Fire Country’s season 3 premiere starts off strong when a helicopter crash stops Gabriela and Diego’s wedding in the nick of time.
In Us Weekly’s exclusive sneak peek at the first two minutes of the premiere, Manny Perez (Kevin Alejandro) is all smiles as he rides in a police car after walking his daughter Gabriela (Stephanie Arcila) down the aisle.
After Manny was arrested for punching Luke Leone (Michael Trucco) during the season 2 finale, he is hauled away to jail to start off season 3. Still, the proud dad gets to see a banner that reads, “Congrats Gabriela & Diego” flying outside the squad car window.
Back in the church, viewers see Diego Moreno (Rafael de la Fuente) say “I do,” when asked by the priest if he takes Gabriela as his wife. Outside the venue, Bode Donovan (Max Thieriot) is having a heated conversation with his uncle, Luke, about his dream to be part of Cal Fire after getting out of prison during season 2.
“I love the idea of joining the family business, Bode coyote. Almost as much as you do,” Luke says in the clip, before expressing his concerns over Bode’s desire to go full force into work.
Luke asks, “You’ve been out of the prison system, what? All of five minutes. And you’re already wanting to jump into the fire, literally. You’re calling this a healthy addiction. Is that the best idea?”
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Bode, however, gets distracted when he sees the helicopter with the wedding banner in distress, falling out of the sky.
The churchgoers, meanwhile, are focused on Gabriela as the priest asks her, “Do you take Diego to be your lawfully wedded husband?” and she says nothing.
“Ah, this could get spicy,” Vince Leone (Billy Burke) tells his wife, Sharon (Diane Farr), from the pew, while Eve Edwards (Jules Latimer) mutters, “Uh-oh.”
The scene quickly shifts to Manny in the squad car as the helicopter comes up behind them on the road. The car is then hit by a part of the chopper and the police officer swerves away from oncoming traffic and crashes on the side of the road.
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When the cameras return to the church, a serious Diego says Gabriela’s name in hopes she’ll answer the priest’s lingering question. Before she can respond, a part of the helicopter smashes through the stain-glass window and everyone takes cover.
In the final moments, fans see the helicopter on fire as it crashes into a street nearby — fans will have to wait until the Friday, October 18, premiere to see what happens next.
While Gabriela and Diego’s marital status remains unknown, Arcila and Thieriot previously teased what they think will happen.
“Honestly, when I first read it in the first episode that I was engaged, it was out of left field for me. I had no idea. I was like, ‘Wait, what is happening right now?’” Arcila, 34, exclusively told Us in May, referring to her character’s season 2 arc. “But it’s been really nice having the duality of her emotions with Diego and for Bode and trying to fight the mental with her heart. It’s an emotional roller-coaster, but it’s part of her trying to do what’s right and create her family.”
Despite seemingly being happy with Deigo, Gabriela kissed her ex-boyfriend Bode days before she was set to walk down the aisle. Arcila hinted that the exchange is telling of what’s to come.
“I think if anyone is about to get married and is kissing somebody else, they’re not fully there,” Arcila quipped to Us. “That’s the No. 1 sign.”
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Thieriot, meanwhile, teased that Gabriela is “part of [Bode’s] addiction,” telling Us in May that despite spending time apart, “Seeing her get married really kills him.”
He hinted that the door isn’t closed on Bode and Gabriela’s love story, even though Bode chose not to fight for her on her wedding day. “We’ve set up something in the pilot that will always live throughout the series and it just becomes a matter of how we arc that out and how we play [out] the relationship,” the actor, 35, added. “I think that they still have a long ways to go. But I think that we know that there’s something there.”
Season 3 of Fire Country premieres on CBS Friday, October 18, at 9 p.m. ET.
