Even though Taylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide is arguably the face of Chicago Fire, he is nowhere to be seen in season 13, episode 8, which doubles as the show’s fall finale. The NBC procedural drama TV series revolves around the firefighters and paramedics who work at Firehouse 51 in Chicago, Illinois, and Severide is one of the lieutenants. He has been in charge of Rescue Squad 3 since the beginning, making Kinney one of the longest-tenured members of the Chicago Fire cast. However, the actor is mysteriously missing in the show’s last episode of 2024.
The Chicago Fire season 13 premiere showed the fallout from the cliffhanger of Severide learning that Jack Damon is his half-brother. Severide and Damon seemed to be getting along well until Damon disobeyed Stella Kidd’s direct orders during a call and later lied about it. So, Severide’s story at the beginning of season 13 centered around having to choose between his brother and his wife. Ultimately, Severide told Stella the truth, leading to a fight between him and Damon. The two brothers resolved that problem and now, Severide’s Chicago Fire season 13 arc has (unsurprisingly) circled back to arson investigation.
Severide Is Working On An Arson Case During Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 8
Cruz & Stella Mention Severide’s Whereabouts
In one of Chicago Fire season 13, episode 8’s early scenes, Joe Cruz briefly mentions that Severide has a “fire inspection boondoggle in Michigan.” Then, towards the end of the fall finale, Violet Mikami asks Stella how Severide is doing in Michigan, and Stella reveals that her husband is coming home earlier than expected. Still, Severide never appears in “Quicksand.” It seems as though the Chicago Fire season 13 episode and Firehouse 51 just miss him as he is set to return the day after the events of the fall finale.
Severide has become more invested in arson investigation cases in recent seasons. So, the reasoning behind the Chicago Fire season 13 character’s absence in episode 8 makes sense. However, that doesn’t make Severide’s missing status in “Quicksand” less jarring. He is one of the NBC procedural drama’s main characters, after all, and it’s odd that Kinney wouldn’t appear in the Chicago Fire season 13 fall finale.
When Severide Returns In Chicago Fire Season 13
Severide Can Be Seen In The Winter Premiere’s Trailer
The good news is that Chicago Fire season 13 is bringing back Severide when the series returns in 2025. Chicago Fire season 13, episode 9’s promo doesn’t reveal too much about the upcoming hour. The trailer just shows clips of the characters in action and Chief Dom Pascal uncharacteristically complimenting Firehouse 51’s firefighters. However, the video does feature Taylor Kinney, meaning that fans won’t have to wait too long to see Severide back in action in the series.
Perhaps [Taylor] Kinney isn’t in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 8 because of budget concerns and has nothing to do with the actor wanting to leave the One Chicago series.
Severide’s next story will likely revolve around investigating arson cases, given the last few Chicago Fire season 13 episodes. He teamed up with Pascal to take down a corrupt law enforcement officer in episodes 6 and 7. Then, Severide was absent during the fall finale because he was working on a Michigan arson case. Consequently, it stands to reason that Severide will continue exploring a career in fire investigation when Chicago Fire season 13 returns in the midseason. The possibility of starting a family with Stella was also teased in the premiere, meaning the show might circle back to that potential development in 2025.
Is Taylor Kinney Leaving Chicago Fire?
NBC Hasn’t Announced Kinney’s Exit
In the past couple of seasons, Severide has been missing from quite a few episodes, leading some to speculate that Taylor Kinney is leaving Chicago Fire. However, neither Kinney nor NBC has shared any plans for the actor to exit the series. Unless stated otherwise, Severide is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
| Chicago Fire Season 13 Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Taylor Kinney | Kelly Severide |
| Miranda Rae Mayo | Stella Kidd |
| David Eigenberg | Christopher Herrmann |
| Christian Stolte | Randall “Mouch” McHolland |
| Joe Minoso | Joe Cruz |
| Daniel Kyri | Darren Ritter |
| Hanako Greensmith | Violet Mikami |
| Jocelyn Hudon | Lyla “Lizzie” Novak |
| Dermot Mulroney | Dom Pascal |
| Jake Lockett | Sam Carver |
| Michael Bradway | Jack Damon |
| Katelynn Shennett | Kylie Estevez |
Kinney’s absence in the fall finale might be for the same reason why Herrmann was missing in a couple of Chicago Fire season 13 episodes. Networks are trying to cut costs, and the easiest way to do that is to limit the number of episodes for cast members. Perhaps Kinney isn’t in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 8 because of budget concerns and has nothing to do with the actor wanting to leave the One Chicago series.
