When the trailer for this week’s episode of Chicago Fire was released, it was abundantly clear that tragedy was around the corner for Firehouse 51. While the preview hinted at it, it only became conclusive after Season 13, Episode 15, “Too Close,” aired on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) loses his wife, Monica (portrayed by KaDee Strickland), to a nasty car accident. Chicago Fire is set to embark on a mini-hiatus, and when the show returns on March 26, audiences will get to see how Pascal is handling this loss. Ahead of the episode titled, “In the Rubble,” NBC has released a sneak peek teasing the state of affairs.
Chief Pascal is Grieving a Tragic Loss
The clip begins with a heartbroken Chief Pascal mourning the passing of his wife in tears. “It’s a terrible thing, what happened. But it wasn’t anyone’s fault,” Pascal is being told in a meeting. However, judging by the look on his face, the fire chief believes otherwise. “He’s getting a little obsessive,” Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) says to her husband, Kelly Severide’s (Taylor Kinney) and in the very next scene, Pascal confronts the man he believes is responsible for Monica’s death. After his fiery outburst, Pascal returns to work, clearly not in the right frame of mind. Dangling from an elevated platform at some point. His state of mind triggers concern, with Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) asking, “If he keeps showing up to work like this. What do we do?”
What has befallen Pascal is truly heart-wrenching, as we were already warmed up to the new chief and his loving partner. The decision by the show to write off Monica will see Chief Pascal become the centerpiece of the show for at least an episode. Something that hasn’t happened until now. Despite the show failing to firmly establish Monica, her demise will like aid or derail Pascal’s job in the Windy City, and only time will tell.
Should Pascal’s grief worsen and he is unable to handle it, it is likely that he will be replaced. With Hermann now eligible to become chief, there exists an internal solution should the need arise. Pascal replaced Eamonn Walker’s Wallace Boden. Since his arrival, it is fair to say he has done a good job. However, Walker is set to return in Season 13, Episode 18, “Post-Mortem,” scheduled to air on Wednesday, April 16. He is “tasked by Commissioner Grissom (Gary Cole) to run a post-incident analysis following a house fire that collapsed with a firefighter inside.” Should Pascal’s situation linger till that point, Walker may have to run yet another post-incident analysis, the difference being this will be on his successor.
Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 16, “In the Rubble” airs in three weeks, Wednesday, March 26 on NBC. Stream past episodes on Peacock in the US.
