Violet had to help someone she never thought she’d see again in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 13. Meanwhile, Carver faced some of his demons.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for Chicago Fire season 13, episode 13.
We picked up off the back of the previous episode as Carver went to the AA meeting. There he shares that he’s 22 days sober, which may not sound like a lot, but it’s the most he’s gone without a drink since he was 14.
Meanwhile, Violet’s boyfriend has a case that she could help on, but it brings someone from her past back. Oh, and Stellaride found out everyone’s nickname for them.
Cruz understands the assignment in Chicago Fire
The episode opens with Severide and the rest of Squad 3 being called out to an activity center. There’s been an accident that involves a woman hanging from a rope. While it turns out to be a good save, Kidd (who has told Violet that they’re starting an adoption journey) wants Severide to teach the Girls on Fire group a rope course.
I love that we continue to see how the two work together so well. Severide immediately agrees to do it. I do think sometimes he can hold his emotions in a little too much, though. That likely comes from his past, but when Kidd tells him that she’s told Violet about the adoption journey, he looks excited. His face drops a little when he finds out that Kidd told Violet not to spread it around. It’s almost like he wants the support of others in the firehouse.
Severide ends up passing on the task to Cruz. This isn’t because Severide wants to, but because he ends up with a task from Pascal. So, it’s up to Cruz to create something “fun and technical.” It’s a basic program, and one that nobody else likes. They all think it’s a little basic, including Pascal. So, when Kidd is shocked to see a ladder climb and glide down the rope idea that Severide and Pascal end up coming up with, she’s shocked and not all that happy about the idea. There are some 14-year-olds.
It turns out that Cruz thought of the perfect idea for the Girls of Fire group. I love that for Cruz.
I also love that Kidd shares the adoption agency that Brett recommended, which tells us that Kidd and Brett are still friends. Severide wants to give the center a call the next day, making it very clear that he does want to start this family with Kidd. Can we have a positive adoption storyline this time?
Violet goes through protocols in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 13
Meanwhile, Violet spends the episode going through some protocols to help the medic in Flynn’s case. We, of course, knew that someone from Violet’s past who would show up. Most people suspected Emma Jacobs, but I did wonder if it was going to be Lennox. Sure enough, that’s who it was!
Flynn quickly apologizes. It wasn’t Flynn’s fault, though. Lennox was the one who didn’t mention Firehouse 51, knowing that Violet wouldn’t help him. While Violet turns him down at first, Lennox doesn’t give up. This is his freedom and career on the line. Plus, he genuinely feels bad for the situation.
Lennox learned a lot from Violet. He does seem remorseful, but it’s hard for Violet to agree to help him. I love that we see this moment where she knows that only she can help. She doesn’t want to do it, but she’s the only one who can.
She ends up figuring out a way to save Lennox. When she talks about the oxygen monitors going off, Lennox points out that they didn’t. They need to check the stored data to see if they can prove that there was an underlying condition that caused the cardiac arrest.
Carver reaches out for help in a moment of need
When everyone starts talking about retirement plans, Herrmann decides that it’s time to create a signature cocktail at Molly’s. Carver has to give this a miss, but it’s not easy. He did get the number of someone at AA, and Carver immediately reaches out.
I adore that Carver is serious about his recovery. While I do think that telling people around him that he is getting help for his drinking would be a good thing, I do appreciate that he’s too ashamed right now. He needs to be around people who are just like him and understand him.
Sobriety isn’t easy, though, and there’s a moment when it looks like Carver is about to take a drink. So, when we learn via a phone call that Carver is in the drunk tank, it’s not too surprising. Even Kidd notes that “it’s two years all over again.”
It’s not Carver, though! It’s the guy from AA!
It turns out that Lee is one of those guys who gets fixated and dangerous. He fixated on someone else in another group, and that woman tells Carver everything that happened. Carver immediately realizes what is going on and rushes to save Violet as Lee threatens her. This does give Carver a chance to open up to Violet about his drinking problem.
Carver will need more support, though. When Flynn turns up at the bar with Lennox (with good news that there was an underlying condition and Lennox didn’t kill the patient accidentally and the state was dropping the charges), Carver can just watch as Violet and Flynn continue their relationship. It’s clear that he’s thinking about self-medicating.
I’m grateful we’re getting more development for Carver. He’s been a bit of a one-note character in Chicago Fire since his introduction. There was hope that we’d get to know more when he was with Violet, and then that ended. While this storyline seemed a little out of the blue at first, I think it reminds us that people only show the sides of them that they want to. Carver has only ever shown us the side of him that he wants people to see.
Mouch and Herrmann finally get a bit of a heart-to-heart in this episode. Herrmann has been pushing his way through to chief, even though it’s clear that he’s not all that on board with the idea. Mouch is now starting to see that Herrmann isn’t really into the idea of becoming chief. He doesn’t want his friend to do something that he isn’t happy about for his own sake, and I love that about Mouch. Just where do they both go from here?
Chicago Fire airs on Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.
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