Chicago Fire showrunner Andrea Newman has teased how there will be fallout from season 12's Severide (Taylor Knney) and Damon (Michael Bradway) cliffhanger, indicating a complex relationship moving forward. At the end of the previous batch of episodes, Chicago Fire season 12 revealed Severide and Damon are brothers, with Benny Severide (Treat Williams) confirmed to be their father. This came from a confession from Damon, potentially bringing up the old complicated relationship Severide had with his now-deceased dad. It also sets the stage as something they'll both need to wrestle with in season 13.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Newman explained the fallout from Damon's revelation to Severide about them being brothers in Chicago Fire season 13. The showrunner explains how the news will bring the Lieutenant back to his past, having him explore his relationship with his father and family through a new lens. She also hints at events transpiring between the pair in early episodes, meaning it won't be too long a wait to see how the news impacts them. Check out what Newman had to say below:
We kept feeling like this is haunted season 13. It's kind of like people's past ghosts coming back. That's very true for Severide, where he's worked really hard to put his father in the rearview mirror and become his own firefighter. So to suddenly have Benny's son, his half-brother, appear in his life, it makes him have to re-explore all of that stuff. So it brings up a lot for Severide and that relationship is complicated and juicy and there's lots of stuff that will play out between the two of them early on.
What Severide & Damon's Parentage Means For Chicago Fire Season 13
The Newfound Brothers Will Have To Reckon With The Past
Severide had a complicated relationship with his father, something made all the more tense because of his relationships with different women outside his original marriage. This includes a revelation in season 2 where the Lieutenant learned he had a half-sister, Katie Nolan (Brittany Curran), who he later confronted his father about. Benny ended up dying in season 7 of a stroke, a loss he had to suffer with for quite some time. Now, it seems Chicago Fire season 13 will be opening these old wounds with Damon's revelation.
In addition to Severide learning about his new half-brother, season 13 will also be focusing on the replacement for Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker), Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney), who will be introduced in the season premiere. This change in leadership, coupled with his family now expanding, means the Lieutenant will have a lot to deal with emotionally as the season begins. Despite this, though, it seems like he'll be able to weather the storm, potentially with Damon as an ally, understanding the hardship the reveal may put him through.
Our Take On Severide & Damon's Storyline In Chicago Fire Season 13
They Could Grow Closer Or Farther Apart
While Severide and Damon could grow closer due to their shared father, the fact the newcomer kept the secret for so long means a wall of mistrust could come up between them. However, with the latter wanting to have a genuine friendship with his half-brother, that wall might not stay up for very long. Even though it will be difficult for the core character to reckon with this new element of his past, Chicago Fire season 13's focus on it could help him better come to terms with his newfound family.