The Chicago Fire season 11 finale juggles multiple storylines and leaves several loose plot threads.

It’s an understatement to say that Firehouse 51 has gone through a lot in the past year — both professionally and personally.

While Chief Boden’s crew is able to expertly deal with every crisis that they have been called for, doing their jobs hasn’t exactly been easy as they also deal with their respective issues. In the Chicago Fire season 11 finale, “Red Waterfall,” NBC and Wolf Entertainment culminate some of its biggest ongoing arcs, while also introducing new ones.

Chicago Fire is already confirmed to return for season 12. Whether it actually sticks to its regular fall season premiere is uncertain at this point due to the ongoing Writers Guild Strike of 2023. Its small screen return isn’t the only thing uncertain for the show as it enters its mandatory summer hiatus. After an intense and quite busy Chicago Fire season 11 finale, it opts to keep viewers hanging for months with some of its plot lines.

Severide & Kidd’s Marriage Is Starting To Crumble

In early 2023, news broke out that Taylor Kinney was taking an unexpected leave of absence in the middle of Chicago Fire season 11. After the initial dread, it was then confirmed that his departure would only be temporary, which means that Kelly Severide will eventually be back at Firehouse 51. NBC and Wolf Entertainment were able to explain his sudden departure. Apparently, Severide was sent to a last-minute, once-in-a-lifetime OFI training camp. That being said, it has been months since he took that unexpected job offer. It doesn’t help that he supposedly has had a change in plans without consulting his wife, Stella Kidd, first.

After trying to keep their marriage intact amid this tricky period of long distance, Kidd is starting to have major doubts about the status of their relationship. In the Chicago Fire season 11 finale, she seeks advice from those closest to her, including Chief Boden. Firehouse 51’s leader assures her that Severide won’t just abandon her, but it doesn’t quell her fears. At the end of the outing, she decides to take a couple of shifts off to bring her husband home. However, it’s curious if Severide would even be willing to come home, especially if he’s really enjoying his time working away from his crew.

Firehouse 51 May Be Looking At More Complicated Romance

Chicago Fire isn’t new to in-house romances. Working countless hours every day and going through the same dangerous experiences make bonding so much easier for Chief Boden’s team. It has been a while since it has dealt with a complicated love line, but the Chicago Fire season 11 finale may have set up a new one. It revives the idea that Sam Carver is harboring a secret crush on Kidd. At the same time, it also verifies that Violet Mikami is attracted to the latest Squad member. Whether NBC and Wolf Entertainment further explore this brewing dynamic is uncertain, but it will make for an interesting dynamic at the firehouse.

Brett Gets To Adopt The Baby

Sylvie Brett’s life appears to be back to normal with her current boyfriend, Dylan, despite Matt Casey’s unexpected return to Chicago. However, just when things are starting to settle down for her, she is faced with another big decision when she gets the urge to adopt a baby that she and Violet delivered while on a call. Unfortunately, the process of adoption is tricky, as seen when Joe Cruz took in Javi. Thanks to Brett’s closest friends at Firehouse 51 in the Chicago Fire season 11 finale, she gets a faster path into taking baby Julia after her birth mother finally agrees to make her a guardian.

Casey Is Back And He Proposes To Brett

While Casey’s last trip back home to the Windy City was mostly for work, he also wanted to have a conversation with Brett to repair their relationship, but nothing came out of it. Things are different in the Chicago Fire season 11 finale, however. After Dylan unexpectedly breaks things up with her, Casey takes it as his cue to step in and finally propose to Brett. Unfortunately, fans would have to wait until next season to learn about Brett’s answer. For context, however, Casey hasn’t mentioned moving back to Chicago, so it’s curious if his plan is to do another long-distance set-up.

Mouch Could Die After Getting Shot

Probably the most unexpected plot in the Chicago Fire season 11 finale is Mouch getting shot while on duty. Firehouse 51 is called into a plant fire that is apparently being intentionally set to go off by some domestic terrorists. Amid the commotion, however, it isn’t until the perpetrators are arrested, and the situation is resolved that they realize that Mouch is bleeding. He gets into Chicago Med right in time and is even put into a private room to recuperate. However, things become complicated again when he starts bleeding, leaving viewers worried if Firehouse 51’s most veteran member will survive the ordeal.

What To Expect From Chicago Fire Season 12

The whole One Chicago franchise reaches the end of its multi-year renewal in 2023. Luckily, all three shows, as well as Dick Wolf’s other procedural franchise, Law & Order, have been guaranteed to return with new episodes in the upcoming fall TV season. Considering the multiple lingering plot lines that the Chicago Fire season 11 finale leaves, fans of the first-responder procedural have more than enough things to discuss throughout the summer. That being said, there’s also an expectation that when it returns for season 12, it will provide some answers.

Chicago Fire season 12 can’t get away with further delaying Brett’s answer about getting married to Casey. Depending on how Jesse Spencer’s set-up will be, Casey may actually find himself back in Chicago for good. Meanwhile, the series has done several of these death cliffhangers, and usually, they always turn out for the best. So, there’s an expectation that Mouch will survive. The biggest and most urgent mystery that Chicago Fire season 12 needs to resolve, however, is Kidd and Severide’s situation. Hopefully, by then, Kinney will already be back in the One Chicago franchise.