Kara Killmer’s Chicago Fire exit kind of spoils Brett cliffhanger

Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) leaving Chicago Fire is bittersweet. It’s bitter because we don’t want to see the character leave, of course, and sweet because it suggests that she will ultimately say yes to Casey’s proposal and live happily ever after. It’s good stuff, and given how likable Brett has been since she joined the show, we can agree that she deserves a happy ending.

The problem with announcing Brett’s departure ahead of season 12 is that it sort of undoes the tension that the season 11 finale set up. As a brief refresher, Casey (Jesse Spencer) got down on one knee in the final moments of the episode, and proposed to an absolutely stunned Brett. Did we get to hear her answer? Of course, not. What a cliffhanger!

Fans have had to wait longer than usual for a resolution due to the actors strike, but there was still a lingering debate as to whether she said yes or not. After all, how would the show be able to deal with the conundrum of having one character stay on the show (Brett) and the other living out of state (Casey)? There was tension here, and theories developed regarding a possible return from Casey, or perhaps even a long-distance engagement (probably not the best idea, to be fair).

By confirming that Kara Killmer will be leaving Chicago Fire at some point during season 12, the showrunners and writers have effectively spoiled the outcome of their own making. While there’s some uncertainty as to how things play out, we can surmise, given what we already know, that the couple will get engaged and Casey, a character who already left the show, will help Brett transition out of Fire for good.

It’s a tactic that’s become increasingly popular among One Chicago writers, as they used it twice in Chicago Med season 8. April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta) came back to marry Ethan Choi (Brian Tee), and Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) popped up to help Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) move to Seattle. It’s effective, but it’s also becoming a bit predictable.

Chicago PD‘s Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) is also slated to leave in 2024, and we’re curious as to whether she will follow the same path as the rest of these characters, or if she will be written off in different fashion.

We may be nitpicking, and we’re ultimately happy that Brett will get the send-off she deserves, we just wish it would have been more of a surprise.

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