For years, the enduring heart of Firehouse 51 has been its leadership. From the unwavering moral compass of Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) to the pragmatic new approach of Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney), the top brass has always set the tone for the entire team. But as Chicago Fire heads into its highly anticipated fourteenth season, fans are focused on a new and pressing dilemma: the fate of Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg). Recent updates from showrunners suggest Herrmann will face a major crossroads, and while many might be quick to blame the new leadership, the truth is far more complex. The real culprit behind Herrmann’s upcoming crisis is not Chief Pascal, but the very man who promoted him: Chief Wallace Boden.
To understand this, we need to look back at the chain of command and the series of events that led to this moment. When Boden received his long-overdue promotion to Deputy Commissioner, it was a moment of immense pride and a turning point for the show. But his exit, while celebrated, also created a power vacuum and set in motion a domino effect that has landed squarely on Herrmann’s shoulders.
Boden’s promotion of Herrmann to Lieutenant in Season 8 was a watershed moment. It was a well-earned nod to the veteran firefighter’s dedication, experience, and the fatherly role he had long played at Firehouse 51. But it was also a strategic choice by Boden, a way to ensure that the spirit of Firehouse 51 lived on even after his departure. Boden knew that with his impending exit, the firehouse would need a steady and familiar hand to guide it through the transition. He saw in Herrmann a man who embodied the firehouse’s core values: courage, loyalty, and a deep, unwavering commitment to family.
However, in promoting Herrmann, Boden also placed an immense burden on him—a burden that has only grown with time. Herrmann was not just a Lieutenant; he was the de facto emotional anchor of Firehouse 51, the last remaining vestige of the “old guard.” He was the bridge between the old and new generations, a role he was not fully equipped for. Herrmann is a man of the people, a loving husband and father, and a born leader. But he is also a man who thrives on the ground, connecting with his team, and leading from the front. The weight of being the emotional conscience of the entire firehouse, a role previously shared by Boden, is a heavy one.
Enter Chief Pascal. His arrival in Season 13 was met with skepticism, both from the characters and the audience. He was seen as a cold, bureaucratic replacement for the beloved Boden. But as the show has revealed, he is simply a different kind of leader. While his methods may be more by-the-book, his eventual acceptance into the Firehouse 51 family showed his own capacity for growth. The problem is not that Pascal is a bad leader; the problem is that he is not Boden. And with the show’s confirmed creative direction, Pascal is now at the center of the story.
The updates about Season 14 suggest that Herrmann’s dilemma will be a direct result of the power structure Boden left behind. With Boden gone, the space he occupied has been filled by a new, more complex hierarchy, with Pascal at the top. Herrmann, as a Lieutenant, now has to report to a Chief who operates in a completely different way from his old mentor. This puts Herrmann in a difficult position, caught between his loyalty to the firehouse’s old traditions and his need to follow the new rules.
This is where the blame lies squarely on Boden. By leaving, he forced Herrmann into a role he wasn’t ready for and left him to navigate a new era of leadership alone. He placed the spiritual weight of Firehouse 51 on one man’s shoulders without fully considering the consequences. Herrmann’s dilemma is not about a conflict with Pascal; it’s about a conflict with the very legacy he was asked to uphold. He is trying to be the emotional bedrock of the firehouse, all while dealing with the professional challenges of a new leader and the personal weight of a new generation.
In the end, Boden’s promotion was the best thing that ever happened to him, but it may prove to be the worst thing that ever happened to Herrmann. It was a testament to his own success, but it left a void that no one, not even a man as dedicated as Herrmann, could ever truly fill. Herrmann’s upcoming crisis isn’t a direct result of Pascal’s actions, but a delayed reaction to a leadership vacuum created by Boden. He is now forced to choose between his old loyalties and the new reality of his job.
As we head into Season 14, the showrunners are giving us a complex, character-driven story. They are not just creating a villain out of Pascal; they are exploring the long-term consequences of a legacy and the burden it places on those left behind. Herrmann’s dilemma will be a defining moment for the character and for the show. And while we may be tempted to blame the new leadership, the truth is that Herrmann’s crisis was set in motion the moment his beloved mentor left Firehouse 51. It is Boden, with his promotion and his departure, who is ultimately responsible for the difficult road ahead for Herrmann.
