Chicago Fire Season 13’s Severide Ending Is a Disappointing Exit Kelly Severide is staying on Chicago Fire for season 13, which is great news, but the show has ruined his story after a big cliffhanger from the season 12 finale. Taylor Kinney has played Severide, the lieutenant in charge of Squad 3, since season 1. He was one of the few original cast members left after Eamonn Walker left before Chicago Fire season 13, and there was hope that Kinney would stick around for more seasons to come. However, while Kinney’s staying on after rumors of his departure were circulating, one could also criticize the way the show handled Severide’s storyline in season 13.
Many believed that the end was in sight for Kinney throughout the final two seasons of the procedural drama. The actor took a leave of absence at the end of season 11, and it was unclear whether Severide would ever return to Firehouse 51. Fortunately, he did so in season 12. However, theories persisted that Kinney would be the next to leave Chicago Fire. Perhaps those rumors can now be put to rest when Severide returns for season 13. The first episode set up a major storyline involving him and his long-lost half-brother Jack Damon, but the episode failed to properly resolve the suspense of season 12.
Severide learned that Damon was Benny Severide’s son in the season 12 finale, making Severide and Damon half-brothers on Chicago Fire. The revelation shocked Kinney’s character as well as viewers, but the episode ended before viewers could see the true extent of Severide’s feelings on the matter. One would think that the Chicago Fire season 13 premiere would resolve this cliffhanger. However, the episode’s six-week time jump means that fans never got to see the immediate aftermath of Severide finding out he was related to Damon.
Severide could have been completely overwhelmed by the revelation, leading to some awkward tension between him and Damon. Or he could have been overjoyed. Either way, viewers will never know because the Chicago Fire season 13 premiere skipped over the most interesting aspect of the new development. Six weeks have passed, and Severide and Damon are still best friends. Severide is looking out for his younger brother, while Damon is trying to learn as much as he can from his older brother. As a result, the cliffhanger of Chicago Fire season 12 remains unresolved.
Will Chicago Fire ever revisit the conflict between Damon and Severide? Chicago Fire season 13 could have redeemed itself if it had handled the rest of the “Severide and Damon are half-brothers” arc properly. That is, there needed to be more conflict. After episode 1, the two were still on good terms and happy to have a brother. This needed to end (at least partially) and there’s a chance that the One Chicago universe would be nothing but drama.
It would have been nice to see the brothers getting along at Firehouse 51. However, it didn’t feel earned because the season 13 premiere didn’t show Severide’s immediate reaction to learning about his relationship with Damon.
Severide and Damon don’t have to hate each other. In fact, it would have been nice to see the brothers getting along at Firehouse 51. However, it didn’t feel earned because the season 13 premiere didn’t show Severide’s immediate reaction to learning about his relationship with Damon. Chicago Fire has moved past the awkwardness of Damon’s confession, and he and Severide are now friendly and comfortable with each other. The good news is that episode 1 of season 13 also teased future conflict between the two Chicago Fire characters.
After Eamonn Walker left, the producers had to find a replacement for Chief Boden on Chicago Fire season 13, and they chose Dom Pascal, played by Dermot Mulroney. Fire Department 51 had mixed reactions to their new chief in the premiere. While Severide was initially quite welcoming of Chief Pascal and his new rules, one conversation immediately ruined their good working relationship (at least on Severide’s part).
Chief Pascal mentioned that it was against the rules for family members to work on the same fire department, referring to Severide and his wife, Stella Kidd. However, Chief Pascal let it go because they had proven that they could work without letting their emotions get in the way. In the future, Severide and Stella working together would not be a problem. But Severide and Damon working the same shift might be a problem.
Severide did not explicitly tell Chief Pascal that he and Damon were half-brothers during their conversation. Since the two Chicago Fire season 13 characters have not worked together long enough, they have not proven themselves in Chief Pascal’s eyes. He would definitely
