Why did Sabina Gadecki leave Fire Country?

MAJOR spoilers ahead for Fire Country season 2 episode 6!

Fire Country season 2 had its first major cast exit in episode 5, "This Storm Will Pass." Sabina Gadecki, who plays Cara, gave an emotional performance as the nurse died of a brain bleed after an ambulance accident. The tragedy has reverberated through the series as the Leones have taken in her daughter Genevieve, her would-be fiancé Jake Crawford grieves, and Bode does his best to make good time so he can be released from prison and take care of Gen himself.

But, given that we learned in episode 6, "Alert the Sheriff," that Bode isn't Genevieve's biological father--though he may one day be her adoptive parent--the question of why Cara was written out has continued to crop up in fandom.

In my interview with Gadecki, she shared that she was told at the start of the season she'd be departing the series. She got a call from showrunner Tia Napolitano that she says went like this: "I just want you to know that this is a choice for a pivotal storytelling moment. This has nothing to do with your work. In fact, it's the opposite. We love your work so much. We're going to be really building you up in these next four episodes."

The build Napolitano was referring has to do with the joy that was imbued into Cara's deepening romance with Jake and the family unit they were cultivating with Genevieve. But there was still tension as Cara warred over her decision making regarding Bode's involvement in Gen's life. She also continued to work on her relationship with her daughter which was fraught due to the years Genevieve spent thinking Cara was her sister only to learn she's her mother. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't fully resolved before Cara's death.

I've expressed that I'm not a fan of the choice to write Cara out in this manner because it's an example of fridging. However, putting my personal feelings aside, Gadecki's exit has opened Fire Country up to further its exploration of found family. A recurring story point in the series, particularly this season, is that blood family is important but so is the family you claim.

Gabriela refers to the station 42 crew as her family in "This Storm Will Pass" and that feeling of always having a community and bond to return to is extended to Bode as well. Her feelings for the members of 42 are why she chooses not to transfer to 58, her fiancé Diego's station. In "Alert the Sheriff," we're introduced to Sheriff's Sergeant Mickey Fox who is Sharon's sister by marriage. Though their parents split, it didn't break the familial bond between the two women and they are no less family than anyone else who is related to someone by blood.

Found family is likely to come up in the storyline around Genevieve outside of the Leones. Remember, she began the season with Jake as her father figure. With Bode not being her bio dad, it's possible she'll want to carry on in the household she knew before her mother's passing. Jordan Calloway touched on this in our interview:

"Before even dealing with Genevieve, he's trying to deal with losing Cara, but he doesn't even get to deal with losing Cara because he still has to take care of this child that's not his, but she wants to be with him. The two of them have a bond, you know."

Calloway also shared that Jake feels that Cara entrusted Genevieve to him. However, Bode feels the same so we can expect there to be tension in this plot between the two coming up in the season. The question and complexity around what Genevieve's family is going to look like and who is going to be responsible for raising her is the storytelling choice at the heart of Gadecki's exit.

Napolitano teased what's next for Jake and Genevieve in a sit down with Entertainment Weekly.

"We’re going to spend a lot of time with Bode sorting through what this means for him and also a lot of time with Jake. The love of his life, who was going to be his wife, died, and her child has gone through so much loss. In what ways will he step up to make sure that [Genevieve] is taken care of, and in what ways will Bode still be there? We’re building a new sort of family for her that kind of bends and breaks as she grows."

For the time being, it doesn't look like Gadecki will be back. Calloway shared with me that the actress won't be returning for flashbacks during Jake's grief arc. She is, however, open to coming back sometime down the line. Gadecki said as much in an interview with US Weekly.

"I would be so honored to be a part of the flashbacks because I think there is some more to explore of the backstory and sort of Jake and [Cara’s] relationship and how we came to this place of potentially getting engaged. I think it’s a lot more to explore there. I think there’s more to explore with mine and Bode’s relationship when we were kids."

With Fire Country wrapped for season 2, if we do see Cara in flashbacks, it won't be until at least season 3. Stay tuned to Hidden Remote for more news and coverage!