Chicago Fire Season 14, Episode 20 Review: Don’t Leave Us, Severide

Chicago Fire Season 14, Episode 20 ‘Speak of the Devil’ sees Kelly lean on his friends in the absence of his wife, in a way that very much works because if there’s one thing we love about Firehouse 51, it’s the found family aspect. But the fact that the show makes a weird situation work doesn’t mean that the situation isn’t just that, weird. Budget cuts are what they are, and we already knew characters would be missing from time to time. But in the penultimate episode? Stella Kidd?

There were a few episodes mid-season she could have missed, and we would have been fine with that. Because sure, the Isaiah excuse is good. Both Stella and Kelly care about him enough to drop anything to go help him. But that means that we’re now without Stella after she just promised her husband they were going to fight this Internal Affairs investigation together, and that even the Isaiah thing and all it brings up for the family they want to have is going unanswered because it’s not happening in front of us.

Chicago Fire is returning for Season 14, and it doesn’t seem like we’re ever putting the genie back in the bottle and getting every character back for every episode. So, what we need right now is to make sure that next season, characters get to take an episode break when it makes sense, not when we really need them around.

MORE: We didn’t like how Chicago Fire handled the Stellaride pregnancy storyline. But we’re still holding out hope for the future!

LOYALTY?

We’re not even going to dwell on Cruz literally saying, “I keep thinking what Kidd would say if I were here,” mostly because I believe he’s wrong. Stella would have known that this was about more than saving Kelly’s job, even if it started like that. Because Severide isn’t the kind of person who can just take his findings to Internal Affairs, argue retaliation, and let it stand if Benny really did something wrong.

It’s not even about Severide’s complicated relationship with his father, because even if Benny had been a great father, I think the Kelly Severide we know would have still been the type of man who needs the truth. And Stella Kidd is the type of wife who knows who she married, and she would have supported him.

There was an easy path here for Kelly. It was perhaps the one most people would take. The fact that he doesn’t even consider it proves why he’s actually not just the right character to center this show around, but also the right man to take over Firehouse 51. Is it in any way surprising that he gets to the truth, in the end? No. That’s what we expected from Severide. He’s like a dog with a bone when he thinks something is wrong, and that can sometimes be the best thing about him.

MORE: What did Rob Morgan tell us about Chief Hopkins being the antagonist of Season 14

I’M SORRY, LIZZIE

After a season that has been mostly about Lizzie’s relationship with Frost and her crush on Vasquez, plus how that affected her relationship with her partner, it’s good to see the show once again focus on what has perhaps been the most interesting thing they’ve shown us about Lizzie Novak so far this season: her family dynamics. Even if they are more than a little complicated.

For so long, Lizzie was the one who had to fix everything, the one who had to be the mom. And in many ways, she still defaults to that, even now that they’ve reconnected. She’s protecting her sister and trying to protect her brother when what they really need is just her support and her honesty. Sure, they’ve made mistakes. They’ll continue to make them. But Lizzie cannot solve everything for either of them, not anymore.

They’re all adults now. Heidi needed to take ownership of her issues and ask for help. And once she did, the best thing for her was to turn around and realize she wasn’t doing it alone. Her sister and her brother are right there, and will continue to be there. And as for Lizzie? She’s got her own support system, too. That’s important.

MORE: Read our review of the One Chicago crossover!

Things I think I think:

• Of course, they sent Stella to Cleveland in the penultimate episode!
• It would be good if you helped, Van Meter.
• Okay, okay, we’re recruiting Cruz. I like it.
• Fifty query letters aren’t even that much, Mouch.
• My one question is: Kelly, where was your jacket?
• Sure, talking to people will fix things, Severide.
• Oh, they’re saying Benny did it?
• Again, it’s not like Severide is Benny’s biggest fan here. If he finds out Benny did it, what’s he gonna do? Protect Benny’s legacy? Ehh, nah.
• Just saying, this would be a moment where someone should maybe tell Damon. Except we’ve forgotten about him!
• I also kinda love how Severide is like let me bring Cruz in, but Cap and Tony? Naaah.
• Don’t know how Lizzie is doing it, truly don’t. I don’t know if I could keep my head straight if it were someone I loved.
• Herrmann is right, Mouch.
• They’re using Stella’s office!!
• I mean, what’s mine is yours and all that.
• Noooo Lucy.
• But like, he was obviously going to find out.
• “Sometimes you think you’re protecting someone, but you don’t realize you’re just pushing them away.”
• Violet and Vasquez hanging out in the waiting room gave me feels.
• She did hang you out to try. Not Benny.
• He’s right, the facts of a 30-year-old case shouldn’t have been relevant.
• Now we’re saying good things about Benny?
• We solved this without Stella! I mean, I’m glad we solved it, but without Stella!!!!!
• Am I gonna miss Hopkins? No. Did I appreciate the end of this? Yes.
• So, are we back on the Lizzie and Vasquez train?
• Can we get Lucy back?
• He did have to apologize.
• Okay, I like this new idea, Mouch.
• “That office is yours, if you want it.”
• Wait, was that Pascal in the promo, or is that old footage?
• Also, now I’m scared for the finale.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago Fire Season 14, Episode 20 ‘Speak of the Devil’? Share with us in the comments below! And if you have your own opinion on the show, leave a review/rating on our Chicago Fire hub!

Chicago Fire airs on Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.