Chicago Fire Review: The Magnificent City of Chicago (Season 10 Episode 22)

We put a lot of pressure on TV weddings, but when it’s one that’s been a long time coming in the way that it has been for #Stellaride, you expect something magnificent. On Chicago Fire Season 18 Episode 22, “The Magnificent City of Chicago,” Kelly and Stella finally tie the knot, with a beautiful wedding that follows a pretty common trope. 

While it’s not the big, fantastic wedding episode one might hope for, it is still satisfying and very, very sweet. It’s also not interrupted by any sort of crisis — not exactly. 

The last-minute plans make for some fun moments throughout the course of the episode, and it’s obviously done this way to address major absences from the guests. Kelly’s mom can’t make it, his sister isn’t there, and plenty of other key players that you’d imagine would be in attendance if it were a big wedding that help its original date.

But, as is often the case on TV, the initial wedding plans change. Instead, the couple opts to hurry their plans and hope for the best. Then they show up at their venue only to be turned away.

Because of course they are.

It’s an overdone device and the conflict isn’t really even necessary. I guess it’s fun to see Matt Casey (more on him in a bit, by the way) save the day, even though the solution feels too easy.

Otherwise, the couple gets their moment, and it’s nice to see them have such a lovely ceremony without any shocking surprises. An added sweet detail: Boden is the one who walks Stella down the aisle. 

No, the shocker comes later. It wouldn’t really be a proper Chicago Fire finale without some sort of cliffhanger, and from the final scene, it looks like Severide is still in danger from the mess he got involved in on Chicago Fire Season 10 Episode 21. It could be something else entirely, sure, but that’s the thing we’ll all be spending this summer wondering about.

Also, Severide kills someone on this episode!?

It is self-defense, and it’s a heck of a thing to watch Severide fight a man with a knife and then kick him right through a window. It’s one of the better parts of the episode, actually. Unfortunately, it’s glossed over just a little too fast — though it may be coming back to haunt him in other ways based on that final scene.

Of course, the other much-anticipated part of this episode is an appearance from Matt Casey. It had been announced that Jesse Spencer would return for the finale, and it’s a good thing, because it wouldn’t make much sense for him to miss that wedding. 

His return is a treat, but it also provides some additional closure. He’s seeing how the firehouse operates without him now, but it’s clear he’s left a legacy a Firehouse 51 all the same. He also passes on his favorite ax to Gallo in a really endearing moment — pointing out that Gallo is “old guard” now. 

We’re also meant to understand, it seems, that this is the end for Casey and Brett. She’s been with him in Portland for a while and understands that his life is there now, but it’s not a life she wants. And the long distance is too much. It’s not an overly sentimental or sad break-up, just a conversation that feels quite logical.

I still appreciate that they let us enjoy the idea of their relationship continuing in Jesse Spencer’s absence, even if it couldn’t continue forever. 

Brett’s return is also significant since she’s been gone for several episodes, and since there’s been a troublemaker in her absence.

Emma has been one of the most awful villains we’ve seen on this show in a while, and the way she’s finally put in her place is fantastic to watch. It feels satisfying to see someone who is so horrible finally prove that they aren’t any kind of a hero. Emma does it to herself and loses her job on the spot.

Hawkins continues to win me over as well, not just in firing Emma, but more in the way he goes to bat for Violet. He really is willing to put everything on the line. I hope we’ll get to see something good for the relationship after all of this, though right now it’s not clear that we will.

Overall, it’s a solid enough season finale, and I’m relieved that it doesn’t end on the kind of cliffhanger that it did last season. It’s mostly a finale that is filled with resolutions — lackluster at times, but fun to watch all the same. 

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Chicago Fire returns next season to NBC.

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