A Surprise Guest Joins Severide for an Iconic Chicago Fire Cigar Chat
Severide (Taylor Kinney) has been on a mission to learn more about the reticent Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) on Chicago Fire. And in Season 13, Episode 7 (“Untouchable”), he makes significant progress in the form of a candid cigar chat.
Here’s what happened: The action kicked off in the previous episode — “Bird of Prey” — when Firehouse 51 responded to a warehouse fire and rescued a man squatting inside. After the smoke cleared, Severide discovered an illegal stash of ghost guns, prompting him to call Illinois State Police Captain Robert Bishop (Keith Kupferer). After Bishop quashed Severide’s concerns and rushed to take over the investigation, Severide suspected foul play.
Severide expresses his concerns to Pascal, who initially brushes off his concerns. Severide recalls that if Pascal is in cahoots with Bishop, Firehouse 51 is not the right place for him. Pascal then relents, confessing to Severide that he isn’t protecting Bishop—he’s working undercover with Internal Affairs to help gather evidence against him to bring Bishop down once and for all. After Severide realizes Pascal is on the right side, they begin to get to the bottom of Bishop’s wrongdoings. Cut to Episode 7 (“Untouchable”), which plays like a double-cop drama with Pascal and Severide as they continue to investigate the warehouse fire to prove that Bishop burned the building down to steal illegal guns. After realizing that the squatter they saved was one of Bishop’s thugs who took the guns, the stakes are raised.
After learning that Severide and Pascal are interested in his actions, Bishop visits Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo) at a highway rescue. Puzzled by his presence, Bishop tells Stella that he appreciates her husband’s help in their investigation, which is a veiled threat to stop.
Meanwhile, Pascal arrives home to find an envelope addressed to him with pictures of him and Severide returning to the warehouse building. Bishop has been following them, and the firefighters are left wondering how far he will go to cover up his illegal actions. After reviewing the pictures, Pascal tells his wife to pack her things and leave until they can clear things up.
RELATED ARTICLE: Is Chicago Fire Based on Real Life? A Look at the Facts and Fictions of Firehouse 51 Just as tensions are running high, Firehouse 51 receives a shocking call about an engine fire at Bishop’s house. While dealing with the fire in Bishop’s garage, Severide wastes no time snooping around to see if he can find any illegal contraband. After discovering a stash of Cuban cigars worth $50,000, the police have good reason to search Bishop’s house.
“This can’t be a coincidence, can it?” Severide wonders, theorizing that Bishop’s C.I. set the fire to avoid punishment for the messy operation. Pascal explains that the C.I. is probably long gone and they should just accept victory and move on.
Later, at the fire station, Severide checks in with Pascal about the investigation and learns that the police found $1 million in cash and a massive Rolex collection, further fueling criticism of the Illinois police captain.
“You look like you need a break,” Severide tells him. “You smoking cigars?”
RELATED: What’s Up With Dermot Mulroney’s Chief Pascal During the Chicago Fire?
“I lived in Miami for 10 years. What do you think?” Pascal asks cheekily.
“Well, they’re not Cuban cigars, but I have a few in my locker that aren’t too bad,” Severide explains, inviting his chief into one of his favorite cigar chats.
While happily smoking outside 51, Severide tells Pascal that he asked around and learned that C.I. Bishop’s was not responsible for the fire in Bishop’s garage — he was nowhere near the scene.
“Huh,” Pascal thought absentmindedly.
“I’ve been thinking,” Severide told him. “What are the chances of Bishop’s car engine catching fire at the exact time and place we need it?”
Pascal considered him carefully.
“Pretty low,” Pascal said with a knowing look. As Severide processed his words, Pascal continued. “The important thing is that he won’t bother our family again.”
Severide looked at Pascal with a smirk as they both took another breath. It seemed Pascal occasionally deviated from the process of getting justice done — the making of a Firehouse 51 fan favorite.
