5 questions about Gabriela Dawson leaving Chicago Fire

4. How will Dawson’s absence affect her family?

One of the aspects that makes the One Chicago franchise special is that many of the characters are interconnected. That’s a great way to weave them in and out of shows, and set up crossovers, but it could prove to be a hangup when it comes to Gabriela Dawson’s departure.

That’s because Dawson is the entry point into Chicago Fire for both her brother Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda) and her father Ramon Dawson (guest star Daniel Zacapa). Most of the time when the show needs to utilize Antonio, even if we don’t physically see Jon Seda, it’s Dawson having called him.

There are still other ways Antonio can cross over onto Fire, because the other characters are his friends and can call him too, but it was so efficient to use Dawson to bring him into the story. And we’re not counting on his relationship with Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer), since one thing that this last season made clear is that they don’t have a relationship right now. With Chicago Fire having not committed to Brettonio going forward, you can’t depend on that as a way for Antonio to drop by. So will we see less of him?

Ramon is an even more uncertain topic; it wouldn’t be surprising if Dawson leaving means the end of Ramon’s appearances altogether. Ever since Ramon split from their mother publicly in Chicago Fire season 4, he and Antonio have had a strained relationship (although at least Antonio showed up at the hospital when Ramon was stabbed).

Everything going on with Ramon has involved Gabriela, because she was the one who was willing to help him. It probably won’t surprise you that Daniel Zacapa has never appeared in an episode of Chicago PD. All of his guest spots have been on Fire. So without Dawson around, it doesn’t appear like Ramon will have anywhere to go—both in canon and in terms of the writers having a use for him.