is about to lose it all… he just doesn’t know it yet. 

Elizabeth’s late husband Jack could be key

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Of course, there was another man in Elizabeth’s life long before Lucas. She was originally married to Mountie Jack, who died in a freak landslide accident off-screen back in Season 5.

In the Season 11 finale, Nathan’s superior officer, Andrew Hargraves, turns up at Mike and Mei’s wedding – which is also where Elizabeth and Nathan made their public debut as a couple.

Nathan assumes that Hargraves wants a word with him, but he’s actually come for Elizabeth. We hear him say, “Mrs. Thornton, it’s about your late husband,” just before the series comes to an end.

Whatever he has to say is bound to be a bombshell, and When Calls the Heart Season 12 could go so far as to bring Jack back from the dead, Dallas style. He did die off-screen, after all. 

Lucas now has a new love interest

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Okay, so we don’t officially know who this is yet, but it’s good news – Lucas has finally picked himself up and dusted himself off.

Speaking to Good Housekeeping, star Chris McNally hinted a “spark of chemistry” could be about to change everything.

“Well, there is one of the new characters that’s coming to town who represents a fairly strong opposition to Lucas, and I think within that is a spark of chemistry, and we will see where that goes,” he explained.

“I’m not sure yet, but I also don’t want to spoil anything, but I think fans will be excited to meet this new individual and get to know them and follow that journey.”

Jeanette hasn’t been seen for dust…

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One character who might not appear in Season 12 at all is Jeanette. But even if she doesn’t, her hot-footing it out of Hope Valley will have lasting effects.

Thanks to Elizabeth and Rosemary’s sleuthing, Jeanette was revealed to be Shaw, a fictional “gangster” who was posing a threat to the town’s safety and security. 

It was originally thought Casimir Shaw was a male accomplice, who was essentially doing all the donkey work while Jeanette looked on. The reveal came as something of a shock, but made complete sense considering Lucas was the prime target. 

… And that’s because Lucas almost died 

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Shaw was effectively responsible for almost getting Lucas killed, after he was shot in Season 11. Lucas had short-term memory issues recalling exactly what happened when the gun went off, but we eventually learned Jeanette was pulling the strings all along.

This was all thanks to Lucas’ ongoing resort project, which had a number of bidders come and go during Season 11. It’s now a dream that’s been left in tatters… and that’s a much bigger problem than we think.

Essentially, Lucas has very little left for him in Hope Valley, which isn’t too surprising. After nearly dying and losing out on his dream, romance might be the only thing left to save him. 

Mike and Mei are now married

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We might not remember the Season 11 finale for this reason, but it’s the catalyst for the action. Mike and Mei are indeed married, with all of the town in attendance for the ceremony.

The pair first got together in Season 10 after singing a duet together in the choir. From there, it’s been bliss ever since. 

The resort land might be saved

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Lucas might not be getting his dream resort, but the land might be used for something else in When Calls the Heart Season 12. This is all thanks to Lee, who decides the area should be a national park at the end of Season 11.

This is the one good bit of news for Lucas. He decides he must return to Capital City to be able to do his job as governor, and asks Lee to join him to help with the national park project. Whether it’ll come off, however, remains to be seen. 

Faith is now caring for Lily permanently

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Thanks to Dora Watson’s declining health, Faith will be caring for Lily permanently. They’ve bonded closely, with Lily beginning to call her “Auntie Faith.”

Dora knew she wasn’t strong enough to care for Lily full-time after being discharged, and seeing how close Faith and Lily had become, she asked Faith to become Lily’s permanent guardian.

Rosemary’s left at a loose end after being a hostage 

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In Season 11 Episode 11, Jeanette takes Rosemary and Elizabeth hostage in the saloon. This is where they work out she’s Shaw, but after being released without any real dramas, Rosemary’s not really got much of note in her immediate future.

There might be one thing that comes back to bite her, though. Along with arch-nemesis Randall Rockwell, she works on an exposé in The Valley Voice to uncover Shaw’s true identity. Given she was successful, Rosemary might be in danger from afar. 

When Calls the Heart Season 12 starts on January 5, 2025. Catch up with its episode release schedule and how to watch outside of the US.

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