Warning! SPOILERS about Fire Country season 3, episode 20 ahead.
There were hints about Bode’s sobriety being in danger throughout Fire Country, with the firefighting drama never making good on said threats – the consequences of Fire Country season 3’s ending cliffhanger nevertheless make Bode’s downfall likelier. Bode’s addiction has always been a protagonist in Fire Country, even as Bode never relapsed in the main timeline. Indeed, Bode’s loved ones worried that would have happened anytime Bode faced a challenge he couldn’t overcome, but Bode persevered, even when pain meds fell into his lap via his former coach, Drew Kimbro. However, losing one or more close relatives could tip Bode over.
Fire Country season 3’s finale created the perfect storm for Edgewater. Station 42’s resources were strained handling the episode’s three main emergencies: Gabriela’s stalker Finn looking for her and starting fires around town, Walter’s care home Buena Vista being affected by the Zabel Ridge fire and Three Rock being completely destroyed by the fire, as no firefighters could be diverted there. The impossible circumstances prompted the Leones to fall into their worst habits of jumping into danger without the right tools to support them, making the tragedy in Fire Country season 3’s ending inevitable, costing Bode greatly as a result.
Fire Country Season 3’s Cliffhanger Ending Explained
Vince, Sharon & Walter Are Still Inside Buena Vista As The Roof Collapses
The Leones’ heroism made the situation worse in Fire Country season 3’s finale, as the worst possible outcome, which came to be, was enabled by the family at the firefighting drama’s center going against protocol to save people. Indeed, Bode should never have been near Buena Vista, having been ordered by Vince to rest at the end of Fire Country season 3, episode 19. Bode disobeying his battalion chief and father saved all the residents of Buena Vista and even the impossible-to-find Otto, but it also imperiled him and Walter, forcing Vince and Sharon to jump in to help them.
Season 3’s finale was the least tame among Fire Country’s, hitting key protagonists by effectively destroying Three Rock and potentially hurting three Leones at once lethally.
Fire Country season 3, episode 20 ominously ended with Sharon, Vince and Walter being presumed dead as the Buena Vista building’s roof collapsed under the eyes of everyone from Station 42 in the episode’s last scene. Their scrambling to find an exit, along with the evident fear in their eyes just before the roof came crashing in on them, all seem to point to their demise. Still, Deadline’s report of Vince’s Billy Burke not returning for season 4 partially solves the Fire Country season 3 cliffhanger by confirming Vince’s death, which can hopefully suggest that Sharon and Walter are safe.
Bode Still Isn’t In A Stable Enough Place To Lose Anyone He Loves
Bode Already Struggled In Fire Country Season 3 Without Dead Loved Ones
The prospect of Vince’s death also makes Bode’s relapse much likelier. Between the possibility of losing his father, mother and grandfather and Audrey’s arrest after she shot Finn, Bode will begin Fire Country season 4 lonelier than any other time. Fire Country season 3 already showed that becoming a firefighter was burdensome for Bode, struggling at first with adopting Casey’s firefighting style, only to take Rafael’s loss very badly. Between Walter’s diagnosis and Oxalta’s threats against Three Rock, Bode had very challenging first months on the job.
Between the possibility of losing his father, mother and grandfather and Audrey’s arrest after she shot Finn, Bode will begin Fire Country season 4 lonelier than any other time.
When Coach Kimbro thought of doing Bode a favor by giving him his pain meds, Bode faced the challenge head-on by relishing the feeling that he could say no to the drugs despite wanting them so badly, even admitting it to Audrey. It would be very difficult for Bode to make the same choice in Fire Country season 4, especially after losing his father with whom he finally had a good relationship and while being worried about the fate of both his mother and grandfather.
What Losing Vince & Gabriela Means For Fire Country Overall
The Two Characters Were Always At The Heart Of Fire Country
The conflict between Bode and Vince was at Fire Country’s heart, and their overcoming it made it so they could finally fight fires together as they had always longed for by Fire Country season 3, effectively making the two characters’ dreams come true. With Vince and Walter finally resolving their differences, Vince’s main storylines are effectively completed by Fire Country season 3’s ending. This doesn’t mean Vince won’t be extraordinarily missed in Fire Country season 4, having always been a positive figure for so many characters beyond Bode, like his wife Sharon or his de facto mentees Jake and Gabriela.
Gabriela’s departure from Edgewater will also greatly affect Fire Country season 4. While not addressed onscreen in Fire Country season 3’s finale, Stephanie Arcila’s exit was confirmed by showrunner Tia Napolitano. Gabriela temporarily leaving makes sense given Bode moving on from their connection, but the choice also means the bond between Gabriela and Manny won’t be seen anymore on Fire Country. Moreover, it reiterates Gabriela’s role as meaningful solely in connection with Bode instead of important in her own right, especially after Fire Country season 3 finally explored Gabriela’s downfall and recovery, putting Gabriela at the center of the story.
Fire Country season 3 is now streaming in its entirety on Paramount Plus.
