When Chicago Fire season 14 came to a close, there were a lot of questions left for fans to ponder over the long summer break. Of course, the top question on every fan's mind was who would live and die. How could it not be, after all?
The season 14 finale literally ended with one of the show’s biggest cliffhangers ever. All but three characters were in immediate danger, with the likes of Kidd, Vasquez, Herrmann, and Ballard racing to get to safety when a ball of fire engulfed them, while Severide, Mouch, Cruz, Capp, and Tony were all trapped inside a burning building after an explosion brought the roof caving in on them.
We’ve literally spent all summer wondering who might live or die, but there has been another burning question on the minds of fans as well: Will Severide remain at 51, or might he accept the job running OFI?
After Severide’s job within the CFD was put in jeopardy when Chief Hopkins singled him out, seeking retaliation for his decades-old grudge against Severide’s father, Benny, Captain Hargrave offered Severide the job as head of OFI. As she pointed out, she was only the interim head of OFI, and she had no desire to retain the position, and accepting the position would have prevented Severide from losing his job within the CFD.
While the circumstances that led to Severide being offered the job at OFI were not optimal, it’s not as though the job offer came without merit. Severide has a long-standing history of working with OFI on arson investigations, and he has a high closing rate. In fact, it’s his extensive history working with OFI that landed him in hot water to begin with when Chief Hopkins tried to derail his career for dereliction of duty.
Severide is an incredibly skilled arson investigator and has always had a passion for the job, which would make him a natural fit to lead OFI. It would be understandable for him to want to pursue the job, and him taking the position would certainly give the show new storylines to explore even if it meant him leaving 51.
Thankfully, though, it doesn’t seem that fans have to worry about Severide going anywhere.
Filming is currently underway on season 15, and a newly shared TikTok video all but confirms that Severide will be sticking around at 51 and turns down the OFI position.
In the video, fans greet several members of the Chicago Fire cast during an on-location shoot. Among those greeting the fans was Taylor Kinney, who was seen in the video wearing his standard Squad 3 hat in his full firefighting gear. Severide would only be donning this gear if he was still leading Squad 3 as a captain at 51, which confirms he’ll turn down the OFI job offer in order to remain at 51.
51 could certainly use some stability after all the changes that have gone down at the firehouse between the many departures the firehouse has endured. Just last season 51 bid farewell to three core members of the team with the exits of Carver, Ritter, and Damon, and it wasn’t long after the trio left that Chief Pascal was relieved of duty within the CFD for conduct unbecoming. More change is on the horizon with Cruz’s looming departure, and we know that the firehouse is about to welcome an influx of new firefighter candidates who are looking to prove they have what it takes to work within the CFD.
While there are sure to be some growing pains for Severide as he rises through the ranks and becomes acting captain of 51, it’s nice to know the firehouse will be in the hands of someone who has long been part of its DNA. Like those before him, we know Severide will always have the best interests of 51 in mind and that he’ll do everything he can to bring out the best in those around him. And just because he’s taken on the captain position doesn’t mean there won’t still be some time for the occasional OFI partnership, giving fans the best of both worlds.
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