Chicago Fire is running out of time to wrap up these character arcs 

In the Chicago Fire episode titled Permanent Damage, two major storylines unfold. On one hand, Sam Carver returns to Firehouse 51 after being away to deal with his anger and substance abuse. His romance with Violet Mikami starts to take shape and stabilise, suggesting some romantic future, while Lizzy Novak and Darren Ritter are expected to start a new living arrangement. According to reports, the actors who played Carver and Ritter are leaving the show after season 13. Therefore, their developments might be temporary or left open-ended in Chicago Fire.

Read on to dive deeper into how the show now doesn't have time to bid a justified farewell to its characters.

Chicago Fire is facing financial burdens, compelling it to shrink the cast size

The situation surrounding the exits of Daniel Kyri (Darren Ritter) and Jake Lockett (Sam Carver) from Chicago Fire reflects broader industry trends, particularly the financial pressures facing network television in the age of streaming. Network TV is losing viewership to streaming platforms, leading to shrinking ad revenue and tighter budgets. Therefore, reducing the cast size remains the only way.

Carver is reintroduced as a better person now, hinting at a romantic future with Violet. Ritter is given a fun, new subplot as Lizzy Novak’s roommate, seemingly setting up long-term comedy potential. But both characters are leaving in just a few episodes, which makes the narrative setup feel like a waste of narrative momentum.

What could be the possible exit narrative for Ritter and Carver in Chicago Fire?

Ritter might get closure in the narrative, therefore, the show isn't introducing any new conflict for him, but just being a lighthearted roommate of Novak. The characters seem like bonding before the final emotional departure. On the other hand, for Carver, it seems like there's no setup for a peaceful exit, like an emotional closure with Violet or a job offer from another city. The show just unnecessarily reintroduced him and raised the emotional stakes around the character, only to now suggest a dramatic fallout, with the actor leaving the show in a few episodes.

There might be some tragedy revolving around the character, like he might die heroically in a major fire or a rescue gone wrong. This could serve as a close to satisfactory ending for Violet and the team, but again, very predictable, keeping in mind the logistics. Or else it could be Carver transferring to another place, leaving Violet hurt again.

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Chicago Fire's new episode 20 will be released on May 7, 2025, and after that, the season will be left with 2 more episodes to finish. These characters are not returning after that, and it is only to witness how these characters' arc finally ends in the show.

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