‘Fire Country’ Season 3 Needs To Make This Major Change With Bode
The Season 2 finale of Fire Country marked a major turning point in the life of the series’ protagonist, Bode Leone (Max Thieriot). Due to his heroic acts as part of the Three Rock Con Camp earlier in the season, Bode Leone was granted parole and early release from prison. Bode’s release didn’t come a moment too soon because the Cal Fire camp and inmate program were about to dissolve later in the season. Season 3 will now see Bode at a major crossroads as he pursues the next chapter in his life. The ending scene of the Season 2 finale, “I Do,” hints that Bode has a new goal, to become a legitimate firefighter — and not merely an inmate firefighter. Bode will likely face major obstacles and opposition as he pursues that goal due to his criminal past. With Bode essentially receiving a clean slate as he transitions into Season 3, it’s time for him to carve out his path in life, rather than defining himself through the lives of others.
Bode Leone Struggles by Living for the Sake of Others
Throughout the first two seasons, Bode struggles to overcome his inner demons. His initial drive to get out of prison at the start of Season 2 results from the false revelation that Genevieve Maisonette (Alix West Lefler), the daughter of Bode’s ex-girlfriend Cara (Sabina Gadecki), is his daughter. Toward the end of the Season 2 premiere, “Something’s Coming,” Bode finds a way to get out of prison and returns to Three Rock to take responsibility for Genevieve and to be a good father and role model. However, it’s later revealed that Genevieve is not his daughter.
In the first season, Bode takes the heat for false drug charges to protect his fellow inmate, Freddy Mills (W. Tre Davis), who is also attempting to get his life back. It’s admirable that Bode feels such loyalty and a sense of self-sacrifice towards his friends, yet his willingness to put his life on the line is also detrimental to his overall well-being. Bode puts others before himself to an extreme degree and that needs to change, so Bode can move forward with his life in Season 3.
‘Fire Country’ Season 3 Grants Bode Leone a Clean Slate
While Bode initially joined the inmate firefighter program as a way to earn an early release, he has found his true calling. As he explains to his uncle, Luke Leone (Michael Trucco), in the finale, “Firefighting is the first healthy addiction I’ve ever had in my life.” In his youth, Bode Leone likely struggled with the pressure that came from being part of a renowned family of firefighters. His parents, Vince Leone (Billy Burke) and Sharon Leone (Diane Farr), are both highly decorated and respected fire chiefs in Edgewater. The careers of Bode’s parents probably cast a large shadow over him, and he did not want to follow in their footsteps. All that was exacerbated due to the death of his sister during a car accident with Bode behind the wheel and his subsequent problems with the law. Since Bode’s recent release from prison, Bode’s relationship with his parents is better than ever. Now, Bode seeks to become a firefighter, not merely because it’s his family’s legacy, but because it’s his true passion.
Speaking to TV Guide, Fire Country executive producer Tia Napolitano explained that Bode’s new outlook on becoming a firefighter is part of his journey to find something for himself, rather than living for others. Napolitano stated, “[Bode] is endeavoring to do something for himself. Of course, firefighting is a public service. He’s going after what he wants, and it is a sign of how far he’s come, how much he’s grown emotionally that he’s actually able to say that out loud, ‘I want this for me, and I am going to pursue it for me.'” It remains to be seen if Bode can follow through on his stated goal in Season 3, but firefighting appears to be Bode’s destiny. The last thing the show needs is to see Bode back in prison again. Fire Country already went there in Season 2, and it’s time for some storyline progression.
Bode Leone’s Path Forward Needs To Be Different Than the Past
Bode faces a difficult path to becoming a legitimate firefighter, as stated by his Uncle Luke, who comments on all the legal “red tape” from Bode’s criminal history that will hinder his goal. However, Luke appeared receptive to Bode’s determination in the finale. One potential issue involves the finale setting up an alliance between Luke and Bode. At the moment, Bode sees Luke as his means of getting a job as a firefighter. However, Season 2 frequently depicts Luke as an antagonistic presence within Cal Fire and Edgewater, whether it’s Bode’s parents, Manny Perez (Kevin Alejandro), or Eve Edwards (Jules Latimer). Not to mention, Season 2 ends with Sharon Leone wanting to take her old job back as Division Chief of Division 1501, a position currently held by Luke as the Interim Division Chief. Considering all the bad blood brewing with Luke, Vince, Sharon, and others in the division
