Is there anything One Chicago loves more than its merry-go-round of ships?
Sometimes, it’s hard to say if there is. Over the years, across three different shows, we’ve had plenty of them. And don’t get us wrong, there are many iconic pairings. Hell, we even imagined our own rendition of One Chicago Ship Spinoffs inspired by some of them.
But when it comes to Violet Mikami on Chicago Fire, it’s time they leave well enough alone.
I can’t be the only one who is tired of getting invested in her love stories, right?
She’s a fantastic character, and the series does a decent job of exploring what she has to offer, whether it’s her fieldwork, her ability to connect with patients, or her genuine friendship with her colleagues and nearly everyone at the house.
But Chicago Fire seems insistent on pairing her up with someone. There was nothing wrong with that before, when they’d tease something interesting, build up a strong dynamic, and even deliver on that front.
However, at this juncture, Violet has been in FOUR significant relationships on this show, all of them too tragic, unfathomably short-lived, or boring for viewers, and now it looks like they might just be teasing something with her and Vasquez, too.
WHY?
For one, it seemed like they were going to give us Vasquez and Novak. But then, Chicago Fire also has a frustrating habit of making Novak super flirty with just about everyone she crosses paths with, only to rarely pull the trigger.
At the moment, it seems they’re angling for a Novak and Frost pairing that will potentially give us another crossover franchise relationship between someone on Fire and someone on Med. But honestly, they could probably just skip ahead to the part when Frost and Naomi take the plunge. Please and thank you.
But after Chicago Fire Season 14 Episode 7 gave us all these moments between Violet and Vasquez, including the two of them grabbing drinks together, marking the first real time when Vasquez seems to be connecting with people at the house, it’s evident we have another ship on the horizon.
Not to speak ill of a beautiful and brilliant woman like Violet getting all the attention she deserves, but it’s not only gotten redundant for her as a character; it’s way too similar to how Chicago Fire had Brett jumping in and out of relationships every season, too.
Is there nothing else they can do for these women?
I’m not even trying to shame them for their romances, I’m just trying to understand better why the series spends more time presenting new relationships and flings for Violet than giving us more background about her or simply developing the relationships she’s in when they happen.
It didn’t seem like the series could ever top her tragic romance with Evan Hawkins. They were absolutely perfect, and his death still goes down as one of the series’ most devastating.
We felt that loss right along with Violet, and while it was upsetting that she didn’t get her happy ending with a man who seemed perfect for her, there was at least a certain beauty in how they realistically showed her struggling to open her heart again after that loss.
The romance was endearing, and the aftermath of his death and Violet’s struggle were meaningful.
She wasn’t really ready for a relationship when she was with Flynn Calhoun, and it was also, generally, just a boring dynamic. They didn’t have the same heat and spark that she had with Hawkins, and comparisons were unavoidable.
He mostly became a blip on the radar. The relationship felt like a bust, but one could give them the benefit of the doubt as far as exploring what it’s like for someone to attempt dating again after such a tragic loss.
But then they decided they’d go the friends-to-lovers route with Gallo. On the surface, there was nothing actually wrong with that dynamic. It wasn’t as great as what she had with Hawkins, but it was an upgrade from that entire thing with Flynn.
And that was mainly because the series chose to build it up and actually develop and nurture it via their friendship. They already had an established history from attending the Academy together, and we got to see that dynamic blossom onscreen.
It was a satisfying romance to explore, even if most of the time it felt like we were ultimately watching a one-sided, imbalanced crush. But then it was like Chicago Fire lost interest in the dynamic altogether.
Suddenly, they went from a romantic pairing to just close friends again, and we barely had much exploration as to why things had shifted so drastically. If anyone was a diehard shipper of that pairing, it was like the show pulled the rug from beneath everyone’s feet and never even looked back.
At this point, it becomes a question of whether we should even care anymore about Violet finding love.
Should we if the series treats her love life as if they’re spinning a wheel, seeing where it lands, and then getting bored halfway through and killing off, disappearing, or just dousing cold water on her romance in a few blinks?
By the time Chicago Fire started introducing the idea of Carver and Violet, I was already aggravated and didn’t want to care. What would be the point when it was evident they’d inevitably blow it up or drop it altogether, not respecting the relationship or the viewers they’re asking to invest in it?
However, against my better judgment, the allure and chemistry between the Carver and Violet were too strong. They teased a great romance, finally one that could match what she had with Hawkins, and after her experiences, it felt like it should’ve been permanent, and finally her endgame ship.
Because there was no way on earth they’d fumble yet another relationship at this point, right? Plus, it would be ridiculous to implode Violet’s love life yet again and then start from scratch later — who would even want to invest in her love life ever again at this point?
Ha! Apparently, they’re stuck on a loop when it comes to Violet.
They keep repeating the same things over and over again, teasing us with the possibility of her finding her person and embarking on a stable relationship that could and should hit the following steps, only for them to pull it back again.
The destruction of Violet and Carver was one of Chicago Fire Season 13‘s most egregious offenses, and trust me, there were many!
We needn’t get into how upsetting and frustrating it was that Carver had evolved into one of the series’ best characters in years, only to be suddenly written out as if his story were somehow complete, when that was far from the case.
And with his absence, we lost Violet and Carver’s romance, too.
By NOW, you’d expect them to leave Violet alone, right? But Chicago Fire doesn’t do that.
Instead, because they have limited women as series regulars, they have a bad habit of thinking they’re the only ones worth utilizing for romantic subplots.
Now that Stella and Severide are married, they apparently look to Violet and Violet alone to carry all the new romantic subplots for the show.
So instead of just letting her be a fully evolved character who focuses on her job, friends, and maybe even on hearing and processing all the loss in all its forms in her life, especially her romantic one, they gear her up for another round of falling for another hot guy that may be short-term.
For many of us, especially those still bitter about Carver’s departure, the last thing we wanted or needed to see was Violet flirting and potentially hooking up with Great Value Carver.
Doesn’t Vasquez already scream “replacement” as it is, with his chip on his shoulder, troubled background, insubordination toward Stella, secrecy, and strong jawline?
Do we REALLY need to cement that further by having Violet pair up with him romantically, too?
And after how Chicago Fire has managed to screw up Violet’s FOUR previous relationships, why exactly should we care or invest this time?
Just let Violet stay single, and let’s move on.
