One Chicago isn’t new to cast changes. As sad as it is to say goodbye to some fan-favorites over the years, their departures paved the way for the arrival of new characters. This allows NBC and Wolf Entertainment to keep the franchise fresh and intriguing after more than a decade on the air. That being said, Chicago Fire needs stability the most at this point. Losing Boden was massive, and the focus should be establishing Pascal as a different but capable leader. The show will have a difficult time doing that if it’s always on the brink of losing someone.
Had he taken the said test, he wouldn’t have had any choice but to leave his current team. Otherwise, he would be overqualified for his post. The idea of wanting to get promoted came up after Cruz temporarily took over Severide’s position, as Stella Kidd’s husband went out of town for his OFI training camp in Chicago Fire season 11. Feeling underappreciated and disrespected by his superior once he came back, Cruz decided he wanted to be a proper lieutenant, even though that meant leaving Firehouse 51. Once his and Severide’s conflict was resolved, however, he chose to stay put.