No matter where they go, Firehouse 51 will always be their home.
Boden reminds Brett and Casey of that in the latest Chicago Fire promo, but we didn’t need the reminder.
We know that no matter who comes and goes at this unique firehouse, their friends will always be waiting with a warm hug when they return.
This long-awaited union will be bittersweet.
As much as we’ve cheered for Sylvie and Brett to land in each other’s arms, we’ve always known that if they take that plunge, the more permanent ties to Firehouse 51 and Chicago itself would be severed.
Thankfully, Matt Casey’s work often brings him close to his friends in Chicago, so there is still a chance he’ll return now and again even if his love will be by his side in Portland.
Sylvie’s need to return is less understood. Throughout Chicago Fire Season 12, Violet has made it a point many times over that she’ll take any excuse she can get to visit Sylvie in Portland.
Not once has Brett expressed her desire to return to Chicago to visit her friend.
We don’t know what that means for the longer-term story possibilities, but we’ll keep hoping that this will not be the last time we get to enjoy their friendship
We do know that this will be a wedding to remember.
If we didn’t get to enjoy the bachelorette party that Violet worked so hard to put together before Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 5, the teases for “Port in the Storm” seem to make up for it.
This is a truncated season, so we’re happy we get to share this time with our Chicago friends before some of them head out for new phases of their lives.
NBC mentions that the episode welcomes back some familiar faces, but the only face we see who no longer remains a series regular is Casey himself.
The bride and groom have had many friends througout the years, so we can’t wait to see what other beloved characters may be waiting in the wings to make their appearance.
The female friendships on Chicago Fire have been very important to the narrative.
It will be hard to lose the central female on the series, though.
Sylvie Brett came to Firehouse 51 right after Shay died, and she’s been integral to the series’ success.
The writers have written Stella Kidd and Violet Mikami incredibly well, and the three of them together are a force to be reckoned with.
We know they’ll pick up the slack of Sylvie’s leaving, but it’s still going to be quite a jolt for viewers who have come to count on Brett’s steady hand in a crisis and the calming presence she provides to other 51 crew.
We expect to see some changes within the remaining characters as they pick up the slack.
We’ve already seen Stella playing calm when she tested out the massage chair and saw Violet get riled up, standing her ground to prove a point when Chief Robinson tried blaming Brett for the defibrillator mishap and then failed to give her kudos for figuring out the truth.
The coming episode will also be a bit of a baton-pass as Derrick Gibson meets Casey for the first time.
Gibson found his footing after being forced to face his past when he witnessed a young basketball player blame himself for his teammate’s medical issue.
Admitting out loud that he killed a man was an incredible for step for Gibson, who had never shared a word of it outside of a clinical setting.
Even better, he confided in Carver, which is a perfect stepping stone for them to create a new friendship, something the firehouse thrives on and which have been thrown into chaos with Gallo’s and Brett’s departures.
Chicago Fire is forging new ground, always taking chances on character additions and departures. In most cases, it works just as we’d hope.
But we have no idea what the future will look like after we lose Sylvie. Maybe that will firm up a bit when we find out who is taking her place.
We haven’t had much luck with male paramedics, and I really hope that there is another female added to the crew, so exploring the male-female dynamic in that setting doesn’t excite me.
The males outnumber the females by a decent ratio, and we’re excited to see another female face to see what she adds to the existing dynamic.
For now, we prepare for the wedding.
The biggest surprise, which we discovered last night with the promo below, is that even though Sylvie didn’t get the setting of her dreams with Tony’s help, that isn’t going to stop her from marrying amidst the fishes.
That throws Violet into a tailspin trying to decorate the place. The photos assure us that she made good use of the card she’d been dealt.
The most memorable weddings tend to last a lifetime in our minds. Whether it’s a great snow storm or a loss of power, or if you’re aquarium wedding turns into a fish-store extravaganza, you will be sure to remember every minute the more it stands out.
And don’t worry, there will be an emergency this week. From the looks of it, we won’t lose all of the wedding guests to a call, but what they respond to at an expo center will take a shocking turn.
Really, don’t they all take shocking turns? This is Chicago Fire, after all!
Are you ready for “Port in the Storm”?
Is the wedding bittersweet for you, too? Will you dearly miss Sylvie, or are you eager to see who joins the crew in her place? Maybe a little of both?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
