The Season 12 finale of Chicago Fire bid farewell to a fixture of Firehouse 51: Chief
Wallace Boden. While fans thought they knew who would be stepping up and taking
over Boden’s position in Season 13, the show might be heading in a different direction.
Who is replacing Chief Boden on Chicago Fire? We have the answer below. Who is replacing Chief Boden on Chicago Fire? Wallace Boden (played by Eamonn Walker) led Firehouse 51 for the first 12 seasons of Chicago Fire. He was one of five remaining original characters — along with Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg), Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) and Randall “Mouch” Mcholland (Christian Stolte) — and the glue that held Firehouse 51 together. More… More… In the Season 12 finale, Boden said a final goodbye to his team after he landed the role of Deputy Fire Commissioner for the Chicago Fire Department. Before left, he offered the role of Firehouse 51 caption to Herrmann. “You can look after our family,” Boden told Herrmann, who responded: “I’m nobody.”
Boden reminded the senior firefighter that he “leads with his heart,” which makes him more than qualified to be the captain. Fans were thrilled with the idea of Hermann finally getting his flowers, but as it turns out, the show will be bringing in an entirely new character to fill Boden’s shoes. According to our sister site Deadline, Hermann will not succeed Boden in Season 13 for reasons that are not yet known. Additionally, sources close to production told the outlet that 51’s new chief will be a male character tentatively named Dom Pascal. Dom began his career with the Chicago Fire Department but spent the last decade as a chief in Miami. He is described as a cheerful person who works well under pressure, and whose leadership style differs from Boden’s. As for his personal life, Dom and his wife are estranged.
It’s not yet known who will play Dom, but casting for the series regular role is currently underway. Although this changing of the guard means we won’t be seeing much of Boden anymore, Walker is expected to return to the show in a recurring capacity in the future. The British actor was the third series regular to exit in Season 12, along with Kara Killmer, who played Sylvie Brett, and Alberto Rosende, who played Blake Gallo. In a January 2024 interview with TVLine, showrunner Andrea Newman explained why there have been so many exits this season. “Honestly, longevity is really just part of it,” she said, explaining that shows that have been running as long as Chicago Fire have to shake things up to keep storylines fresh. “[In] storytelling and in terms of real life, 12 years is a long time and things need to change, just dynamic-wise. You want new characters and you want new dynamics,” Newman continued. “Actor-wise, 12 years is a long [time]. Nobody expects in TV [that] they’re going to be anywhere for 12 years, I can say that for sure, from all sides,” she added. While Boden’s departure might be one of the most bittersweet exits the show has seen, fans weren’t all that surprised by it. Leading up to his final episode, Boden had been out on leave to deal with some family issues, and in the Season 12 premiere, he gave his crew a touching speech that seemingly foreshadowed his retirement as captain. “Nothing stays the same forever. Change is inevitable. People will come and go from this firehouse and from our lives,” he told his team. “There will be welcome backs, there will be hellos, and there will be goodbyes. Anyone who’s been a part of 51 will always be a part of 51, and that is something you can hold on to, no matter what else is changing around us.”
