When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 7 Spoilers: Tom Thornton Returns to Hope Valley

When Calls the Heart has been bringing many classic characters back this season.

Spoilers for When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 7 hint that Tom Thornton, Jack's younger brother, returns to Hope Valley.

Elizabeth tries to keep an open mind when she hears his ideas. Read the spoilers below to learn if Tom has evolved and learned to live life outside his brother's shadow.

As brothers often are, Tom Thornton (Max Lloyd-Jones) was the exact opposite of his older brother Jack. He had a drinking problem, and Jack and Elizabeth had to bail him out of trouble.

Tom fell for Elizabeth's younger reckless sister, Julie, and they crashed Julie's dad's car.

After that, they both try to turn their lives around, and Tom gets a better job when he runs into Julie at Elizabeth and Jack's wedding.

This will be the first time Tom has visited Hope Valley since Jack died and the first time he's met Little Jack.

It will probably bring up many unresolved feelings for both Tom and Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth sees Tom at Jack's grave, she thinks he still lives in his brother's shadow.

Part of Elizabeth feels for Tom, while part fears the mess she'll have to clean up this time without Jack to help her.

Nathan understands that, as he sometimes feels like he's living in the shadow of the infamous Jack Thornton.

While Elizabeth assures Nathan that he's not in anyone's shadow, the series has played a slow burn with this couple, often making Nathan feel like he was second choice.

Tom's visit may allow Elizabeth and Nathan to talk honestly about her relationship with Jack and finally allow them to move on as mature adults.

Elizabeth's love life is a fine line. Jack was her first love and her husband.

She'll always love him and respect what they have, but it's time to move on.

That doesn't mean she should forget Jack or that Nathan would replace him.

They need to discuss these sorts of things so she can give that relationship closure.

Tom is also interested in finding new love, and Faith Carter catches his eye.

He hadn't seen her in years but remembered how attentive she was after his car accident.

Faith has been lonely lately, longing for more purpose and meaningful relationships in her life.

She has found more direction since Lily came into her life but still wants more.

She hasn't dated anyone since Carson left town at the end of When Calls the Heart Season 8.

Could Tom have reformed his bad boy image, ready to start a family and relocate to Hope Valley?

Tom also came to the area to recruit choirs for a music festival in Salt Lake City.

The children, especially Angela, think he should recruit their choir.

While seeing more community scenes is excellent, the Hope Valley choir only formed in When Calls the Heart Season 10 Episode 8 to impress the former governor.

They haven't had much time to enhance their skills, so Tom has his work cut out for him if he wants them to place at the festival for sentimental reasons.

We don't know how long Tom is visiting Hope Valley, but he might be able to train the choir in time to place at the festival and re-establish some friendships. He was a more welcome return.

Rosemary and Bill's new partnership has been entertaining.

Not everyone in town buys it, but with Rosemary's enthusiasm and persistence and Bill's skills, they make the ideal investigative team.

They'll combine those skills again when they bring Clayton Pike's mother to town to prove his alibi the night of Lucas's shooting.

They hope this gives them the leverage they need to get Montague arrested officially.

Hallmark is famous for doing murder mysteries, but this is the first time we've had a whodunit on the series.

Watching these two find new clues, interview witnesses, and prove their theories has been great fun.