Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 22 Review: It Had to End This Way

The Chicago Fire Season 13 finale wrapped up the case against Pascal and delivered a twist for Stella and Kelly — but it left us with plenty of questions about everything else. On Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 22, “It Had to End This Way,” Severide continues to help Pascal, convinced the chief isn’t behind the attack on the man who killed Monica.

The whole thing turns out to be a fun mystery in a “whodunnit” sort of way. Severide visits Bishop again and gets help looking up connections to Hendricks in Miami, all while Pascal has been escorted to the police station and questioned by a detective who’s sure he knows Pascal is guilty.

By the way, this seems like another big missed opportunity for some crossover. It’s fun to see the Chicago P.D. set, but not having one of those characters involved — at least to make a brief appearance — is disappointing. 

What feels most significant about this storyline is Severide’s loyalty. Van Meter points out that he could get into trouble himself at this point, but Severide is steadfast and certain. Maybe, in some ways, he also doesn’t want to believe Pascal could be guilty.  

He’s right, and he makes even more use of his “fire cop” skills when he realizes the mistake that Lt. Vale made when they talked before. It was Vale who was responsible, and for similar reasons regarding Moninca. He was in love (or obsessed, rather) with Monica, and did the thing Pascal admits later he nearly planned to do himself. 

Severide asks Pascal what stopped him, and his answer is simple: “You did.” He’s referring to when Severide called Pascal out when he was on a rampage, and when he realized Pascal had been going by the man’s house. Severide got through to him, though, and now it seems Pascal could stick around Firehouse 51 a bit longer.

What does his staying mean for Mouch and Herrmann’s plan, though? Herrmann has made that decision, and while it’s not entirely surprising in some ways, in others, it’s a heck of a twist.

We see a shot of Herrmann going to Grissom’s office, but we don’t see the conversation. At the end of the episode, an emotional Mouch comes into Molly’s to ask Hermann what he’d done. 

All season long, Herrmann has been wrestling with whether or not he really does want to work toward being Chief. There’s been hesitation, but the assumption was that he might decide not to go for that decision. Instead, he’s decided to step down from being a leader altogether and give Mouch a chance to be lieutenant on Engine at 51.

It’s an endearing gesture — Herrmann wants his friend to have a chance in that role before he misses his chance, knowing that some sort of forced retirement could be coming in the near future. In the meantime, Herrmann would prefer to set paperwork and such aside and go back to doing what he loves most. 

This really does make sense for both characters, and it will be satisfying to see Mouch as a lieutenant. At the same time, it really would have been nice if Herrmann could have led that firehouse. Granted, that probably isn’t out of the question for the future, but it seems much less likely. 

Pascal has turned out to be a great addition to the group, too, so it’s certainly not a bad thing for him to stick around.

Unfortunately, two other characters won’t be staying at 51, and their looming exits leave us with a lot of questions. Both Jake Lockett and Daniel Kyri, who play Carver and Ritter respectively, are leaving the series. There is, perhaps, a chance they could get more proper exits at the beginning of next season — and I do hope that’s the case.

Carver, at least, has a story that writes him out in a way that makes sense. He tells Violet he can’t be in Chicago anymore and is moving to Denver. It’s thin, but it makes some sense for his character. However, at the end of the episode, he shows up at Violet’s home, tells her he loves her, and they kiss after she says the same.

That makes their story feel open-ended in a way that could be problematic later. There’s no way anything that comes next will be satisfying when it comes to those characters.

As for Ritter, there’s nothing to indicate a reason for him leaving, and if this is the last we see of him, that will be a huge disservice to his character. 

Meanwhile, Natalie is staying with Stella and Kelly temporarily, and when Stella is called to Natalie’s school, there’s a question of whether or not Stella intends to try to get custody. Natalie’s sister, however, realizes she needs to do better by her — and also had no idea her boyfriend had said such awful things to Natalie.

Stella talks with Julia again later and insists she was never trying to take Natalie from her — instead, she just wants to help however she can. Bringing the two sisters together and helping them gain some understanding seems like the best thing she could have done, and perhaps this will also be an ongoing relationship.

That’s not everything, though. Stella also has a surprise for Kelly when he comes home at the end of the episode. A positive pregnancy test.

It’s not what they’d planned, though they had left the possibility open, and Kelly’s reaction has to be one of the most memorable moments of the season. He’s shocked and overcome in the most genuine way, and Taylor Kinney plays that beat really well.

With the adoption storyline taking up most of their energy this season, this twist is ultimately perfect. I’d complained in previous episodes that their trying to adopt felt too redundant — something that’s been overdone on Chicago Fire at this point.

To instead have a pregnancy storyline gives us a lot to look forward to with the couple and the chance for some interesting and unique developments for both characters, especially considering Stella’s role as a firefighter and lieutenant. 

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Chicago Fire returns next Fall to NBC.

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