The Unexpected Miracle: ‘Chicago Fire’ Showrunner Reveals the Truth Behind Stella and Kelly’s Surprising Pregnancy in Season 13 Finale
The Chicago Fire Season 13 finale, “It Had to End This Way,” concluded with a deeply emotional and surprising revelation for fan-favorite couple Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). After a season dedicated to their poignant journey toward parenthood, which primarily focused on the complexities of adoption, Stella delivered the ultimate shock: she’s pregnant! This unexpected twist left viewers reeling, both thrilled for the couple and curious about the creative decision behind the sudden shift. Now, showrunner Andrea Newman has shed light on the truth behind this pivotal storyline, explaining that it was a natural evolution for Stella’s character and an opportunity to heighten the stakes for the beloved Stellaride.
Throughout Season 13, Stella and Kelly had openly discussed their desire to start a family. Severide, having been ready for fatherhood earlier in his life, was enthusiastic. Stella, however, harbored long-standing hesitations, rooted in her own challenging childhood and concerns about balancing motherhood with her dangerous career as a firefighter. Their journey began with the difficult decision to explore adoption, which seemed to be the most viable and emotionally resonant path for them.
The Adoption Journey: Hopes, Heartbreak, and Growth
Stellaride’s adoption storyline was a central emotional arc for Season 13. They went through the rigorous approval process and even met a birth mother, bonding with the idea of bringing a newborn into their home. The entire Firehouse 51 rallied around them, preparing for the new arrival with excitement and generosity.
However, in a heartbreaking turn, the birth mother ultimately decided to keep her baby. This devastated Stella and Kelly, leaving them crushed and emotionally exhausted. It was a raw moment that showcased their vulnerability and their unwavering commitment to each other, even in the face of profound disappointment. Despite the setback, they vowed not to give up on their dream of parenthood.
In parallel to the adoption efforts, Stella also became deeply involved in helping Natalie, a troubled teenager whose family Stella had rescued from a fire years prior. This storyline further highlighted Stella’s innate nurturing qualities and her ability to connect with and care for young people. While it didn’t explicitly lead to adopting Natalie, it certainly served to showcase Stella’s evolving perspective on motherhood.
The Surprise Revelation: “Kelly, We’re Pregnant!”
The finale saw Stella and Kelly navigating other high-stakes events, from Chief Pascal’s legal troubles to Herrmann’s emotional decision. Amidst the chaos, Stella found a moment alone with Kelly. She led him to the bathroom and pointed to a pregnancy test on the counter. Severide, initially bewildered, then registered the positive result. “Are you kidding me?” he asked in disbelief, his eyes welling up with tears. Stella, with a radiant smile, confirmed, “Kelly, we’re pregnant.” The episode concluded with their joyful celebration, showering each other with kisses, a beacon of hope and happiness amidst the season’s intense drama.
The Showrunner’s Explanation: Stella’s Evolution and Higher Stakes
Showrunner Andrea Newman, in recent interviews with outlets like Collider, TVLine, and NBC Insider, revealed the deliberate reasoning behind this unexpected turn. It wasn’t about avoiding adoption storylines, which the One Chicago universe has successfully explored before (e.g., Joe Cruz and Chloe, Sylvie Brett and Matt Casey). Instead, it was fundamentally tied to Stella’s personal growth throughout the season.
“It was more about the journey of Kidd’s character, to getting to a place where she decided that both of those things, she was open to, all of a sudden,” Newman explained to TVLine. Stella’s initial hesitations about pregnancy were significant, rooted in her childhood experiences, including her aunt’s depression after pregnancy and her own fears about balancing such a demanding job with raising a child.
Newman highlighted how several Season 13 storylines contributed to Stella’s shift in perspective:
- Helping Natalie: Stella’s dedication to Natalie, and her ability to support and guide a young person, showed her that she possessed the emotional fortitude and caregiving instincts necessary for motherhood. “For this to have happened, I feel like she’s started to evolve on her views of what she can handle. What she and Severide can handle together after they went through that very rough ride at the hospital with adoption,” Newman stated to NBC Insider.
- The Adoption Ordeal: Even though the adoption fell through, the emotional rollercoaster of that experience ironically strengthened Stella and Kelly’s bond. “They really got close in this season in a way that they haven’t before, and it came to a head with the hospital storyline with the baby, because they butted heads a bit during that story and they were kind of on other sides, and then they ended up talking that out and coming together. I felt like, at the end of that episode, they were stronger than ever,” Newman told Collider. This shared heartbreak and subsequent resilience made Stella realize their collective strength as a couple, giving her more faith in their ability to handle whatever came their way, including a biological child.
- Letting Go of Control: Stella, a natural planner and problem-solver, learned to “let the sort of fates take over,” as Newman put it. “By the end of [Episode] 20, it’s like, ‘If the adoption thing happens, wonderful. If I get pregnant, wonderful, I can handle anything.’ She kind of came to a place where she believed in herself enough to be ready for whatever parenthood was going to look like for her.”
The showrunner also pointed out that this unexpected turn is a reflection of real life, drawing parallels to how some of the show’s own writers have experienced surprise pregnancies after pursuing adoption. “Sometimes, life just gets messy in that way, and we love living in that space, too.”
The Stakes Go Through the Roof: What Parenthood Means for Firefighters
Beyond Stella’s personal journey, Newman emphasized the dramatic potential of a pregnancy for a female firefighter, particularly one in a relationship with another firefighter. “The difference between when a male firefighter gets pregnant and when the female firefighter is pregnant, I think, is really interesting to explore and how each are affected,” Newman told Collider.
The stakes for Stellaride, already high as a married couple facing daily dangers, will now skyrocket. “When they’ve got a baby, the stakes go through the roof. So those are all the things that we can play with going down the line. Exciting,” she continued. The prospect of both parents being in life-threatening situations on the same call, and the agonizing thought of leaving their child orphaned (a deep-seated fear for Stella given her own childhood experience of losing parents), will provide intense emotional and narrative conflict for Season 14.
“It’s a way to really just amp everything up for these two and test this relationship in all new ways while keeping them in love and sexy and all the things we like about them together,” Newman explained to TV Guide. The pregnancy will force them to confront new challenges, discuss their roles, and potentially make difficult decisions about their careers and family life.
Conclusion: A New Chapter, A New Kind of Fire
Stella and Kelly’s unexpected pregnancy in the Chicago Fire Season 13 finale is more than just a shocking twist; it’s a carefully crafted narrative decision that serves to deepen Stella’s character arc and escalate the emotional stakes for the show’s power couple. Showrunner Andrea Newman’s insights reveal a thoughtful approach, focusing on Stella’s growth and the unique challenges faced by first responder parents. This surprising development promises to ignite a whole new kind of “fire” at Firehouse 51 in Season 14, challenging Stella and Kelly in unprecedented ways and offering fans a rich, emotional journey as they navigate the joys and perils of impending parenthood.
