A new season of Chicago Fire will be coming our way this fall, but when the series returns for its thirteenth season later this year there are going to be more than a few faces missing in action. This isn’t entirely surprising as cast departures are a regular part of the One Chicago franchise with many comings and goings each season of the show.
This year was no different, in fact, there were some of our biggest exits from the show in recent years and perhaps ever!
In season 12, we bid farewell to several longtime members of the cast including one actor who has been with the show from the very beginning, a handful of long-time cast members, and a few newer faces who departed the show before we ever truly got to know them.
As we start to look ahead to the fall and the new season of Chicago Fire, let’s take a look at the seven characters we’re not expecting back for season 13!
Honorable Mention: Eamonn Walker as Wallace Boden
After 12 seasons as part of the series regular cast, Eamonn Walker stepped back as a series regular; however, the good news is that he won’t be stepping away entirely from the show! While we’ll be seeing less of Boden next season after he took on the CFD’s Deputy Commissioner job, it has been announced that Walker is set to recur in the new season!
Kara Killmer as Sylvie Brett
One character we’re not expecting to see back in Chicago Fire season 13 is Sylvie Brett. After a decade on the show, Kara Killmer exited the series early in season 12 via truly one of the greatest exit storylines we’ve seen on the show. Kilimer’s character received a perfect sendoff when Brett left Chicago to move to Oregon after marrying Matt Casey in front of their entire 51 family.
Jesse Spencer as Matt Casey
Just as we’re not expecting the return of Kara Killmer as Sylvie Brett in season 13, we’re also not expecting Jesse Spencer as Matt Casey. While Spencer has returned many times since his initial exit as a series regular from the show, it seems unlikely that he’ll return to the series now that his character’s storyline seems to have been wrapped up quite nicely with Casey and Brett’s wedding coming in season 12. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t surprise us with a return, but we’re not expecting him back
Alberto Rosende as Blake Gallo
One of the most shocking exits to come in season 12 happened at the top of the season when Alberto Rosende stepped away as Black Gallo. After just four seasons on the show, Rosende exited the show in the season 12 premiere to move to Michigan to be with his newly discovered family. While the door is open for Gallo to return, we’re not anticipating he’ll be back next season given his abrupt departure – especially knowing the exit came as a result of Rosende’s decision to leave the series and not a creative decision.
Rome Flynn as Derrick Gibson
When Chicago Fire cast Rome Flynn in the role of Derrick Gibson in season 12, the thought was that he would become a key part of the show – after all, it was revealed that his role was set to be a recurring role with talk of it turning into a series regular role. Unfortunately, Gibson’s time on the show was far shorter than expected with Flynn leaving the series after just a few episodes on the show.
Given Gibson left to seek treatment for a drug addiction that came out of nowhere, it seems likely the writers didn’t think the character we a good fit as the exit felt quite rushed. As such, we don’t expect to see more of the character next season.
Laura Allen as Chief Robinson
While there is a chance we could see Chief Robinson back for the next season of Chicago Fire, we have a gut feeling we’ve seen the last of Laura Allen’s character at least for now. While Chief Robinson served as a foil to 51 and Boden in season 12, now that Boden has landed the CFD’s Deputy Commissioner job over Chief Robinson, we don’t see a point in having her stick around.
Wesam Keesh as Jared Lennox
Speaking of characters we’re not expecting back after their season 12 arc, we’re not anticipating that Wesam Keesh will be back as Jared Lennox next season. Lennox was fired from the CFD and his arc seems to have come to an end with no point in bringing him back for another season.
Melissa Ponzio as Donna Boden
It was absolutely amazing getting to see Melissa Ponzio return as Donna Boden in the season 12 finale; however, we have a strong feeling that we won’t be seeing more of Donna next season. Ponzio’s return as Donna seemed to have been connected to the show’s desire to send off Eamonn Walker’s character with a sendoff fitting of a character who has been part of the show from the start. We’d love more Donna, but knowing we’ll be getting less of Boden next season, it doesn’t seem likely the show will give us more Donna.
