Who Really Killed Franklin? ‘Chicago Fire’ Ends Season 13 With a Stunning Reveal

The Chicago Fire Season 13’s penultimate episode, “The Bad Guy,” opened the door for the changes we have been expecting for months on the show heading into its 14th season. The shocking entry saw Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) taken in for the attempted murder of Robert Franklin (Matthew Collins), the man who unintentionally killed his wife, and potentially taking Severide (Taylor Kinney) down with him. “The Bad Guy” frames Pascal’s exit as clearing the way for Herrmann (David Eigenberg) to become chief of Firehouse 51, Severide and Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) to take in Natalie (Ava Torres), and Violet (Hanako Greensmith) to potentially leave to be with Carver (Jake Lockett). The Season 13 finale, “It Had to End This Way,” turns all of that upside down, a legitimately surprising finale that eases the chaos heading into next year.

The ‘Chicago Fire’ Season 13 Finale Clears Up the Chief Conundrum
The finale picks up moments after “The Bad Guy,” with Chief Pascal being questioned by the police. He’s not under arrest, yet, but there’s a mountain of evidence against him and little in the way of defense. He’s going to need a good lawyer (too bad Chicago Justice died so quickly). As that proceeds, Van Meter (Tim Hopper) confronts Severide about not disclosing what he knew about Pascal, and makes it clear that if Pascal goes down, he’s going down with him (which his glare at the end of “The Bad Guy” pretty much made clear). After their respective dressing downs, Severide tells Pascal that he may have a witness in Lieutenant Vale (Phil Donlon), but it won’t be enough. They need more.

Severide goes to see Bishop (Keith Kupferer) in prison, the former Captain of the Illinois State Troopers that Severide got put away (with a little “help” from Pascal). Bishop has had a change of heart about Pascal (he still loathes him, but doesn’t believe he had anything to do with Franklin’s accident) and believes Hendricks framed him. Severide pushes Bishop to admit he called Hendricks after being put away, and suggests that if he cooperates, Severide might be able to get him a deal. Bishop buys in and offers up the information, which Severide hopes can be used to find something that clears Pascal.

There’s nothing. In fact, Hendricks hasn’t made a call in months as he’s dealing with cancer, which means that it’s improbable he had anything to do with the incident. Pascal picks up Monica’s phone, which he hasn’t looked at in ages, and notices something.

At the same time, Van Meter told Severide that the case is what it is. A firefighter did the job, and Pascal was the only one with a motive. That triggers a revelation for Severide, who says that maybe they’re looking at the wrong firefighter. What Pascal saw were dozens of texts to Monica (KaDee Strickland) from Vale — texts which confirmed he had an obsession with her — and when confronted, Vale told Pascal that he “did what Pascal didn’t have the courage to do himself”: kill Franklin in retribution. The police arrive to arrest Vale, after Severide finds the evidence that clears Pascal, and he’s back as chief.

‘Chicago Fire’s Season 13 Finale Throws Curveballs

With Pascal cleared and back at his post, that puts an end to the presumption that Herrmann will take over as the Firehouse 51 chief. So, does he still take the chief’s test and get transferred, or is that tension between him and Pascal heating up heading into Season 14? As it turns out, neither. Herrmann has always been hesitant about the chief position, and the pressure to take on the responsibility isn’t one he seemed to welcome. So the fan-favorite character, finally, makes a definitive stand and declines to pursue the chief position.

Not only that, but he’s also decided to step down from the lieutenant position, taking the emotion and clearing the path for his long-time friend Mouch (Christian Stolte) to step in. It may not be the most popular, but it is the right decision for the show. Herrmann never wanted the responsibility. He’s always made it clear he wants to be on the front lines, fighting alongside the team, rather than watching from afar. Mouch wants that responsibility. He assumed the only way to get it was for Herrmann to move up, but this way he becomes a lieutenant while Herrmann gets what he wants. What will be interesting is how Mouch and Pascal get along moving forward, with that dynamic one to watch next season.

Violet, meanwhile, gives Carver, who is back after a two-episode absence, the letter she wrote him, which lays out her feelings for him. The next day, Violet asks why he hasn’t said anything about the letter, only for him to reveal that he’s leaving Chicago (ah, there’s the exit plan), having put in an application with the Denver Fire Department. It’s become too hard to maintain his sobriety here, and a change of scenery is necessary for him to maintain it. Okay, so that effectively ends the relationship there… or does it? In the closing moments, Carver shows up at Violet’s door, and they share a deep kiss, throwing out “I love you” phrases like they were candy. That explains Carver’s absence for next year (still nothing about how Daniel Kyri‘s Ritter exits the show), but does strengthen the possibility of Violet going with him.

That leaves Kidd and Natalie. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Kidd and Severide would be taking Natalie in at the end of “The Bad Guy,” but “It Had to End This Way” puts a fascinating spin on that. Natalie’s sister Julia (Erica Mendez) never wanted to abandon her sister, but the weight of trying to raise Natalie while keeping her own life on track is simply too much. Kidd assures Julia that her intent was never to take Natalie away from her.

Cue the curveball, as Kidd doesn’t just offer to take Natalie in, but Julia as well, bringing the number of people in the home from two to five. No, it’s not bad math. One narrative that will be a primary focus in Chicago Fire’s Season 14 is that fifth, with the news that a Stellaride baby is coming. Not only is that exciting news, but it also means that next fall will see two of the One Chicago shows have a pregnancy storyline, the other being Dr. Asher’s (Jessy Schram) on Chicago Med. Step it up, Burzek.