Chicago Fire Season 15's Grim Fate Can Be Fixed In 1 Easy Move
Laura Hurley has been writing about the entertainment industry for more than twelve years, after a decade as a content producer and editor at CinemaBlend after writing for WhatCulture and Examiner. Attending events like SCAD TVfest and San Diego Comic-Con over the course of her career, she has been immersed in the world of network, streaming, and cable TV.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Chicago Fire season 15, episode 1, "New Blood."Chicago Fire finally returned to NBC to reveal the aftermath of the cliffhanger that left the vast majority of Firehouse 51's heroes in peril at the end of season 14. Now, with the arrival of season 15, the first responder drama has made some bold changes with just a handful of episodes left before a major milestone. Some of the changes are better than others, and the cast is going to look different by the time NBC airs the 300th episode of Chicago Fire this fall.
The original One Chicago drama is back in its usual time slot on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET in NBC's fall 2026 schedule, between Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. Out of these three shows, Fire was the only one that ended the 2025-2026 TV season on a life-or-death cliffhanger. For better or worse, the season 15 premiere was bound to be a game-changer.
"New Blood" picked up where season 14 ended, with Stella Kidd's crew being roasted while escaping the burning warehouse roof, while the heroes of Squad 3 and Engine 51 were trapped inside. None of the Chicago Fire characters who seemed likely to die actually perished, but Cruz sustained an injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. After a time jump, he was seen using a wheelchair while the rest of the Firehouse 51 family tried to cope with the tragedy. The solution to season 15 getting back on track is the return of a former fan-favorite: Wallace Boden.
Boden's Return Is The Easiest Way To Solve Firehouse 51's Problems In Chicago Fire Season 15
Eamonn Walker technically left Chicago Fire as a series regular in season 12, but he returned as a guest star in season 13 when he was needed at his old firehouse. At the time, it was clear that the first responders who had worked under him still greatly respected his opinion and his judgment. While there's a whole crop of newcomers in the firehouse after the events of "New Blood," there are enough veterans left who could use some words of wisdom from their former battalion chief.
Nobody needs those words more than Cruz, after the events of the season 15 premiere. His spirits were the lowest they'd been since Otis died when he learned that his injury would stop him from returning to his work as a firefighter, even in the best-case scenario for his recovery. Boden would be uniquely qualified to help cheer Cruz up. Not only was he a firefighter who eventually left the fires behind, but he's living proof that somebody can leave the action behind while still filling a vital role at the CFD.
Severide could use a pep talk from a former mentor as well. Stepping up as the leader of the whole firehouse would have been stressful for him at the best of times, and the aftermath of that warehouse fire certainly wouldn't qualify as the best of any time. He was struggling under the burden of bad press as well as trying to prove Cruz innocent of any fault in the fire. It was just a good thing that Stella had a good handle on her cadets herself, without relying on him to solve any problems.
There has never been a better time for Boden to show up on Chicago Fire again, and time is running out before Cruz is gone for good.
Where Is Boden & Can He Come Back To Firehouse 51?
Fortunately, Chicago Fire didn't kill off Boden when the time came to write Eamonn Walker out of the show. Instead, Boden realized that the CFD was in danger of being led by corrupt officials in season 12, and he decided to do what he could by applying for the position of Deputy Fire Commissioner. After he won the well-deserved promotion, he was relocated out of his office at Firehouse 51 as battalion chief. Boden is very much still part of the CFD; he's just off-screen whenever Walker isn't on board as a guest.
In theory, there's absolutely no reason why Boden couldn't drop by 51 to chat with Severide about taking on the burden of leadership, and there's nothing to stop him from visiting Cruz during his recovery. The problem is that Walker is not confirmed as one of the One Chicago actors coming back in 2026, and Boden can't exactly come back to save the day without the actor coming back too.
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Boden visiting his old stomping grounds would be a quick fix for the problems in the season 15 premiere, but getting Walker back before Joe Miñoso's final episode seems quite unlikely at this point. Find out how Chicago Fire moves forward from season 15's grim beginning with new episodes on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET, between Chicago Med and Chicago P.D., all on NBC.
- Release Date
- October 10, 2012
- Network
- NBC
- Showrunner
- Andrea Newman
- Directors
- Michael Brandt
- Writers
- Michael Brandt
-
Taylor Kinney
Kelly Severide
-
David Eigenberg
Christopher Herrmann
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