It hasn’t happened yet.
Carver’s still here — fresh out of rehab, stepping back into Firehouse 51 with more baggage than ever and a fighting chance at redemption. But according to Deadline, Jake Lockett is out at the end of Chicago Fire Season 13.
And if that’s true? Then Chicago Fire is about to make a massive mistake. Because Carver isn’t just another character, he’s one of the best arcs this show has had in years.
He didn’t come in likable. He didn’t come in polished.
He came in with friction — rough edges, guarded posture, and a whole lot of something simmering under the surface — and that’s what made him work.
Over the course of two seasons, we saw that armor crack.
We saw what guilt looks like. We saw what pain does when you don’t talk about it.
We watched him spiral — and then make the quiet, powerful choice to get help.
That kind of growth doesn’t come easily.
The writers had to work for it, and the audience had to work for it. And just when it finally clicked — when viewers were fully invested — are they going to rip him away?
It makes no sense.
Carver wasn’t just connecting with the fans emotionally — he was driving traffic and viewership. Our editorial on his redemption arc brought in some of the highest numbers we’ve seen all season.
People care about this character. His struggles feel honest. His presence shakes up the house in a way the show needs right now.
And let’s be real — the show needs something. Over the last few years, Chicago Fire has quietly lost a long list of key players.
Some got send-offs, and others just faded out. While it’s easy to chalk it up to natural turnover, the reality is budget-related.
They simply can’t afford to keep everyone, so they rotate leads in and out — sometimes mid-arc — and hope fans will keep showing up.
But fans aren’t fools.
We notice when the emotional payoff disappears. We notice when the people we’re rooting for suddenly vanish.
And we definitely notice when a character we finally accepted — after a rough start and a long road to redemption — gets written off just as things are getting good.
Carver’s return from rehab on Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 18 isn’t the end of his story. It’s the beginning of a whole new chapter.
How does he reintegrate? What does healing look like after everything he’s been through? Where do things really stand with Violet? And can they really take away another of her love interests?
None of those questions have been answered — and now they may never be.
If this exit happens, it won’t just be poorly timed. It’ll be wasteful.
And it raises a bigger question: if the show can no longer afford to hold onto its core cast, what are we even watching for?
Dermot Mulroney has been a fantastic addition this season as Chief Dom Pascal. New energy is great — and necessary — for a long-running show.
But if you’re bringing in fresh blood while simultaneously pushing out developed, deeply rooted characters like Carver, what’s the long-term strategy here?
Cycling through actors isn’t a sign of creative evolution; it’s a sign of a show on life support.
And maybe it’s time to ask the hard question: should Chicago Fire be renewed at all if the cast we care about is too expensive to keep?
Carver was a sign that the show could still surprise us. It could still tell meaningful, messy, character-driven stories. It could still make us feel something beyond the usual structure of the call-of-the-week.
He was proof that Chicago Fire had more in the tank.
But if they let him go now — after all this emotional investment, all this growth — then they’re sending a message loud and clear: storytelling comes second.
And Carver’s not the only one. Darren Ritter is reportedly on his way out, too. His storyline pretty much ended the moment Blake Gallo left, and it never really picked back up.
Whether that was due to behind-the-scenes decisions or simply a lack of direction, the result was the same — a once-promising character left lingering in the background.
It’s a shame for both Daniel Kyri and the fans who’ve followed Ritter since Chicago Fire Season 7.
But unlike Carver, who has been front and center all season long, Ritter’s exit, while disappointing, sadly makes more sense.
Carver’s doesn’t. He mattered.
And for a series that’s always been about loyalty, brotherhood, and the people who show up when it matters most… that’s a pretty brutal contradiction.
Are you with me on this, or are you okay with losing Carver, who is relatively new, if it means Chicago Fire continues?
And if we do lose Carver and Darren Ritter with him, can we possibly become invested in new characters as they weave their way into and out of the OneChicago canvas?
Do your thing below. Tell me what’s on your mind. Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.
