Severide Was Boden’s Replacement on Firehouse 51, But Chicago Fire Season 12 Finale Changed It (Why?)
Head of the show Wallace Boden was set to pick Kelly Severide as his replacement on Firehouse 5, but that changed in the Chicago Fire Season 12 finale. Drowning in the loss of so many characters, One Chicago has weathered a lot of losses over the years. Thanks to the ensemble shows, it’s not impossible to continue despite some major departures. However, Eammon Walker’s departure from Chicago Fire is definitely one of their biggest departures to date. Aside from being an original cast member, the first actor to be cast in Dick Wolf’s extended projects, he was also the fearless leader of Firehouse 51.
Despite a significantly shorter season, One Chicago delivered a great end to the year. Firehouse 51 has had some major shocks, including the revelation that Jack Damon is Benny Severide’s son. There’s also Sam Carver’s emotional confession of love to Violet Mikami. Of all the things, Boden’s departure might be its biggest plot twist. While his departure from Firehouse 51 wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, considering he was moving on to lead the entire Chicago Fire Department, it left his former team in disarray, especially when he left office. Instead of going the expected route, however, Boden chose Christopher Hermann as his successor. Boden left office before the election, with Severide taking his place as the top officer. At the beginning of Chicago Fire’s season 12 finale, Boden asked Lieutenant Commander 3 what he thought of that. While Severide says that’s fine, he adds that he didn’t realize that a large part of Boden’s job is mentoring, in addition to paperwork. He then compliments Hermann for taking over the mentoring part, saying that the Commanding Officer of Engine 51 has a knack for it. At this point, it seems like something clicked in Boden’s head.
Considering Severide’s role in Boden’s absence, he was perfectly positioned to take on the role given the circumstances. Boden choosing him shows that he sees Severide as a worthy successor. However, when Stella Kidd’s husband points out the importance of mentoring and it seems like he doesn’t really excel in it, Boden realizes that Hermann is better suited to step in and become the next leader of Firehouse 51.
In the end, Hermann is better suited to replace Boden in season 13 of Chicago Fire. As Severide points out, a big part of the role is helping people work through their personal and professional issues—something Hermann excels at, both at Firehouse 51 and as Molly’s owner. His years of service also equip him with the skills necessary to deal with any political issues, which come up frequently. It’s also worth noting that Hermann has been a more consistent presence at Firehouse 51 than Severide, especially over the last year.
