One of Chicago Fire‘s most recent tragic moments, the death of Chief Evan Hawkins, will have

a lasting effect on Violet Mikami, but the series showrunner has shed some light on what exactly

that will look like moving forward in the show. In episode three of Chicago Fire‘s 11th season,

Firehouse 51 was called to put out a structure fire in a movie theater. The team tended to many trapped civilians inside the building. Hawkins led the triage effort, but in a dramatic twist of fate, the building caved in on him as he tried to assist a survivor in front of the theater. Now, the focus is on Violet, the now former girlfriend of Hawkins, who was present at the time of his passing. In an interview with TV Line, Chicago Fire showrunner Andrea Newman said that the road forward for Violet wouldn’t be easy after the untimely passing of her boyfriend in episode three. Still, as time passes, she will find some level of peace and comfort in her own life. Newman added that, despite Hawkins’ absence from the team, the firehouse, and the show, he will still have a lasting impact on the lives of those he worked with. Of course, that also includes Violet.

Newman discussed the balance of her grieving Hawkins’ death while also trying to move forward personally and within the confines of her dangerous career. “It’s not that she’s going to put the grief behind her altogether, but I think she definitely is moving into a lighter space and able to have a little more fun while also not forgetting Evan. He’s still a part of her life.” How Chicago Fire Season 11 Can Show Violet Recovering Fans of Dick Wolf’s multi-property Chicago series have had a lot to digest over the years, but Chicago Fire season 11’s significant early death was particularly heartbreaking for many. In the first few episodes of the season, multiple shock waves were sent through its many subplots. In episode one, Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett ended their relationship. Just two episodes later, fans had to watch the death of Evan Hawkins.

A great deal of work needs to be done for Violet to move on with her personal and professional life. Much of that work will need to be internal for her, as she has had to navigate through a lot of emotional drama. On top of her having a fling with Hawkins, Gallo secretly has feelings for her. Hawkins’ death puts an even more intense spotlight on how Gallo shares those feelings. Violet and Hawkins’ rekindled flame was in the works for a while. The two were forced to hide their original relationship, which put plenty of stress on both of them and their professional careers. That played a serious role in their romantic turbulence, but after the Emma blackmailing saga finally concluded and Hawkins took responsibility for what occurred, Violet sought him out. Their meeting ended in a romantic embrace, and with Hawkins’ new role, they no longer had to hide their love from the people around them.

The pain Violet felt as Hawkins passed was difficult to watch, and understandably, it was met with mixed emotions by Chicago Fire fans. Tragically, the firehouse flame was extinguished. Violet and the Firehouse 51 crew will pick the pieces up and try to rebuild, but that process will continue to be complicated. Thankfully, Newman’s comments foreshadow an eventual triumph for Violet, which is something that many fans have been eagerly waiting for. Though, as is the nature of the show, that triumph could end up being brief before more curveballs get thrown into her life. Chicago Fire returns from its brief holiday hiatus on January 4 for the penultimate episode of season 11 before the season finale on January 11.