Is Kelly Severide leaving ‘Chicago Fire?’

Taylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide is, to many, the face of Chicago Fire. He gave the show its identity during its first couple of seasons as the reckless yin to the controlled yang of Jesse Spencer’s Matt Casey. Severide is such a major part of Chicago Fire that it’s hard to imagine the show without it. So is he leaving?

The last few seasons have been touch and go for the character. Taylor Kinney took a leave of absence from Chicago Fire, which caused him to miss a huge chunk of season 11. The show is in the midst of its thirteenth season, though, and some may be curious as to whether the veteran Severide plans to stick around. Especially in light of recent firehouse issues.

Why did Severide leave Chicago Fire in season 11?

It’s important to address how Severide was written off the show in season 11, so that we can better determine if it will be an ongoing issue in season 13. Severide decided to leave Chicago so that he could join an arson investigation program.

He was only supposed to be gone for a few months, but his wife, Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), discovered that the firefighter had already completed his training, and decided to travel with the ATF to work on an investigation. It wasn’t a good look, but thankfully, Severide was back in full swing come the start of season 12.

The firefighter was a steady presence throughout season 12, and he seems to be content with the next chapter of his career playing out at Firehouse 51 alongside his wife and his newly discovered half brother, Jack Damon (Michael Bradway). Well, until a conflict of interest arose in the season 13 episode

Will Severide be fired in season 13?

It turns out that Damon has put Severide’s career in jeopardy. In the second episode of season 13, the newbie refused a direct order from Stella Kidd while out in the field. Severide knew and tried to cover for his half brother, but he eventually caved and told Kidd what happened.

This is not good. It’s looking like heads will need to roll for this blatant disregard for authority, and the promo for the third episode of the season suggests that Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) will be firing someone as a result. “I’m dismissing you from this firehouse,” Pascal tells a man who remains hidden from the viewer. Could it be Severide?

Realistically, no. Chicago Fire has gone out of its way to keep Severide in the mix, even when the actor playing him has had to leave for months at a time. It would be to the show’s detriment to write him off for seemingly no good reason. Besides, if Chicago Fire were to get rid of Severide, the writers would not do it by having him do something so minor. He would go out in a blaze of glory, or in grand, heartwarming fashion.

Severide has plot armor. Someone who doesn’t, though, is his new half brother. It’s very possible that Damon, who has yet to click with Chicago Fire viewers, will be given the boot come episode 3. Time will tell.