Chicago Fire season 12 ended with a bombshell. Jack Damon (Michael Bradway), the suspicious 51 upstart, revealed that he’s actually the younger half-brother of everybody’s favorite firefighter, Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). The latter looks absolutely dumbfounded by the news, and the show cuts to black before we get his response.
It definitely alters the dynamic of the two characters, and poses some interesting questions about how Damon wil fit into Firehouse 51 when Chicago Fire returns. The thing is, we’ve effectively seen this twist before. Severide’s dad, Benny (Treat Williams), was an active guy, evidently, which has led to the revelation of a half-sibling as far back as season 2!We’re talking, of course, about Katie Nolan (Brittany Curran). Katie was introduced under similarly misleading circumstances. Severide saw his dad talking with Nolan during the season 2 episode “A Power Move,” and thought the two were romantically involved. It doesn’t take long for Severide to learn that Nolan is actually his half-sister.
Nolan’s presence in the firehouse made it clear that she wanted to develop a relationship with Severide. She tried to cook and help around 51, and she even struck up a romance with the late, great, Otis (Yuri Sardarov). Nolan and Severide had some heart-to-heart conversations, but she ultimately failed to fit in.
In the season 2 episode “Tonight’s the Night,” she tells Severide that she received a job opportunity in New York City. She was reluctant to take it at first, given her romantic situation, and her reluctance to repeat their father’s mistakes, but she ultimately broke things off with Otis and took the plunge.
Chicago Fire has to avoid the same story beats
Nolan attended the funeral of her and Severide’s father in season 7. Fans haven’t heard from or about her since. The decision to repeat this storyline with a little brother who is also a firefighter it not a bad idea inherently, but the Chicago Fire writers have to be careful.
If they mishandle the Jack Damon arc, or decide to ditch it halfway through season 13, then it will be a tired rehash of the Katie Nolan arc. If they decide to flesh it out, and make Damon a more permanent fixture at 51, then we could be looking at an invaluable addition to the show.
Both Severide and Damon have struggled with familial stability, and the idea that they could give it to each other is poetic. Who knows, maybe Nolan will drop by for a family reunion.
