Undoing Leone’s Fate in Fire Country Season 4 Could Break the Show

The cliffhanger ending of Fire Country season 3 raised the stakes because of who it endangered, but an update about season 4 hints at its premiere potentially not giving clear answers, which would be a terrible mistake. The Zebel Ridge fire made things impossibly difficult for Station 42 and Three Rock, whose destruction in Fire Country season 3 changes everything.

However, the most consequential development was arguably Sharon, Vince, and Walter Leone being trapped in the Buena Vista building, engulfed by flames as its roof collapsed. That development made Fire Country season 3’s ending its most dramatic yet, leaving the onus on season 4’s premiere to reveal who died, if anyone did. Not doing that would gravely hurt Fire Country.

The Fire Country Season 4 Premiere Title Downplays Season 3’s Cliffhanger Ending

Fire Country season 3’s ending not showing a specific character perishing didn’t necessarily doom the three Leones. However, the report of Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila not returning for Fire Country season 4 that came out on the same day that season 3’s finale aired heavily implied Vince would be the one to die in the Buena Vista roof collapse.

The revelation that Fire Country season 4’s premiere is titled “Goodbye for Now” nevertheless downplays the seriousness of season 3’s cliffhanger ending. The temporary goodbye Fire Country season 4, episode 1’s title refers to may very well be Gabriela’s, as Fire Country’s showrunner, Tia Napolitano, revealed she hoped Gabriela could return in the future. However, it could also be Vince’s.

Fire Country season 4 not being clear about Vince’s fate would be extremely detrimental for the firefighting drama. Indeed, toying with the audience’s feelings about the victims of season 3’s cliffhanger ending would feel particularly cruel if the Leone tragedy is drawn out for too long, especially knowing about Burke’s exit.

Justifying Burke’s exit without Vince’s death being tackled would feel like a cop out after the dramatic Fire Country season 3 cliffhanger ending. Fire Country season 4 having Vince just disappear wouldn’t make sense for what the firefighting drama revealed about him as a character, making his death as a main character the only narrative payoff after season 3’s ending.

How Season 4 Not Delivering The Leone Tragedy Hurts Fire Country

Beyond how it affects viewers, not delivering on season 3’s cliffhanger ending hurts Fire Country as a whole, as future cliffhangers could be taken less seriously. The reason why Fire Country season 3’s finale was harrowing was the mortal danger the central characters were in. Not making good on the threat would make any future threat not believable.

Future cliffhanger endings could also feel not credible if the only one to die for sure was Walter. His story had a satisfying ending in Fire Country season 3 after glimpses of a reconciliation with Vince, making his death not as shocking as Vince’s could be.

Fire Country’s executive producers wanting to portray the danger real firefighters are in and season 3’s ending promising an earth-shattering tragedy thus make Vince’s death the only possible outcome in Fire Country season 4, as anything else would devalue any future threat from the firefighting drama, not making them convincing for audiences.