In just three episodes, Chief Dom Pascal fired Jack Damon on Chicago Fire season 13, and while I think it was the right decision, I have two issues with it. Like the rest of One Chicago, Firehouse 51 has gone through a lot of changes over the past year. Despite its relatively short run due to two Hollywood strikes in 2023, the team has experienced a number of departures. Admittedly, I was sad to see so many long-time characters leave, like Blake Gallo, Sylvie Brett, and Chief Wallace Boden, but it has made for some interesting changes to the Chicago Fire season 13 cast.
The newest additions to Firehouse 51 happen to be key players in the plot of Chicago Fire season 13, episode 3, “All Kinds Of Crazy.” After the conflict created by Benny Severide’s son, Jack Damon, between his half-brother, Kelly Severide, and his wife, Stella Kidd, things got a lot more complicated when they were forced to continue working together. I think it was a natural way to create tension in the couple’s marriage rather than causing a rift over having children. However, the story ended when Kidd confessed the truth about Damon to Dom Pascal.
While I was skeptical of Dom Pascal replacing Chief Boden, I do admit that he did the right thing by firing Damon in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 3. However, that moment was as simple as him initially thinking of firing Kidd, believing that she was the reason so many members of Truck 81 quit. While that may seem like the case, given the team’s history under her supervision, I also believe that his choice was partly because he didn’t want Kidd and Severide working together on the same shift.
Officially, Pascal firing Damon was a good thing for Firehouse 51 because of his attitude towards work, but personally, not having him around would alleviate potential problems for Severide and Kidd.
Fortunately, before Pascal could officially write Kidd a transfer, he learned the truth about Damon. Getting rid of Severide’s brother was ultimately the right decision, especially after seeing him change drastically in the last few episodes of Chicago Fire season 13. Not only was he reckless and disobedient, but he also didn’t cause trouble for his brother and sister-in-law. Officially, Pascal firing Damon was a good thing for Firehouse 51 because of his attitude towards work, but personally, not having him around would alleviate potential problems for Severide and Kidd.
Aside from getting rid of Damon and preventing any problems he might cause, I also appreciated that Chicago Fire season 13, episode 3 gave us a better understanding of Pascal’s leadership style. He had such a terrible debut, and it’s still going to be a while before he and the rest of Firehouse 51 can truly trust each other. However, seeing him change his mind made me realize that, despite his harsh demeanor, at least we can always count on him to be fair.
Overall, Damon’s firing was great for Chicago Fire. That said, I have a few issues with the fallout. First, losing Damon means Kidd will have to go through a rigorous process to find a new hire for Truck 81. Since Gallo left in Chicago Fire season 12, the team has had a few replacements who eventually left.
Gibson’s evolving relationship with Sam Carver was also interesting…
Before Damon, there was Derrick Gibson, who seemed to be settling in until his surprise exit. Personally, I liked Gibson. He was interesting and I felt Chicago Fire could have spent more time exploring his background. Gibson’s evolving relationship with Sam Carver was also interesting to me. Sadly, before One Chicago could do anything substantial with the character, he decided to leave to deal with some personal issues.
However, beyond Truck 81, Chicago Fire season 13 needed some stability, especially after some major cast departures over the past few years. While the show is largely about weekly fires, its main appeal is its characters and their chemistry. Sadly, it’s hard for the ensemble to stay together when there’s a door that keeps changing players. I’m all for changing things up to keep things fresh, but not when it happens every few months.
