Fire Country is one of the best shows on television and that’s because of the honesty, rawness and the beauty of the story. While there is always something happening in this show, this episode had A LOT and there wasn’t a single character that our opinion didn’t change in some way, shape or form. As a matter of fact, it’s the weirdest thing – we’ve grown to not hate any character now.
What happened? Well, a lot.
From the opening moments, we know that someone is going to die. Who? Well, we’re not sure. We know that it is a female, so with Eve having a tree fall on her and Sharon having surgery, these are the obvious choices.
It’s hard walking into an episode knowing that your feelings on characters are going to be changed and you need to set yourself up for the fact that someone is going to die. Knowing that a person is going to die and the show setting it up to be one of the two people that we actually like on this show… we’re a little apprehensive.
But we also feel like they can’t afford to get rid of either Sharon or Eve. Both are such important parts of the show, but when you really think about it – they’ve all had their parts to play. There isn’t one character in this show that isn’t of the utmost importance and hasn’t propelled this story forward.
SURGERY IS A GO
Sharon’s surgery is moving forward and we’re estatic. She deserves all of the happy and she deserves a life well lived. TBH, while a lot of people may not get the way that she takes things, how she finds greatness in every moment, how her sarcasm is one of the best parts of her.
Jake gets it. He’s laughing right along with her. Vince and Jakes Mom may not be laughing, but hey, they have every reason to not be laughing. They are scared.
Everyone wants to be there for Sharon – including Bode. He has to get permission and with Cap not there that day, well… he’s a little afraid to ask the CO for permission. The thing about Bode though is that he doesn’t give up.
He’ll be there for his Mom if he can be – we all know that. The love that he has for her and she has for him is a beautiful thing. There is nothing like the love a parent has for a kid, but also the love that a child has for their Mom.
Sharon moving forward with surgery is an exciting thing, because she’s happy. There is hope. Where there is hope, there is a way to move forward.
LANDSCAPING
With Cap out for the day, Eve is on her own with Caps crew. She’s enthusiastic and can’t wait to bring the crew up to where they are doing some planting. Never mind that it’s a three mile hike. Granted, the crew doesn’t have a choice but to head up the mountain, so there is that.
Rebecca and Bode are following close to Eve, with Rebecca bitching the entire way. I can’t even blame her at all, because if I had to do a three mile hike, carrying equipment and a tree to plant, I wouldn’t be a happy camper at all. As a matter of fact, I would be pissy as fuck.
I actually appreciated that everyone was giving Eve a hard time, because it showed what she would be in for, but also gave us a chance to see how she’d handle being on her own and leading one of the crews from the camp.
What I love about Bode is that he always wants to do better, but what I also love, I hate. He makes mistakes – a lot of them – and yes, he always wants to pay attention to the things that are done and be better. But sometimes he’s just completely reckless.
In the other respect, part of that recklessness is part of what keeps him loyal. Yes, he wants to do whatever he can to get out, but if he has to risk everything, he’ll do that. Bode is trying so hard to atone for the past that he doesn’t live as though he has a future.
TREE DOWN
While Eve is taking the crew up, a tree falls. She tries to get out of its way, but the tree falls on her. While a lot of the team is ready to bail, there is no way that Bode is leaving his best friend. While some may want to run, he’s made it known that they all need to be there for her.
Eve is trapped. Any movement can send the tree further down on her, crushing her. While the team devises a way to get her out, she advises them to keep everything above board and radio it in.
At first, they can’t find the radio, but Rebecca eventually does. Bode radios it in and it’s his Mom that hears. Sharon should be having surgery, but she’s caught up in work and saving her son.
Where I can appreciate the fact that Sharon is a workaholic (because same), she’s in the hospital. Yet, I do think that it’s what Bode needs to make sure he concentrates and helps Eve. She’s coordinating everything for him and keeping him positive.
Even when all he wants to do is be there for her, she’s there for him. Sharon is a great Mom.
Bode and the team work together to get Eve out, but it’s at a cost. Rebecca ends up getting crushed by the tree and passes away. For Bode, it’s a triggering experience on so many levels.
Look, Rebecca wasn’t my favorite person, but in this episode, we learn about how she’s been there for everyone and we’re all reminded that we can’t judge a book by its cover or its attitude. Rebecca put up walls to be able to deal with all that was going on around her. She put up walls to make sure she didn’t hurt others or herself again.
She was a good person, but holding it inside was what she needed to do to protect herself.
THE BOAT OF HORRORS
Vince and his team are called out to an incident on a boat. Gabriela has been trying to call her Dad, but he hasn’t been answering. She’s convinced that he’s out gambling, so she leaves him one of the nastiest messages.
And personally, I can’t blame her. Yes, I am fully aware we’re supposed to give people the benefit of the doubt, but here we are.
When they get to the call, her Dad is on the boat. She’s kind of, well, rude. And by kind of I mean she really is. I think that Gabriela doesn’t get that she’s not perfect either and instead becomes defensive and judgemental. I do love her and I think that she’s got a lot of promise, but somehow, she doesn’t seem to grow a lot in the episodes.
Instead, she remains a little judgemental.
Manny and her may not see eye to eye, but I think it’s important that she remembers that she isn’t above others. I also think that it’s important that both of them remember that they need to communicate to each other.
The team is able to save the man on the boat (his hand was stuck in a machine and he lost his finger).
Gabriela and Manny were finally able to have a discussion that they should have had long ago. It’s their honesty that is a beautiful moment.
THE SURGERY THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN
Vince makes it to the hospital, right before Sharon’s surgery. He tells her that he can live without her, but he doesn’t want to. Vince has dealt with a lot of pain in his life, but he doesn’t deal with it well. He internalizes it or becomes angry over it. It’s good to see his growth.
Now, I will be the first to say that I haven’t liked Vince. We all know that. However, I think that Bode’s return and him having to deal with Sharon’s situation, has made him change. It’s of the utmost importance for any character to grow.
Jake has complications and had an adverse reaction to anesthesia, so he was unable to give a kidney. Seeing him break down was a moment that I don’t think that I will ever forget. Maybe I misjudged Jake and Vince? Maybe I didn’t? Not sure.
Bode is able to get to the hospital in time for Sharon to wake up. My heart broke for him and Vince, when they had to tell Sharon that she couldn’t have surgery, that there were complications. Seeing her break and deciding that she didn’t want to do this anymore, that she was going to accept that her time was up, and she just wanted to live out the rest of her days… I broke for everyone.
Jake and Sharon wanted this surgery to happen. Sharon is a second Mom to him and for him to not be able to help is a lot.
This whole episode was a lot.
My Fire Country loving heart hurts.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Why is Manny being investigated for arson?
- Gabriela heading to Bode when she found out Rebecca passed… I died.
- I love Gabriela and Bode
- Can’t get over the moment that Jakes Mom crawled into bed to comfort him. Even as we get older, we still need our Mamas.
