Following the premiere, a series of dramatic adjustments to the show and to the artists' lives as one process ends, and another begins. The artists now prepare for three years of touring. A new world opens that holds as much discovery, difficulty, and excitement as the one they are leaving.

First Aired: December 1, 2002 (Global) March 24, 2003 (Bravo)

The final episode of Fire Within opens on a miserable, rainy June afternoon, a fitting pathetic fallacy for the tone of this last installment. After seven weeks and over 60 shows in Montreal it is time for the performers to pack up their lives and leave for the three-year North American Tour of Varekai. The artists, once nervous novices have all become set in the routine of Cirque du Soleil and are now seasoned professionals. They get a briefing at Headquarters about the tour schedule and life on tour. They are all obviously excited to have this opportunity to travel and see the world.

On the morning of the final two shows in Montreal the performers once again go through their pre-show routine. However, noticeably absent are Gareth and Ashley. We ask one of the Atherton twins who replies; "Well they're not here today so they must be at the Studios. They've got a meeting with [Director of Creation] Andrew Watson. I'm hoping for them, I've got my fingers crossed that it's not bad news." Raquel elaborates, "They didn't make the premiere and now we have these Italian guys [The Stevens Brothers; Roni and Stiv Bello] [who] are great but it makes us scared to lose [Gareth and Ashley]."

Gareth arrives from his meeting and we catch up with him at the make- up stall. He tells us, "I'm feeling alright considering my contract's getting terminated after Montreal." Stiv Bello, who replaced Gareth in Icarian Games, is applying his make-up in the neighboring stall. He overhears what Gareth has said, looks over and asks in disbelief, "What did you say? Are you playing a joke?" Gareth tells him that it is all too real. Stiv asks about his future, "What are you going to do, stay here at the studio?" "No, no I'm going home," Gareth replies. "I'm sorry for you," Stiv consoles.

There is still no word about Ashley. Finally, he walks through the door with a grim look on his face. He doesn't tell us the outcome of his meeting but we can pretty much decipher it from his expression. Varekai's Artistic Director Nicolette Naum leads a Tapis Rouge, a meeting of all the performers. She informs them that Gareth and Ashley are being let go after today's two final Montreal shows. The performers are shocked and dismayed. Raquel reacts, "Unbelievable, I can't believe that they do this. I don't understand. It can happen to anyone at anytime? That's not respectful." One of the Athertons shares with us, "Every time I've spoken with Ashley, this is his dream. He's not like, 'I'm doing this for three years then maybe something else.' He's like, 'I'm doing this for life.'" For Ashley, the year of excruciating training was ultimately not enough; it is the end of a dream.

The show begins. Gareth takes the stage for the final time as the Lizard character that opens the show. He explains, "That's my favourite part, terrorizing the audience . . . Yeah, I'm really gonna miss that bit."

As he does every night, Icarus falls from the skies and loses his wings. The Varekai family must help him learn to fly again. Only this time, there is a parallel story happening backstage. The artists pull together and support their fallen comrades. Gareth sits on the couch in the artistic tent and stares deadpan into the air, contemplating his future. One of the Water Meteor boys comes and gives him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

The show ends to yet another standing ovation from the hometown crowd and closes one of Cirque du Soleil's most successful runs ever. Afterward, emotions run high as the performers celebrate their success, but at the same time feel the loss of Ashley and Gareth. Guy Laliberté, Dominic Champagne and the Varekai creative team come to say goodbye to the performers. They pop open a bottle of Champagne for Gareth and Ashley.

Along with the celebration, there is work to be done. The artists must pack up the entire artistic tent and stow the contents into several trailers to be taken to Quebec City, the next stop on the tour.

Olga will once again be on the road. Even though she has already toured for several years, she still finds it difficult to leave her parents.

Stella must leave her boyfriend Sam behind. "I have to leave my relationship and all, I'm an emotional basket case," she confesses. "The smartest thing would be to not get into a relationship when you're only in town for eight months. But obviously I missed that fact." Sam will drive her to Quebec City before saying goodbye.

Raquel and her boyfriend Ricardo pack up their apartment and prepare to leave. After living there for almost a year, Montreal feels like home to them now. They will miss it, although they are both excited to be going on tour. The Varekai tour is their opportunity to travel the world together. They will begin their adventure by taking a boat cruise on the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City. The trip is a sort of pre-honeymoon cruise for them. They will soon be getting married.

The rest of the performers pile their bulging suitcases onto the luxury coach that will be the Varekai tour bus. The bus hits the road along with the numerous tractor-trailer rigs emblazoned with the "Varekai" and "Cirque du Soleil" logos carrying the tour's equipment. This is the beginning of an exciting adventure for our performer friends.

One of the other artists is traveling as well. We meet up with Gareth at the airport. He's packed up his life and will fly back home to London. This time, he won't be returning. "Doing this was like a hundred steps forward for me and now I've just fallen a hundred steps back," Gareth laments. But he admits, "There's been some hard times but the good times outweigh the bad times by a million." In a touching final moment, his plane takes off as the soft, plucked violin melody from Varekai plays and we hear the words from the soundtrack album, "Fall of an angel, you can see the fall. . ."

As for Ashley, we see him back where it all began; Cirque Headquarters. Michel Laprise and other members of the casting department watch as Ashley auditions for a part in the next Cirque du Soleil show. Ashley refuses to give up on his life-long dream.

As the melody of Patzivota swells, we fly up and away from Cirque headquarters, symbolizing Varekai's take off and flight away from its home and into the world.