Chicago Fire is a dangerous series. The characters who make up the ensemble cast put their lives on the line on a weekly basis. The drama comes from their interpersonal relationships, sure, but there’s always the threat that a dangerous blaze can roll through and take a beloved firefighter out.
Such was the case with Brian “Otis” Zvonecek (Yuri Sardarov). The character held down the crucial role of Firehouse 51 comic relief during Chicago Fire‘s first eight seasons. It’s ironic, then, that Otis’ death would prove to be one of the most heartbreaking and tragic moments in series history. Here’s a recap of what happened to Otis during his fateful final episode.
What really happened to Otis on Chicago Fire?
Otis and the rest of Firehouse 51 responded to a fire at a mattress factory in the season 7 finale. The fire quickly spun out of control, however, leading to some tough split decisions having to be made. Otis made one such decision. The character decided to slam a metal door shut within the factory, thus protecting the rest of the team from an infernal backdraft.
In doing so, however, Otis was hit full blast with the chemical explosion. The season ended with the character’s fate being left unclear, but the season 8 premiere confirmed what we are all afraid of: he was gone. Otis died as a result of the injuries he suffered from the explosion. His best friend, Cruz (Joe Minoso), sat with him in the hospital in his final moments.
Otis’ death was a bitter pill to swallow for fans, but Chicago Fire has continued to pay tribute to his memory. Cruz welcomed a son in the jam-packed season 10 episode “Two Hundred,” and named him Brian Leon “Otis” Cruz after his late peer.
Why did Chicago Fire kill Otis off?
Otis’ death shocked fans because he was the sort of character who was supposed to balance out the tragedies. Yuri Sardarov was approached by Chicago Fire showrunners prior to the season 7 finale, and ultimately won over by the notion of killing his character off because it would keep the fans on their toes moving forward.
The actor recounted the thought process behind Otis’ death during a 2019 interview with Tell Tale TV:
What better way to do that than to kill someone so beloved and someone so warm and sweet and funny? I think in many ways, Otis is the one character that people don’t expect to die.
He wasn’t wrong. Otis’ death is arguably the most shocking in the history of the entire One Chicago franchise, Chicago Med and PD included. It was a bold move on the part of everybody involved, but the fact that we’re still talking about it five years later suggests they did something wrong.