Chicago Fire 10×21 “The Missing Place” is about that person, the one that completes you. The one that makes every day better, even when you aren’t exactly happy with them. The one that understands you, even when you don’t have the words. And yes, the one that offers to go down with you, in case you end up going down.
Every episode, Chicago Fire continues to hammer on the Hawkami and Stellaride comparisons — which means we’re keeping Hawkami, right? — in a way that clearly establishes the dynamics going forward. But this hour does one better. In the way this show always does, it allows people outside those dynamics to shine, because Chicago Fire never has been just about the ships (even if we love the ships). Above all, it’s always been about family. Every part of it.
With a little help from our friends …
Herrmann and Stella, Cruz and Kelly. The friendships shine in Chicago Fire 10×21, as Kelly and Stella struggle with the fears that come with marriage and with what the kind of wedding they settled on means. Because, sometimes, when it comes to something like a wedding, you end up doing the kind of things people expect from you instead of what you truly want to do.
Not everyone wants a big wedding, or a long wait. Similarly, not everyone needs one. Kelly and Stella have never been the type, and that’s okay. Just as it’s okay if that is indeed your thing. Because we’re all different, and we should all do the things that make us happy on one of the most special days of our lives.
For Stellaride, the thing that makes them happy is just …each other. Not the venue, and it’s not the party. It’s just each other, first and foremost. Being there together. The love they share. Getting to share that with friends. That’s it. Nothing else matters.
But sometimes, we need a reminder that it’s okay not to let our wedding day become about other people, or even about our fears. And that it’s also okay to worry a little beforehand. Because feelings are just that: feelings. There are no right or wrong ones. There’s only how you handle them.
Together
The way Hawkami is dealing with the Emma issue, together, is not just the best way to handle it, it’s the only way to do so. And even if that means — as Hawkins suggested — going down together, it means a lot that he’s willing, that they’ve gotten here. They’re a unit, so what affects one of them, affects the other. Period.
Of course, they’re just Stellaride mirrors, in a way, because Stellaride is the Chicago Fire couple that has modeled this. As in, they are the standard in this show. They’re the standard of support, as well as the standard of partnership. The standard of growing together. In this episode, that means that the fears that are gnawing at both of them, slowly, fears about the past, about what they grew up seeing, can throw them off for a bit, but cannot rule them.
But they know that the only way to get through something that scares you is to face it. And Kelly and Stella are not worried about being together, they’re worried about the expectations the world places on the word “marriage,” on the idea of a wedding. So, they’re going to handle this how they handle life, by linking hands and running towards the fire. And they’re going to get through it because of it.
Things I think I think:
- KICK HER ASS.
- How’s Evan Hawkins so perfect? How?
- TV often exaggerates the pre-wedding jitters thing. It’s not universal, it truly isn’t.
- I wouldn’t drink anything Emma gives me.
- “This was a wrongful death.”
- Gallo’s whole “I’m gonna kill her” is about as relatable as it comes.
- BUT, GALLO, DON’T RUN OFF AND LEAVE YOUR FRIEND TO WORRY.
- Tony and Capp are THE BEST. Not just at the funny part.
- Yeah, it’s all cool Cruz. It feels cool.
- What love triangle? I love Gallo and Hawkins working together to help Violet.
- There might never have been a better storyline than Mouch and the couch.
- HAILEY SAVING KELLY.
- Can they, like, get a drink after? Or Hailey and Stella get a drink? THIS ISN’T ENOUGH CROSSOVER.
- Ritter would make a great PI. Mouch, too.
- I want it pointed out that Kelly almost held his own against four guys.
- “Stella, there’s been an incident” might just be the scariest words I’ve heard on this show.
- The way everyone is at Med waiting to hear from Kelly.
- I cannot get over the way Miranda and Taylor play Stella and Kelly. The way they look at each other. The tenderness. The way the love is obvious in every word, every touch.
- Emma’s smile at the end is CHILLING. No, but like full on kudos to the acting. Because I’m kinda scared.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago Fire 10×21 “The Missing Place”? Shae with us in the comments below!
Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC. The season finale will air May 25; the show is set to return for Season 11 in the Fall.
I loved the Mouch and Ritter subplot. Ritter is always going to support Mouch because of how Mouch helped to save his career and Mouch no doubt feels a sense of pride in seeing that he was right and how good a firefighter Ritter has become. I like it when they share scenes it makes sense that they would have a bond and it gives Ritter an avenue when the storyline takes him away from Violet and Gallo. Plus it gave Capp and Tony some attention.
Having Stellaride realize that the wedding was driving them crazy provides an explanation for last week’s episode which I thought was out of character for both. While both of them are intelligent and able to plan things out, they prefer to take action. Both have been married before so a big wedding isn’t as important to them as it is to others and waiting 4 months while they plan this isn’t in their DNA.
I was disappointed that Emma wasn’t taken out in this episode. I hope her demise comes early in the season final. The last episode should be all about Stellaride’s wedding and Casey’s return. Time devoted to Emma is time wasted. Their is nothing good about her at all. Frankly, I would love it if a member of Inelegance arrested Emma charging her with blackmail and official misconduct and it happened in the very beginning of the episode.