Silence Envelops Virgin River: Police Officer Mike Valenzuela (Marco Grazzini) Has Passed Away md20

From new love interests to lethal villains, Virgin River got a fair share of good and bad entrants in the eponymous town, and all of them had a considerable impact on the dominating plotlines in this installment. Fans can’t wait to see more of these new characters in Part 2, as well as future seasons of the comforting Netflix show.

7. Lark and Hazel

This season saw the destruction of Virgin River because of an out-of-control wildfire, and the bordering camps had to be evacuated to keep everyone safe. Viewers got introduced to Lark in this situation when Brady and Jack were helping the campers get out of the area safely. Lark’s daughter, Hazel, had wandered off into the forest, and the desperate mother wasn’t ready to leave without her daughter.

Lark became a mainstay in the rest of the episodes as she tried to settle with Hazel in Virgin River after the fires. She grew attracted to Brady, which was welcome because Brie had broken up with him. Both Lark and Hazel made Brady see the lighter, purer parts of himself, and fans are hoping for a new Virgin River relationship between Brady and Lark.

6. Melissa Montgomery

Fans would remember that, before Virgin River Season 5, a new villain was in town, and that was Melissa Montgomery. She was the sister of the local BnB’s owner, Nick, but not even remotely as nice or kind as him. Lethal and remorseless, Melissa took over Calvin’s fentanyl operation and started operating Emerald Lumber as a front for drug trading.

She chose to invest in Jack’s glamping business, but only so that she could launder even more drugs and money through it. Melissa arm-twisted Brady to help her and almost succeeded in her endeavors. Thankfully, Jack found out through Brady, and they were able to bring Melissa down by the end of the season.

5. Amelia Sheridan

Jack and Brie’s mother made an unexpected but insightful appearance on the show when Brie went to testify against Don at his trial for sexual harassment. Amelia Sheridan was externally a mild-mannered old lady, but she shared a conflicted relationship with her daughter. Even as Brie struggled with what she had set out to do, Amelia found ways to criticize her life choices and actions.

However, within the one episode that Amelia appeared in, she managed to have an epiphany and realized where she went wrong with Brie. She loved her daughter but was afraid of how capable she was. While the character development was positive, it was so rushed that it made Amelia seem two-dimensional.

4. Rose

Rose, better known as Grandma Rose by Denny, was a surprising entry on the show. Viewers knew that Doc had dated someone called Rose in his youth, who hid the existence of his son and grandson from him, but they were not expecting her on the show. Rose came in to see how Denny was settling in Virgin River, leaving many ruffled feathers behind her.

She hadn’t told Doc about her son’s existence because she wanted Doc to fulfill his dreams of being in the medical profession, but there was still something innately selfish about her decision. However, Rose did have a lot of influence, and she told Denny that he should leave Virgin River and go to college. Rose was strong-willed and opinionated, and fans will see the consequences of this in upcoming episodes.

3. Gene Sackheim

Melissa’s right-hand man, Gene, was a formidable character. He didn’t say much in the show, but his presence and actions were intimidating, to say the least. Gene carried out all of Melissa’s dirty work, whether it was retrofitting vans to accommodate drugs or beating people up to extract information from them.

Gene was obviously dangerous, but viewers were still shocked when he charged at Brady to kill him once the cops nabbed Melissa. Virgin River residents were happy to see the back of Gene and Melissa when the police finally caught up with their crimes.

2. Ava Andersen

Lily’s other daughter, Ava, stepped in to care for Chloe and the farm in Tara’s absence. Unlike Tara, Ava was a truly unique soul. Wild and free-spirited, she also cared deeply for her sister and her mother’s estate but had a bit of a rough time in Virgin River. Ava already considered herself a bit of a misfit when it came to caring for Chloe, but she almost got killed along with her sister in the wildfires that ravaged the town.

Ava formed an instant connection with Mel, who helped her out with her endometriosis and her inner conflict about childbirth with the disorder. Even though Ava was much younger than the average town demographic, she blended in seamlessly and even became friendly with Brie.

1. Kaia Bryant

Fans longed for Preacher to find love, and she entered the town in the form of Kaia Bryant. Fierce, fearless, but kind to a fault, Kaia was one of the firefighters who were called in to contain the flames in Virgin River. Not only did Kaia help deliver a baby with Mel and Cameron on the phone, but also walked into Preacher’s bar and enchanted him with how open and aware she was of her wants and needs.

Kaia was also ambitious but had been held back from progressing in the fire department because of her separated husband. She had to balance her job with him and also find time to pursue a relationship with Preacher. She was a multi-faceted and talented woman who was mature about her life choices and a welcome addition to the Virgin River pack.