Where did Stella go on Chicago Fire?

The more weeks go by, the more fans are desperate to find out what’s going on with Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo). The character has been gone for the bulk of season 10, missing out on major changes like the relocation of Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) and the departure of Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer).

There’s also been the introduction of Jason Pelham (Brett Dalton), who’s tentatively filling in for the Lieutenant role while Casey is gone. There’s been repeated mentions of Stella and whether she is in consideration for the role, but it’s also inconsequential until she returns to the 51.

So where did Stella go? When is she supposed to come back? Let’s discuss.

Is Stella leaving Chicago Fire?

Stella is currently traveling the country as part of the Girls on Fire training program. The program was a passion of hers that she felt was crucial to reaching more prospective female firefighters, and brief references to Stella’s travels confirm that she’s been to Philadelphia and Boston.

The unique reason for Stella’s departure has made her scheduled return difficult to pin down. While she still has a job at the 51, she’s been gone for several months, and Boden mentioned that she wasn’t considered for the interim Lieutenant role because she’s “busy” with her Girls on Fire assignment.

Her departure has led to some concern on the part of Severide (Taylor Kinney). When he discovers that Stella’s absence may have cost her the position that is currently being filled by Pelham, he calls her and asks her when she plans to come back. Like the fans, Severide is irritated by the lack of a clear date.

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Fortunately, Stella should be back in the mix sooner rather than later. During a recent interview with TV Line, Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas revealed that Stella will join up the 51 before the end of the calendar year. He also teased a holiday episode, which seems like the natural time for Stella’s homecoming.

"“For the first time in years, as long as I can remember, we’re doing a holiday episode”, Haas added. “Episode 9 is going to make the Hallmark Channel jealous of our holiday episode.. We thought, ‘Hmm, maybe we could do a holiday episode’ — and I wrote it.”"

The show has been transparent about Stella’s business off screen, and it seems as though the writers are utilizing her absence to make her return to the 51 all the more triumphant. We can’t wait to see whether she assumes the Lieutenant role left vacant by Casey.

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.