The looming Firehouse 51 divorce just became so much more heartbreaking after Chicago Fire season 12, episode 10. As important as the cases are for Chicago Fire and the whole of One Chicago, its core characters’ personal lives also play a major part in the franchise’s storytelling. Their arcs ensure that the universe is properly fleshed out, with players that are grounded and relatable. As such, romance is often a favorite narrative trick in the series, with Chicago Fire having countless couples love lines over the years. Unfortunately, not all of them end with a happily-ever-after.
Recently, Chicago Fire season 12 just wrapped up Matt Casey’s story by seeing him marry Sylvie Brett. A couple of years ago, it was Kelly Severide and Stella Kidd who tied the knot in a fun ceremony. Currently, Violet Mikami and Sam Carver is Chicago Fire’s latest affair that can turn into a long-term romance. To make things realistic, however, One Chicago also has to depict the harsh truth about relationships — not all of them survive. That is the case when it was reported that a divorce is looming for a long-time Firehouse 51 couple.
Cruz And Chloe’s Divorce Would Be Devastating For Javi
Javi’s Doesn’t Know That His Family Is On The Brink Of Collapse.
In Chicago Fire season 12, episode 10, “Wrong Guy,” Cruz experiences a family crisis when Javi’s supposed biological uncle shows up from Honduras. Afraid that this would lead to him losing his adopted son, Cruz becomes agitated about the matter. As it turns out, however, it’s all part of a scam, where con artists try to blackmail families of adopted kids for money. While the culprit is arrested, Cruz is still heartbroken for Javi, but instead of feeling sad about it, the boy expresses his gratitude towards him, Chloe, and Otis for giving him a true family.
That said, it’s worth noting that during Casey and Brett’s wedding earlier in the year, Chloe was not in attendance, hinting that they were already in conflict then.
Sadly, that happy family is threatened, as teased by the official synopsis for Chicago Fire season 12, episode 12, “Under Pressure.” Per NBC, the outing will see “Cruz and Chloe’s marriage problems come to a head.” It’s uncertain what the pair’s marital issues have been since One Chicago hasn’t really delved into it. That said, it’s worth noting that during Casey and Brett’s wedding earlier in the year, Chloe was not in attendance, hinting that they were already in conflict then. That is backed up by Chloe’s continued absence in Chicago Fire season 12, episode 10.
How Cruz’s Marital Woes Can Impact Chicago Fire Season 12
Cruz’s Personal Life Can Have A Ripple Effect On Firehouse 51.
Regardless of the reason for their conflict, the divorce, or even just the idea of it, could be the final reason for Cruz to leave Firehouse 51. Cruz stepped up and became the temporary leader of the Rescue Squad until the Chicago Fire season 11 finale during Kelly Severide’s absence. He realizes that he is ready for a promotion, but there is currently no room to move up within Chief Boden’s house, leaving him no choice but to consider transferring.
This arc could be One Chicago’s way of writing out Cruz from the show. No concrete word, however, if this is even a possibility, but the show is known for pulling unexpected departures like this. If he does end up leaving in Chicago Fire season 12, he will be the fourth person to leave Firehouse 51 this year, following Blake Gallo, Brett, and Derrick Gibson — the last one only being part of the team for several episodes until he was unexpectedly written out of the series. Until now, it’s unclear why Rome Flynn was booted out of the show.
Cruz’s Potential Chicago Fire Departure Can Be The Biggest In More Than Two Years.
One Chicago Has Had Many Departures In Recent Years.
Like Dick Wolf’s other franchise, Law & Order, and the rest of One Chicago, Firehouse 51 is no stranger to losing members. This has been the norm for long-running ensemble shows on TV. Chief Boden’s unit has some veteran people in it, but it has also bid farewell to countless players in its more than a decade on the screen. Rotating ensembles are the norm for procedurals for a couple of reasons, and it isn’t just Chicago Fire that goes through this, although One Chicago, as a whole, has lost several notable characters in the last couple of seasons.
For starters, not all cast members can’t commit to years working on a single project, even though the job stability is tempting. Other times, changing the roster is the writers’ way of keeping things fresh and unique after some time. Brett’s departure was big because she was part of the show for such a long time. She also left a major void that until now, Violet is currently trying to fill. That said, if Cruz ends up leaving One Chicago, he would be the longest-tenured character on the show to leave, following Jesse Spencer’s Matt Casey back in 2021.
In any case, he has already considered moving on from Chief Boden’s team anyway since Severide came back. Chicago Fire season 12 hasn’t revisited the plot for a while, but the lack of resolution means that it can creep back up anytime.
Unlike Casey, however, who returned multiple times to Firehouse 51 even after he moved to Portland, Oregon, Cruz may not have a reason to visit his old workplace because there won’t be any more lingering stories for him. In any case, he has already considered moving on from Chief Boden’s team anyway since Severide came back. Chicago Fire season 12 hasn’t revisited the plot for a while, but the lack of resolution means that it can creep back up anytime. If Cruz does leave Chicago Fire, however, hopefully, he gets a better send-off than what Gallo and Gibson got.
Will There Be More Exits In Chicago Fire Season 12?
Boden May Need A Team Overhaul Because Of All These Departures.
Because of the nature of their jobs, losing a Firehouse 51 member can happen anytime. Chicago Fire has experienced a few of these tragic losses over the years, and while they are harrowing, they keep the narrative’s stakes high and the series realistic. With that considered, no one is really safe in the current roster of members. Beyond that, however, there have long been rumblings about Taylor Kinney supposedly wanting to end his stint as Severide. His latest entanglements with OFI would be the perfect exit storyline for the character.
Losing Severide will likely be the biggest blow to Chicago Fire. He is the original poster character, not just of his own show, but the whole of One Chicago. He once shared that role with Spencer’s Casey, but now that he’s gone, he solely carries the responsibility. With Chicago Fire season 13 now confirmed, Chief Boden may not have any choice but to bring in more new faces to his group just so they are not undermanned next year.
