Spoilers for Episodes 9 and 10 of Fire Country ahead.
Ever since the first episode of Fire Country, it’s been clear that Bode’s love life was complex and everchanging. This became especially true after his first run-in with Gabriela, who was dating Bode’s ex-BFF Jake. However, following Max Thieriot’s hit drama returning for its midseason premiere on the 2023 TV schedule, things have gotten messy, and I think it’s time we talk about Bode’s love life.
Let’s Chat About The Love Triangle Between Bode, Gabriela And Jake
So, the big bombshell of Episode 10 was 100% Gabriela admitting to Jake that she has feelings for Bode. Throughout the first half of the season, it was clear that there was a connection between Gabriela and Bode, however, both have not acted on those feelings. Although the longer they hang out and work together, the clearer their chemistry becomes.
Things really came to a breaking point when the young Cal Fire rookie jumped off a bridge to save Bode. This led Jake to question Gabriela about the relationship, and by the end of Episode 10, the character played by Stephanie Arcila fessed up to having feelings for Max Thieriot’s character. She admitted to him that she didn’t want to feel this way about Bode, but couldn’t help it. And that is what led her to break up with Jake.
This love triangle has been percolating under the surface of the show’s main plot since Episode 1, and it seems like following the mid-season premiere moves will be made. This means Bode and Gabriela’s relationship will likely really start to develop. I know I'm hoping to see the two together by the finale. However, Jake is still part of the equation, and the show also threw in a new character that may just turn this love triangle into a more complex shape.
Who Is This Ex-Girlfriend Of Bode’s That Just Showed Up?
A new girl has entered the chat. Cara (Sabina Gadecki) popped up to visit Bode’s mom Sharon in Episode 10 of Fire Country. It became clear pretty quickly that the family loved her when she and Bode were together, but after the breakup, everyone in the Leone family did not appreciate her – I mean Bode’s dad literally called her “heartbreaker Cara.”
As Sharon patches up Cara, it’s revealed that she had put off becoming a nurse because she thought her future was with Bode and his budding baseball career. However, after his sister Riley’s death, things went downhill, and the two broke up. We soon learned that Cara and Bode’s breakup is not what it seemed, and Cara is not the villain in this situation. She explains to Bode’s mom that he had only played baseball to impress his father, and he broke up with her, not the other way around. After learning that, Sharon becomes a lot more open to Cara.
With this newfound acceptance of Bode’s ex-girlfriend after learning she wasn’t a total heartbreaker, it seems like we might be seeing more of her in future episodes. This means we could possibly have a new addition to the Fire Country cast as this love triangle turns into a significantly more complicated square.
How This Complex Situation Could Impact Fire Country Moving Forward
Considering we’re only halfway through the first season of Fire Country -- which was swiftly picked up for a full season and recently renewed for Season 2 following Max Thieriot being killed off Seal Team --there is now a lot of time to explore storylines, especially when it comes to Bode’s love life.
I’d imagine with Bode reclaiming his last name, and starting to think about joining Cal Fire full-time, everything will become more complicated. This is because he’ll not only be working with his mom and dad, but he’ll also be working with Jake and Gabriela, making it impossible for the three of them to avoid this ever-evolving love triangle. Based on Thieriot and Arcilas’ chemistry and increased screen time together, I’d assume we’ll see romantic moves made between Bode and Gabriela. However, don’t count Cara out, her emergence just might throw a massive wrench in the romantic plotline of Fire Country’s first season.
If you are interested in watching Fire Country and seeing how these relationships develop you can do so every Friday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS or stream it the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.
