Chicago Fire questions to answer: Kelly Severide

Chicago Fire season 7 has unanswered questions, including about Kelly Severide. Here’s what we want to know about Taylor Kinney’s character.

While One Chicago fans wait for the season to resume, we’re passing the time by looking at the characters with the biggest problems to resolve—including Chicago Fire‘s Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney).

We’ll break down Severide’s big issue below, then tell us what you think he should do in the rest of the season in the comments at the bottom of this article.

What’s the problem?

Severide has once again been confronted with his emotional issues, when ex-girlfriend Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) dumped him over his inability to deal with them. Is he going to take that as a wake-up call, or not?

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What should he do?

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Severide has issues. Severide has always had issues, and they’ve just been compounded this season by Chicago Fire killing off his father Benny (Treat Williams) and then his breakup.

This is the same discussion we had after the fifth season when Anna Turner (Charlotte Sullivan) died: would Severide learn from the trauma and grow up because of it?

The answer back then was no, and so far it seems like he won’t change this time either—viewers have already seen another one-night stand leave Kelly’s bedroom.

But honestly, we’re seven seasons in and he’s not a twenty-something kid. The writers have to allow him to move forward, even if it means that he’s not as dramatic or fun to write. Especially as Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer) is falling on hard times, wouldn’t it be something to see Severide step up and be the leader for a while?

This is no longer a “will Severide get back together with Stella” issue, it’s a “will Severide ever be allowed to change” issue.

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What does it all mean?

When it comes to Kelly Severide, Chicago Fire season 7 has shown how the writing for him can go in circles, unintentionally. He’s more fun to write when he’s cavalier or he slips up, but then he gets in more trouble, and the trouble just compounds everything for him. By writing what’s entertaining or dramatic, the show also chips away at the character.

The best thing to do, in a perfect world, would be to focus strictly on Severide for more than an episode or two. Don’t reconcile him with Stella and don’t worry about his romantic life. Just let him breathe, especially in a season when he lost his dad. Maybe he can learn a few things from Casey now that they’re roommates. There’s plenty of potential here, if the show wants to focus in that direction.

Or, it can spend more time with Severide being jealous, trying to win Stella back, and him possibly having another close call again. It’ll be up to Chicago Fire if they truly want to push him out of his comfort zone or not.

For the latest Chicago Fire season 7 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Fire category at One Chicago Center.