Tears were shed in tonight’s Season 12 finale of NBC’s Chicago Fire as actor Eamonn Walker makes his final appearance as Wallace Boden in a series regular capacity. Just get this out of the way, the tears were for many happy reasons and some sad because of course, change is difficult. But, there’s no other way to celebrate Boden than by honoring the character and his achievements which have earned him legions of fans both on and off screen.
“Eamonn was the first actor cast on Chicago Fire, and we knew once he said yes, that we were off and running. His character Chief Wallace Boden was the undisputed leader of Firehouse 51 and, off-screen, Eamonn has filled the same role with our ensemble cast,” Wolf shared.
This episode will surely stand out as a favorite to many for various reasons. For me, I love that all involved made “Never Say Goodbye” a celebration rather than a tragedy. As with all jobs, people sometimes get new ones, they get a promotion or they seek out other opportunities. And our beloved Boden won’t be far away at all.
Now, let’s break down the episode “Never Say Goodbye.”
While Boden was unsure at various points whether or not he should run for Deputy Commissioner, the answer would reveal itself just when he needed it the most. The team heads out to a structural collapse where they find six construction workers hanging on for dear life from a detached tower. Severide (Taylor Kinney) and Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) help multiple men to safety, leaving only 3 including Berkson, the group’s foreman, who tells Kidd to assist his crew first. Boden volunteers to focus on Berkson, but due to strong winds, the foreman is pushed away from safety before falling into a not fully inflated airbag and partially hitting the pavement.
While Boden visits Berkson in the ICU where he’s unconscious and fighting for his life, the former realizes Berkson’s bravery has inspired him and pushed him to reexamine what makes a leader. Later, he tells his team his plans to officially run for Deputy Commissioner.
Grab your tissues! There has been a lot of speculation as to who is the best person to take over for Boden-we won’t say replaced because nobody can replace him. With many votes coming in hot for Severide (Taylor Kinney), whose interim leadership is definitely something to be proud of, Boden ultimately went with the best person for the job: Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg).
