Fire Country Season 3 Finale's Major Leone Cliffhanger Has Been Spoiled By An Unfortunate Announcement

Warning! SPOILERS about Fire Country season 3, episode 20 ahead.

The cliffhanger ending of Fire Country season 3 was wholly suited to shock audiences and keep them wondering about the safety of key Fire Country characters, but a report published close to when the finale aired inevitably spoiled its delivery. While Fire Country season 3’s finale came right after Station 42 won against Oxalta, making the atmosphere for its firefighters somewhat calm, the threat of Finn was still present for Gabriela, letting everyone at Station 42 be on high alert. That, along with the quickly expanding Zabel Ridge fire, brewed the perfect storm for Fire Country season 3’s two-part finale.

The developments of Fire Country season 3’s finale fully matched those of the firefighting drama’s previous seasons in how they could have entirely changed one or more aspects of the Edgewater residents’ lives. The Zabel Ridge fire threatened Edgewater and other key locations in its surroundings, including the Buena Vista memory care facility and Three Rock, in Fire Country season 3’s ending. This put everyone in danger, and Fire Country season 3, episode 20 raised the stakes with Three Rock being destroyed by the fire and the lives of three major characters endangered, with the ending not clarifying their fates.

Vince's Cliffhanger Fate In Fire Country Season 3 Finale Explained

Fire Country Season 3 Ends Without Knowing The Fate Of Vince, Sharon & Walter

The last moments of Fire Country season 3’s finale show that Vince’s isn’t the only fate remaining unknown. Indeed, by the time the roof collapsed at the Buena Vista memory care facility, Vince, Sharon and Walter are all stuck inside. The three would never have been not properly equipped inside the building had it not been for Bode and Walter’s decision to go look for Otto after the residents’ evacuation was completed. Knowing their family was in danger inside Buena Vista convinced Vince and Sharon to go in without their crew to support them.

Vince and Sharon’s arrival helped Walter, Bode and Otto, as they opened up the only way out with fire extinguishers, effectively saving their lives. This gave Bode the chance to exit the building and bring Otto to safety, and it would have saved everyone else, too, had Walter not become confused, wandering back in. Vince eventually found Walter, even convincing him to follow him, prompting a long-awaited heart-to-heart that finally acknowledged both their failings. However, their reunion happened a little too late, as Vince, Sharon, and Walter could last be seen trying to escape the Buena Vista falling roof.

Billy Burke's Looming Exit Spoils Vince's Cliffhanger Fate

Vince's Centrality & Behavior Make His Death The Only Possible Outcome

Fire Country season 3’s finale easily warrants worrying for Vince, Sharon and Walter altogether, as all three of them are trapped in the building ravaged by fire by the end of the episode. However, while Fire Country season 3, episode 20 only hinted at the trio being presumed dead as Station 42 watched the Buena Vista building collapse with them still inside, Deadline’s report about Stephanie Arcila and Billy Burke both leaving Fire Country after season 3 made Vince’s fate evident. After all, Burke leaving Fire Country all but confirms Vince’s death.

It's worth noting that while Fire Country showrunner Tia Napolitano and executive producers Tony Phelan and Joan Rater discussed Arcila’s exit and what that meant for Bode and Gabriela, they refused to comment on who else was leaving, only confirming it would be a devastating loss. Still, Fire Country season 4’s update about the exits specifically mentioned Arcila and Burke, making it highly unlikely that Burke won’t be the other actor leaving the firefighting drama.

Burke’s exit would be difficult to justify without Vince dying, as it would be completely out of character for Vince to leave his family after being relatively recently reunited with them. Between Vince’s dedication to Edgewater and his family and his being in serious danger in Fire Country season 3’s ending, the news of Burke’s exit effectively confirms Vince’s tragic fate, hinting at Bode having to come to terms with one of the biggest losses of his life in Fire Country season 4.

Why Fire Country Is Writing Out Billy Burke's Vince

Fire Country's Showrunner & EPs Cited Wanting To Be "Exciting Storytellers"

Although Napolitano, Phelan and Rater refused to confirm who else was exiting Fire Country apart from Arcila, they provided a reason for the cast shakeup in an exclusive with Deadline. Indeed, they explained how they wanted to be “exciting storytellers,” landing on a development that wouldn’t let the audience “ever feel complacent,” while also trying to preserve the authenticity of first responders’ lives that “have dangerous jobs with life-or-death stakes.” Vince’s death would undoubtedly deliver such a message, given his centrality in Fire Country, ensuring that season 4 starts by being “the same show everybody loves, but with a twist.”

Source: Deadline