“Somebody Is Going To Have To Go”: ‘Chicago Fire’ Showrunner Reveals Hermann’s Chances of Being Chief With Pascal Around

Season 13 of Chicago Fire has been fiery and action-packed in so many ways and that state of affairs seems set to carry on for some time. Previous episodes building up to the Season 13 finale saw Dermot Mulroney arrive as Chief Dom Pascal, the new head of Firehouse 51. The One Chicago crossover and Monica’s death also shook things up. There are suggestions that, ahead of the Season 13 finale of Chicago Fire, which airs tonight on NBC, some familiar faces in Ritter (Daniel Kyri) and Carver (Jake Lockett) would be leaving the show. On the issue of the season finale itself, the episode is poised to feature a shake-up at the very top of Firehouse 51.

Herrmann (David Eigenberg) was always the anointed successor when Commissioner Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) departed in Season 12. Having taken the Captain’s test earlier in Season 13, Hermann is prepared to take the Chief’s test in the Season 13 finale. Given that Firehouse 51 already has a chief, it sets Hermann and Pascal on a collision course, of sorts. Speaking to ScreenRant, Chicago Fire showrunner Andrea Newman addressed how this conflict will play out in the finale and what it means for Hermann’s future at 51. “Yeah, that’s been the dilemma from the beginning,” Newman explains. “Somebody is going to have to go, and that’s the mystery that must be solved. From the beginning of this season, the pressure has been on Herrmann because Boden handed him the crown at the end of last season and said, “You’re the next leader here. You just have to take these tests to get there.”

Is Becoming Chief What Hermann Truly Wants in ‘Chicago Fire’ Season 13?

The return of Boden to Firehouse 51 in an earlier episode helped truly ignite the fuse, pushing Hermann even further towards being named Chief. Boden believes and wants this for Hermann, so does his best friend, Mouch (Christian Stolte), who also has other motivations. Newman goes on to suggest that while others might want this, the season finale episode might be the point wherein Hermann asks himself if this is also what he wants.

“Everybody’s been pushing for it, and Mouch needs it to happen for him to get where he wants. And Pascal comes in and he’s testing him and is pushing Herrmann all the time. And the one person who hasn’t stopped and said, “Should I be doing this?” is Herrmann. So that’s really where we’re at heading into the finale, is him not knowing what to do and wanting to support his best friend. And at the same time, they’ve come to be a family with Pascal as well. It’s not so easy to just say, “Oh yeah. We’ll kick that guy to the curb.” Pascal’s got his problems going on, but Herrmann does too.”

Hermann’s test for chief will loom large during the Season 13 finale, but it won’t be the only matter requiring resolution. How does Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) navigate Natalie’s complicated living situation? And there is the small issue of Pascal’s attempted murder charge regarding Robert Franklin’s accident, the man involved in his wife’s death. The season finale seems all set to be a memorable one.

Tune in to NBC tonight, May 21, to watch the episode. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the series, and watch Chicago Fire on Peacock.