Please, 'Fire Country,' I'm Begging You: Don't Kill Off This Important Character

I'll be honest with you: when the Season 3 finale of Fire Country ended with Vince (Billy Burke), Sharon (Diane Farr), and Walter Leone (Jeff Fahey) stuck in a burning building, I wasn't the least bit worried. I probably should have learned my lesson after 9-1-1's recent main character death, but this is Fire Country, after all. The series has always been careful to keep its mains alive while killing off one recurring side character per season in a truly devastating way. In Season 1, it was Rebecca (Fiona Rene), in Season 2, it was Cara (Sabina Gadecki), and in Season 3, it was Birch (Jeff Gladstone). As such, even with the finale's dangerous storylines, it seemed like everyone was guaranteed safety at the end of it.

The two-part Season 3 finale of Fire Country had a certain air of tragedy to it throughout, so I started to guess that a major death was coming. Based on Fire Country's previous pattern and its focus throughout the episode, I was really worried that the character we were losing this season was going to be Cole (Tye White). He's thankfully alive for now, but while I was stressing about safety, Fire Country may have been planning to kill off one of the characters I thought could never be touched. Deadline reported just after the finale aired that Stephanie Arcila will be leaving Fire Country after Season 3, alongside another cast member, who is rumored to be Billy Burke. While it's already confirmed that Gabriela, played by Arcila, is going to live, this news has me very worried about Vince's fate in Season 4.

'Fire Country' Shouldn't Kill Off Vince Leone in Season 4

At this point, it seems like Burke really could be leaving Fire Country, but I hope that's not the case. From the start of the show, Vince Leone has been an integral character. He was first introduced in Season 1 as a father still grieving Riley's (Jade Pettyjohn) death, while trying to bridge the gap between himself and Bode after his son's time in prison. Also central to this character is his marriage to Sharon, and his relationships with the rest of 42. As the station's Battalion Chief, Vince has made the firehouse what it is, which is why Jake (Jordan Calloway) is hesitant to leave at the end of the season, even for a better work opportunity.

Fire Country needs Vince and shouldn't get rid of him at all. Without him, 42 would be less of a found family unit, and the show just wouldn't be the same. That being said, Burke still hasn't commented on his exit rumors, and it could be his decision to leave. If that were the case, Fire Country could write Vince out without killing him off, simply by having him retire and having his presence be regularly implied outside of work. This would certainly feel a little odd and stilted, but it would be better than killing him off, especially if Fire Country were to bring him back for an occasional appearance in future seasons of the show. This is because, ultimately, while getting rid of Vince will change the show forever, killing him off would absolutely destroy it.

At its heart, Fire Country is a show about family: both the found family of Station 42 and the Leones themselves. Vince is at the center of both, and losing him, especially to death, would alter the show beyond recognition. Additionally, the Leones' story throughout the series has been about moving forward and healing from Riley's death as a family. That has always been the underlying heart driving the show, as she still haunts the narrative, even three seasons in. Losing both Riley and Vince, especially only within a few years of each other, would be too much for the Leone family, as well as Sharon and Bode as individuals. Sharon cannot now lose the love of her life after everything that she's been through, and Bode wouldn't be able to cope with losing his father.

If 'Fire Country' Kills Off Vince, Bode's Entire Character Arc Will Be in Jeopardy

When Walter's care facility catches fire in the Season 3 finale of Fire Country, Bode (Max Thieriot) and Walter take it upon themselves to save everyone, even after Vince told Bode to rest his knee instead of working. It turns out that Vince was right about Bode's knee, which is why Vince and Sharon have to enter the burning building later to help. Bode has always just done whatever he thinks is best at the moment, and it usually ends with just a mild scolding and everything turning out okay for him in the end. Bode has been getting on my nerves for the better part of Season 3, and he certainly needs to get a wake-up call where he learns that his impulsivity has consequences. Under no circumstances, though, do I want this wake-up call to be Bode being responsible for his own dad's death.

I may be mad at Bode right now, but I've always had a soft spot for this character. A major part of Fire Country is Bode getting a second chance after addiction, prison, and grief, and getting to move forward in his life as both a firefighter and a Leone. The most important relationships in the show are those of Bode and his parents, and losing Vince, while being the reason why, would destroy Bode. There is no way that Bode could maintain his sobriety and stay out of prison if Vince dies in that fire. While Fire Country has gone to dark places before, this would just be a little too dark for the show, and I don't want to see it. Bode has certainly been too bold about taking risks at work this season, but he's on an important path to recovery, and this would absolutely destroy that.

In conversation with Deadline, Fire Country series creator Tia Napolitano said that the two character exits (although she has not confirmed Burke's yet) are for the sake of heightening the show's stakes and being realistic. The thing is, Fire Country has always had high stakes. Even with the knowledge that the leads will always live, there is still the expectation of side characters dying. The real point of dramatic tension at the center of the show, though, is not whether a lead will die, but whether Bode will stay out of prison. If Fire Country really does kill Vince, though, then this question will have already been answered, and I'll be incredibly disappointed.