In the heart-stopping finale of Chicago Fire Season 13, fans of the long-running drama were left with a bombshell: Stella Kidd is pregnant. After a long and emotional journey that saw her and husband Kelly Severide explore parenthood through adoption, this surprise twist was met with a mix of celebration and concern from the fandom. On the surface, it seems like the happy ending that many have been waiting for. But for a lot of dedicated viewers, this storyline is a source of growing frustration. It’s a plot point that feels like it’s in direct conflict with a major, foundational detail of Stella’s character. When you stop to think about her history, her ambition, and her personal beliefs, this pregnancy, however joyous, just doesn’t feel right.
The Pregnancy Reveal and Its Aftermath
The final moments of the Season 13 finale were a classic Chicago Fire cliffhanger. After their adoption plans fell through in a heartbreaking turn, Stella and Severide returned home, with Stella revealing a positive pregnancy test to a “gobsmacked” Severide. The scene was filled with emotional resonance, with Severide’s tearful disbelief and Stella’s tearful confirmation. It was a beautiful moment that seemed to signify a new, exciting chapter for the beloved couple, often referred to by fans as “Stellaride.”
However, the more you reflect on this seemingly happy ending, the more complicated it gets. This is not the first time the show has tackled the idea of a pregnancy, but this time, it feels different. The show’s writers, in their own words, said they wanted to explore the “interesting” difference between a male and female firefighter having a baby. But in doing so, they may have disregarded a crucial piece of Stella’s character that was established in a prior season.
The Major Character Detail: A Dark and Powerful Past
The reason this pregnancy arc is so bothersome is because it seems to ignore a deeply personal and meaningful part of Stella’s backstory. In a previous season, the show delved into a pivotal conversation between Stella and her cousin, revealing the traumatic family history that shaped her views on motherhood. Stella’s Aunt Laverne, who raised Stella after her parents died, suffered from severe postpartum depression. This depression was so debilitating that it rendered Laverne unable to care for the children, forcing a young Stella to step up and become the caregiver for her family.
This experience, a powerful and tragic detail, was the driving force behind Stella’s hesitation to have a biological child. It was the reason she was adamant about adoption to Severide. She wanted to give a home to a child in need, to give back what her aunt gave to her, but also to avoid the potential of suffering from the same debilitating depression that crippled her aunt and forced her into the role of a parent at a young age. This wasn’t just a fleeting thought; it was a deeply ingrained fear, a core piece of her character’s motivation.
By having Stella become pregnant naturally after explicitly stating that she preferred adoption for such a profound and personal reason, the show is effectively walking back her unique and powerful character development. It takes away the nuance of her choice and replaces it with a common, and arguably overused, television trope: the surprise pregnancy. It feels like a disservice to a storyline that could have been trailblazing for a TV drama.
The Conflict with Her Career Ambition
Beyond her personal history, the pregnancy also creates a significant conflict with Stella’s professional ambition. Since her introduction, Stella Kidd has been a force of nature, a driven and ambitious firefighter who has worked tirelessly to climb the ranks. She has a strong professional identity and is determined to become a Chief, a path she has been meticulously carving for years. The show has spent seasons building her up as a powerful, independent leader, most recently as a Lieutenant.
A full-term pregnancy and the subsequent responsibilities of being a new mother will undoubtedly put a significant and likely permanent pause on her professional trajectory. While the show’s writers have said they want to explore the challenges a female firefighter faces when becoming a parent, this storyline has the potential to overshadow her professional accomplishments and shift her entire character arc away from her career and toward motherhood. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it feels like a forced narrative shift rather than a natural evolution of a character who has been so defined by her work and her determination.
The show has a history of exploring this conflict, most notably with Gabriela Dawson. Gabby’s constant struggle to balance her career with her desire for a family was a central part of her storyline. But for Stella, it feels different because the decision wasn’t hers. It was a surprise. This lack of agency over her own body and her life path is what makes the storyline so frustrating for many viewers.
The Impact on the Stellaride Relationship
The pregnancy also introduces new tension into the already complex Stellaride relationship. This is a couple that has been through hell and back, from near-death experiences to a mysterious and sudden departure that led to trust issues. They finally found a sense of stability and happiness in their marriage, and the decision to start a family through adoption felt like a logical and meaningful next step that was truly unique to them.
Now, with a baby on the way, the stakes are “through the roof,” as showrunner Andrea Newman has said. This new stressor will test their relationship in ways they haven’t faced before. How will they balance their dangerous jobs with a baby at home? Will Severide become overprotective? Will Stella feel a renewed sense of fear on every call, as she did when her aunt’s story was revealed? While this drama makes for compelling television, it feels like it comes at the expense of a well-earned sense of peace for a couple who has more than earned it.
Conclusion: A Trope That Undermines a Character
The surprise pregnancy storyline is a classic, but it’s one that Chicago Fire had the chance to subvert. By exploring the depths of Stella’s past and her well-reasoned decision to pursue adoption, the show was telling a story that was both fresh and deeply personal. It was a way to make the characters feel more real and their choices more meaningful.
Instead, the show chose to go with a dramatic, last-minute twist that undermines that established character detail. While producers have explained that the storyline is about Stella gaining the confidence to “let the fates take over,” it’s a difficult pill to swallow for fans who felt a genuine connection to her original, more complicated reason for wanting to adopt. It’s a reminder that sometimes, for the sake of drama, a show will abandon its own history. As we head into Season 14, the biggest question isn’t just about the baby’s future, but about the future of Stella Kidd’s character and whether her core identity will survive this plot twist intact.
