How Chicago Med wrote off Natalie (Torrey DeVitto)

Who doesn’t love Dr. Natalie Manning? The character, played by Torrey DeVitto, was a charming and clever presence on Chicago Med, and her chemistry with Dr. Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) led to some of the show’s sweetest moments.

Natalie’s departure was a tough pill to swallow for fans, but the more time has passed since she left, the more confusion there seems to be about her fate. How did the character leave Chicago? Did she die? This franchise sees character deaths and near-death experiences pretty often. Here’s a recap of Natalie and her fate within the show.

Natalie had a near brush with death in the season 4 finale. She was involved in a devastating car crash, and the episode faded to black with the character injured and bleeding in Halstead’s arms. It was a shock, to say the least, and fans had to spend the entire off-season questioning whether she would survive.

Thankfully, she did. The season 5 premiere revealed that, while she had suffered a brain injury as a result of the accident, she was ultimately okay and was able to make a full recovery. The character has avoided close calls since then, and remained safe until she departed the series at the start of season 7.

Natalie didn’t die in Chicago PD; instead, she was fired

So how did Chicago PD write her off if she didn’t die? Well, her storyline took a turn after her mom became sick and she was forced to steal medicine from the hospital. Halstead caught on to what was going on and took the blame, which led to him being fired. But Natalie couldn’t live with herself if she let him lose his job for something she did, so she eventually came clean. She was then fired from the hospital, freeing DeVitto from the main storyline.

In the Chicago PD season 7 premiere, it’s revealed that Natalie had decided to move to Seattle.

The upside to Natalie being alive, of course, is that the character will be able to appear in a cameo role should the writers and showrunners decide bring her back. DeVitto was vague on her reasons for leaving Med, but the few statements she did give hinted at a desire to pursue different kinds of roles and challenge herself as an actor.

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"“All good things must come to an end. It has been such an honor and pure joy to bring Dr. Natalie Manning to life for all of you on Chicago Med for the past six seasons”, DeVitto wrote on social media. “But it is now time for her and me to bow out and say goodbye. Thank you to all you loyal watchers who adored her as much as I did. I can’t wait to share what’s to come with all of you. New adventures await! With love and gratitude.”"

While DeVitto’s desire to branch out means that she will likely not appear in season 8, fans can rest assured that the character of Natalie Manning is alive and well, and working as a doctor at a facility in Seattle.

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