A new Chicago Fire season 13 report reveals Wallace Boden's replacement won't be from Firehouse 51. Despite its shorter year, One Chicago made the most of its time with a busy season 12. Unfortunately, it came with many departures from the firehouse for various reasons. However, work continued for Boden and his team, bringing in new people to fill in the void, including the introduction of Benny Severide's son Jack Damon. Sadly, Chicago Fire season 12 ended with arguably the biggest loss in One Chicago as Boden departed the team. As the leader helped with the transition, he chose a more seasoned firefighter in Christopher Hermann.
According to Deadline, however, NBC and Wolf Entertainment are moving away from this plan. Instead, they would bring in a brand-new character tentatively named Dom Pascal for the role. He previously served in Miami, and is "described as a cheerful person who works well under pressure, and whose leadership style differs from Boden’s." Casting is currently underway.
What Boden’s New Firehouse 51 Replacement Means For Chicago Fire Season 13
Firehouse 51 Has A Rocky Future Ahead Of It.
Boded initially eyed Kelly Severide to inherit the role, but realizing that a big part of the job is counseling made him re-evaluate. This changed Boden's mind and resulted in him choosing Hermann over the obvious choice. In any case, it doesn't seem like Severide had any issues with it. The Chicago Fire season 12 finale wasn't able to fully dwell on this because of everything else that was happening, but Hermann being their next house chief should have been a relief for Firehouse 51, considering how much they love him.
It's difficult to argue about Boden's decision in the Chicago Fire season 12 finale, so it's curious why his plan isn't moving forward. Firehouse 51 has seen its fair share of departures, but not having Boden at the top will be the most difficult transition that it has seen because of how great he was in the role. Having someone familiar to replace him would have helped in this regard, but that isn't going to happen anymore. At the very least, it does seem like Pascal is another straight-up guy. Chicago Fire has already reached its quota on bad leaders.
Regardless of the specific details, Firehouse 51 will look very different when it returns for Chicago Fire season 13. Aside from Boden's departure, the fallout from Damon's confession to Severide, his half-brother, will also have some impact on the series. Sam Carver's uncertain fate will also be a factor. While he is expected to return, his recent furlough may change his overall demeanor.
