Kelly Severide is back in uniform in new Chicago Fire season 12 images. Almost a year since Taylor Kinney’s request for personal time off from One Chicago, he returns to reprise his fan-favorite firefighter character in light of the series’ delayed premiere. Not much has been revealed about what really motivated his absence, but there were concerns that it was an indication of his departure from the NBC series, which isn’t the case — at least per the Chicago Fire season 12 premiere.
TV Line releases a couple of promotional stills from the Chicago Fire season 12 premiere, “Barely Gone,” which sees Severide back in action with the rest of the Firehouse 51. Check out the images below:
What Severide’s Firehouse 51 Meanes For Chicago Fire Season 12
Narratively, the Chicago Fire season 11 episode “Damage Control,” revealed that Severide was sent to an OFI training camp at the last minute, which he gladly attended, considering his penchant for being a fire cop. It was a solid excuse for his sudden absence, but for some reason, One Chicago continued to make a big deal out of it, causing concerns that it was setting up for a much bigger plot twist involving the character. In the Chicago Fire season 11 finale, Stella Kidd got so fed up with the situation that she took it upon herself to follow her husband in the hopes of bringing him home.
What happens when they reunite is currently uncertain, and unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Chicago Fire season 12 will show what that conversation was like. Instead, the procedural jumps in time to when things are seemingly back to normal at Chief Boden’s firehouse. These images don’t feature any indication about how that tense reunion went down, but it’s safe to say that things aren’t going to be a walk in the park for the couple moving forward, especially considering Severide’s failed communication with his wife, resulting in putting additional stress on her.
Chicago Fire’s Severide Update Spoils Big Season 11 Cliffhanger Ahead Of Season 12
Amid its delay, Chicago Fire finally gets an update on Taylor Kinney’s status, which effectively resolves a big cliffhanger in the season 11 finale.
Severide’s return also means big things to the current dynamic at Firehouse 51. Joe Cruz went through a lot to properly take over Squad 3 in his absence, and it will be disappointing if Kidd’s husband just reclaims his old spot after his extended absence. All of these need to be tackled in Chicago Fire season 12 sooner rather than later, which makes its storytelling in the upcoming year trickier, considering the upcoming departures of Brett and Gallo.
Chicago Fire
Part of executive producer Dick Wolfe’s Chicago franchise, a series of TV shows exploring the lives and careers of different public service employees in Chicago, Illinois, Chicago Fire follows the members of the fictional Firehouse 51. The series focuses on Firehouse 51’s firefighters and paramedic teams, with an ensemble cast that includes Jesse Spencer, Taylor Kinney, Monica Raymund, and Eamonn Walker.
