If there is one thing watching fourteen seasons of Chicago Fire has taught us, it’s that you never know when a beloved character’s time on the show might come to an end. Season 14 is actually a perfect example of this.
This current season has seen three major departures with the exits of Jake Lockett as Sam Carver, Daniel Kyri as Darren Ritter, and Michael Bradway as Jack Damon. All three characters exited the show early in the season, which means there is a very real chance that there could be more exits to come as the season continues. We hope this won’t be the case, but there are three particular characters we’re worried we might say goodbye to in the new year.
3. Mouch
The first character on our list is perhaps the most obvious of the group. In the season 14 fall finale, it was revealed that Engine 51 was on a list of rigs to be permanently decommissioned. This means that Mouch is about to be a lieutenant without a rig to command, which isn’t exactly great for his future at 51.
While we’ve seen the CFD budget cuts impact Firehouse 51, we haven’t seen a specific firefighter on the team impacted in a way that jeopardizes their job and future in the CFD. Yes, we lost Carver, Ritter, and Damon this season, but their exits from the firehouse weren’t related to the CFD cuts but rather various other storylines.
If the show wants to really show the gravity of the situation, having a member of the firehouse lose their job would certainly be an impactful way. And with Engine 51 already on the cutting block, we’re worried that Mouch’s time at 51 could be in danger.
2. Van Meter
Another character whose future was left up in the air in the Chicago Fire season 14 fall finale was Van Meter. Van Meter and Severide found themselves trapped in an apartment fire as the episode came to a close with no clear exit.
The promo saw the pair making a makeshift rope using sheets to escape through the window, with the rope being anchored to the bed frame. We see them helping the apartment’s owner escape first as the situation grows more dire, and it’s noted that Severide is seen helping to anchor the line so the man can escape via the window.
We truly don’t believe Severide is in any danger, but we are worried about Van Meter. If Severide was needed to anchor the makeshift rope, so the man could climb down, it seems possible Van Meter could offer to do the same so Severide can get to safety after. Our hope is that all three men will get out of the fire safely, but between the two members of the CFD, Van Meter is certainly the more expendable.
1. Chief Pascal
This final character might be the most unexpected name on the list, but hear me out. When Chief Pascal joined the show in season 13, there was a large expectation that he might just be a temporary figure at 51, a chief coming in to keep the seat warm until Herrmann ascended to the position as was teased in the season 12 finale.
Instead, we watched Herrmann go on a different journey coming to the realization that being chief was not what he wanted. Chief Pascal was then confirmed to be sticking around when Dermot Mulroney inked a deal to return for the season.
Chief Pascal has come a long way since we first met the character, but season 14 has seemed to be paving the way for him to step aside for another member of 51 to rise to a position of leadership. Through the first several episodes of the season, we’ve watched Chief Pascal take Severide under his wing and give him more authority at 51 with Severide stepping in to oversee the day-to-day operations at 51 when Chief Pascal has been needed elsewhere in the CFD with the reduction in the battalion chief headcount.
With Severide’s experience, a rise to the chief position would be a natural progression for the character and we’ve seen he’s more than capable of leading 51. Seeing him take over as chief at 51 would be a great evolution for Severide, keeping him at 51. It would also pave the way for other characters in the show to go through growth of their own as Squad would need a new captain or lieutenant – giving a character such as Cruz the chance to rise through the ranks as well or for the show to even bring in a new character to shake things up.
Whatever the plans might be, we have a feeling Chief Pascal’s time could come to an end in 2026.
