Fire Country’s Midseason Finale Crisis Reveals The Problem Leones Bring To Edgewater

Warning! SPOILERS about Fire Country season 3, episode 8 ahead.

The Leones have been at the center of Fire Country ever since its series premiere, but their involvement in the community of Edgewater highlighted a troubling pattern in relation to the crisis Fire Country season 3, episode 8 revealed. Multiple storylines reached an uncertain outcome in Fire Country season 3’s midseason finale, with the fate of multiple characters hanging in the balance in the midst of a seemingly unstoppable fire on Cooper’s Ridge. However, two storylines in particular put a spotlight on the Leones’ place in Edgewater and their role at the community’s center, especially in their treatment of Gabriela.

Ever since Gabriela joined Cal Fire, Vince and Sharon looked out for her just like Manny did for Bode. This brought their relationship to be close, especially between Vince and Gabriela after Vince’s health crisis of season 2. Still, Gabriela’s crisis with her debts to Diego’s family and Manny’s return to prison highlighted how unequipped Vince and Sharon were in trying to support Gabriela. Manny and Sharon’s pact about watching over Gabriela did little about looking out for her, and her feeling more alone showed how nobody in Edgewater realized how serious her crisis was nor how to help her.

Fire Country Season 3, Episode 8 Shows How Alone Gabriela Is

Edgewater Rallied For Bode But Not Gabriela

Vince and Sharon gave Gabriela a place where to sleep by letting her stay in the Air Streamer in Fire Country season 3. However, despite realizing how her behavior had changed, they struggled to connect with Gabriela. Sharon tried forcing her to take time off and rest, and even though Gabriela went along with her orders, they still couldn’t connect emotionally. The rare times Sharon tried to ask Gabriela how she was feeling and what she was going through, Gabriela lashed out, trying to put even more distance between them in Fire Country season 3, episode 7.

The interest the Leones or even Jake had in her sounded like comments and judgments to Gabriela. This was evident in her and Jake’s fight in Fire Country season 3’s midseason finale, when Gabriela accused him of judging her after he had recently admitted their hookup was the proof Jake needed to see he had lost himself. Gabriela going through her crisis succeeding in keeping everyone at arm’s length proved not everyone in Edgewater was the same, and if the town rallied around the Leones when Sharon needed a kidney or Three Rock support, it wasn’t the same for Gabriela.

The Leones' Prominence Overshadows Edgewater’s Attempt At Building A Community

The Leones' Problems Take Precedence Over Those Of Edgewater's Community

Fire Country described Edgewater as a tight-knit community from the firefighting drama’s first episode. News and gossip traveled fast, and everyone seemed involved in town life. However, Fire Country repeatedly showed the community rallying for the Leones but not doing the same for others. When Smokey’s was destroyed by the helicopter crash, nobody helped the owner to rebuild it in Fire Country season 3. Everyone rallied to Sharon and Vince’s support when it became known that Sharon needed a kidney to survive, but the community is rarely shown as active and vibrant without the Leones at its center.

This was highlighted when Gabriela needed support, but it was a sentiment also shared by Elroy Edwards. Elroy and Eve had a very different view of Eve’s decision to become a firefighter, with Elroy seeing it as Eve becoming a Leone. While Elroy’s enmity toward Vince was directed via unsuitable means like trying to stop him from doing his job, he wasn’t wrong when he highlighted how the Leones were always at the center of everything. Fire Country season 3 needs to pull the focus from the Leones if it wants to portray Edgewater as a real community.