Chicago Fire will always keep us fans on our toes with surprise twists, character exits, and perhaps most importantly, character returns. The synopsis for season 14 episode 11 teased a surprise visitor dropping by Firehouse 51, but we didn’t find out the identity of this visitor until the episode’s trailer dropped. Consider us all shocked when we discovered it’s Sam Carver!
Carver’s comeback to Chicago Fire season 14 was confirmed in the preview that immediately followed episode 10, and dare we say his teased return was far more unexpected than anything that happened in the episode. Naturally, we didn’t see Carver coming back at all this season on the horizon, and now we’re wondering whether he’s returning for an extended arc or simply making one stop.
Jake Lockett returns as Carver in Chicago Fire season 14 episode 11
Based on the synopsis for season 14 episode 11, which is titled “Frostbite Blue,” and the episode trailer that has been released, Carver’s return seems to be reserved for only this one episode. He isn’t mentioned in future synopses following episode 11, and given the uniform he’s wearing in the teaser, he doesn’t seem inclined to make a permanent play for Firehouse 51.
As Carver walks into Firehouse 51 to greet Violet, he’s seen wearing a Denver Fire jacket. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but he’s definitely representing his new firehouse. Lockett departed the series after season 13, which wrote out Carver with a move to Denver. Carver’s departure happened mostly offscreen and occurred due to budget cuts for the series.
Lockett excitedly posted a video of the season 14 episode 11 preview on his Instagram and confirmed his unexpected return to Chicago Fire with fans. It didn’t take long for friends and fans to flood his comment section with an equal amount of excitement. Lockett responded to a number of comments, but the actor didn’t elaborate on details about his comeback.
Carver dropping back into Firehouse 51 couldn’t be more of a welcome surprise, but he will also be stirring the pot for his former flame. Even though Violet was heartbroken that Carver left Chicago for Denver, she eventually started to open herself back up and has gotten closer to Vasuez. With Carver back in the picture, even temporarily, there’s some tension brewing between the three.
It’s obviously unlikely that Carver could pose as a real threat to Violet’s budding relationship with Vasquez since he lives on the other side of the country. But coming back and butting heads with him will cause some friction. It’s unclear exactly what causes this friction — Does Carver think Vasquez isn’t good enough for Violet? Is he just jealous? — but it’s going to be juicy.
Carver’s back for at least one guest appearance , he probably still has feelings for Violet, and he’s wearing a Denver Fire jacket. That’s everything we know right now, but it’s more than we knew going into the season when we thought we would probably never see him again.
While Carver’s likely one-episode return isn’t as long as fans of the character would like, the fact that he’s back at all is a positive sign that the door could remain open in the future. We can always keep our fingers crossed for a longer arc with him in future episodes or seasons (same goes for Damon… we didn’t forget about him either!). Given the high turnaround rate in One Chicago, never say never.
Watch Carver’s comeback on Chicago Fire on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 9/8c on NBC.
