Despite the cast shakeups that are about to occur on Fire Country, the producers of the show have remained fairly confident that Bode Leone (Max Thieriot) and Gabriela Perez (Stephanie Arcila) are still meant to be. But after three seasons of will-they/won’t-they, it’s become clear that it’s time to give these two a rest. At this point, “won’t-they” would be far more interesting an outcome, especially since Arcila is leaving the show for the foreseeable future. However Fire Country Season 4 plays out, we need to move on from the notion that Bode and Gabriela are the show’s ultimate endgame, because they probably shouldn’t be.

‘Fire Country’ Needs to Stop the Bode/Gabriela Drama

Ahead of Stephanie Arcila’s exit announcement, executive producer/co-creator Tony Phelan explained to Deadline that, “We are committed to saying that the Bode-Gabriela story does not end here, it goes on.” Showrunner Tia Napolitano added that, “In the epic love story of Bode and Gabriela, sometimes it’s very useful for a longing, to miss her, to miss them, to really crave seeing them on screen together, whatever they mean to each other.” Considering all that Phelan, Napolitano, and company have invested in this romance, it makes sense that the writers would keep it in the running. But, should they?

No doubt, there are plenty of Fire Country fans out there whose hearts yearn to see Bode and Gabriela get together for real, especially after all their ups and downs. But the truth is, for so much of the series, Bode and Gabriela have been actively bad for one another, with the two of them consistently making poor choices with little regard for others, let alone one another. After so many years of teasing Bode and Gabriela (three seasons now!), it’s time for Fire Country to call it quits on this fiery romance and put out the flames once and for all — and Arcila’s exit is the perfect time to do this.While we don’t yet know exactly why Gabriela is leaving Edgewater in the rearview, it will likely either have something to do with the dark fate that likely awaits Vince (Billy Burke) or everything that went down with Audrey (Leven Rambin) and Finn (Blake Lee). Regardless of the cause, Gabriela’s absence is just the right thing for both her character and Bode’s. By keeping these two apart, Fire Country has the opportunity to do better with Gabriela, who could easily grow more off-screen than with Bode in Edgewater. But more than that, it will allow Bode to continue on the path Season 3 started him on.

Gabriela’s Exit May Be the Perfect Time for Bode To Move On

With Bode now away from Gabs for an unknown and extended period, it will finally be possible for him to move beyond the romantic shackles that have driven his every move on-and-off since he first returned to Edgewater. Ever since Bode first laid eyes on Gabriela, back when she was still serious with Jake (Jordan Calloway) — and long before that terrible hook-up they had in Season 3 — he had been fascinated with her. Now, to be fair to Bode, he’s been forced to move past a lot of that in the back half of Season 3, but since their bad romance is still very clearly on the producer’s mind, it’s worth noting that Bode is almost always at his best when Gabriela is not involved. The second half of Season 3 has proven as much.

With Gabriela exiting the show for a while, we’ll be able to spend more time with that Bode, the version who acts more like a well-balanced adult than an impulsive teen. While the producers want this time apart between them to stir Bode’s heart to further levels of adoration for Gabriela, here’s hoping it will actually do the opposite. If the rumors about Vince’s impending death are true, Bode is going to have a lot to deal with, between grieving this major loss and helping Audrey with her newfound legal predicament. There’s no telling what is in store for Bode in this fourth season, but the possibilities are exciting to think about. Most of Fire Country‘s romantic plotlines have gotten stale in the past year, so maybe a solid break would do the entire series some good.

‘Fire Country’ Would Be Better Off Keeping Bode and Audrey Together

Of course, if Bode really got what he needed, then Fire Country would pivot to his relationship with Audrey as the show’s “end all, be all.” After Bode and Audrey became a thing during Season 3 (growing from enemies to partners to friends to more), they’re the far better long-term option, due to their shared experience, complementary temperaments, and the fact that (unlike Bode and Gabriela) they actually make each other better. Bode has helped inspire Audrey to be a better firefighter and expanded her circle beyond just herself, while Audrey has pushed Bode to consider the chain of command and find happiness apart from Gabriela and the life he always assumed he’d have for himself. They push each other to greater success both personally and professionally, and it’s hard not to see that as infinitely more valuable than anything we’ve seen from Bode and Gabriela together.

If Fire Country wants to retain its audience and convince newcomers that the show is more than just a melodramatic firefighting soap, then it should embrace the change that comes with new characters and stories. Sometimes, people don’t end up with the person they first think they’re going to end up with. Sometimes, Bodes need to leave Gabrielas behind (and vice versa) for the sake of the Audreys that step into their lives, those who can learn to know them better and support them selflessly the whole way. Here’s hoping that Fire Country learns this lesson before it’s too late.