Why did Gianna Mackey leave Chicago Fire?

Gianna Mackey was a powerhouse on Chicago Fire. The character, played by Adriyan Rae, was an authoritative presence from the moment she debuted in season 9, and her work alongside Brett (Kara Killmer) made her a well-liked member of the 51 team.

As anyone who has binged past seasons of Chicago Fire can tell you, however, characters seem to come and go without much explanation. If you happen to be watching episodes out of order, or are jumping between old seasons and the current one, than the fate of a character like Mackey can be very confusing.

Here’s what you need to know about the character and where she went.

Did Gianna Mackey die on Chicago Fire?

Mackey grew up around Cruz (Joe Minoso), and his protectiveness over here is evident from the time she walks through the 51 doors. She hits it off with Gallo (Alberto Rosende), and they even date for a brief time, but the latter does so quietly, as he’s worried what Cruz will think/do. Cruz eventually gets over his overbearing stance, leading to a healthier relationship with Mackey.

What’s less healthy are the various life-threatening situations that Mackey and Brett are put in over the course of season 9. From the very start of her stretch on Chicago Fire, Mackey deals with some hair-raising calls, and fortunately she makes it out of all of them in one piece. These calls also lead to a strong bond being formed between Mackey and Brett.

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In the end, Mackey’s inability to form a lasting bond with Gallo signals that she wants to move on to another firehouse and a fresh start. During the episode “Double Red”, she announces that she was offered a job with Firehouse 33 and she jumped at the opportunity; seeing it as a nice change of pace. She talked the decision over with Cruz and Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), two people whose opinions she deeply respects, and makes the move.

Mackey has not made another appearance since season 9, but her close proximity and closeness with various members of the 51 makes her an ideal candidate to make a cameo at some point. Pelham (Brett Dalton) is coming back despite his season 10 transfer, so we don’t see any reason why the same couldn’t happen with Mackey.

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