Chicago Fire has pulled out all the stops in season 13. There have been crossovers, sudden decisions to become parents, and now, a return for one of the most loved characters in the entire franchise. The fans have been waiting a long time for this character to come back, and now we have confirmation that he will.
Of course, we're talking about Wallace Boden. Deadline confirmed that the former Firehouse 51 Chief will be making a single episode appearance in the season 13 episode "Post-Mortem." This will be the very first time Wallace Boden will interact with Firehouse 51 since his promotion to First Deputy Fire Commissioner.
Wallace Boden will return in episode 1318
The outlet provided some crucial information on Boden's return, and what prompted his return. The esteemed CFD veteran will be tasked to lead a post-incident analysis after a house fire collapsed with a firefighter still inside. He was handed orders by his boss, Commissioner Grissom, and will be under the gun to determine a cause.
Chicago Fire showrunner Andrea Newman revealed that "Post-Mortem" will feature storytelling elements that are unique to the show and the franchise as a whole. "Told with flashbacks and unique POVs," she revealed. "Chief Boden leads our team on a search to discover the how, who, and why of a fierce firefight that ended in disaster." Newman dubbed it a thrill ride "unlike any we've done before."
Professionally, the return makes sense. Personally, Boden's return makes even more sense. It's clear from the "Too Late" promo that a major death shakes 51 to its core. We see the likes of Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) and Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) on the verge of tears upon learning that they have lost someone close to them.
Boden and Chief Pascal will finally interact
Boden has always been a steadying force within Chicago Fire, so it would be helpful to pretty much everybody else for him to come him and provide some comfort. It will also be nice to see Boden and Pascal interact after spending most of season 13 highlighting how different Pascal is from his iconic predecessor. Boden wanted Herrmann (David Eigenberg) to replace him, but CFD chose Pascal.
On a purely nostalgic level, it will also be wonderful to see Boden come back and catch up with the friends he made during his time at 51. We have no clue how much he's stayed in touch with the likes of Herrmann, Mouch (Christian Stolte) or Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), but given how close they used to be, it will be heartwarming to get them all together in the same room or same scene.