From new love interests to lethal villains, Virgin River got a fair share of good and bad entrants in the eponymous town, and all of them had a considerable impact on the dominating plotlines in this installment. Fans can’t wait to see more of these new characters in Part 2, as well as future seasons of the comforting Netflix show.

7. Lark and Hazel

Lark became a mainstay in the rest of the episodes as she tried to settle with Hazel in Virgin River after the fires. She grew attracted to Brady, which was welcome because Brie had broken up with him. Both Lark and Hazel made Brady see the lighter, purer parts of himself, and fans are hoping for a new Virgin River relationship between Brady and Lark.

6. Melissa Montgomery

Fans would remember that, before Virgin River Season 5, a new villain was in town, and that was Melissa Montgomery. She was the sister of the local BnB’s owner, Nick, but not even remotely as nice or kind as him. Lethal and remorseless, Melissa took over Calvin’s fentanyl operation and started operating Emerald Lumber as a front for drug trading.

5. Amelia Sheridan

Jack and Brie’s mother made an unexpected but insightful appearance on the show when Brie went to testify against Don at his trial for sexual harassment. Amelia Sheridan was externally a mild-mannered old lady, but she shared a conflicted relationship with her daughter. Even as Brie struggled with what she had set out to do, Amelia found ways to criticize her life choices and actions.

4. Rose

Rose, better known as Grandma Rose by Denny, was a surprising entry on the show. Viewers knew that Doc had dated someone called Rose in his youth, who hid the existence of his son and grandson from him, but they were not expecting her on the show. Rose came in to see how Denny was settling in Virgin River, leaving many ruffled feathers behind her.

3. Gene Sackheim

Melissa’s right-hand man, Gene, was a formidable character. He didn’t say much in the show, but his presence and actions were intimidating, to say the least. Gene carried out all of Melissa’s dirty work, whether it was retrofitting vans to accommodate drugs or beating people up to extract information from them.

2. Ava Andersen

Lily’s other daughter, Ava, stepped in to care for Chloe and the farm in Tara’s absence. Unlike Tara, Ava was a truly unique soul. Wild and free-spirited, she also cared deeply for her sister and her mother’s estate but had a bit of a rough time in Virgin River. Ava already considered herself a bit of a misfit when it came to caring for Chloe, but she almost got killed along with her sister in the wildfires that ravaged the town.

Ava formed an instant connection with Mel, who helped her out with her endometriosis and her inner conflict about childbirth with the disorder. Even though Ava was much younger than the average town demographic, she blended in seamlessly and even became friendly with Brie.

Fans longed for Preacher to find love, and she entered the town in the form of Kaia Bryant. Fierce, fearless, but kind to a fault, Kaia was one of the firefighters who were called in to contain the flames in Virgin River. Not only did Kaia help deliver a baby with Mel and Cameron on the phone, but also walked into Preacher’s bar and enchanted him with how open and aware she was of her wants and needs.

Kaia was also ambitious but had been held back from progressing in the fire department because of her separated husband. She had to balance her job with him and also find time to pursue a relationship with Preacher. She was a multi-faceted and talented woman who was mature about her life choices and a welcome addition to the Virgin River pack.