Chicago Fire season 13, episode 9, “A Favor,” left Joe Cruz’s (Joe Miñoso) future fate up in the air, leading to speculation that Cruz may be leaving the firefighter-centric series. Cruz’s dilemma began in the fall finale when Junior Polanco (Richard Cabral) confronted him. Polanco was the cousin of a gang member who died in a fire back in season 1, and one thing to remember about the Chicago Fire fall finale was that Polanco left bullet casings in the firehouse as part of his revenge plan.
“A Favor” includes an intense sequence of events that prove that Chicago Fire is the best One Chicago show. In order to avoid Severide investigating what happened with that long ago fire, Cruz reluctantly goes along with Polanco’s plan to rob Firehouse 51, but tries to back out halfway through — which Polanco won’t allow him to do. Ultimately, Cruz is shot during the robbery, and while he escapes with only minor injuries, he leaves blood behind that could easily prove his involvement in the break-in.
Why Joe Cruz’s Time In Firehouse 51 May Be Ending
Forensic Evidence Proves He Committed At Least One Crime
Cruz is in huge trouble, and it’s unclear how he can get out of it short of resigning from Firehouse 51 in exchange for charges not being filed against him. Blood and other forensic evidence prove he was at the scene of the robbery, which means that he’ll be lucky if he is only fired and not arrested. His best defense is to explain that he was acting under duress, but doing so would require confessing to letting someone die in a fire years ago, which would get him in trouble for an even worse crime.
Cruz could potentially make up a story that gets him off the hook for now, but the truth will come out eventually if he does, and while Palanco is dead, Cruz could potentially open himself to other blackmail if he tries to keep things under wraps. Confessing everything to Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) is risky, but might be his best option for getting out of the mess he’s found himself in. However, considering how intent Pascal is on running a tight ship, it’s unlikely he would allow Cruz to continue working for Firehouse 51.
Is Joe Miñoso Really Leaving Chicago Fire?
He Will Be Here For The Foreseeable Future, But There’s No Telling Where This Story Will End Up
Although things look bad for Cruz, he won’t be written out immediately. Chicago Fire’s Joe Miñoso confirms that Cruz will continue to cover things up in episode 10; thus, this story will likely go on for the rest of the season. However, it’s unclear whether Miñoso will remain part of the Chicago Fire cast for season 14; the story could ultimately end with his lies being uncovered and him leaving Firehouse 51 in disgrace.
Cruz’s actions may have painted the character into a corner, as it is difficult to imagine a way out of this dilemma for him that doesn’t involve serious consequences for the crimes he has committed.
It would be shocking for Cruz to leave Chicago Fire, as he has been with the series since the beginning. He is also recognizable to the part of the audience who only tunes in for One Chicago crossovers, as he is usually prominent in these stories. However, Cruz’s actions may have painted the character into a corner, as it is difficult to imagine a way out of this dilemma for him that doesn’t involve serious consequences for the crimes he has committed.
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