“Grief Is a Journey”: ‘Chicago Fire’ EP Explains Why They Killed Off

The worst that could happen to Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) happened in Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 15, “Too Close.” Monica Pascal (KaDee Strickland) was involved in a road accident that resulted in her death, totally wrecking Pascal’s world. Since the new chief was introduced, it was established that his relationship with Monica was complicated with very high highs and very low lows. One moment they would be arguing to the point of divorce and the next they’re all over each other. It was a very unstable relationship, but it was the only thing that kept Pascal stable. With that stability gone, Chicago Fire‘s showrunner Andrea Newman told TV Insider that Pascal is about to become unpredictable, which is what they were aiming for. “One of the first things we learned about our new Chief Pascal was that he and Monica had a very complicated relationship,” Newman began. She added:

“The passion is there, the love is there, but there’s some darkness, too. When it comes to Monica, Pascal was willing to cross any lines to protect her. So now that the worst imaginable thing has happened to her, how will he react? Will this bring Pascal closer to the gang at 51, or will he do something that destroys these relationships he’s been working to build? Seeing Dom Pascal pushed to the edge will be a sight to see!”

Dom Pascal Gets Lost In His Grief In ‘Chicago Fire’ Season 13

A sneak peek of Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 16, “In the Rubble,” teases the fallout of Monica’s death as Dom spirals. He lives in denial and looks for someone to blame for her death despite there being no clear-cut answer as to who was responsible for the accident. He zeros in on some guy and vows to destroy him. Pascal’s grief will be explored in coming episodes. “Grief is a journey,” the showrunner said of Pascal’s life post-Monica. “And as much as 51 wants to help Pascal through his grieving, their chief is a man who plays things close to the vest. He’s not about to just let them in, but there will be surprising bonds formed along the way,” she added.

It will be interesting to see how Pascal’s life goes on without Monica and if he will ever heal from that. But whatever happens, it will be a bumpy journey for the character as teased by Episode 18’s plot, in which Boden (Eamonn Walker) reviews a rescue that went south under Pascal’s watch. Tune in to NBC on Wednesdays to see how everything plays out. New episodes return on Wednesday, March 26.

Stay tuned to Collider for further updates.