Article: A Fire That Fizzled: How the Latest Chicago Fire Cast Exit Undermined Season 13’s Grand Finale
The embers of Chicago Fire Season 13 are still hot, but for many fans, they’re not glowing with satisfaction—they’re smoldering with frustration. The finale, a highly-anticipated episode meant to bring a season’s worth of drama to a head, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the show’s most dedicated viewers. The reason? Not a shocking death or a tragic accident, but the anticlimactic way several key characters were handled, an issue only compounded by the most recent cast departure news. The Season 13 finale, which was already being criticized for its lack of definitive goodbyes, now feels even more frustrating and narratively incomplete in light of the official announcements of multiple cast exits.
For years, Chicago Fire has been a master of the high-stakes finale. Whether it’s a devastating cliffhanger, a heroic sacrifice, or a heartbreaking farewell, the show knows how to leave its audience talking for months. Season 13, however, broke this tradition in the most disappointing way possible. The news that three cast members would be departing the show—specifically Jake Lockett (Sam Carver), Daniel Kyri (Darren Ritter), and now most recently, Michael Bradway (Jack Damon)—has retroactively turned the finale from a moment of suspense into a moment of collective aggravation.
The Finale’s Missed Opportunities: A Lack of Closure
The Season 13 finale was filled with significant plot points. Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide’s future was finally solidified with the news of a baby. Christopher Herrmann made a difficult but selfless decision to step down from a promotion for his best friend, Mouch. And a tense storyline involving Chief Pascal was resolved, clearing his name and seemingly cementing his place at Firehouse 51. Yet, for all these resolutions, the episode completely failed to provide adequate send-offs for the characters we now know are leaving.
The Disconnect: Announcements After the Fact
The core of the problem lies in the timing of the news. While reports of Lockett and Kyri’s departures were public knowledge a month before the finale, fans held out hope that the episode would give their characters—Sam Carver and Darren Ritter—the dignified exits they deserved. This was not the case. Both characters had a minimal presence, with their storylines left dangling.
- Darren Ritter’s Story: Darren Ritter has been a pillar of Firehouse 51 for years. As a fan-favorite, his journey from a nervous rookie to a confident firefighter, and his groundbreaking storyline as an openly gay Black firefighter, have been central to the show’s heart. The finale, however, gave him no special farewell. He was simply there, with no hint of his impending departure. For a character who meant so much to the show’s legacy, to not even get a poignant conversation or a final heroic moment is a disservice. It leaves a gaping hole in the narrative and feels like a cheap, last-minute decision to write him out without proper closure.
- Sam Carver’s Arc: Sam Carver’s exit is equally, if not more, frustrating. His character arc in Season 13 was one of the most compelling. He was battling personal demons, struggling with sobriety, and in the finale, he finally confessed his love for Violet Mikami. Their relationship had been a slow-burn, and the finale’s ending suggested a new, hopeful chapter for them. Then, the news broke: Carver would be leaving Chicago, making the emotional confession feel like a cruel and pointless tease. The show presented a beautiful, romantic climax only to pull the rug out from under the audience, leaving Violet’s story in a state of confusion and making their entire romantic subplot feel utterly frustrating. The final kiss, which should have been a moment of triumph, is now tinged with the sadness of a relationship that was doomed from the start, a sadness the finale itself did not earn.
The Latest Blow: The Jack Damon Exit
The final nail in the coffin of the Season 13 finale’s legacy is the recent confirmation of Michael Bradway’s exit as Jack Damon. While his time on the show was shorter, his character was introduced with significant fanfare. As Kelly Severide’s half-brother, his presence promised to deepen the lore of the Severide family and provide a fresh dynamic for Firehouse 51. The season spent a considerable amount of time building up his character and his relationship with Severide, only for the finale to completely ignore him.
Jack Damon’s story wasn’t wrapped up. There was no final conversation with Severide, no clear indication of his future plans, nothing to suggest that he was leaving Firehouse 51 for good. This lack of resolution is particularly galling because the show invested so much time in building a family connection between him and Severide. The decision to write him out without a proper send-off makes that entire storyline feel like a wasted effort. It’s a stark reminder of the show’s failure to plan for its character’s exits, or perhaps, a sign of its inability to adapt to real-world casting changes.
A Widespread Issue: A Frustrating Trend
This isn’t an isolated incident. The lack of a proper send-off for Carver, Ritter, and Damon follows a concerning trend. The show has had its share of incredible character exits—from the emotional send-off for Wallace Boden, to the tearful wedding of Sylvie Brett and Matthew Casey. These departures were handled with care and respect for the characters and the actors who played them. They provided a sense of closure that allowed fans to say a proper goodbye.
The Season 13 finale, however, feels like a regression. It’s a stark contrast to the show’s best qualities. The writers, for whatever reason, chose to leave these important storylines unresolved. The fact that the showrunners have to now explain these absences with a single line of dialogue in the Season 14 premiere is a slap in the face to the rich, character-driven storytelling that has been the hallmark of Chicago Fire. The characters deserved better, and the audience, which has invested over a decade of time and emotion, deserved better.
The Impact on Season 14’s Future
The frustrating finale and the subsequent cast exit news do more than just sour the end of Season 13; they cast a shadow over Season 14. Here’s why:
- Eroded Trust: Fans’ trust in the writers is now at an all-time low. If the show can so carelessly discard major characters and their storylines, how can viewers become emotionally invested in the new arcs? The fear is that any new character introduced or any new relationship developed could be unceremoniously dropped without warning.
- Narrative Gymnastics: The show will now have to perform serious narrative gymnastics in the Season 14 premiere to explain the sudden absences of Carver, Ritter, and Damon. This will inevitably feel rushed and unnatural. A few lines of dialogue about a transfer or a change of heart cannot possibly do justice to the years and months of character development that went into these roles. It feels less like storytelling and more like a series of logistical announcements.
- Undermining Existing Storylines: The lack of closure for Carver and Violet’s relationship is particularly damaging. Violet, a central character, is now left in a state of romantic limbo. The emotional weight of her storyline with Carver is now gone, and her character is left with a gaping hole. This is a missed opportunity to explore her grief, her new journey as a single woman, and her professional growth. Instead, it’s just an unresolved plot point.
A Plea for Better Storytelling
Chicago Fire is at a crossroads. Its long-standing success has been built on its ability to create a family dynamic that feels real and a stakes-driven narrative that keeps audiences hooked. But the Season 13 finale and the subsequent cast exits show a worrying detachment from these core principles. The creative team needs to remember that characters, even supporting ones, are the lifeblood of the show.
The frustratingly incomplete finale, exacerbated by the confirmation of a third major cast exit, is a wake-up call. It’s a reminder that a show’s ending is just as important as its beginning. A finale should not just close a season, but honor the journeys of the characters within it. The latest exit makes the Season 13 finale not just disappointing, but a truly frustrating experience for a fandom that expected so much more. The hope now rests on Season 14 to learn from these mistakes and to give the remaining members of Firehouse 51 the respect and closure that their departed colleagues were denied. Otherwise, the audience may find that their passion for the show begins to cool, and the fire will be harder and harder to keep alive.
