When it was first announced that fan-favorite couple Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide would be embarking on a journey toward parenthood, the Chicago Fire fandom was, at first, thrilled. The prospect of “Stellaride” becoming parents was a natural next step for a couple that has faced every obstacle imaginable. But as Season 13 began to unfold, a collective sense of creative fatigue began to set in. The much-anticipated baby storyline, which initially focused on a drawn-out adoption process, felt less like a fresh new chapter and more like a tired, overused trope.
This wasn’t just a handful of skeptical fans; it was a widespread feeling that the show was falling into a familiar trap. The storyline, as it was originally presented, was a creative misstep that threatened to derail a beloved couple’s journey. But in a move that proved the writers are listening, the Season 13 finale delivered a twist so shocking and so brilliant that it redeemed the entire arc. It saved the storyline from being a “complete dud” and gave the show a much-needed creative jolt.
The Problem with the “Adoption” Trope
The initial plan for Stellaride’s parenting journey was to go through the adoption process. While adoption is a beautiful and worthy story to tell, it has been done before on Chicago Fire, with characters like Casey and Dawson, and again with Joe Cruz. For a show that has been on the air for over a decade, recycling major storylines is a surefire way to lose audience engagement.
The initial episodes of this arc were an exercise in narrative frustration. We saw Kidd and Severide go through the motions, with a storyline that felt predictable and lacked the high-stakes drama that has always defined their characters. Fans on social media voiced their frustrations, with many expressing that they were “over that storyline already.” It felt like the show was using a well-worn path when it should have been blazing a new one.
This creative choice also felt at odds with the core identities of both Kidd and Severide. Severide’s character is defined by his unpredictable, maverick nature, and a slow, bureaucratic adoption process felt at odds with his character. Kidd, a character who has fought so hard for her independence and her role as a leader, seemed to be defined solely by her desire to have a child.
Why The Showrunners Pivoted
The creative team behind Chicago Fire is smart, and the audience’s disinterest was not lost on them. In a post-season interview, showrunner Andrea Newman acknowledged that the show decided to change the storyline’s direction. She revealed that the adoption arc was a deliberate “journey” for Kidd to “evolve” on her own views of motherhood. The storyline with the birth mother, a teenager named Jade, was meant to be a test for Stella, forcing her to confront her own past and her fears about having a child.
This was a brilliant move. The show used a tired trope to serve a greater purpose: character development. It wasn’t about the baby at all; it was about Stella and Kelly’s emotional growth as a couple. The heartbreaking turn of events, where the birth mother decided to keep her baby, was a necessary plot point that gave the couple a chance to grow closer and to realize that their love was strong enough to handle anything.
The Surprising and Show-Changing Twist
The Season 13 finale delivered the ultimate payoff: a shocking twist that changed everything. In a quiet moment, Stella handed Severide a positive pregnancy test. This reveal was not only a major surprise for the audience but also a brilliant creative decision. It was a complete departure from the tired adoption storyline and a refreshing new direction for the show.
This twist, as one fan noted, “nips the couple’s adoption storyline in the bud” and offers “something fresh” to the show. It is the first time that a main female firefighter on Chicago Fire will have a full pregnancy arc. This opens the door for new and exciting storylines that are directly tied to the characters’ careers. It will explore the real-world challenges that a pregnant firefighter faces, from the physical dangers to the emotional and professional sacrifices.
Showrunner Andrea Newman confirmed that this was a deliberate choice to explore the “difference between when a male firefighter gets pregnant and when the female firefighter is pregnant.” The stakes are now “through the roof” for the couple, and it will give the writers a chance to explore new aspects of their relationship that have never been seen before.
A Masterstroke of Redemption
What began as a boring and uninspired storyline was redeemed by a masterstroke of creative ingenuity. The writers took a trope that everyone was tired of, used it to develop their characters, and then pulled the rug out from under the audience in the best possible way. The baby storyline is no longer about a predictable adoption; it’s about a surprising and high-stakes pregnancy that will change the show forever.
This is a powerful lesson for a show that has been on the air for so long. It proves that even when a storyline feels like a creative dead end, there is always a way to reinvent it and to find new and compelling narratives. Chicago Fire has a core group of characters who are still loved and cherished by the audience. The show’s success lies in its ability to take risks and to find new and original ways to tell their stories.
The Stellaride baby storyline is a perfect example of this. It started off as a boring and frustrating plot, but the show’s writers turned it into a moment of true suspense and anticipation. We are no longer bored; we are on the edge of our seats, waiting to see what happens next.
