Aahana Swrup
Though primarily a romance drama show, Netflix’s ‘Virgin River,’ has long since been incorporating various criminal storylines to up the ante within its narrative. As such, even as the small Californian town presents an idyllic new beginning that LA transfer nurse practitioner Melinda “Mel” Monroe needs, it also possesses a sinister underbelly. With a large-scale marijuana farm on the other side of town, Calvin, the gang leader, remains the show’s central antagonist for multiple seasons.
However, season 4 sees the end of his reign when the bigger fish in the ocean, Melissa Montgomery, his boss, sends out his kill order, preparing to covertly take over the business. Given the villain’s vague death last season, viewers must be wondering if the fifth season brings any new addition to Calvin’s story or if it only confirms his death. Let’s find out! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Calvin’s Survival Alters Virgin River’s Fate
Calvin’s character meets his supposed end in Season 4, Episode 10, titled ‘Bombshells.’ Given Calvin’s involvement in the town’s criminal comings and goings, characters like Brady, the resident bad boy, Brie, a lawyer, and Mike, an LAPD cop, are usually the ones whose storylines overlap with Calvin’s. As such, on the night of Calvin’s death, Brie and Mike are tracking the drug dealer down.
After ample investigation and research, the duo comes across a boat at a remote, secret water body. While hiding in the shadowy bushes, Brie and Mike spot Calvin on the deck and call for backup. Even though Calvin realizes he’s been spotted, he’s unable to run away before his ship mysteriously blows up in an explosion. The magnitude of the detonation even throws back Mike and Brie, who are situated on land at a safe distance. Therefore, the authorities, including Mike, assume Calvin to be dead. Similarly, Montgomery confirms his death out loud in a conversation with Brady.
As season 5 starts, the town’s illegal fentanyl export has taken a more covert disguise under Montgomery’s rule. Calvin is starkly absent from the storyline, with the townsfolk aware of his ultimate demise. However, as the drug lord emerges from the shadows in the season finale, he brings two fateful twists with him. First, the obvious one is the fact that Calvin is not, in fact, dead.
Going back to the fourth season, the way Calvin’s death is framed, the audience or the characters never actually get to see the criminal die in the explosion. As a result, Calvin could have escaped with his life through a number of ways, after most likely diving into the water to save himself from the bomb blast. Even if the man sustained any injuries or burns from the close call, he walks away from the event alive and well.
Still, Calvin has to remain hidden because he knows that Montgomery has it out for him. Nevertheless, once Mike and the others manage to arrest Montgomery for her crimes, it’s the perfect time for Calvin to make his presence known. After the annual Labor Day Carnival, Calvin approaches Charmaine and drops his second big reveal: Calvin, alive and not dead, is the father of Charmaine’s children.
The twists are so unpredictable and out of left field that even Charmaine is left surprised. Calvin’s return obviously means trouble for the town and will only end in danger for Charmaine and her kids. Charmaine lied about Jack’s paternity during the early stages of her pregnancy to ensure a better future for herself and her unborn twins. However, since she confessed the truth after Calvin’s death without disclosing his relation to her kids, the drug boss likely caught wind of the same and returned to make trouble for the woman.
Ultimately, Calvin’s return to the narrative promises bucketsful of trouble for our protagonists, especially the unlikely trio, Brady, Brie, and Mike, who always find themselves caught in such cases. Likewise, we expect Calvin to shake things up for Jack, considering their long-term rivalry.
Read More: Virgin River Season 5: Does Mel Have a Miscarriage?
