“Chicago Fire” came to a rip-roaring conclusion in May. Change was the theme of “Never Say Goodbye,” whether that means saying goodbye to some old friends or greeting some brand-new connections between Chi-town’s best and brightest. Fortunately, no one dies as Season 12 comes to a close, but there’s plenty of drama, romance, love and hatred to be slung around by everyone’s gang of fabulous firefighters. While this episode in particular focuses hard on the importance of accepting change, it’s also all about being proud of your accomplishments and having faith in yourself. It also reflects a yearning for family interconnectedness — another long-held theme of the drama at large.
Overall, Season 12 takes Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) and Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) to a fresh paradise on the West Coast. It puts a few lumps and bumps into the smooth marriage between Cruz (Joe Minoso) and Chloe (Kristen Gutoskie). For Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), it means balancing his AFT-related ambitions with his marriage to Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo). And it puts everyone in some form of danger as they dodge explosions, falling concrete, and gas leaks citywide. Let’s delve into the Season 12 finale and find out how the show managed to wrap things up in preparation for Season 13’s debut on September 25.
Boden is moving on up
“Never Say Goodbye” focuses a lot of attention on Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) who decides to leave the squad and block Jude Robinson (Laura Allen) from taking over as deputy commissioner. If Boden’s series-long journey has been all about responsibility and maturity, then his final episode as a regular allows him to finally do something selfish for himself. Yet when he sacrifices his comfortable job, Boden puts himself in a position to make the city greater. He’s spurred on by a fire he tends to early in the episode, where a construction foreman is severely injured after insisting the squad rescue the rest of his team first. The foreman is unable to hold on, despite Boden’s attempt at helping him.
Realizing the bravery of the foreman’s self-sacrifice, Boden knows that the right thing to do is campaign for the seat, even if he feels a strong connection with his team. When Boden is interviewed by Deputy Commissioner Gloria Hill (J. Nicole Brooks), he learns Stella has already put in a good word for him. Encouraged by all of the positive reactions to Boden’s leadership skills, Hill gives Boden the position. It’s a triumph of good over evil — and of Boden over his intense commitment to Engine 51.
Of course, that means he must say goodbye to his crew — a tear-laden prospect that leaves everyone happy for him and sad for Engine 51 at large. In this case, “goodbye” isn’t forever; audiences can expect to see Walker on a recurring basis next season. But Boden’s departure leaves his position as chief wide open — and the Season 12 finale gives a few hints as to what might happen next when the series returns.
Jack has a brother on the squad
Family drama is a major staple of “Chicago Fire,” whether it involves characters finding long-lost mothers or siblings or they’re adopting children of their own. Kelly Severide already has a long-gone half-sister in Brittany Curran’s Katie Nolan. But by the end of “Never Say Goodbye,” he’s gained one more sibling.
This time, newbie Jack Damon (Michael Bradway) turns out to be his relative. In “Never Say Goodbye.” Damon’s violent reaction to the sight of domestic abuse at the scene of a fire threatens to get him kicked off of Stella Kidd’s truck. He and Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) get into a fistfight with a restaurant owner and his older son after discovering they’re both physically abusing the youngest member of their family. It takes a little bit of coaxing to get the truth out of him but he admits to Severide that he experienced similar violence at the hands of his pop, Benny Severide (Treat Williams), in his childhood. Yep, that means Damon and Kelly are half-brothers. And Damon admits that he intentionally joined Engine 51 in the hope of getting closer to and learning more about his brother.
This continues the series-long theme “Chicago Fire” in which a secret sibling has a strong connection to Engine 51. It certainly opens up plot possibilities for Season 13, as fans might see whether or not Kelly accepts his younger half-sibling’s existence. Furthermore, this twist adds a little extra tension to Severide’s already spring-loaded family life.
Stella and Kelly might want to have a baby?
And then there’s that very traditional “Chicago Fire” plot twist, the dramatic addition of a new baby to the lives of an established couple. Sometimes it goes well, as it did for Julia, Brett, and Casey. Sometimes it turns into a disaster, as when Gabbie Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Casey try to adopt Louie earlier in the series. Like Casey before him, Kelly Severide’s familial headaches continue in “Never Say Goodbye” when a new picture of Sylvie Casey’s adopted daughter, Julia, encourages him to open up to his wife about his desire to have a baby.
“I know it’s a huge decision,” he admits. “And, I know, at least at first, it’s an even bigger decision for you […] I know it kind of flew out of my mouth. But I’ve been thinking about it, a lot.”
Kidd is floored by the notion, to say the least, and begs Severide to give her more time to think about the request. Since his confession comes on the heels of both his intense involvement with the ATF and her attempts at advancing her career — including starting a nonprofit organization called Girls on Fire — she doesn’t seem to know what to say. They both end up leaving the subject dangling while they head to the station to celebrate Boden’s new job, but it’s a life change that will presumably be picked up during Season 13. Will they succeed in conceiving? Or will Kidd put off the notion of having a child due to her career ambitions? Time will tell.
Violet and Carver face a potential breakup
Romantic heartache is nothing new to “Chicago Fire” fans. Whether couples break up because they have incompatible missions in life, or they’re wrenched apart by a deadly incident, falling in love never guarantees a happy ending for anyone.
Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) has lived through both kinds of breakups on the show. And she goes through one again in “Never Say Goodbye” with Sam Carver. The nasty rupture occurs thanks to Carver’s insecurities and Mikami’s inability to read into his actions. It all starts when a night over at Mikami’s place makes them both late for work. Carver notes that Mikami still has pictures scattered around her apartment of Evan Hawkins (Jimmy Nicholas), her previous love, who died tragically at the scene of a fire before her very eyes.
After Carver ends up in that aforementioned restaurant brawl with Damon, Mikami thinks he has feelings for Kidd. Carver explains that he actually loves Mikami, but her unresolved emotions regarding Hawkins keep haunting their lives. Kidd ends up explaining to Mikami that Carver’s overreaction at the fire has to do with his own abusive past, which leaves her feeling guilty. Unfortunately, he goes on furlough to clear his head and refuses to pick up her calls.
Carver is clearly dealing with a lot of emotional turmoil, and Mikami’s never-ending attachment to her dead boyfriend is something he has to accept if they want to move forward in their relationship. Season 13 should reveal if they’re done permanently or whether they have a chance to become one of the best couples on “Chicago Fire.”
Who will be the new chief?
The biggest dangling plot thread of Season 12 has to be who will end up taking Wallace Boden’s place as chief, though he himself has a name in mind: Chris Herrmann (David Eigenberg). Hermann has never been one to toot his own horn, so this nod is a huge gesture toward both his growth as a firefighter and a wake-up call that he ought to appreciate his own worth more often. Hermann admits to him that he has no idea if he has the stuff he needs to be chief, and it will naturally require him to take tests to prove he has the mettle. But he seems willing to try as the episode fades out, a huge leap in confidence for a man who’s always been content with the status quo.
Unfortunately, it appears that Herrmann won’t be the one taking over for Boden. NBC has put out a casting call looking to fill the role of the tentatively named Dom Pascal, a Miami native whose blustery ways will be the opposite of their former chief. It remains to be seen if the part is cast and who will end up helming the station during Season 13. Hopefully, this won’t damage Herrmann’s developing confidence.
Herrmann isn’t the only one considering a career advancement. Randy “Mouch” McHolland (Christian Stolte) admits he’s also looking to move up in the ranks, and plans to take the lieutenants’ test. Who will triumph? The September premiere will reveal all.
