Chicago Fire Season 13 Finale Spoilers Ahead
Season 13 hasn’t been the strongest chapter for NBC’s Chicago Fire, and how “It Had to End This Way” ends leaves more up in the air than tied up in a neat little bow. Granted, procedurals seldom give us conclusions that aren’t ambiguous, but it’s still challenging to be satisfied with what we have when we’re thirteen seasons into a show, and a majority of it feels stagnant.
Now, the Chicago Fire Season 13 finale isn’t all bad, even if it’s a bit disjointed and incoherent. More than anything, it’s hard not to wonder if the show will ever feel like the somewhat cozy procedural it once was under Chief Boden’s leadership and without characters going away.
Chicago Fire’s Season 13 Finale Gives Us the Best Stellaride Baby News
There’s no denying that the highlight of Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 22, “It Had to End This Way,” is learning that Stella is pregnant. Because truthfully, they’re the only reason I still watch the show in the first place, so knowing that their future is going to be a little brighter is a necessary balm with all the uncertainties. It also feels right, given that the one consistency in Season 13 has been their means of communicating about their future and what type of family they want to be.
It makes complete sense that Stella’s longtime desire would be to honor her aunt and everything she’s done for her, and it also makes complete sense that adoption agencies would be hesitant, considering the line of work both parents are in. On any other show, this decision could have been a cop-out, but with Chicago Fire, it works because Stella was never against or afraid of getting pregnant, but rather, she wanted a different approach based on her upbringing. And the show has always made that clear to honor Stella’s agency in the matter.
Now, a baby is going to change so much for the two of them, so it’ll be interesting to see how the show handles their arcs in the future. More than anything, I hope there’s a clear understanding here that they’re not only beloved characters, but they’re characters viewers care deeply about. In other words, protect them at all costs! Finally, a big shoutout to Miranda Rae Mayo and Taylor Kinney for delivering one of the most heartfelt final scenes by showcasing a type of joy that’s unparalleled and so fitting for the characters.
What’s Happening to Ritter?
Earlier this spring, Deadline dropped the news that Daniel Kyri and Jake Lockett would no longer be series regulars and that they’d be exiting the series, yet the season has done absolutely nothing to show where Ritter’s going or why.
It’s also profoundly frustrating that if budget cuts are the reason for these exits, then why are we writing off a character who’s not only a Black man in a predominantly white space, but he’s also the only LGBTQ+ character? Ritter barely gets any substantial storylines, so the fact that this is how the series is treating him is extremely irritating. In the year of our lord 2025, characters deserve far more respect in their last few episodes.
Carver and Violet’s Relationship Is Up in the Air
In the same way that Ritter’s exit feels dissatisfying, so does Sam Carver’s. The only difference is that we at least know where Sam might be going, yet where that leaves his relationship with Violet is also a tricky plot point to grapple with. Chicago Fire spends the majority of Season 13 keeping Carver and Violet apart because of her grief and his addiction, and to know that he’s leaving almost makes the episode’s kiss feel less exciting. Now, while there’s certainly something enticing about a couple making it work despite all the odds stacked against them, and there’s a bit of beauty in devastating arcs, it simply doesn’t feel right with the way the season has toyed with them.
Can they last in a long-distance relationship? Sure, Brett and Casey made it work, but in the end, either Carver needs to come back, or Violet has to move to Denver eventually, and I’m not quite sure I want to lose her as a main character. It’s certainly a plus that they didn’t kill Carver off in the same way they killed off Evan Hawkins, but it still feels like there isn’t a clear direction where they want to take the character, which makes it frustrating because the two of them are lovely together.
What Carver and Violet have is real, and it could’ve been something special if their relationship had been approached with a better understanding of what both characters deserve. Still, what we can be sure of is that this time, when the new season opens up, none of them will walk in with someone new in their arms. The love that Sam and Violet have for each other is real, and wherever it goes, moving on won’t happen for a while.
Mouch and Hermann’s Arc Feels Right for Them
“It’s time for you to get your chance, Mouchy.” Can you hear me crying? Hermann and Mouch are two of the most important characters in the show, and the Chicago Fire Season 13 finale makes it abundantly clear that their friendship is one the showrunners value as much as the actors do. Both men have irreplaceable roles in the firehouse, but more than that, they have irreplaceable roles in each other’s lives, and sometimes, that means sacrificing one’s own promotion for the other’s gain.
Every part of this narrative feels earned, thoughtful, and right for both characters. So much so that I wept solely because of the performances Christian Stolte and David Eigenberg delivered as they talked through the upcoming changes in their jobs. Their friendship is a gift that keeps on giving, really and truly.
Pascal still doesn’t feel like the right person to replace Boden. Certain narratives feel disjointed, and how Chicago Fire Season 14 will pan out only time will tell. The only hope now is that the showrunners remember that a large part of this show’s appeal is how Firehouse 51 feels like home, and how they continue playing with that will be what continues to make it special.
Now streaming on Peacock: What are your thoughts on the Chicago Fire Season 12 finale? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©NBC