The One Chicago franchise concluded its intense season with a classic trifecta of trauma, tension, and cliffhangers. While Chicago Fire delivered a long-awaited wedding and Chicago P.D. saw the return of a beloved ghost, it was Chicago Med that truly stunned viewers, ending its season on an accusation that left the professional and personal future of one of its newest doctors hanging in the balance.
The question looming over Gaffney Chicago Medical Center is not “Is someone dead?” but rather, “Did Dr. Mitch Ripley commit an assault?”
The Season 9 finale, “I Think I Know You, But Do I Really?”, put Dr. Mitch Ripley (Luke Mitchell) under intense scrutiny after he became the prime suspect in the brutal beating of a patient, marking one of the most unexpected and professionally devastating cliffhangers in the show’s history.
🤯 The Chicago Med Cliffhanger: The Return of Pawel
The entire season had been building tension around Dr. Ripley’s past. A lawsuit had been brought against him by Pawel, the troubled brother of Dr. Daniel Charles’ girlfriend, Liliana. Pawel represented everything Ripley was desperately trying to leave behind: a difficult youth, struggles with impulse control, and the constant fear that his past could destroy his hard-won career.
The Shocking Accusation
In the final moments of the finale, Pawel is brought into the ED, viciously beaten and claiming he was attacked by a masked man with a baseball bat. The true cliffhanger lands when Pawel spots Ripley and immediately points the finger, accusing the doctor of the assault.
The timeline is instantly suspicious: Ripley had just left the hospital for an appointment. When questioned by police in the ED, Ripley—in a move that screamed guilt or, at least, extreme trouble—walked away in silence, not even defending himself. His colleagues, including Dr. Hannah Asher and Maggie Lockwood, were left watching in stunned silence and deep concern.
Is Dr. Ripley Really a Killer?
The episode’s title, “I Think I Know You, But Do I Really?”, perfectly encapsulated the core dilemma. Is Ripley the changed, compassionate doctor Charles and Hannah know, or did his dark past and unchecked impulse control disorder resurface in a moment of rage against the man trying to ruin his life?
The show is masters of the misdirection. While Ripley’s dark history and motive (Pawel’s lawsuit) make him a credible suspect, many fans speculate that the actual attacker could be:
- Robert “Sully” Sullivan: Ripley’s troubled friend, who was earlier seen questioning Ripley about “getting soft” and suggesting a desire for “payback” against Pawel.
- A Frame-Up: Pawel, who has a history of manipulative behavior, could be lying to cause maximum damage to Ripley’s career after their lawsuit was settled.
Regardless of who wielded the bat, the true season-ending question is not about the physical crime, but the destruction of trust. Ripley’s silence and subsequent departure have guaranteed that his career and personal relationships will face unprecedented scrutiny when Season 10 returns.
đź’” Other Major Chicago Med Finales Storylines
While the Ripley drama stole the final scene, the finale was packed with emotional fallout:
- Dr. Crockett Marcel’s Exit: The episode laid the devastating groundwork for Dr. Crockett Marcel’s (Dominic Rains) eventual exit from the series. Marcel was completely shattered by two consecutive tragedies: the death of a young patient who needed a liver transplant and the subsequent suicide of the boy’s father. This trauma brought back the intense, unresolved grief over the death of his own daughter, which he confessed he had never properly mourned. Leaving his future in doubt, the show later confirmed Marcel moved to Boston for a fresh start, a heartbreaking end to his arc.
- Goodwin’s Emotional Ordeal: Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) wrestled with the agonizing decision to place her ex-husband, Bert, in a care facility as his Alzheimer’s worsened. It was a profoundly emotional arc that reinforced her deep sense of responsibility and humanity.
- Archer and Hannah: Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber) and Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) continued to navigate their complicated co-parenting relationship, with tension rising over their disagreements regarding her pregnancy.
🔥 The Rest of One Chicago: Fire and P.D. Updates
The two companion shows offered their own mix of major life changes and explosive returns.
Chicago Fire: The Wedding Bells Ring
Chicago Fire concluded its season on a much brighter note, focusing on a long-awaited commitment:
- Brettsey’s Big Day: The focus was squarely on Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) and Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer). After a period of long-distance and uncertainty, Casey returned to Chicago to propose again, and the finale culminated in their wedding. This provided a massive emotional release for fans who had followed their relationship for years.
- Kidd and Severide: Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) went on a mission to find her husband, Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), who had been frustratingly distant while away at an OFI training camp. The finale saw Kidd taking time off to bring him home, leaving the resolution of their marriage up in the air until the next season.
Chicago P.D.: A Ghost of the Past
Chicago P.D.’s finale delivered a thrilling conclusion to a serial killer case that put Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) in serious danger:
- Voight’s Hallucination: After being abducted by a meticulous killer, a traumatized and injured Voight was on the verge of giving up. In a powerful, emotionally charged sequence, he was visited by the hallucination of his deceased partner, Al Olinsky (Elias Koteas). Olinsky’s ghostly appearance served to motivate Voight, telling him he wasn’t done yet and prompting him to fight back and escape.
- Burzek’s Engagement: The other major personal breakthrough was the re-engagement of Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) and Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger). After years of on-again, off-again drama, the couple finally seemed ready to make their partnership official, giving fans a needed moment of happiness amidst the gritty police work.
âś… Conclusion: A Long Wait for Answers
The One Chicago finales delivered everything fans have come to expect: high emotional stakes, massive personal changes, and a shocking cliffhanger to propel the conversation through the hiatus. While Fire and P.D. provided satisfying, albeit tense, resolutions to their biggest personal arcs, Chicago Med has left the audience with a genuine mystery and a crisis of conscience.
Did Dr. Mitch Ripley, pushed to the edge by his past, actually commit an act of violence? His silence and subsequent departure have guaranteed a fiery start to Chicago Med Season 10 as his colleagues and the police alike search for the truth.
