Who is Griffin Darden on Chicago Fire?

Chicago Fire has been teasing the return of a past character for weeks, leading to intense speculation as to who it could be. There were rumors that fans could see the return of Severide’s mother (Kim Delaney), or a member of the Firehouse 51 team who departed in seasons prior.

Fans finally got an answer during the closing moments of season 10 episode 2, titled . Casey (Jesse Spencer) steps out into the Firehouse 51 hallway and sees a teenager admiring the wall of fallen firemen. Casey waxes poetic about Andy Darden (Corey Sorenson), the firefighter pictured on the wall, until he realizes the teen in question is Andy’s son, Griffin Darden.

Longtime Chicago Fire fans know that Andy Darden holds a mythic status at Firehouse 51. He died in the series premiere, and his heroism cast a shadow of influence that Casey has lived in ever since. Andy returned for a flashback during the season 3 episode “Always”, but for the most part, his impact comes from how little he’s seen and often he’s cited as a great firefighter.

Griffin Darden was last seen in Chicago Fire season 2

Griffin Darden represents a complicated chapter in Casey’s personal life. The firefighter got very close with Andy’s widow Heather Darden (Chaon Cross) after his death, and became a pseudo-father figure for her sons Griffin and Ben. When Heather served jail time for a DUI and vehicular manslaughter, it was Casey who agreed to watch after Griffin and Ben.

Once Heather was released, however, the Darden family decided to leave Chicago and sever ties with Casey. There haven’t been too many mentions of the family since their departure in season 2, which makes Griffin’s reappearance all the more shocking.

Casey is initially thrilled to see Griffin, but the mood turns sour when he asks about Heather and his little brother. Griffin’s expression becomes pained, and instead of answering the question, he simply tells Casey: “I need your help.”

Watch One Chicago on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!

Whatever the reason for Griffin’s plea, it can’t be good. The series seems to be teasing a look into Casey’s past that could be disastrous for his relationship with Brett (Kara Killmer), especially if it has to do with Heather Darden.

Showrunner Derek Haas has already confirmed that Casey and Brett are headed for a bumpy road romantically in season 10, so this could very well be the starting point. Either way, it’ll be intriguing to see Casey fall back into the role of father figure and contend, once again, with the legacy of his fallen comrade.

For the latest Chicago Fire season 10 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Fire category at One Chicago Center.