As a seasoned gamer of the Chicago Fire universe, I’ve witnessed the rise and fall of more characters than I can count on one hand. But the latest twist with Severide and his half-brother Damon has me on the edge of my seat.
Spoilers ahead for Episode 2 of Chicago Fire Season 13, called “Ride the Blade.”
As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled about Chicago Fire’s progression into the Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) era as the Chief at Firehouse 51. However, it wasn’t his arrival that stirred up trouble in “Ride the Blade.” Instead, it’s only been two episodes into the fall 2024 TV schedule, and Damon’s presence has already created some problems for the other firefighters that seem difficult to resolve. After Severide received a stern reminder, he spoke up to his half brother, suggesting a change is needed. This conversation could potentially lead to one of them parting ways from Firehouse 51.
What Happened In “Ride The Blade”
Trouble ensued when Truck, Squad, and Engine were all summoned to a car accident site, and Damon impulsively leapt into action with the intention of saving someone’s life, despite Kidd‘s conflicting instructions being shouted out. Later on, Damon admitted to Severide that he had overheard what the Truck lieutenant had said, prompting Severide to keep this information from his wife – who, it so happens, is the same lieutenant in question – for undisclosed reasons.
If not for Cruz’s frank remarks, Severide might have continued shielding Damon. Cruz pointed out that Severide was treating Damon differently than he would anyone else, which was causing issues within the firehouse. This dilemma could escalate significantly if Severide had to choose between safeguarding his brother and fulfilling his duty.
It became clear to Severide that he needed to confess his deception to Stella, given her displeasure over the lies, and whether or not she’ll accept Damon remains uncertain following Pascal’s revelation about the high rate of Truck changes.
In an unfortunate misjudgment of the situation, Damon angrily approached Severide at Molly’s to scold him for revealing the truth to Kidd. Remarkably composed compared to their earlier days on Chicago Fire, Severide handled the situation with more grace this time around (You can revisit their early seasons on Peacock with a subscription). When Damon accused Severide of betraying him by telling Kidd, Severide calmly responded to his half-brother.
I did [have your back]. That’s the problem. I lied to protect you, which is something I wouldn’t have done for anyone else. She’s pissed, she has every right to be, at both of us… We can’t work at the same firehouse. One of us has to go.
It seems that Severide’s calm conversation with Damon to resolve his mistake might indicate he’s prepared for family life, should Stella reach a similar point. If this dialogue had occurred between Damon and another regular character, I would have thought their decision about 51 was clear-cut. However, given it’s Severide, there are certain factors to ponder over.
Could Severide Leave Firehouse 51?
It seems unlikely that Chicago Fire would write out its main actor, as it’s difficult to accept this scenario. The reason being, the Squad team is more specialized compared to the Truck or Engine crews. I doubt Severide would permanently depart from Firehouse 51 unless Taylor Kinney decides to leave the show. However, Severide has more potential career paths within the Chicago Fire Department than any other character on this series.
Might Severide choose to step down from 51, allowing Damon to remain, and fully dedicate himself to the role of “fire investigator” for OFI? Given his proficiency in fire investigation dating back to the early days of Chicago Fire, he has only grown more skilled in this area in recent years. The tension with Stella concerning OFI could potentially be resolved if he were solely focused on that role in Chicago, rather than splitting his attention between Squad and OFI.
Perhaps the primary dispute might center around Damon, even under these circumstances. As Severide pointed out, Kidd is justified in feeling angry towards both of them already. Moreover, Cruz has demonstrated his ability to assume the lieutenant role while Severide is absent from Squad 3. Consequently, Fire may not require a new regular to take up that vacancy.
Among the three lieutenants at station 51, Severide appears to have the least friction with Pascal, making him the most straightforward choice for a spin-off storyline elsewhere in the CFD. It’s possible that if Severide were to transition into an OFI role, he might encounter Boden, as it has been suggested that Eamonn Walker may reprise his character as a non-regular in Season 13.
It’s possible that Stella might feel differently about starting a family if Severide transitions into a less hazardous job. This change could potentially influence her perspective, as Severide himself admitted that the physical demands of their current roles would impact Kidd more than it would him. Could this new safety-oriented role encourage Stella to consider the idea of having children more favorably?
It could be somewhat unconventional, but I believe there are numerous intriguing directions the story could take if Chicago Fire chooses to have Severide temporarily step away from Firehouse 51. This departure wouldn’t necessarily mean he’d leave the Chicago Fire Department, and it would certainly pique my interest to witness the reactions of his fellow firefighters as they adjust to life without Severide, all for the sake of keeping Damon around.
Is there any possibility that Severide might permanently step down from his position as Squad 3 officer? Highly unlikely, unless Taylor Kinney decides to depart from One Chicago. However, I’m intrigued by the idea of exploring how Chicago Fire could develop Severide as a full-time fire cop at this stage, and also watching the firehouse without him for a few episodes. After all, a show doesn’t survive for thirteen seasons without being open to experimenting with fresh storylines.
At the very least, it’s fun to speculate. Check out the promo for the next episode:
From the preview, it looks like we might want to pay closer attention to Stella’s situation first, as her role seems to be under scrutiny by Pascal, who appears to be the lieutenant of the Truck team. As for Severide and Damon, the promo only suggests that they will both feature in the upcoming episode.
Find out what’s coming up in the next episode of “Chicago Fire” airing on Wednesday, October 9 at 9:00 PM Eastern Time. Tune in between “Chicago Med” at 8:00 PM and “Chicago P.D.” at 10:00 PM, both on NBC.
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2024-10-03 10:37