Fire Country loses a major character in the season 4 premiere, but they shouldn’t have been the one to die. The CBS action drama TV series follows Max Thieriot’s Bode Leone, a former convict turned firefighter with Cal Fire. Bode comes from a firefighting family, so it was evidently only a matter of time before one of them died on the job.

During the Fire Country season 3 finale, the characters took on the Zabel Ridge fire. It was widespread and completely destructive, burning down numerous structures and undoubtedly killing many as its flames raged through the town. The last episode of Fire Country season 3 then ended on a cliffhanger, with Vince, Sharon, and Walter Leone trapped inside an unstable, on-fire building.

Vince Dies In Fire Country Season 4 (But Walter Survives)

The Fire Country Season 4 Trailer Spoils Vince’s Death

Following the Fire Country season 3 finale’s cliffhanger, the audience had to assume that one of Vince (Bode’s father), Sharon (Bode’s mother), or Walter (Bode’s grandfather) would die. With three characters trapped and a show that relies on high stakes (and isn’t afraid to kill off anyone), a major death was inevitable. Unfortunately, CBS has revealed that the victim is Vince.

Many assumed that Vince would be the one to die, since the network previously announced that his portrayer, Billy Burke, was leaving Fire Country before season 4. However, the teaser trailer for the upcoming season of the action drama confirmed this theory. The video explicitly stated that Vince died when the building that he, his wife, and his father were trapped in collapsed.

In the season 4 trailer, Bode can be seen speaking at Vince’s funeral. The Fire Country main character said, “I’m gonna spend the rest of my career protecting my father’s town, my father’s station, and my father’s mission.” Bode makes good on his promise when, at the end of the video, he tells someone, “It’s what my dad would do.”

Through all this, the teaser reveals that Sharon and Walter survived the accident. Sharon is obviously distraught, having just lost her husband. She seemingly blames Walter for his death, as she yells at him, “You should’ve left me there!” Sharon’s words imply that Walter might have chosen to save her instead of Vince. But fans must wait until the premiere to learn more.

Why Walter Should Have Died Instead Of Vince In Fire Country Season 4

Vince’s Death Is Too Much For The CBS Show

Yes, Vince’s death will likely have a bigger impact on Fire Country as a whole. However, that doesn’t mean he had to be the one to die following the season 3 finale’s cliffhanger. In fact, it means the opposite. The Leone patriarch’s death will completely change the CBS action drama series in season 4, and it might not be for the better.

Losing his father will shape Bode’s Fire Country story going forward. Based on his anger in the season 4 trailer, Thieriot’s character won’t experience all that much development in the upcoming episodes. Instead, Bode will likely pull a Walter White and regress. Of course, his anger could turn into understanding and purpose, but it’ll probably take him a while to get there.

It would have been much more interesting to see how almost losing his dad (and his mother, for that matter) would affect Bode. The idea of discovering how almost dying would impact Vince himself is also quite compelling. Additionally, if Walter were the one to die, Fire Country could have explored how his death would change Vince.

In that regard, killing off Walter instead of Vince in Fire Country season 4 would have been the better choice. Narratively, the older man’s death is more intriguing and doesn’t alter the show all that much. Losing Vince is also way too big of a change, when Fire Country is also set to say goodbye to Stephanie Arcila’s Gabriela Perez in season 4.

Vince’s Fire Country Season 4 Death Is Still Mysterious

The Reason For Killing Vince Is Unknown

Image via CBS

Even though the Fire Country season 4 trailer spoiled Vince’s death, it remains unclear why he had to be the one to die. It was previously announced that Burke would exit the CBS TV show, alongside Arcila. However, Burke never commented on his departure. The actor didn’t explain why he was leaving, revealing whether it was a voluntary or forced exit.

Based on everything we know, Arcila certainly didn’t choose to leave Fire Country in season 4. Her departure is a result of a narrative choice by the writers. Meanwhile, it’s unknown if the same goes for Burke and his character. So, one can’t help but wonder why the action drama series is killing off Vince, as opposed to someone like Walter.

Walter’s death could have also raised the show’s stakes. Vince didn’t need to die for that to happen. Hopefully, things will become more clear by the time the season 4 premiere rolls around. Until then, the audience will be left to ponder over the unexplained reasons behind Vince’s death in Fire Country on CBS.

Fire Country season 4 debuts on Friday, October 17, at 8 pm ET on CBS, and it will be followed by the series premiere of its spinoff, Sheriff Country, at 9 pm ET. The two shows will flip timeslots starting on October 24.

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Release Date

October 7, 2022

Showrunner

Tia Napolitano

Directors

Bill Purple, Dermott Downs, Eagle Egilsson, Gonzalo Amat, Kevin Alejandro, Max Thieriot, Sarah Wayne Callies, Marie Jamora, Kantu Lentz, Antonio Negret, Laura Nisbet Peters, Lisa Demaine, Nicole Rubio, James Strong, Anton Cropper, Erica A. Watson, Joy T. Lane, Jacquie Gould, Chi-Yoon Chung

Writers

Tia Napolitano, David Gould, Natalia Fernandez, Barbara Kaye Friend, Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Dwain Worrell, Julia Fontana, Sara Casey, Manuel Herrera, Jen Klein, Anupam Nigam, Tonya Kong