We all knew that Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) was going to be the focus of "In the Rubble." We had three weeks to watch and rewatch the promo for the Chicago Fire episode, which saw the once measured firefighter lashing out and acting irrationally. The episode wasted no time setting Pascal's conflict up, either.
"In the Rubble" opens with the revelation that Pascal tried to push for an investigation into the death of his wife, Monica (KaDee Strickland). He demanded accountability, even though the car crash was a pretty clear instance of a tragic accident. This did not stop the Chief, however. He decided the man who caused the crash should be punished. And he started acting more recklessly than ever before.
Pascal put up a decent front when he came back from two weeks leave. He told Firehouse 51 not to walk on eggshells around him and treat him normally, as nothing has changed. When he accompanies the team to a workplace accident, though, we witness proof this is not the case. Instead of sitting on the sidelines and assessing the situation like he usually does, Pascal decided to put himself directly in harm's way during the rescue.
Pascal demands justice for his late wife
The Chief successfully saved the man in danger, but he did so by putting his own life in harm's way. This led to some uncomfortable conversations being held back at 51. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) and Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) expressed some concerns, and others wondered aloud if Pascal has a death wish.
The tension only escalated when Pascal heard back regarding the other drive involved in Monica's death. It turns out the man was not drunk or on drugs, and therefore not liable for any punishment. Pascal was livid. He freaked out in front of his firefighters, claiming his wife was a good driver and vowing to punish the driver who "murdered" his wife. The red flags could not be any bigger or any brighter.
He forced the firefighters to return to the scene of Monica's death and look around for any new clues. It was an uncomfortable situation. Severide repeatedly stated that they did everything they could and nothing was overlooked during the initial investigation. Once they got back to 51, Herrmann (David Eigenberg) took Severide and Kidd aside and suggested they may have to disobey orders if Pascal gets worse.
Violet reconsiders her feelings about Carver
Pascal's grief was so palpable that it started to rub off on other 51 members. Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) was forced to confront the memories of Evan Hawkins (Jimmy Nicholas) and his untimely passing on the job. She started to write a letter to Sam Carver (Jake Lockett), following their intense conversation before he went on leave, hinting at the possibility of reconciliation down the line. Silver lining.
Pascal's spiral finally came to a halt when Severide confronted him. He discovered the chief has been stalking one of the aforementioned drivers, and demanded that he put an end to this behavior before his career is ruined. This seemed to shake some sense into the chief, who not only agreed to stop but approved a transfer to bring Jack Damon (Michael Bradway) back to 51.
The episode ended with Monica's funeral, and the uneasy feeling that Pascal is not through making extreme decisions in his grief. Fingers crossed he figures it out.