Although Fire Country season 4 really shouldn’t kill off Stephanie Arcila’s Gabriela, the drama series also can’t forget about her role with a single line of dialogue. Fire Country season 4’s upcoming Leone tragedy seems pretty easy to predict, considering the events of season 3’s finale, “I'd Do It Again.” It was recently announced that series star Billy Burke, who plays Vince Leone, and Stephanie Arcila, who plays Gabriela, will exit the show before season 4.
Since “I'd Do It Again” ended with Bode’s father Vince trapped inside a burning building, it seems clear that Vince’s exit will involve his death. This makes Bode’s Fire Country season 4 breakdown almost unavoidable, but comments from the show’s creator aren’t promising in this regard. Speaking to Deadline, executive producer Joan Rater said “There's danger in this sort of job, so we wanted to honor that and really up the stakes.” Hopefully, Rater is referring only to Vince’s exit.
Gabriela Likely Won't Be Killed Off In Fire Country Season 4
Fire Country Season 4 Shouldn’t Kill Off Stephanie Arcila’s Gabriela
Considering how the season ended and what the showrunners said, it seems unlikely that Fire Country season 4 will kill off Gabriela. After Audrey shot her stalker Finn in the series finale, Gabriela was left in relative safety compared to Vince Leone. As such, few viewers would assume that her exit means she is going to be killed off, as it seems Bode’s longtime love interest is safe from this fate. That said, Bode and Gabriela’s Fire Country love story could still end poorly depending on how her exit is handled.
If Garbiela’s exit is excused with just a throwaway line and then the main characters barely mention her again, this would be wholly disrespectful to both her character and the show’s audience. Vince is almost certain to be the character that Rater implied would die, since he was in the building when it collapsed and Gabriela was not. However, while Bode losing his father would change his outlook in season 4, this would not necessarily be a bad thing.
Fire Country Season 4 Can't Just Explain Away Gabriela's Absence With A Throwaway Line
Quickly Forgetting Bode and Gabriela’s Multi-Season Romance Would Be A Mistake
Bode could be crushed by the loss of Vince, but he may also surprise viewers by growing and maturing due to the loss. He has already made a lot of tough decisions throughout the show’s challenging first three seasons, and Bode and Gabriela’s Fire Country romance is a testament to how much he has tried to show up for others despite his own issues. However, while Vince’s death could make Bode’s character growth better, this can’t come at the expense of Gabriela’s story.
Gabriela’s Fire Country season 4 exit requires a proper sendoff and explanation, rather than an attempt to replace her with Audrey and forget that her character ever existed. It is disappointingly common for shows to drop characters without warning, and Gabriela deserves better than this ignoniminous fate after a tumultuous three years with Bode. If she moves town and this change is given a believable justification, it could just be a temporary roadblock to Bode and Gabriela’s eventual reunion, like his relationship with Audrey.
The Fire Country Showrunners Have Already Talked About Bringing Her Back
Fire Country Season 4 Killing Off Vince Makes More Sense Than Gabriela
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon.
Gabriela should move elsewhere in season 4, since this would be justified by her recent traumatic experience with Finn and her need for a fresh start after Fire Country season 3’s canceled wedding. However, she still needs to be integrated into Fire Country season 4 in some way, whether it be through phone calls or characters mentioning they have talked to her off-screen.
Even if Arcila’s character is not on-screen, Gabriela still has to be part of their lives in some way. Already, Gabriela had spent weeks calling Bode while she was still dating Jake and months writing to Bode in prison even when he didn’t reply. It would not be believable for her to simply drop everyone in Fire Country season 4, particularly Bode, so the show must find a more fitting way to handle her impending exit.
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