‘Virgin River’ Christmas Episodes: The Return of This Character Could Mean Big Trouble for Brady
Things are about to get pretty complicated for Brady on Virgin River. The town’s resident bad boy seems to have turned a corner in his new relationship with single mom Lark. But she’s hiding a big secret, which was revealed in the final moments of the Virgin River Christmas episodes, which dropped Nov. 30 on Netflix.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Virgin River Season 5 Episodes 11-12.]
Lark is keeping a huge secret from Brady on ‘Virgin River’
After Brady’s (Ben Hollingsworth) romance with Brie (Zibby Allen) fizzled out, he rebounded with Lark (Elise Gatien). She’s a single mom who had to be evacuated from her camp during the wildfire earlier in season 5. Brady rescued her daughter Hazel (Ava Anton) from the blaze, and soon, he and Lark developed a friendship and, eventually, a romantic connection.
Not only does Brady have a spark with Lark, but he’s bonded with Hazel as well, becoming something of a father figure to the little girl. In the Virgin River Christmas special, the trio is spending a cozy holiday together, and everything seems to be going perfectly. Then, Lark gets a mysterious call.
“How’s our little girl doing?” a man asks. He’s calling from prison, and he should look familiar to long-time Virgin River viewers. It’s Jimmy (Ian Tracey), Calvin’s (David Cubitt) former right-hand man and Brady’s old nemesis.
“What about Brady?” Jimmy asks Lark.
“He doesn’t suspect a thing,” she replied.
Is Brady in danger?
Up until now, Virgin River has been vague about Lark’s past and the identity of Hazel’s father. Now, we know why. Jimmy and Brady first clashed after Brady started working for Jimmy’s crime lord boss Calvin. Their feud continued after Brady was wrongfully arrested for shooting Jack (Martin Henderson). Brady ended up behind bars with Jimmy, who orchestrated a prison yard stabbing that sent Brady to the hospital.
Jimmy made it clear he blamed Brady for the downfall of Calvin’s illegal drug business. Later, Brady – now working with Brie and cop Mike (Mike Grazzini) – pressured Jimmy to turn on Calvin. While Jimmy eventually gave up a lead on Calvin’s whereabouts, he apparently hasn’t let go of his grudge against Brady. It sounds like Lark’s relationship with Brady is all part of some kind of revenge plot.
As of now, Brady has no idea that Lark has a hidden motivation for pursuing a relationship with him. But we can guess that once he finds out, he’s not going to take it well. Not only is he facing major heartbreak, but his life could be in serious danger. While Jimmy is behind bars, we have to assume he still has connections on the outside and will use them to get back at Brady. That might involve Calvin, who’s recently resurfaced in Virgin River, though the status of his relationship with Jimmy is unclear. But one thing is certain: Brady will need to watch his back in season 6.
Could Jimmy’s return reignite Brady and Brie’s romance on ‘Virgin River’?
If there’s a silver lining to Brady’s current predicament (at least for some viewers), it’s that Jimmy’s return might eventually bring him and Brie back together. While his relationship with Lark is on borrowed time, she seems happy with Mike, who offers her the kind of stability she didn’t get with Brady. However, there’s still a spark between her and Brady, as we saw with that near-miss kiss under the mistletoe in the Christmas special. (Even her mom sees it!)
With Brady under threat from Jimmy, Brie may feel compelled to step in and save him. That, in turn, could force her to revisit her feelings for him. But if Jimmy’s move pushes Brady back into a life of crime, that could complicate things, especially because Brie craves safety and security due to her traumatic past. Whatever happens, it looks like Virgin River Season 6 could change Brady’s future forever.
Virgin River Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.
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