With months left until fans reunite with the firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51, viewers are anxiously waiting for any information on who’s leaving Chicago Fire after Season 12 and who’s coming back for Season 13.
Who’s leaving Chicago Fire after Season 12?
Four cast members left Chicago Fire in Season 12: Alberto Rosende (who played Blake Gallo); Kara Killmer (who played Sylvie Brett); Rome Flynn (who played Derrick Gibson); and Eamonn Walker (who played Chief Wallace Boden.) Walker is an original cast member, while Rosende joined in Season 8; Killmer joined in Season 3; and Flynn joined in Season 12. (Though Walker left as a series regular in Chicago Fire Season 12, he’ll remain in a recurring capacity for Season 13.)
Other than Rosende, Killmer, Flynn and Walker, no other Chicago Fire cast members have confirmed their exits following Season 12. However, there are three actors fans speculate could leave in Season 13 based on clues in the Season 12 finale.
Taylor Kinney (Kelly Severide)
Rumors first swirled that Kinney — who has played Lieutenant Kelly Severide since Season 1 — was leaving Chicago Fire in Season 11 when he took a temporary leave of absence of the series and had to be written out of the final eight episodes of the season. Kinney nor NBC ever revealed the reason for his mysterious exit from Chicago Fire, however, he continued to fuel speculation over his status on the series when Severide returned for Season 12 only to leave again a few episodes into the season. Though Severide was back in time for the Season 12 finale, “Never Say Goodbye,” there was one big clue viewers may have missed that could hint to his exit in Season 13.
In the Season 12 finale, Chief Wallace Boden left Firehouse 51 after he was promoted to Deputy Fire Commissioner for the Chicago Fire Department. Before he left, however, Boden offered his role as chief of Firehouse 51 to Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann, who hesitantly took the role. Prior to the finale, fans speculated that Severide — who Boden put in charge as the temporary chief of Firehouse 51 while he was gone in the last few episodes — would be promoted as chief because he’s one of Firehouse 51’s most senior members and had already filled in as chief while Boden was away. When that didn’t happen, fans wondered why Severide wasn’t promoted. (No shade to Herrmann!)
The main theory is that Chicago Fire is planning for Kinney’s exit in Season 13, so it wouldn’t make sense for the series to promote Severide to chief only to write him off the series later in Season 13. Chicago Fire has also been laying the groundwork for a divorce between Severide and his wife, Lieutenant Stella Kidd, who have had marital issues ever since Severide left Kidd without almost no notice to train with the OFI in Season 11. Their marital issues continued in Season 12 when Kidd expressed her fears that Severide would leave her again out of nowhere for another arson investigation. Though the couple seemed to be in a better place in the finale — in which Stellaride talked about having a baby — the groundwork is still there for Severide and Kidd to divorce in Season 13 if he leaves the series.
Miranda Rae Mayo, who plays Kidd, told NBC Insider after the Season 12 finale about how Severide and Kidd’s different opinions on starting a family could also affect their relationship. “I do think that they feel differently about this because in order for them to start a family, it means that Stella would have to put so much of her career on pause,” Mayo said. “He could continue to be a lieutenant, she could not for a while…” Mayo continued, “And it’s interesting. Stella didn’t want to get married. I think she loves kids. She loves working with kids, but she’s undecided on if she wants to have her own. And I think it’s a big question of when.”
Joe Minoso (Joe Cruz)
Much like Severide, Joe Cruz — who has been played by Joe Minoso since Season 1 of Chicago Fire — was also expected to be promoted in the Season 12 finale. Prior to the finale, the original theory from fans was that both Severide and Cruz would be promoted after Boden left firehouse 51 to take a job as the Chicago Fire Department’s Deputy Fire Commissioner. The theory was that Severide would be promoted to chief, and Cruz would take Severide’s job as lieutenant, which made sense given that Cruz served as Firehouse 51’s temporary lieutenant while Severide was away in Season 11.
The role even caused drama when Severide returned to Firehouse 51 in Season 12, and Cruz, who had gotten used to calling the shots without Severide’s permission, butted heads with him so much that he threatened to leave Firehouse 51. Like Severie, Cruz — who is one of four original characters left on Chicago Fire, along with Severide, Hermann, and Mouch — is long overdue for a promotion, and Chicago Fire Season 12 seemed to be headed that way with Boden’s exit leaving an open role at Firehouse 51. Instead, viewers learned in the Season 12 finale that Randall “Mouch” McHolland was studying to become lieutenant, not Cruz. Mouch will likely replacee Herrmann, who will leave an open spot for a lieutenant at Firehouse 51 when he becomes chief.
But that still begs the question as to why Mouch was promoted to lieutenant over Cruz, who’s already filled in for the role once before? Much like Kinney, one theory is that Chicago Fire is also planning Minoso’s exit, which makes sense as to why Cruz was passed over for a promotion by the writers as his time at Firehouse 51 could be numbered. While there’s no confirmation for Minoso’s exit, the theory is understandable.
Jake Lockett (Sam Carver)
Lockett — who has played firefighter Sam Carver since Season 11 — sparked speculation he was leaving Chicago Fire in the Season 12 finale, “Never Say Goodbye,” in which he went on furlough. Carver’s decision to take a break from Firehouse 51 came after he got into a physical altercation with an abusive father, who reminded him of his own childhood, while on a call with Lieutenant Stella Kidd. Following the incident, Carver encouraged the man’s son to get out of his toxic family situation while he could. “You might end up trying to fight the whole world and you deserve better,” Carver said.
Later in the episode, Carver also informed Kidd that he was going to go on furlough to sort out his past issues. Carver’s decision also came after a breaking point in his relationship with paramedic Violet Mikami, who tried to contact him after learning about his childhood and the real reason behind his altercation with the man. Carver, for his part, ignored her calls. Carver was also missing from Firehouse 51’s celebration for Boden’s promotion to Deputy Commissioner, which also acted as his goodbye party.
With Carver out on furlough, Chicago Fire has a direct path to write him off in Season 13. But will he leave for good? It’s possible but not likely. Though it’s not unheard of for a Chicago Fire character to leave after a couple seasons — such a Jimmy Borrelli (Steven R. McQueen) in Season 5; Emily Foster (Annie Ilonzeh) in Season 8; and Adriyan Rae (Gianna Mackey) in Season 9 —it seems like the show has laid too many steps toward Carver and Violet’s relationship for them to write him off now.
With Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) and Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer)’s exits in Seasons 12 and 10, respectively, Carver and Violet are the only firefighter-paramedic couple left on Chicago Fire. They’re also one of two couples, where both partners are series regulars, along with Lieutenants Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), so we can see the show investing a lot in Carver and Violet for the long haul.
