Chicago Fire spoilers: What happened in season 10 episode 12?

Firehouse 51 is navigating tricky political waters in the latest episode of Chicago Fire. The actions of Pelham (Brett Dalton) have led to some controversy surrounding his appointment to lieutenant, and Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) has already gone to bat to defend him.

The latest episode, “Fog of War”, delves into the aftermath of Pelham’s spat with rival firefighter McBride, as well as subplots involving Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) and Herrmann (David Eigenberg).

Be warned that the rest of the post contains detailed spoilers for the latest episode of Chicago Fire!

What happened on Chicago Fire last night? (January 19th)

The episode opens with an interesting personnel change. Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) has stepped in for Pelham following the controversy, and she makes it clear that she feels uncomfortable with the interim role. Severide (Taylor Kinney) assures her that she has what it takes to fill the role honorably.

Meanwhile, Pelham is asked to step into Chief Boden’s office. The latter assures him that he won’t rest until Pelham gets a fair shake, and despite Pelham’s concerns over hurting the careers of his friends, he appreciates the chief’s support.

The 51 squad responds to a call at a broken escalator, and Kidd rises to the challenge with vigor. Upon returning to the firehouse, everyone commends her on her natural talent. Unfortunately, it only exacerbates Kidd’s concerns as to how things look to Pelham. She assures Pelham that she’s not gunning for his job, but he compliments her and says she deserves the spot if he isn’t able to get it back.

Things take a turn for the stressful when Chief Kilbourne shows up to do a surprise inspection of 51. He compliments Kidd’s performance, but the nature of the “surprise” visit leads Chief Boden to consider whether the drama surrounding Pelham is Kilbourne’s doing. He eventually confirms the suspicion, and an indignant Kidd enlists Mouch (Christian Stolte) and Gallo (Alberto Rosende) to protest on Pelham’s account.

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Kidd, meanwhile, visits McBride and confronts her regarding her complaint against Pelham. She tells McBride that she’s going to have to choose what kind of firefighter she wants to be. McBride, after some offscreen deliberation, does the right thing. She calls off the complaint and admits that Pelham acted appropriately on the scene.

Kidd plays a visit to Pelham at the end of the episode, and she gives him a simple yet powerful message. She confirms that Kilbourne is out, and that he’s back in as Lieutenant.

The speed of the resolution comes as a bit of a surprise given how the conflict with Kilbourne was set up as a bigger deal, but it’s refreshing to see Pelham settle into a role that he earned, while still showcasing Kidd as a firefighting talent.

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.