Leading up to Chicago Fire season 14 episode, we knew the show would be laying the foundation for not only the upcoming three-episode One Chicago crossover event but also for Pascal's inevitable step down from Firehouse 51. Earlier this year, it'd been confirmed that Dermot Mulroney would be taking a break from the series, and a replacement has already been named to take over for Pascal.
Before getting to Pascal's temporary leave, Chicago Fire tackled quite a huge story for the character that answered one of the lingering questions fans have had for the character. We learned a lot about Pascal's backstory when he joined the series in season 13, but there had still one mystery to be resolved about his past. Finally, season 14 episode 2 delivered some answers.
Chief Pascal became under scrutiny when Tony suffered an injury during a call, and in the aftermath of the injury, Deputy District Chief Cranston arrives at the firehouse to investigate how it happened. Pascal's quick to back up Cruz, but it's Pascal that's under Cranston's microscope. The line of question appears to be a suspicious and direct look at somehow Pascal lacking as a captain.
However, as the episode later reveals, Pascal and Cranston worked together in the past and had a disagreement while on a call. As it turns out, their past created quite the rift and their relationship has never been the same. The call that came in between them involved a woman who died in a fire, and it's the kind of outcome to a call that has never left Pascal's mind. That's why he initially left Chicago.
It's an important piece of Pascal's backstory to consider, especially since he was seriously in fear of being fired and taking the fall for this particular call going south. The CFD seemed to really be coming for him, and if not now, then it's possible that Pascal could later end up taking the fall. This time, though, he was proven to not be at fault. As suspected, the bolts were the reason the beam fell.
On top of revealing the past call that haunts Pascal, ruined his relationship with Cranston, and inspired him to leave Chicago, the episode also ended with Cranston having a heart attack and dying. Pascal never really had an opportunity to get complete closure with his former colleague before crossing paths again under uncertain circumstances and his untimely death.
When Pascal moved to Miami, he stopped talking to Cranston in order to get distance from the entire situation. Because the show opted to kill off the character in the same episode he was introduced, any potential there was to make this a larger part of Pascal's arc has been diminished. Sure, Pascal can still work through this loss and its aftershocks without Cranston onscreen, but it's not the same.
Overall, it's still a massive step forward because we peeled back another layer of the onion that is Chief Dom Pascal. We know about a death that he blame himself for in the past, his tricky history with the CFD, and the reason behind his first departure from Chicago. There's sure to be even more development for Pascal as he gears up to temporarily leave from the city (and show) again.