Sam Carver has seemingly been stuck in the mud during season 13.

Chicago Fire has a lot of characters to juggle. It’s an ensemble drama at the end of the day, and there are going to be times when certain characters suffer due to an emphasis on another character. What is happening with Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) is something else entirely, though.

Carver is still getting plenty of screen time in Chicago Fire season 13, but the character has been saddled by frustrating storylines and repetitive conflicts. The character was introduced as a stubborn and rebellious firefighter in season 11. He had his issues, especially with Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), but it was clear there was a guy struggling to improve underneath the surliness.

Sam Carver has been struggling in the field

Carver became one of Chicago Fire‘s most popular characters in season 12, thanks to his complex relationship with Kidd, and his romantic entanglement with Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith). He still got in trouble on occassion, but there was a sense that he was improving, and become more acclimated to life at Firehouse 51.

Season 13 has been a different story altogether. The firefighter has not only struggled in his personal life, but his professional life as well. He’s rekindled a romance with an ex named Tori, but her influence has resulted in him staying out late and partying on a consistent basis.

For the first time in Carver’s career, his prowess in the field is lacking. The usually excellent firefighter has been hungover and distracted throughout crucial season 13 calls, and Stella Kidd responded to this by sending him home in the middle of a shift.

The character needs to change his lifestyle in 2025

It was a shocking decision, and one that will hopefully lead to him looking in the mirror and taking stock of what’s truly important to him. Tori has had a terrible effect on his life, and the sooner he breaks things off with her, the sooner he will get back on track.

It’s an interesting arc, but Chicago Fire has to be careful heading into 2025. If Carver continues down this path, there’s a chance the fans will turn on him for good. Worse, still, he could never fully recover and be written off the show as a result of his unprofessionalism.

This is not the path we want, or is it the path we expected, for the guy touted by many to be the successor to Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). We sincerely hope the show has a major change up in mind for Carver come 2025, because the character desperately needs it.