Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) has been a central figure on Chicago Fire for nearly a decade, but details about her past have remained largely a mystery—until now. The second half of Season 13 promises to peel back the layers of Stella’s backstory when a surprising visit from someone in her family shakes things up.
Showrunner Andrea Newman recently teased the storyline in an interview with TV Line:
“Soon into the second half of the season, someone from Kidd’s family shows up in Chicago, and the history that is revealed… leads Kidd and Severide to restart their conversation about what having their own family means to them.”
This unexpected reunion not only brings Stella’s past into focus but also influences her and Kelly Severide’s (Taylor Kinney) ongoing discussions about expanding their family.
Revisiting Stella and Severide’s Family Plans
Family has been a recurring theme for Stella and Severide, with earlier episodes of Season 13 exploring their desire to have children. However, their plans took a backseat following the chaos involving Damon (Michael Bradway), whose presence disrupted both their personal lives and the firehouse dynamic.
As Damon exits the picture, the couple revisits their family discussions, and the reappearance of Stella’s relative forces them to confront unresolved issues. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Newman explained how this storyline delves deeper into their emotional struggles:
“That’s going to be an evolving story too, because we really wanted to explore the idea of how different it is when a male firefighter makes that decision than when a female firefighter does, and how it would affect Kidd so differently than it would affect Severide.
“It’s a conversation for that reason, and also because, emotionally, those guys don’t have great role models in terms of parenting. This half-brother is a reminder of that. They have to work through some issues themselves, not just the procedural stuff at the firehouse, but also in terms of their relationship and their pasts.”
Season 13’s Haunting Theme
The return of someone from Stella’s family is part of a larger theme running through Season 13, where several characters face unresolved elements of their pasts. For Stella, this visit carries significant emotional weight, challenging her views on family and her future with Severide.
As Chicago Fire heads into its midseason premiere on January 8, other characters are also grappling with their histories. The upcoming episode will feature Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) facing lingering consequences from his troubled past, Severide stepping into a new role as an instructor at the fire academy, and Mouch (Christian Stolte) going to great lengths to locate the next of kin for a victim.
Don’t Miss the Midseason Premiere
The second half of Chicago Fire Season 13 premieres Wednesday, January 8, at 9 p.m. on NBC. For fans looking to catch up before the new episodes, past seasons are available for streaming on Peacock. Prepare for a season full of emotional revelations, action-packed rescues, and personal challenges that will redefine the characters we know and love.
