Severide Deserved Better: Chicago Fire Shuts Down Its Most Promising Arc in Years

Suddenly, Kelly Severide’s Chicago Fire season 14 story is less exciting after NBC officially undoes the character’s best narrative in years. Throughout its over a decade on the air, Firehouse 51 has led the storytelling for the One Chicago franchise. Amid a lot of changes, however, Taylor Kinney remains at the center of its narrative.

Despite being an ensemble series, Severide is arguably Chicago Fire‘s true lead. So many of his storylines are presented as the major plots that dictate the direction of the show. This has been especially true after fellow original characters like Chief Wallace Boden and Matt Casey left the series.

Coming into Chicago Fire season 14, Severide is looking at the most exciting year ahead of him. This is not only because he and Stella Kidd are expecting their first child, but also because of other developments in his personal life. Sadly, however, one of those narratives is no longer happening after a shocking NBC news.

Jack Damon Is Not Coming Back For Chicago Fire Season 14

Yet Another One Chicago Exit

Ahead of Chicago Fire season 14’s premiere, it has been revealed that Michael Bradway’s Jack Damon is officially exiting the series. Despite being a fairly new addition to Firehouse 51, the character has so much narrative potential because of his personal ties to Severide. Damon is Benny Severide’s secret son, making him the half-brother of Kinney’s character.

Unlike Jake Lockett and Daniel Kyri’s respective departures as Sam Carver and Darren Ritter, which were announced before Chicago Fire season 13 even wrapped, Bradway’s departure is totally unexpected. Damon’s last big story in the first-responder procedural was officially coming back as a regular member of Firehouse 51. Now, however, that set-up is already going nowhere.

Damon Leaving Means All The Build-Up For The Severide Brothers Ultimately Goes To Waste

What’s The Point Of Introducing Damon?

Besides the ridiculous back-and-forth for Benny’s younger son, indicating that Chicago Fire never really figured out what to do with him, what’s more frustrating is that it will never be able to tackle Damon and Severide’s relationship. The NBC project barely gave any proper time to develop their dynamic. Every time things stabilized for them, something came up to disrupt their peace.

Severide’s looming parental journey with Stella is absolutely exciting. As One Chicago’s premier couple, it’s great that something good is heading their way after years of post-marriage struggles. However, this arc isn’t entirely new. Chicago Fire has done a version of it in the past. Meanwhile, seeing brothers work side by side in the same firehouse is a novel concept.

Besides the ridiculous back-and-forth for Benny’s younger son, indicating that Chicago Fire never really figured out what to do with him, what’s more frustrating is that it will never be able to tackle Damon and Severide’s relationship. The NBC project barely gave any proper time to develop their dynamic. Every time things stabilized for them, something came up to disrupt their peace.

Severide’s looming parental journey with Stella is absolutely exciting. As One Chicago’s premier couple, it’s great that something good is heading their way after years of post-marriage struggles. However, this arc isn’t entirely new. Chicago Fire has done a version of it in the past. Meanwhile, seeing brothers work side by side in the same firehouse is a novel concept.