Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 10 Review: Chaos Theory

While Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 10, “Chaos Theory,” takes the easy way out to provide some closure, it salvages everything we know and love about Joe Cruz.

Picking up where we left off on Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 9, Cruz has been shot in the arm after witnessing a gang shooting and the death of Flaco’s cousin, Junior. He considers calling 911, then changes his mind and calls his brother for help instead. 

While Leon encourages Cruz never to get the police involved, Cruz’s conscience is already getting the better of him at that point. Then, Chief Pascal brings him in for a meeting about the OFI case from the fire 12 years ago.

Even though the fire department heard nothing else beyond the one phone call Junior had made, Pascal wants Severide to look into it. He also suspects Cruz has some insight because of his brother’s former involvement with the Kings. 

Pascal doesn’t miss anything, basically. 

He also seems like he can tell when Cruz is lying. 

Still, Cruz could get away with everything if he wanted to. There’s no proof of wrongdoing.

Even Severide tells him as much when Cruz confesses to him, which is probably the best part of the episode. Cruz’s willingness to confide in Severide the way he does says a lot about their relationship, and Severide’s reaction says even more.

Severide understands the grey area and that Cruz was doing what he had to in order to protect his family — from the fire 12 years ago to his actions this season.

Severide also tells him that on paper, he did nothing wrong 12 years ago because trying to save Flaco would have been fruitless. In fact, it would have gotten Cruz himself killed.

This is a part that’s a little too easy. All these years, we’re to understand that Cruz has been carrying the weight of letting Flaco die in that fire in order to save his brother. Now, it’s revealed that he wouldn’t have been able to and shouldn’t actually have tried because it would have been too dangerous to do so.

I’d argue it’s also a little too easy that Flaco witnessed that all happen, and no one knew it. 

Both of those things are also entirely plausible, though. Having this storyline circle back to Cruz so many seasons later is excellent writing otherwise. It offers more substance and depth to his character, which he wholeheartedly deserves. 

And the closure of those easy steps allows him to remain fundamentally good. He does the right thing in confessing and being honest to everyone around him, and he also accepts the slap on the wrist given by Pascal when all is said and done.

Pascal, in fact, is impressed that Cruz confessed when didn’t have to, and it seems to suggest a new level of respect between the two men. 

Ultimately, I’m glad Joe Cruz isn’t carrying on with the lies or continuing to be put in a situation that has him breaking the law. It’s much better to see him follow his conscience, and yet he still got an interesting storyline that made his character that much more complex.

This isn’t necessarily completely over, either. There’s a hint that more trouble with the Kings could be coming — Cruz asks Atwater this very question, who tells him his family is safe. But there’s an opening there for something else to happen, either soon or later down the line.

“Chaos Theory” is balanced by a few other storylines, as Chicago Fire does so well. The tear gas incident provides Stella Kidd the opportunity to give a teacher some much needed advice, and it winds up being a heartfelt storyline.

It’s too bad Mouch isn’t around, though, after having the chance to take the lead on the previous episode. It feels like a missed opportunity. 

There’s a bit of a suggestion that Violet and Carver’s romance remains unresolved as well. Carver takes an opportunity to show off his impressive “Superman” strength, which certainly does get Violet’s attention.

Meanwhile, Violet has her boyfriend offer advice to Carver about some legal trouble involving his apartment, and there’s some clear tension with those interactions as well. 

Then, of course, we have the much-needed humor of Herrmann needing rides to and from work, taking advantage of Ritter, who doesn’t want to tell him no.

Herrmann using a rideshare for the first time is a fun storyline for him, and it’s not hard to imagine how he could have made Ritter’s rating go down. The reveal that it was Ritter himself who had been ruining that rating though? That’s gold. 

What did you think of this episode of Chicago Fire? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

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