Chicago Fire season 13 may have stealthily written out a fan-favorite character after a major Firehouse 51 update. It would be an understatement to say that the first-responder procedural has gone through so many changes in the last several years. One Chicago has seen several recent exits, but Firehouse 51 has been the most affected by the losses. Luckily, the Chicago Fire season 13 cast has somehow stabilized, although ensemble rotations for cost-cutting mean that some characters are missing certain episodes. Beyond that, the series hasn’t really experienced any major shake-ups, which is a relief.
That being said, changing personnel is inevitable in procedurals. Some of the longest-running ones have either totally changed its major cast (NCIS) or have lost original characters throughout the years (Law & Order: SVU). Chicago Fire season 13’s latest death, Monica Pascal, the wife of Chief Dom Pascal may not be as hard-hitting as losing Leslie Shay or Otis Zvonecek, but it still moves the show forward. That said, the first-responder procedural may have lost a valuable member of Firehouse 51 after an unexpected plot twist that brings back Jack Damon with the crew.
Jack Damon’s Return To Firehouse 51 Writes Out Kylie In Chicago Fire
Kylie No Longer Has A Saved Spot In Herrmann’s Team
After he is forced out of his latest firehouse, Kelly Severide and Stella Kidd find a way to help Benny Severide’s secret son, Damon, by convincing Chief Pascal to take him back in. For context, Chicago Fire season 13 started with the brothers both working under Firehouse 51, but Damon’s eagerness to prove himself to Severide caused him to make some bad decisions that led to his firing. He seems like a changed man now, and has even made amends with his sister-in-law, whom he tried sabotaging before.
That being said, Damon coming back as part of Engine 51 means that someone will be replaced, and that ends up being Kylie Estevez. She debuted in Chicago Fire season 8, and has recently joined Christopher Herrmann’s team, although it’s confusing why she isn’t always available for their shifts. Regardless, Chief Pascal’s decision to bring Damon back to Firehouse 51 leaves Kylie with virtually no spot. Unless something comes up again with any of the permanent members of the group, this development means there’s no more need for the character to return.
What’s interesting is that Chicago Fire made a big deal out of Kylie joining Firehouse 51. After Chief Pascal fired Damon for purposefully defying orders, Kidd was forced to find someone to replace him in her team. She wanted Kylie, considering their history, especially as a Girls On Fire recruit, but the young firefighter knew that working under her pseudo-sister would cast doubt on her ability. So, Herrmann chose to do a swap, giving Truck 81 Darren Ritter and taking in Kylie. After that, Chicago Fire season 13 has seemingly forgotten about this big break in her story.
Why Chicago Fire Chooses Damon Over Kylie
Not That It Was A Direct Competition
While the situation really isn’t pitting Damon against Kylie, ultimately deciding to keep the former makes sense in the bigger picture for Chicago Fire. Kylie has been in One Chicago for quite a while now, but she has mainly been a recurring character. It’s unclear why the show won’t bring her in as a series regular, even when she was still working directly under Chief Boden. Because of that, she barely has any personal storyline in the series that demands urgent focus from NBC and Wolf Entertainment.
Aside from being Severide’s brother, a dynamic that is very fresh to tackle for the procedural, Damon also has a burgeoning romance with Lizzie Novak.
Meanwhile, he brings a ton of storytelling opportunities for Chicago Fire season 13. Aside from being Severide’s brother, a dynamic that is very fresh to tackle for the procedural, Damon also has a burgeoning romance with Lizzie Novak. One Chicago has seen blood relatives working together temporarily, just like when Jay Halstead would visit Will at Gaffney Medical for a case and vice versa. That being said, the franchise hasn’t really seen brothers working together on the same shift of the same show, and that’s what’s going to happen with Benny Severide’s boys after Damon is reinstated in Firehouse 51.
Beyond that, his rapidly developing relationship with Novak is also something to watch out for. Throughout the years, Chicago Fire has seen its fair share of co-workers being in a tryst with each other — some of them ended up being successful, others, not so much. Regardless, every other love story in Chicago Fire season 13 is in a different stage, including Violet Mikami and Sam Carver’s increasingly complicated dynamic. NBC and Wolf Entertainment recognize the need for a fresh romance, and they can get that with Damon around. Given these, it’s understandable that Chicago Fire would want to keep him over Kylie.
Can Kylie Still Appear In Chicago Fire?
Kylie’s Ties To Firehouse 51 Goes Beyond Being A Firefighter
There is no reason that Kylie can’t come back in Chicago Fire season 13. If anything, it is almost mandatory to explain why she’s easily interchangeable when they went to great lengths to get her to join them. It would also be great to learn why she hasn’t been able to join every shift, even though she’s supposed to be a part of the team. Unless there is an unofficial agreement that she is only a loaner. Regardless, seeing her back again is necessary to explain her real status with Chief Dom Pascal’s team.
Aside from her professional ties with the people at Firehouse 51, Kylie’s personal relationships with Kidd and the rest are also enough reason for her to pop in every once in a while. Even if she really no longer rides with Herrmann and Engine 51, it doesn’t mean that she is no longer welcome to spend time with her unofficial mentors. Maybe she could even join them for some laid-back happy hour at Molly’s.
It’s no secret that Kylie has been severely underutilized, and while this new Damon update leaves her without any reserved spot at Firehouse 51, NBC and Wolf Entertainment can still change things by finding a way to re-incorporate her into their storytelling.
Chicago Fire has had so many interesting characters in its over a decade on the air. Because of the limited screentime and the way the writers wanted to craft its story, some of them never got to even reach their potential before being written out of the series. It’s no secret that Kylie has been severely underutilized, and while this new Damon update leaves her without any reserved spot at Firehouse 51, NBC and Wolf Entertainment can still change things by finding a way to re-incorporate her into their storytelling.
