Now that fall premiere season is finally here, I’m almost excited.
I have a hard time containing myself because this means Chicago Fire Season 13 is coming!
Last season’s finale was filled with cliffhangers and jaw-dropping moments that have been shocking us all since May. We’re ready to get back into it.
Until then, I’ve been thinking about characters I’d like to see more of in the next season.
Season 12 is a stripped-down version with only 13 episodes instead of the usual 22.
The return of a full season means we’ll hopefully get to spend more time with some of the characters, developing their individual storylines in ways we didn’t have time to last year.
We also learned that Season 13 will introduce at least one new major character.
Dermot Mulroney has joined the cast as Dom Pascal, who will take over as fire station captain after the departure of Eamon Walker’s Borden.
Full disclosure: I am a lifelong Dermot Mulroney fan. As a kid, I watched “My Best Friend’s Wedding” so many times that I can quote it. I’m very happy with this new feature.
But what about the return of “Chicago Fire” cast members who didn’t get enough screen time last season?
While we’d like to see more of them on the fire station, there are seven characters who really deserve the spotlight in Season 13.
Some of them have been around since season one, while others just joined last year.
There are a few people whose arcs should be expanded because they’re just all-around entertaining characters.
Others are shrouded in mystery, and we should learn more about them next season.
As we get ready to reunite with our favorite first responders, let’s take a look at the Chicago Fire characters who deserve the spotlight.
Randall “Mokey” McHolland
There’s no denying that Mochi is one of the best characters on Chicago Fire.
Mochi is a classic veteran firefighter with all the skills and knowledge to prove it. Still, he remains humble and knows he still has a lot to learn.
His marriage to Chicago PD’s Trudy is one of the best parts of his character.
Ideally, we’ll see more of his family life in Season 13, including Trudy and their relationship.
Mookie has been through a lot, but he’s the kind of guy who shows up when people need him. We need to see more healthy masculinity on the show.
Plus, I can’t wait to see how he reacts to his new chief and how he fares on the lieutenant exam!
Darren Ritter
As of last season, Ritter was the only openly gay character on Chicago.
Unfortunately, this means he carries the entire burden of LGBTQ+ representation in the Chicago universe. That’s enough to make this character worth watching!
He develops a new relationship with a police officer, and there’s a lot of potential for an interesting dynamic, especially since the fire department and police department often work closely together.
Ideally, we get to see more of Ritter’s relationships on screen, and I’d love to see him get involved with a local LGBTQ+ firefighters union or community to bring this part of his identity further into the spotlight.
Ritter is also now one of the only black characters on the show, which highlights another representation issue that fans have expressed some concerns about.
In the best-case scenario, we’ll get to know Ritter better in Season 13, and producers will be working behind the scenes to relieve him of some of the stress of representation!
Jack Damon
The handsome and mysterious stranger who joined the fire department last season was revealed in Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 13 to be Seyfried’s other secret sibling.
This bombshell is sure to be a major focus of Season 13.
The consequences for Seyfried and Stella will be highlighted, but I really want to know more about Damon as well.
What was his upbringing like? Did he always know that Benny was his father and that he had other siblings?
What I’m most curious about is what Damon expects from Kelly now that he knows the truth.
It will be interesting to see how this turns out. It’s also rewarding to see the budding friendship between Damon and fellow 51-year-old rookie Novak.
Violet Mikami
To be fair to everyone in my review, I try hard not to like these shows, but I can’t help it. Violet is my favorite character in Chicago Fire.
She’s strong, smart, and knows how to take control of a situation.
In Season 12, we see her take her new partner Novak under her wing and mentor him, showing just how good Violet is as a leader.
She’d been through hell with her previous partners, and her relationship history ranged from tragic to disastrous. My hope for her in Season 13 is that she and Carver figure out their drama and get their happy ending.
Seasons 10 and 12 have both featured high-profile wedding episodes, with Brettsey being the latest. Will we see a Micah wedding in the near future?
Professionally, Violet also deserves some attention. Maybe we’ll see her efforts recognized this season.
Christopher Herman
Another original character introduced in Season 13, Herman is a military veteran.
At the end of last season, Chief Boden told Herman to consider succeeding him as the leader of the academy, but we know that Herman wasn’t quite ready from a career standpoint to make that jump.
However, despite all that Herman has been through in his personal life in recent seasons, he has made tremendous progress.
Throughout Season 12, we see him emerge as a therapist, friend, father, and confidant to his colleagues.
While the addition of Mulroney’s character means Herman won’t be promoted to captain, he remains an irreplaceable part of the fire department.
In Season 13, we hope to see Herman step into the spotlight as a social and emotional leader, if not a professional leader.
Sam Carver
Does anyone really know what happened to Carver?
Well, Violet does now, as he confessed his love to her at the end of last season.
He’s on vacation again, though, so we’ll see if Violet can catch up with him and communicate further. The suspense kept us on the edge of our seats all summer long.
For Carver, life was a series of disappointments, tragedies and traumas.
This character deserves to be spotlighted in a positive way in Season 13. Maybe we’ll have another wedding, or at least someone can bake him a cake.
Considering Carver made the list of the angriest characters on television, it seems like he could definitely benefit from some comfort food.
Leila Novak
Not much is known about Novak yet, so hopefully we’ll learn more about her character in Chicago Fire Season 13.
After a brief moment of confusion last season where we couldn’t quite figure out what her name was, the Ambulance newcomer quickly became a fan favorite.
While we’re not 100% sure about her name yet, sources suggest she’s actually Lyla and her first name is Lizzie. I think we’ll just keep calling her Novak for now. Regardless, she’s another character on Chicago Fire who deserves attention next season.
Novak and Damon’s friendship grows. They both have mysterious backgrounds that we hope to learn more about in upcoming episodes.
So far, there’s no sign of any romance between them, but it’s not impossible.
I was hoping to learn more about Novak’s history than just a romantic storyline, though. Let’s take a look at how she became a caregiver and why she’s so great in a crisis.
Over the past 12 seasons, the writers and producers have done a great job creating characters we care about and look forward to seeing again.
I have no doubt that Season 13 will bring more of the same. If you need me this season, you’ll find me obsessed with Dermot Mulroney and wildly speculating about Damon’s sinister intentions.
“Chicago Fire” returns on September 25 at 9/8c. I hope everyone will come back here to review and discuss after the show is over!
