We thought Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) was going to dominate the final stretch of Chicago Fire season 13. The character isn't coming back in season 14, so we assumed the writers would make a point of utilizing him as much as possible while he was still around. It turns out, the opposite has been true. Carver has missed several episodes in the last month of the season, leading us to question if he has already left.
Carver entered a rehab clinic earlier in the season, and returned in the episode "Post Mortem." He got even more screen time in the episode that followed, "Permanent Damage," but he's been increasingly harder to spot since. The character was completely absent from "Cut Me Open" and the penultimate episode of the season, "The Bad Guy."
Carver will appear in the season 13 finale
The explanation given for Carver's absence is that he's been dropped down to part time shifts while he completes his rehab program. Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri), another firefighter who is set to leave at the end of the season, said that Carver has been swamped with "outpatient stuff," which is why he's missed some truly shocking developments within the firehouse. Thankfully, Carver will return.
In "The Bad Guy," Ritter assured Violet (Hanako Greensmith) and the viewers at home that Carver's "outpatient stuff" should be completed within a week. Furthermore, Carver will resume full time shifts with 51, all but confirming that he will be present during the season 13 finale. It will no doubt be sad, given that it will be the last time we get to see him in action, but it's better than the alternative.
Chicago Fire's decision to bench Carver so often during the second half of the season is perplexing. If the show simply wanted to sideline the character due to the fact that he was leaving, and focus on those who are sticking around, it would be understandable. This theory kind of falls apart due to the way the show has handled Ritter, however.
Fans will get more Carver and Violet scenes
Ritter has been present for most of the recent Chicago Fire episodes, and as we mentioned, he's going to be leaving 51 during or after the finale episode as well. We could be looking at seniority, given that Ritter has been part of the show for longer than Ritter, or convenience, as Ritter can be implemented into the ensemble of a given storyline seamlessly.
Regardless of the reasoning, it has been disappointing to see Carver's screen time be whittled down in the lead up to his exit. We can only hope Chicago Fire brings the goods in terms of the character's reason for leaving, and gives us the Carver and Violet scene that we have been waiting for. Especially with Violet confessing her love in "The Bad Guy."
Chicago Fire season 13 finale airs May 22 on NBC.