The character is set to make a big professional jump.
All signs pointed to Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). We knew Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) would be stepping down as chief of Firehouse 51, and Severide was the one who held down the position while Boden went on his leave of absence. Surely, he’d be the logical choice to assume the position full time. Right?
Turns out, we were wrong. Chicago Fire decided to pull a fast one, and have Boden offer the title to Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) instead. It was an unexpected move, and one that caught even Herrmann off guard. But did the character actually accept the offer? Is Herrmann going to be the new chief in season 13, or will he pass it off?
Herrmann will not be 51’s new chief
While all signs pointed to Herrmann getting the job, Chicago Fire pulled a bit of a bait-and-switch. The producers for the show announced that the character will not getting promoted, and the role of chief will instead be given to a brand new character: Dom Pascal.
The announcement was made via Deadline, but a specific reason for Herrmann getting looked over has not been revealed. It’s likely that the show will delay the reveal until the season 13 premiere, when Pascal (who has not yet been cast) will be introduced.
The character suffered hearing loss in season 12
This decision puts Herrmann in an interesting place. He’s been at 51 every day for decades, and he knows what it takes to make everything run smoothly. There’s also the matter of Herrmann’s season 12 injury. The premiere episode saw him suffer hearing loss from an explosion, and he transitioned to using a hearing aid.
Herrmann was already getting up there in terms of age, but the hearing injury really cliched the notion that he may be better served giving orders, and making the occasional trek into the field, as opposed to risking his life on a weekly basis. The fact that he will be taking orders from someone knew, instead of dishing orders out himself, will make for an undeniably interesting tension in the new season.
