Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 13 Review: Never Say Goodbye (2024)

If there were ever a proper way to write a character out of Chicago Fire, this is it. On Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 13, “Never Say Goodbye,” Boden puts his hat in the ring for the position of Deputy Commissioner.

He does so after realizing that not only does he need to try to prevent Chief Robinson from getting the position, but he’s not comfortable backing any of the other candidates either.

On top of that, he has an experience on a call that pushes him to make the decision as a leader — this is what he now believes is best for his team at 51 and the CFD as a whole.

For that call to be the push he needed to make that decision is a bit of a stretch, really. I’m not even sure he needed to make that connection. There are plenty of other reasons he could have changed his mind about trying for that position.

The call I’m referring to, of course, is the one that shakes everyone up at the beginning of the episode. The team arrives to see several workers hanging from a building, all holding on to ropes, desperate not to lose their grip.

Boden goes up directly to help the crew leader in a suspenseful moment — the kind this season has needed more of. Meanwhile, Carver and the rest of the town on the ground are working to inflate a bag to have their for safety, but it turns out these take a while to blow up.

So when the man falls out of Boden’s grasp, he lands on hard ground instead. It’s hard to watch, and it’s not lost on me that this is Boden’s last call, at least in this capacity. He’s horrified, but he’s struck more by the man’s leadership and sacrifices for his crew, as well as his will to fight when he goes to see him in the hospital later.

As for the Deputy Commissioner position, Boden assumes he doesn’t have much of a chance, but he sets things in motion at the firehouse just in case, telling Herrmann that he wants him to be the one to ultimately take over for him at 51.

As sad as it is to see Boden leave, it will absolutely be satisfying to see Herrmann move up the ranks if that’s where they’re going with this.

Mouch too, because after Casey’s comment to him at the wedding earlier this season, Mouch has declared that he’s going to work toward becoming a lieutenant.

Of course, Boden does get the job. It’s not even really a contest, thank goodness.

So Boden gets a farewell, but as Stella says, and Boden too, this isn’t a goodbye. For one thing, he’s still going to be working for the same fire department. He’ll just be at headquarters now.

Still, it’s an emotional farewell with nearly everyone from 51 piling into Boden’s office to tell him what a difference he’s made.

Boden pushes back tears in that classic Wallace Boden way that he does when he’s emotional but remains tough. It’s a sweet scene, and it really is the right move if Boden isn’t going to be seen on the show as much anymore.

This is where it’s important to note that Eamonn Walker isn’t necessarily leaving Chicago Fire. He’s stepping back from it as a series regular, but that doesn’t mean he won’t appear.

And this position is the perfect way to see him occasionally if that’s the plan. I assume — I hope — that it is.

The season finale isn’t just a farewell to Boden, though. There’s also a major reveal involving Damon.

Interestingly, it starts with the fact that both Carver and Damon lose it on a call at a restaurant where they realize a dad has poured boiling water on his son’s arm. It’s personal for both of them. We don’t know that at the time, though.

We do know why it’s personal for Carver. It’s a good reminder of his back story and a pretty seamless way to have Carver show that side of himself we saw more of when he first arrived at 51.

It makes for an interesting conversation with Violet later as well. She accuses Carver of losing his temper because it happened after Stella got pushed, pointing out that she knows Carver had feelings for her.

Carver admits that he did once, but then reveals, angrily, that he’s in love with Violet even though she clearly can’t let go of Hawkins.

Jake Lockett plays this moment well. He balances all of those emotions in a believable way without being too over the top, and it leaves the audience rooting for him when it comes to Violet.

Any worries viewers might have over it being too soon after Hawkins’ death now for Violet to start a new relationship are left behind after that interaction.

Damon’s feelings about that call aren’t as obvious to anyone because no one really knows him yet. He’s had issues with a few team members already, and now Stella is pissed and wants him off her service.

Severide intervenes a bit, asking Damon to explain why he lost it on that call. Damon almost speaks up, but they’re interrupted. Later, Novak is the one who suggests to Damon that 51 isn’t a place to keep secrets.

So he takes that advice and finds Severide to answer his question from before.

Damon hasn’t been there for malicious reasons, thankfully. His secret is something else entirely, and it’s something that should make for an interesting new dynamic moving forward. Damon’s dad was Benny Severide.

This reveal comes only shortly after Severide tells Stella he thinks they should start a family, to which she seems completely caught off guard — and maybe not on board. This sets up several possibilities for their characters next season.

What did you think of this episode of Chicago Fire? Did the reveal about Damon surprise you, or is that what you were expecting? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Chicago Fire returns next season to NBC.

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