[SPOILER] makes shocking return to Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire always has an ace up its sleeve. There was plenty to look forward to ahead of the season 11 fall finale, including shenanigans with Gallo (Alberto Rosende) and a deadly close call with Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo), but the real story was which character from the 51’s past would be returning.

The show teased a mysterious return during the promo for the fall finale, and given the long line of people who have passed through the firehouse over the years, we weren’t sure who it was going to be. Would Casey (Jesse Spencer) return? Was Mills (Charlie Barnett) going to come back?

Well, it turns out it was a character who appeared much more recent than either of these men.

Who plays Emma Jacobs on Chicago Fire?

The Chicago Fire character who returned in the fall finale was Emma Jacobs (Caitlin Carver). Now as well all know, Emma proved herself to be one of the hatable antagonists in recent Fire memory, thanks to her shameless career-mindedness and her willingness to blackmail her superiors to get ahead.

Her decision to blackmail the late Chief Hawkins (Jimmy Nicholas) over his secret romance with Violet (Hanako Greensmith) would have worked too, had she not gotten distracted on the job and gotten herself fired due to sheer incompetence.

When Jacobs returns in the fall finale, it’s to assess a complaint made Carver. It’s clear from the jump that Jacobs has it out for the 51, given how she left, and she tries to get Carver to bad mouth the fire station on the record. He resists, realizing there was a personal agenda at play.

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In a surprising turn of events, Jacobs does her job fairly, and lets Carver off with a warning. She doesn’t try to get him fired or suspended, despite her reputation for foul play, and even stranger, she acts like her and Violet are old friends when she spots the latter outside the 51. Violet is put off by this behavior, and warns her that she knows how nasty she can be.

Jacobs shrugs it off and walks away. It definitely seems like the writers have more for her in season 11, and she could even reclaim her season 10 status as the primary antagonist for the 51 squad. It’s not a turn we expected, but given how good Carver is in the part, and the heightened stakes of the character’s history, especially after Hawkins’s death, we are absolutely here for it.

For the latest season 11 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Fire category at One Chicago Center.